Thanks to everyone who took the time to submit questions to Mike’s Mailbag! We have a number of questions that should keep me busy for at least a few blogs before the calendar turns. Let’s get to my answers to your questions:
Jimbo asks: Not really a Sens specific question – but a “COVID lockout… will happen if the players don’t agree to be paid less. Do you think this will hurt the league in the long-run and not just the short-term profits?
Part of me thinks that it would. Labour unrest and the NHL seem to go hand in hand, and each successive lockout certainly feels like it chips away at fan perception of the league. While so many are struggling to put food on the table right now, millionaires fighting with billionaires over dollars likely isn’t something that the general public is all that excited to watch.
On the other hand, people are going to be so desperate to get out and enjoy entertainment when this is all over that the league and players might be able to get away with a self-inflicted labour interruption. That, plus the fact that people seem to forget about these things over the long-term, suggest that any impact might be short-lived.
The good news is that most signs are pointing to the league and players avoiding this exact situation.
Shane asks: When are you guys going to change to the new Sens logo on the website? A new logo for a bright future!
I have access to a select bank of photos; once the new logo is available, it’ll become my usual choice.
Steffi asks: Do you think it would be wise to have Tim Stuetzle play an entire season in Belleville?
Every indication from the team suggests that they believe he is ready to compete for an NHL job as soon as possible, so I’m inclined to defer to their amateur scouting team. The reality is that Stuetzle’s readiness will determine where the best fit for him is when the season begins. If he shows that he’s able to compete against NHL players, and that DJ Smith is prepared to give him sustained top-six minutes, Ottawa is the place for him. If he looks a little bit out of his depth and like he might need some more seasoning, Belleville might be the place.
AJ asks: If the same 8x8 deal Chabot received was on the table for Tkachuk, would that be (a) win for Tkachuk, (b) win for the Senators, or (c) a win for both?
My $0.02: It’s probably a win for Tkachuk and a not-entirely-unreasonable deal for the Senators, though I’m not sure it rises to a winning standard for the latter. Tkachuk has developed into a tremendously effective player for Ottawa, and projects to get even better over the next few seasons. Inking him to a long-term deal has to be a priority.
Joshua asks: How big of a problem do you see with the Sens not having enough game-breaking talent? Or, do you think we’re set?
Tim Stuetzle’s ceiling is probably the question that answers this question. A game-breaking Stuetzle combined with competent, offensive production from players like Drake Batherson, Josh Norris, Logan Brown, and others, probably puts the Senators in an okay spot. If Stuetzle’s ceiling is as a first/second-line “tweener,… then there’s likely a need for more. My gut instinct is to be optimistic about Stuetzle’s and the other prospects’ development, so I’m inclined to say that the team is relatively set.
Gordie asks: Realistically, how competitive will the Sens be and will they surprise?
I think that the opportunity of playing in a Canadian Division this season presents the Senators with a chance to surprise a lot of people. I don’t expect that they’ll be a playoff team, but I do expect that they’ll be a lot more competitive than most people expect. Outside of the Toronto Maple Leafs – who admittedly have issues of their own – there isn’t another Canadian team that really scares me to any significant degree. Getting away from the Bruins and Lightning will be a huge benefit.
Spatso asks: Which Sens player will step up and become the most positive surprise?
Drake Batherson is my pick. I’m looking forward to seeing big things from him.
Jesse asks: Do you see us adding any other players such as a cap casualty like Gourde or Johnson from Tampa?
Probably not. The team has already hit the floor, so there’s no real need to go out and pull the trigger on a move like that now. There’s also a need for the team to make sure it has enough open spaces to integrate some young talent into the roster this year.
K-Man asks: Is Gaborik’s LTIR contract a valuable trading chip since many teams are close to the cap and adding this LTIR contract would open up another $4.88M in cap space for those teams? The actual payout of Gaborik’s insured contract is only $600K, which makes it valuable to Melnyk as well.
It’s a really interesting idea, especially with rumors floating around that the Tampa Bay Lightning are in talks to acquire Henrik Zetterberg’s dead cap space from the Detroit Red Wings for the exact reason. Given those rumors, I think the answer has to be “yes… depending on the acquiring team.
Fil asks: Thoughts on still bringing back Duclair? What would be a good contract deal for him from the Senators’ position? I think that this ship has already sailed. Signing Evgenii Dadonov essentially used up the dollars and roster spot that I would have (at least partially) allocated to an Anthony Duclair contract. With the need to bring in so many promising forwards from the prospect ranks, giving a contract to Duclair now just doesn’t seem like it would make much sense. It really feels like Duclair overplayed his hand in negotiations, and has now left himself in an unfortunate and unenviable position.
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Back with more answers in the next blog, unless other news breaks. As always, thanks for reading.