In this edition of the hotstove, we share our thoughts on the big trade between the Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets.
Todd Cordell
I like the aggressiveness the Blue Jackets showed with this deal. While they are not a perfect team, they are a good one. This is the same team that put the eventual 2018 Stanley Cup champions on the ropes in the opening round and now they just added a top-line caliber player in Matt Duchene.
In a down year for the Metro where everyone looks beatable, I have no issue with the Blue Jackets taking a shot and trying to get something done while they still have Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky in the mix.
Some will argue the best case scenario is they win a couple rounds before getting taken out by Tampa Bay in the conference finals. That could be the case. It's not a sure thing, though. The Jackets would rightfully be underdogs but anything can happen in this luck-filled sport. There's also the possibility a key player or two get banged up in the playoffs and are unable to play, or are less effective, by the time the Jackets run into them.
I understand Columbus could have landed some solid futures if they sold. That's not overly enticing considering they've been around for almost two decades and still have not won a playoff round. At some point, you have to stop looking towards the future and try to find success in the now. They've never had any and, by trading Panarin and Bobrovsky, they'd be punting any chance away for another couple years.
From Ottawa's perspective, I think they did well. Not great – unless Duchene re-signs and they land another 1st – but perfectly fine. There's some risk with Vitali Abramov but the upside is certainly there. He's the kind of guy you want to take a shot on. Though Jonathan Davidsson doesn't possess the same upside, he seems like a reasonable bet to become a solid modern-day bottom-6 forward.
If Abramov hits, and/or the Sens land two 1sts for a player they couldn't re-sign, they'll probably feel pretty good about themselves.
I think this deal made sense for both parties.
Adam French I like this deal for Ottawa for the most part. Mostly because I've seen Abramov play over a dozen times live in Gatineau and I really like him as a player. Haven't seen him in the AHL, but I really liked what I saw in the Q. He's so slippery and so creative. The Sens' best prospects are straight line players like White, Batherson, Brown, Norris, Balcers, and Chlapik, they don't have that type of boom/bust explosive player in Abramov. Again, this could turn to nothing, but if he works out, this will be a great deal.
Bergman's been a bust as one of the main pieces in the Hoffman deal, so getting Davidsson as a potential young role player is a net gain. Not a ton of upside in my opinion, but he has some NHL player potential.
Add in the picks and it's about right for a rental of Duchene's caliber. Very reminiscent of when Ilya Kovalchuk was dealt (who I think was a better player).
Now to the Jackets. They'll have three of the best UFA's going into the offseason unless something changes. Their prospect pool is pretty bare now too and not likely to get better. Can they win with the Dubois/Duchene 1/2? I doubt it. This team has been average at best for years and that's with Bobrovsky being a Vezina level goalie. With him as a trash fire, they are even more middling. Maybe this is the pitch that wins over Bob or Panarin, but I doubt it. Hell, Duchene is a newfound father with the decision that will plant him to an area for 7 years...is he picking Columbus? Don't make me laugh. I've really like Kekalainen and I love that a non-North American was finally given the helm of a team, but this one smells of desperation and "I'm going to be fired if we don't make round 2."
This would be a "great job Ottawa moment" if the initial Duchene deal hadn't happened. As it did...it's a good job Ottawa moment.
Trevor Shackles I think it's a solid move for both teams. I'm not sure if the Blue Jackets are going to recoup some of those assets by trading Panarin, but if they don't, they look like a team who could do some damage in the playoffs (if they actually make it). It's a big risk either if they re-sign Duchene or they don't, but for this season, I don't think you can fault them for pushing some of their chips on the table.
As for the Senators, it's not a bad deal at all. They didn't get a prospect in the Tolvanen/Fabbro category, but Abramov is no slouch either, and Davidsson is at least interesting. I don't think either of them are going to turn into an impact player like Duchene, but it's hard to expect that kind of return for a rental at the deadline. Furthermore, the 1st rounder in 2019 will probably be in the teens unless Columbus makes it to the Conference Finals, plus an extra first rounder in 2020 would make the overall return quite solid.
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