I think that is too simple.

Nick Paul was a beast throughout the playoffs for Tampa. Most of the guys on this thread were happy for him. Most of us were not surprised by his performance. Playing third line minutes in Tampa with that defense and goaltending is a very different proposition than playing third line minutes in Ottawa.

Love Kadri. He had an awesome playoff from start to finish. But, he also benefitted by playing #2 behind MacKinnon.

Who you play against and who you play with has enormous impact in how your game is perceived.
- spatso

Solid post. I don't think anyone is alluding to Keller being McDavid or McKinnon (maybe if you want to make Keller look bad). He's just a top 6 forward. The more top tier talent you have, the more likely depth guys will flourish. This is a contributing reason to why so many players get huge paydays on other teams after strong playoff runs but actually don't have the stuff to do it on their own.

if he needs to play against weaker opponents to be able to score than hes not a very good player then is he,
- Mithos

I'm saying, he produces against the other teams top D pairing and top lines, so just imagine what he would do here if he had more forward depth where the other team didn't just focus on him. I think you misunderstood.

Solid post. I don't think anyone is alluding to Keller being McDavid or McKinnon (maybe if you want to make Keller look bad). He's just a top 6 forward. The more top tier talent you have, the more likely depth guys will flourish. This is a contributing reason to why so many players get huge paydays on other teams after strong playoff runs but actually don't have the stuff to do it on their own.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Ah yes, right on, with you on that.

Resign Nick Paul and keep Connor Brown. Awesome third line players that in a pinch through injuries can play up the lineup. We know for sure what they are. Paul often played most forward minutes for Tampa during the playoffs and I'm assuming those guys know what they're doing.

Last chance this year to find out about Thomson and JBD. Screw the trades for a top 4 D unless there is a steal which is possible. One of these guys could be the top 4 guy you need.

Without trading for anyone this team will challenge for a wild card spot as is. No taking on other team's great players that they can't afford because they are just trying to get rid of a bad deal or somebody coming off of a career season looking to cash in.

Get rid of Zaitsev so Smith can't play him all night long. Get rid of Hamonic or Brannstrom. Force Smith to play Sanderson, Thomson and JBD.

You're stuck with Murray but no one will claim him off of waivers so who cares. Find out about Gustavsson.

I know there's a dollar factor favouring buying out of White and I'd live with it but if I didn't care about the money I'd keep him and get rid of Smith.

Playoofs this year even if a lot of posters here get their way but Stanley Cup several times in the next decade if I get mine.

Resign Nick Paul and keep Connor Brown. Awesome third line players that in a pinch through injuries can play up the lineup. We know for sure what they are. Paul often played most forward minutes for Tampa during the playoffs and I'm assuming those guys know what they're doing.

Last chance this year to find out about Thomson and JBD. Screw the trades for a top 4 D unless there is a steal which is possible. One of these guys could be the top 4 guy you need.

Without trading for anyone this team will challenge for a wild card spot as is. No taking on other team's great players that they can't afford because they are just trying to get rid of a bad deal or somebody coming off of a career season looking to cash in.

Get rid of Zaitsev so Smith can't play him all night long. Get rid of Hamonic or Brannstrom. Force Smith to play Sanderson, Thomson and JBD.

You're stuck with Murray but no one will claim him off of waivers so who cares. Find out about Gustavsson.

I know there's a dollar factor favouring buying out of White and I'd live with it but if I didn't care about the money I'd keep him and get rid of Smith.

Playoofs this year even if a lot of posters here get their way but Stanley Cup several times in the next decade if I get mine.
- Whatisavailable

Not sure how this team is challenging for a wildcard spot if the biggest addition is Thompson/JBD and Sanderson playing NHL minutes in essentially rookie seasons. You can hope some players progress upwards. Likely Stu has the most room. Maybe Batherson. The rest of the group is kind of at their peak-ish.

There's being patient and there is missing the window of opportunity. There needs to be some middle ground. I think most people here are advocating for smart moves. Not moves for the sake of making moves. You mentioned Tampa knows what they are doing. They certainly do. It included smart trades/signings along with great drafting and development.

Resign Nick Paul and keep Connor Brown. Awesome third line players that in a pinch through injuries can play up the lineup. We know for sure what they are. Paul often played most forward minutes for Tampa during the playoffs and I'm assuming those guys know what they're doing.

Last chance this year to find out about Thomson and JBD. Screw the trades for a top 4 D unless there is a steal which is possible. One of these guys could be the top 4 guy you need.

Without trading for anyone this team will challenge for a wild card spot as is. No taking on other team's great players that they can't afford because they are just trying to get rid of a bad deal or somebody coming off of a career season looking to cash in.

Get rid of Zaitsev so Smith can't play him all night long. Get rid of Hamonic or Brannstrom. Force Smith to play Sanderson, Thomson and JBD.

You're stuck with Murray but no one will claim him off of waivers so who cares. Find out about Gustavsson.

I know there's a dollar factor favouring buying out of White and I'd live with it but if I didn't care about the money I'd keep him and get rid of Smith.

Playoofs this year even if a lot of posters here get their way but Stanley Cup several times in the next decade if I get mine.
- Whatisavailable

Ideally I would like the Paul and Brown combo, but we all know this GM has a chip on his shoulder and wont sign Paul. I do agree on giving Thomson or JBD more minutes to go with Sanderson, Zub and Chabot. The Zaitsev thing, if he ends up here at training camp, no way this team contends, he is captain chaos for a reason. He ruins everything on that back end, he is that bad.

I'm in the keep White camp, plus his teammates love him. He got Covid twice last year to go with the shoulder injury. Lets see what he can do for a full healthy season. He can play RW or C too. Good post by you, lots of great points.

Ideally I would like the Paul and Brown combo, but we all know this GM has a chip on his shoulder and wont sign Paul. I do agree on giving Thomson or JBD more minutes to go with Sanderson, Zub and Chabot. The Zaitsev thing, if he ends up here at training camp, no way this team contends, he is captain chaos for a reason. He ruins everything on that back end, he is that bad.

I'm in the keep White camp, plus his teammates love him. He got Covid twice last year to go with the shoulder injury. Lets see what he can do for a full healthy season. He can play RW or C too. Good post by you, lots of great points.
- LawyerSens4Life

I'm over Colin White I think. Too many times we have said, let's see what he can do when healthy. He just seems out of place now. I wouldn't hold my breath for a bounce back year. Maybe a White/Drouin swap can happen if the Montreal rumours are true. Two guys looking for fresh starts and Drouin's a UFA after next year. Doesn't work out, you move on. He's not a top 6 solution but a lateral move that could work out.

I'm over Colin White I think. Too many times we have said, let's see what he can do when healthy. He just seems out of place now. I wouldn't hold my breath for a bounce back year. Maybe a White/Drouin swap can happen if the Montreal rumours are true. Two guys looking for fresh starts and Drouin's a UFA after next year. Doesn't work out, you move on. He's not a top 6 solution but a lateral move that could work out.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Ok yes, I would do that for sure. I like your thinking. Drouin has one year left, versus White at 3 years left and their GM loves him as his former agent. Can Dorion pull it off? That would be money.

Not sure how this team is challenging for a wildcard spot if the biggest addition is Thompson/JBD and Sanderson playing NHL minutes in essentially rookie seasons. You can hope some players progress upwards. Likely Stu has the most room. Maybe Batherson. The rest of the group is kind of at their peak-ish.

There's being patient and there is missing the window of opportunity. There needs to be some middle ground. I think most people here are advocating for smart moves. Not moves for the sake of making moves. You mentioned Tampa knows what they are doing. They certainly do. It included smart trades/signings along with great drafting and development.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Recognizing when that window of opportunity exists is king of important. Overall this team is just too young to be a serious contender for not just a playoff spot but for the Cup which is all I really care about. Even if you brought in Cale Makar they are just too young to win the Cup. If you brought in Makar and McDavid they still wouldn't win the Cup.

The Sens are in that place where you lay the bedrock for a Stanley Cup winning team and that does not involve squandering assets for somebody who made a splash last year and wants to cash in for 7 years.

I recognize that they need help in their top six but I don't think that the solution is to roll the dice on players that may or may not fit the bill just because they had a good year and now want to get paid.

Spatso likes Dubois for example and on paper he looks like the perfect guy but there are just too many red flags surrounding him and he probably wouldn't want to play in Ottawa anyway. Why gamble on him when you don't have to.

Guys like Debrincat and Fiala look great on paper but don't fit the Sens plan for the future which is big, fast, skilled and mean.

The addition of the two new AGMs gives me hope that the team will continue to develop into a perennial Cup contender and there won't be any kneejerk crazy job saving moves this off season.

Sorry guys but I think most of your trade proposals are really bad. Any fool such as myself can listen to these hockey sports talking heads and come up with names like Fiala or Debrincat or Dubois or Konecny. Who pays these yahoos at tsn or the athletic?

What the Sens need above anything else is a couple or three good pro scouts to find those gems that none of us are smart enough to find. That's got my vote for the most important move this off season.

Recognizing when that window of opportunity exists is king of important. Overall this team is just too young to be a serious contender for not just a playoff spot but for the Cup which is all I really care about. Even if you brought in Cale Makar they are just too young to win the Cup. If you brought in Makar and McDavid they still wouldn't win the Cup.

The Sens are in that place where you lay the bedrock for a Stanley Cup winning team and that does not involve squandering assets for somebody who made a splash last year and wants to cash in for 7 years.

I recognize that they need help in their top six but I don't think that the solution is to roll the dice on players that may or may not fit the bill just because they had a good year and now want to get paid.

Spatso likes Dubois for example and on paper he looks like the perfect guy but there are just too many red flags surrounding him and he probably wouldn't want to play in Ottawa anyway. Why gamble on him when you don't have to.

Guys like Debrincat and Fiala look great on paper but don't fit the Sens plan for the future which is big, fast, skilled and mean.

The addition of the two new AGMs gives me hope that the team will continue to develop into a perennial Cup contender and there won't be any kneejerk crazy job saving moves this off season.

Sorry guys but I think most of your trade proposals are really bad. Any fool such as myself can listen to these hockey sports talking heads and come up with names like Fiala or Debrincat or Dubois or Konecny. Who pays these yahoos at tsn or the athletic? What the Sens need above anything else is a couple or three good pro scouts to find those gems that none of us are smart enough to find. That's got my vote for the most important move this off season.
- Whatisavailable

So outsiders perspective here. What if your beloved GM acquired Konency from the Flyers and Chyrchryn from the Coyotes? Would this fanbase be fine with that? Now, I know you are all going to say, well, what did Pierre Dorion give up? We all know that prospects, draft picks, etc...will be involved. But, regardless, all I am saying is if you added these two pieces, does your team seriously challenge for a playoff spot?

Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson
Formenton-Stutzle-Konency
Joseph-Pinto-Brown
Kelly-Kastelic-Watson

Chabot-Chycrhyn
Sanderson-Zub
Hamonic-Holden
Thomson or JBD as the 7th Dman

So outsiders perspective here. What if your beloved GM acquired Konency from the Flyers and Chyrchryn from the Coyotes? Would this fanbase be fine with that? Now, I know you are all going to say, well, what did Pierre Dorion give up? We all know that prospects, draft picks, etc...will be involved. But, regardless, all I am saying is if you added these two pieces, does your team seriously challenge for a playoff spot?

Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson
Formenton-Stutzle-Konency
Joseph-Pinto-Brown
Kelly-Kastelic-Watson

Chabot-Chycrhyn
Sanderson-Zub
Hamonic-Holden
Thomson or JBD as the 7th Dman
- PuckPix

What about adding Draisaitl and McDavid? Would they challenge for a playoff spot? I would say yes. What about Barkov and Hedman? Pretty good bet. There is no magic move.

I thought Edmonton should have drafted Chychrun instead of Puljujarvi way back when. They could have even drafted down to do it. Konecny is a small RW 50 point guy making 5.5 million. Big pass.

Chychrun is enticing but I think there are teams out there that will give him too much. Like I said I'm not a scout but I think getting him would be counter productive in the long term.

TSN headline says Jets will ignore Dubois trade request (at least for now) unless a team steps up and makes a blockbuster offer.

TSN speculates that the Rangers are interested and would need to include Chytall plus plus in order to get the Jets interested in talking. But everyone knows the Rangers are totally dead in the water. They have 60.36% of their cap committed to their top paid 6 players. (Sens are at 36.6% for their top 6), (Leafs and Tampa are worst with 65% being taken up by the top 6 contracts).

Rangers only hope is to give Panarin's contract away ($11.642m).

Is there anybody out there that would help the Rangers?

So outsiders perspective here. What if your beloved GM acquired Konency from the Flyers and Chyrchryn from the Coyotes? Would this fanbase be fine with that? Now, I know you are all going to say, well, what did Pierre Dorion give up? We all know that prospects, draft picks, etc...will be involved. But, regardless, all I am saying is if you added these two pieces, does your team seriously challenge for a playoff spot?

Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson
Formenton-Stutzle-Konency
Joseph-Pinto-Brown
Kelly-Kastelic-Watson

Chabot-Chycrhyn
Sanderson-Zub
Hamonic-Holden
Thomson or JBD as the 7th Dman
- PuckPix

I like the idea of Chycryn, I think stabalizong the D is more important than adding a top 6. The problem isn’t as much what they need to bring in, but what they need to move out. I’d say three of these guys need to go:

Hamonic
Del Zotto
Brannstrom
Zaitsev
Holden

But that’s not going happen. The D will stay the same and Dorion will make a bargain bin pickup top six, somehow spending #7 to do it.

Maybe Boughner can come here, helping his friend DJ

After his Cup run, I am guessing Paul would like to stay in Tampa and it seems Tampa would like Paul to stay.

What the Sens need above anything else is a couple or three good pro scouts to find those gems that none of us are smart enough to find. That's got my vote for the most important move this off season.
- Whatisavailable

This is exactly what needs to happen. Fans only have so much knowledge and know how. I believe it was khawk who posted a couple of days ago how Colorado's pro scouting acquired most of their supporting cast for their team without giving up major pieces in trade.

Trade proposals and such on these forums are for fun and debate. This team needs quality pro scouting to find deals we (and journalists alike) are not even thinking about. Smart trades/signings are vital for any team building a contender.

After his Cup run, I am guessing Paul would like to stay in Tampa and it seems Tampa would like Paul to stay.
- HoweHatrick

7 years at 3.15M. Dorion dodge a bullet

7 years at 3.15M. Dorion dodge a bullet
- Crosside

I think that's a great signing. Dorion should never have let him go.

I think that's a great signing. Dorion should never have let him go.
- Whatisavailable

I agree. Even if he doesn’t live up to it, it won’t hurt you much with that cap hit.

7 years at 3.15M. Dorion dodge a bullet
- Crosside

In the next few weeks, we will likely see significant cost avoidance decisions made by the Sens. In addition to moving Nik Paul at the deadline, I expect that Dorion will proceed to buy out and/or trade Colin White, Connor Brown, Nikita Zaitsev, Travis Hamonic and Matt Murray. The total cost avoidance for cap purposes should be in the range of $24m. (There will be some variance on the final numbers depending on which player is bought out).

But you need to add $10m on the cap for the contract increases for Norris, Formenton and Joseph.

Sens should be able to comfortably absorb up to $14m in new contracts and keep enough cap reserve for Stutzle and Sanderson. Cap is essentially frozen for three years when it will jump to $96m.

Sens have at least $14m available for the addition of 2 or 3 new players. Chychrun is the best value available in an elite Dman. I figure deals forDubois and Chychrun would add $13.0m to the cap. Mathew Tkachuk and Chychrun would be $14.1m. And, we know that Keller and Chychrun are already on fixed term contracts and would be a very affordable $11.7m

It is a buyers market and the Sens should proceed cautiously. This is a huge opportunity to hit a home run.

In the next few weeks, we will likely see significant cost avoidance decisions made by the Sens. In addition to moving Nik Paul at the deadline, I expect that Dorion will proceed to buy out and/or trade Colin White, Connor Brown, Nikita Zaitsev, Travis Hamonic and Matt Murray. The total cost avoidance for cap purposes should be in the range of $24m. (There will be some variance on the final numbers depending on which player is bought out).

But you need to add $10m on the cap for the contract increases for Norris, Formenton and Joseph.

Sens should be able to comfortably absorb up to $14m in new contracts and keep enough cap reserve for Stutzle and Sanderson. Cap is essentially frozen for three years when it will jump to $96m.

Sens have at least $14m available for the addition of 2 or 3 new players. Chychrun is the best value available in an elite Dman. I figure deals forDubois and Chychrun would add $13.0m to the cap. Mathew Tkachuk and Chychrun would be $14.1m. And, we know that Keller and Chychrun are already on fixed term contracts and would be a very affordable $11.7m

It is a buyers market and the Sens should proceed cautiously. This is a huge opportunity to hit a home run.
- spatso

Are you out of your mind with Hamonic? Seriously? Dorion just gave up a 3rd round pick a few months ago for him and today the Sens pay him a 2M bonus. But let's trade him now after giving up the draft pick and paying 2M of his 3M salary this year. You make no sense man. Dorion would be fired on the spot if he did that.

In the next few weeks, we will likely see significant cost avoidance decisions made by the Sens. In addition to moving Nik Paul at the deadline, I expect that Dorion will proceed to buy out and/or trade Colin White, Connor Brown, Nikita Zaitsev, Travis Hamonic and Matt Murray. The total cost avoidance for cap purposes should be in the range of $24m. (There will be some variance on the final numbers depending on which player is bought out).

But you need to add $10m on the cap for the contract increases for Norris, Formenton and Joseph.

Sens should be able to comfortably absorb up to $14m in new contracts and keep enough cap reserve for Stutzle and Sanderson. Cap is essentially frozen for three years when it will jump to $96m.

Sens have at least $14m available for the addition of 2 or 3 new players. Chychrun is the best value available in an elite Dman. I figure deals forDubois and Chychrun would add $13.0m to the cap. Mathew Tkachuk and Chychrun would be $14.1m. And, we know that Keller and Chychrun are already on fixed term contracts and would be a very affordable $11.7m

It is a buyers market and the Sens should proceed cautiously. This is a huge opportunity to hit a home run.
- spatso

No team will trade for Matt Murray until he's deemed fit to play. As of yesterday, Murray still hasn't been cleared to do certain exercise stuff. So how and or why would a team trade him? Again, think before you write crap man.

Wonderful article by Travis Yost on successful NHL rebuilds.

https://www.tsn.ca/travis...hl-rebuild-take-1.1819611

He makes the point that successful rebuilds take about 5 years. And, once the rebuild foundation has been put in place, teams need to stop rebuilding and go for it. He offers a case study examination of the Colorado rebuild strategy and how they switched from rebuilding to going for it.

Yost notes that both Detroit and Ottawa are at that 5 year point.

But, his most interesting lesson is on the negative consequences of never ending rebuild. Where teams continue to rebuild beyond the 5 year point they will actually regress rather than improve. He suggests that Buffalo may be a good example of a rebuild that reached a point of rebuild fatigue and subsequent regression.

No team will trade for Matt Murray until he's deemed fit to play. As of yesterday, Murray still hasn't been cleared to do certain exercise stuff. So how and or why would a team trade him? Again, think before you write crap man.
- LawyerSens4Life

Did you read what I wrote? I said buy out or trade. Indeed, the speculation is primarily that if the Sens buy out Murray the Leafs might be interested after a buy out.

Are you out of your mind with Hamonic? Seriously? Dorion just gave up a 3rd round pick a few months ago for him and today the Sens pay him a 2M bonus. But let's trade him now after giving up the draft pick and paying 2M of his 3M salary this year. You make no sense man. Dorion would be fired on the spot if he did that.
- LawyerSens4Life

An asset is an asset. What difference does it make if Dorion includes a 3rd round pick (or Hamonic) in a package offer on a large deal. Hamonic is not a bad depth pick up for some teams. He is not a good fit in Ottawa if Dorion brings in a top 4 Dman.

I can assure you without reservation that arizona would be very interested in Hamonic having a $3m cap hit but only $1m in actual hard dollar cost.

Pretty sure Dorion is not going anywhere and I am hoping to see a top 6 forward and top 4 Dman coming on board very soon.