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Mike's Mailbag: Jeff Bezos, Drafting, Cap Problems, and More!

September 28, 2020, 12:15 AM ET [37 Comments]
Michael Stuart
Ottawa Senators Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Welcome back to the next set of my answers to your questions in Mike’s Mailbag! Let’s get to it:

khawk asks: Do you think any of Tierney, Brown, or Duclair will be signed to a multi-year deal, or more likely that the team will just extend for one year at the lowest dollar value possible (maybe even using arbitration) to get through the COVID timeframe?

The Bobby Ryan buyout puts an immense amount of pressure on the organization to actually spend money, seeing as it has to reach the cap floor. So, regardless of length, I don’t expect that the Sens can push for absurd bargains in these RFA negotiations. From a term perspective: I’ve thought for a while that Brown would be in the three or four year range on a new contract, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see the other two retained on shorter-term or single-year deals. For Duclair, it’s a “prove it” deal to show that last year’s scorching run wasn’t a fluke. For Tierney, it’s a “you’re quite clearly a stopgap measure while we wait on the next generation.”

Andre asks: Mike, which player do you think that the Sens will pick at fifth overall?


I’m really not sure what they’re going to do. I’ve been fairly clear that Raymond is my favorite in that spot, but there’s renewed media and social media speculation that the team is going to galaxy brain its way into taking a Jake Sanderson or even Jack Quinn.

Gilles asks: In my opinion, unless they have a horrible camp, I think Norris, Batherson, and Wolanin are shoe-ins to make the team next year. Logan Brown, Formenton, Chlapik, Brannstrom, and JBD will have a decent chance to make it as well. Who do you see as a dark horse to make the 2020-21 team?

Of the first three you list, Wolanin is the one I’d be reluctant to call a shoe-in, even if I do agree that he’s got a good shot. Between the Zub acquisition, rumors of a Hainsey re-signing, and the need for the organization to spend some money, spots on that blue line are going to fill up quick.

With respect to your second list, I’ll also just note that JBD hasn’t signed with the team as of yet. It’ll be interesting to see how the COVID situation impacts his sign-ability.

And, to answer your question, Formenton is the guy I’m really watching as the team prepares for next season. The Senators have virtually nobody signed up front, so there’s ample opportunity for a player to come in and earn a spot. His speed is exactly the kind of thing that can breed success at the NHL level, as evidenced by the run that Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point are authoring for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Richard asks: Could the value of Gaborik’s contract and/or prospect, mid-round pick pry Toronto’s 15th overall pick?


I’m not sure I understand the question, as I can’t see any reason that a competitive cap team like Toronto would take on Gaborik’s contract and give up a high pick to do it.

Kev asks: I am a Leafs fan. We know Toronto needs help on D and with grit, so would Calgary and Toronto have anything the other needs to facilitate a trade?


Most of the talk around the Flames seems to suggest that they are looking to make moves to shake up their forward group. It doesn’t seem like they’d be looking to move Mark Giordano on D, and they probably don’t have enough other defenders under contract for them to consider moving either Noah Hanifin or Rasmus Andersson at this point in the offseason. There might be a fit once the league calendar turns over, but right now I just don’t see one.

Scott asks: Jeff Bezos buys the Ottawa Senators and says, do whatever you can to set yourself up to be a dynasty for the next 15 years. Budget is no longer in the vocabulary. What specific moves do you make this offseason to set us up for long-term success? i.e. if you weaponize cap space, what contracts do you take and for what return? If you want to offer-sheet somebody, who and for how much? If you want to shop among free agents, who do you target?


I stay out of the 2020 free agent market completely, and try to accomplish the following:
- Acquire Loui Eriksson from the Vancouver Canucks (virtually nil cost) along with 2021 picks. Try for a first round pick, but settle for a second and third. Detroit took on Marc Staal’s contract, which is cheaper and has only one year left, for a second-round pick. Eriksson should net more.
- Sign Mikhail Sergachev to an offer-sheet in the $6.544M to $8.726M range, depending on where Tampa’s cap situation looks like it’s going to land. The cost would only be a first, second, and third round pick, and would really force a division rival’s hand.
- Load up the 2020-21 lineup with youth, and re-evaluate the free agent market in 2021 and 2022 to address identified weaknesses.

Bonk asks: I remember being super pumped about our previous three first round picks when it was Zibby/Puempel/Noesen – how likely do you think it is that out of our upcoming three first round picks that we end up with one player that is solid for us?

At least one player? 99.9999%. Not to jinx it, but completely missing on both three and five would be hard to do.

Steve asks: What’s your take on the goalie rumors and situation? And who do you take at the draft between Rossi, Perfetti, or Raymond?


The goalie rumors scare me. There’s really no need for Ottawa to spend assets on the position. The lesson to take away from Columbus going on a crazy run with random names isn’t that Ottawa needs to go out and acquire one of Columbus’ random names (see the Korpisalo rumors); the lesson is that Ottawa should run with its own crop of random names and see what they’ve got.

I’ll take Raymond.

Seth asks: Rumors are floating around that Arizona is shipping off some of their older players. With a lack of draft picks in the first three rounds, and an abundance of picks for the Sens, is there a fit? Some of these guys are rumored to be: Demers, Hjalmarsson, Kessel, OEL, and Stepan. Are there any that fit into the Sens system? Is there any that you want for the Sens?

Stepan absolutely fits the Sens’ “system”, if you consider their budgetary realities a system. He carries a big cap hit and a low cash cost. Given the need to get to the cap floor, and the abundance of available space at forward, it wouldn’t be the worst acquisition in the world.

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Back with the last set of ten in a couple days! As always, thanks for reading.
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