To be fair Matt Murray has won 2 cups and probably saved the Pens ass against Ottawa in the conference final during the 2nd cup run. When he is on, he is one of the best out there. Consistency and health are issues, not pedigree in my mind.

People are throwing Marcus Hogberg and Anders Nilsson as almost equivalent options to a Matt Murray. This is laughable. Hogberg and Nilsson are fine options if the goal is to continue to rebuild and get a high pick in 2021. They won't normally allow blowout losses. Matt Murray has the ability to steal wins thus getting a lower pick in 2021.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Agreed. There's pretty good depth in the goaltending prospect system with the likes of Gustavsson, Sogaard, and Daccord, but goalies are incredibly difficult to predict in terms of development. Not to mention that a goalie's success can be highly situational. Case in point, both Anderson and Nilsson were essentially cast-offs from other teams who just found a better fit in Ottawa. Hogberg looks like the top dog in the system at the moment, but whether he's really more than a potential decent #1B option is unclear. It's also easy to forget that Hogberg is actually only 6 months younger than Murray. Now compare the resumes.

So if Murray is available for something like one of the late 2nd round picks they have, it's a very good deal. The Penguins may also have an interest in some of the more NHL-ready secondary prospects like Chlapik, Paul, Lajoie, or Balcers, given the top-heavy nature of their roster and salary cap situation. But throwing away another season in the hopes of striking draft lottery gold is a terrible strategy at this point. If you expect to be a competitive team in 2-3 years' time, you can't still be a bottom-dwelling lottery team next year. The 2020 draft is the turning point of the rebuild, and they need to start acting like it.

Reading the blog and some of the comments out in the internet-land, I am surprised by the views. Devils advocate:

"Giving up assets to bring in a new name without an elite pedigree..."

To be fair Matt Murray has won 2 cups and probably saved the Pens ass against Ottawa in the conference final during the 2nd cup run. When he is on, he is one of the best out there. Consistency and health are issues, not pedigree in my mind.

People are throwing Marcus Hogberg and Anders Nilsson as almost equivalent options to a Matt Murray. This is laughable. Hogberg and Nilsson are fine options if the goal is to continue to rebuild and get a high pick in 2021. They won't normally allow blowout losses. Matt Murray has the ability to steal wins thus getting a lower pick in 2021.

I know everyone is Sens-land loves the goalie prospect pool that is Kevin Mandolese, Mads Sogaard, Filip Gustavsson, and Joey Daccord. Right now, these guys are just names to most people in hockey. Will one of them turn into a solidified goalie? It sure can happen but odds are against that happening. While I think the goalie position can kind of work itself out over the long run, banking on one of these guys to fill the void in 2-3 years is a big gamble. The playoffs demonstrate you can run on a hot goalie but in the regular season, you need an everyday guy.

Bottom line, I'd be shocked to see the Sens trade for an RFA and sign them to legit money at this point in time. Just doesn't seem to be in the cards. I do see the Sens possibly getting a more veteran goalie to insulate what they have currently. That may be the move with Murry if he can be had for cheap.

In my opinion, pass on Murray, bomb another year and have a shot at Aatu Räty or one of the many blue liners that could be a top pick.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

It is hard to argue against this post, I completely agree!

No. A thousand times no. We have two goalies on one way contracts already, and they are perfectly fine for where this team is now. They're also better goalies for a porous, terrible D corps (like what the Senators have) than Murray has proven to be.

Now - you Pens fans in these comments trying to offload Jack Johnson on us because of some kind of perceived 'Murray value' are high on a strain I'd love to have in my grinder. If we were to ever take JJ, you bet your ace you're taking Zaitsev back. Pierre Dorion is not the greatest GM, but he ain't huffing gas either. The highest price I'd pay for Murray - an arb-eligible RFA who had a crap season, is what the Blues got for Jake Allen - a third. Winnipeg's third at that. Don't like it, fine with me. Sell your goods elsewhere.

(frank)ing finally eklund updates the cap central!! Took u long enough

I’m fine with looking at acquiring him, but if Rutherford asks for a 1st, I’m hanging up right away.

The most I’d offer would be a 2nd rd pick (but not ours) and a goalie prospect. If they want more, then pass, let someone else overpay.

If the Sens took Jj with him I'd settle for a 6th round pick. And by settle, I mean I'd be popping champagne bottles.

A 2nd would be fair value straight up. I dont think anyone expects a 1st rounder back, but then again I didn't see Kapanen costing a top 15 pick and a good prospect.
- MacPatty

I wouldn’t take JJ if Pitt ate half the salary, included Murray and the 15th overall, and only asked for a 6th.

Agreed. There's pretty good depth in the goaltending prospect system with the likes of Gustavsson, Sogaard, and Daccord, but goalies are incredibly difficult to predict in terms of development. Not to mention that a goalie's success can be highly situational. Case in point, both Anderson and Nilsson were essentially cast-offs from other teams who just found a better fit in Ottawa. Hogberg looks like the top dog in the system at the moment, but whether he's really more than a potential decent #1B option is unclear. It's also easy to forget that Hogberg is actually only 6 months younger than Murray. Now compare the resumes.

So if Murray is available for something like one of the late 2nd round picks they have, it's a very good deal. The Penguins may also have an interest in some of the more NHL-ready secondary prospects like Chlapik, Paul, Lajoie, or Balcers, given the top-heavy nature of their roster and salary cap situation. But throwing away another season in the hopes of striking draft lottery gold is a terrible strategy at this point. If you expect to be a competitive team in 2-3 years' time, you can't still be a bottom-dwelling lottery team next year. The 2020 draft is the turning point of the rebuild, and they need to start acting like it.
- khawk

I agree the purposeful tanking strategy isn't a great idea, but with the roster as it stands, I can't see the Sens climbing out of the basement. The 2020 draft is indeed an important one but those players taken likely will not be that impactful until 2 or 3 years down the road. It's going to be awhile before you see this team be competitive again, unless they bring in quality players (like Murray) to add to the young guys coming up which I can't really see happening.

Completely a fair position to take. I'll share a bit more on my take here:

I'm of the view that consistency is one of the key pieces in building pedigree as a goaltender, simply because random goalies get hot for short stretches all the time. When I think of the best goalies in the league, I don't necessarily think of guys who get extremely hot and then cold. I think of guys who are consistently good. Murray had two excellent postseasons in Pittsburgh, but has been very average since then. I can give him credit for those runs, but I can't get to the point where I'd be comfortable calling him one of the best. He got hot at the right time.
- Michael_Stuart

Good post. That consistency is key for great goalies. Particularly when Flurey left for Vegas, he didn't exactly light the world on fire.

Agreed. There's pretty good depth in the goaltending prospect system with the likes of Gustavsson, Sogaard, and Daccord, but goalies are incredibly difficult to predict in terms of development. Not to mention that a goalie's success can be highly situational. Case in point, both Anderson and Nilsson were essentially cast-offs from other teams who just found a better fit in Ottawa. Hogberg looks like the top dog in the system at the moment, but whether he's really more than a potential decent #1B option is unclear. It's also easy to forget that Hogberg is actually only 6 months younger than Murray. Now compare the resumes.

So if Murray is available for something like one of the late 2nd round picks they have, it's a very good deal. The Penguins may also have an interest in some of the more NHL-ready secondary prospects like Chlapik, Paul, Lajoie, or Balcers, given the top-heavy nature of their roster and salary cap situation. But throwing away another season in the hopes of striking draft lottery gold is a terrible strategy at this point. If you expect to be a competitive team in 2-3 years' time, you can't still be a bottom-dwelling lottery team next year. The 2020 draft is the turning point of the rebuild, and they need to start acting like it.
- khawk

Now even with Murray the sens are still a lottery team, but he will bring experience and a championship pedigree to the room. Tanking is for losers.

Murray will only take ice time from Hogberg.

Rumors sens interested in max domi? Reunite with duclair? With boedker spot available would he be a good fit in ottawa?
- SENS-sational

Domi, Duclair, Boedker..... is this a coyotes blog

Domi, Duclair, Boedker..... is this a coyotes blog
- AlfieisKing

Lol just bring in Ekman Larsson too

To Ottawa
Johnson
Murray
Legare
2021 2nd
2020 3rd


To Penguins
Tierney
Abramov/Duclair (dealers choice? Personal preference on Abby)
Reilly (50% retained)
- optimus-reim

there is literally no sweetener that the pens could offer to make me want to take Johnson and that deal

there is literally no sweetener that the pens could offer to make me want to take Johnson and that deal
- sensarmy_11

I agree Johnson does not make any sense under any circumstances.

Murray is equally problematic.

Sens are in pure development phase. When you bring in a starter from any organization (at any position) you plug up the opportunity for young talent to move up and experience stiffer challenges.

This year is especially problematic. Good chance major junior and NCAA miss most if not all their season. Hard to find ice time for so much great young talent.

The Sens appear content to let Borowiecki walk. Dorion loves Borowiecki. So, it gives you an idea of how committed they are to giving opportunities to young guys to move up.

Penguins Murray may make sense for the Senators and Elliotte Friedman said on his podcast that the Sens may have interest in Kuemper.



Kuemper i think also makes sense with 2 years @ 4.5 million arizona needs picks and i think sens can work out a deal for cheap

Penguins Murray may make sense for the Senators and Elliotte Friedman said on his podcast that the Sens may have interest in Kuemper.



Kuemper i think also makes sense with 2 years @ 4.5 million arizona needs picks and i think sens can work out a deal for cheap
- SENS-sational

I would prefer Murray to Kuemper based on age....but would rather have neither.

If they really want a goalie, see if they can get a UFA on a 2-3 year deal.

Leaner, markstrom, holtby, etc

Personally, I don't think we need Murray. He'd be nice to have, but I still think our Goal tending future is with Gus and JD.

Where a trade with the Pens could come into play is Letang. Because of Pitts cap issues and the need to rebuild with a lacking farm system, Letang should be available basically as a cap dump and could fit into Ottawa Line up to bring offense and help the young guys along for our D core.

Personally, I don't think we need Murray. He'd be nice to have, but I still think our Goal tending future is with Gus and JD.

Where a trade with the Pens could come into play is Letang. Because of Pitts cap issues and the need to rebuild with a lacking farm system, Letang should be available basically as a cap dump and could fit into Ottawa Line up to bring offense and help the young guys along for our D core.
- Maverick1818

seems like a good idea, but he's still owed 15 mil (both cap and $$) over the next 2 years....can't see melnyk taking that deal on

The Sens appear content to let Borowiecki walk. Dorion loves Borowiecki. So, it gives you an idea of how committed they are to giving opportunities to young guys to move up.
- spatso

There's no doubt that Borowiecki is a great team guy, but it's pretty simple math... Chabot, Brannstrom, Reilly, and Wolanin are all LHD, as are Lajoie and Englund in the AHL. The real $hit-show is on the RHD side, where it's basically Zaitsev, Zub, Jaros, and maybe Hainsey, if they can swing another 1yr deal. Plus, I believe it's already set for Thomson to return to Finland next season, and JBD to stay with UND for his junior year. If they do pursue a veteran RHD, I'd much rather see them go after Hamonic or Brodie, who might actually be able to support Chabot in learning to play more effectively against the best lines in the NHL. Alternatively, they might consider trying to pick one of Hjalmarsson or Demers off of the Coyotes.

Personally, I don't think we need Murray. He'd be nice to have, but I still think our Goal tending future is with Gus and JD.
- Maverick1818

Hogberg is miles ahead of both, and even he's not close to being a regular NHL starter yet. Murray may not be the answer, vs. something like one of the UFA goalies... but if they go sauntering into next season with nothing but Nilsson/Hogberg in goal i'm going to be seriously questioning what they're up to. And beyond next year, putting your chips on a pair of unproven AHL goaltenders as the future is just nowhere near good enough for the quality of team they're going to have in a 2-3 years' time.

In other (frank)ing news sens prospect Viktor Lodin was arrested on drug related crimes, he was selected 4th round pick 2019. He was caught using drugs and he takes every inch of responsibility of this situation to apologize for his actions and teammates and organization that he let down.


Sens always have some peculiar news but never the best news as we wait for some positive news soon.... I hope!

Lol just bring in Ekman Larsson too
- SENS-sational

The Sens appear content to let Borowiecki walk. Dorion loves Borowiecki. So, it gives you an idea of how committed they are to giving opportunities to young guys to move up.
- spatso

or uncky eugene loves those entry level $

seems like a good idea, but he's still owed 15 mil (both cap and $$) over the next 2 years....can't see melnyk taking that deal on
- sensarmy_11

Ottawa has tons of cap space and taking on a contract like that shows the young guys that if they put int he work and develop properly, they will be paid for it.

As for any money owned, that could easily be put as part of the deal that the Pens pay that as it wouldn't count against their cap anyways.

I believe they have done that before