I really hope that Stuzle playing centre, coinciding with the injuries, was just a bit of a coincidence.

Like, they must have planned to put him there eventually , it just excellerated the process, right?
- david22

I don’t know. I could be wrong, but I don’t think I recall really seeing a centre prospect stapled to the wing for a season and a half to start their NHL career. I have recalled some time share situations at the centre position for key faceoffs and such but there is adequate time at the natural position to develop.

It really seemed like they were content having Stu on the wing. Honestly, either is fine if Stu pans out but you’re rolling the dice a little bit with development shifting him around like they have. Granted, he did play wing in Europe and centre in the World Juniors, so it wasn’t a totally foreign move.

As long as Stu can get faceoffs going, he should be a good option up the middle.

Those are ambitious targets, but feasible without even screwing over the team's salary structure too much, especially since we no longer have to pander to the unpredictable whims of a homophobic, regressive egomaniac with similar management style and personality quirks to Donald Trump. RIP and good riddance.

What we need to do is stop listening to rumour mill garbage and talking about what is on top of the scrap heap pile of deadweight other GMs want hyped up in the media to up their potential trade return value (the same way Dorion does with our players using Garrioch et al).

I don't care about Debrincat or Keller. Both are overpriced in terms of trade return value and future salary outlay. I want players that will make the Sens better as a team, not help out other teams with managing their way out of their own salary cap hells or help them to sign the players they actually want to keep.

We are so well set up to make some noise this year with minimal long-term cost impacts. Tierney ($3.5M), Mete (1.2M), and Gaudette ($1.0M) coming off the books mean $5.7M to dedicate to a new impact player alone with NO net salary increase. White's buyout means an added $3.9M in extra cap space ($4.75M-0.875M) available.

So even without any new salary outlays, we have $9.5M to go shopping with (enough for buying a Malkin, if we want, which we likely don't) or even just to offset the new Norris, Formenton, Joseph and/or Brannstrom contracts while still having about $26M in cap space left. Awesome!

My fan voice is saying to double down on our douch-e-baggery and try to leverage Vegas hard and pay em back for the shade thrown after the Dadonov trade and what they still owe us for Mark Stone. Offer a poop package of a 2nd, 4th and Aspirot for Jonathan Marchessault or Shea Theodore. But screw them, they can lie in the pointy nail bed they've made for themselves for the next five years.

Nope, it is time to turn the screws on some teams and start thinking big.

My plan would be as follows for this offseason - not necessarily in the order presented:

-Re-sign our RFAs listed above (Norris x 7yrs, Brannstrom x 3, Joseph x 2, Formenton x 4) to the salaries outlined below

-On draft day, trade a 2022 2nd (OTT), 2022 3rd (BOS) and Viktor Lodin to LA for Viktor Arvidsson. They get what they paid back for him plus a decent prospect and we help em out of their cap hell slightly, plus help annoy Brandon Lemieux in a minor way, which will make Tkachuk happier too.

-Also on draft day, be willing to pay the king's ransom AZ wants for some quality coming back. AZ trades Lawson Crouse (RFA) and Jacob Chychrun to OTT for their 2023 1st (it won't matter as we won't be in the Bedard sweepstakes), Tyler Boucher, Jacob Bernard-Docker, Filip Gustavsson, Connor Brown and Nikita Zaitsev.

-Later in the off-season, trade Matt Murray and Egor Sokolov to ANA for John Gibson and a 2023 2nd. We get the quality goalie we need in their prime years and they get the future cap relief for draft capital.

-Go big in UFA, sign Claude Giroux (x3 years).

-Draft J Kemmell or C Gauthier in the 1st round this year, use the rest of our picks to round out the d corp prospect depth.

Come into next season looking like this:

Tkachuk (8.2)-Norris (7.3)-Batherson (5.0) - Steady and familiar chemistry
Giroux (6.8)-Stutzle (0.9)-Arvidsson (4.3) - What a line that will be!
Joseph (2.3)-Pinto (0.9)-Formenton (2.9) - What a line THAT will be!
Greig (0.9)-Gambrell/Ostapchuk/Kastellic (0.9)-Watson(1.5)
ex: Kelly, Jarventie, depth UFA signings (e.g. the Ennis cohort)

Chabot (8.0)-Chychrun (4.6) - wow!
Sanderson (0.9)-Zub (2.5) - WOW!
Brannstrom (1.9)-Hamonic (3.0) - Better than most 3rd pairings in the league
ex: Holden, Thompson

Forsberg (2.8)
Gibson (6.4)

Total Cap Hit: $75.2M +/- salaries of extra players

Tons of room for new Pinto, Sanderson and Stutzle contracts, plus w/e depth adds are needed to keep really, really competitive over the compete window.

That's not just a playoff team, thats a scary freaking roster against any NHL team with the exception of COL and TBL right now, and they will grow into that echelon in 2-3 years.

Do it, PD! Do, it now!!!
- Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuub

Pretty good line up. But, I fear Giroux will not age well. Others are a lot more positive.

What Pierre Dorion said when Colin White signed his 6 year deal (less than 3 years ago):

"We've identified Colin as one of our core young players who will help drive our team's success in both the short and long term"

"Colin plays the 200-foot game that is so coveted in today's NHL. He can skate, play on both special teams and is a character player and leader who loves hockey and this city. While he is coming off a season where he finished among rookie leaders in many categories, we also know he is just scratching the surface of his potential in this league. We're very happy that Colin will be a Senator for the next six years."

Matt Murray contract. Colin White contract. Two big mistakes by PD

Pretty good line up. But, I fear Giroux will not age well. Others are a lot more positive.
- spatso

Swap him out for one of CAR's UFAs (trocheck, niederreiter) if you like, i just feel he is the most realistic option and likely the best mentor player we can get for our skilled players. Giroux has patience, is a PP specialist and knows how to pass with the best of em. I think he could do a lot for helping Timmie develop and grow as a player.

What Pierre Dorion said when Colin White signed his 6 year deal (less than 3 years ago):

"We've identified Colin as one of our core young players who will help drive our team's success in both the short and long term"

"Colin plays the 200-foot game that is so coveted in today's NHL. He can skate, play on both special teams and is a character player and leader who loves hockey and this city. While he is coming off a season where he finished among rookie leaders in many categories, we also know he is just scratching the surface of his potential in this league. We're very happy that Colin will be a Senator for the next six years."

Matt Murray contract. Colin White contract. Two big mistakes by PD
- AlfieisKing

Mark Stone $9.5 for 5 more years. slowest player on the ice. Dodged a huge bullet.

Moved Karlsson for a package that came to be Norris and Stutzle.

Great discussion, keep it going! I wil be back tonight to respond.
To hear that PD is looking at Dvorak and Anderson with MTL.....if he does this...my goodness....reports are he is willing to give up the number 7 pick for one of these 2 misfits that have no hockey IQ.....every shout I talk to say to stay far away from both players....both would be on their 3rd team if Ottawa acquired either of them for a reason.....ugh!

Great discussion, keep it going! I wil be back tonight to respond.
To hear that PD is looking at Dvorak and Anderson with MTL.....if he does this...my goodness....reports are he is willing to give up the number 7 pick for one of these 2 misfits that have no hockey IQ.....every shout I talk to say to stay far away from both players....both would be on their 3rd team if Ottawa acquired either of them for a reason.....ugh!
- Kevin Francis

I’d hope some bad contracts are going back to Montreal if that is the case. Hold on tight…

I’d hope some bad contracts are going back to Montreal if that is the case. Hold on tight…
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Dorion says 50 50 chance htey make the pick.

https://www.thescore.com/...draft-pick-at-7th-overall

Dorion says 50 50 chance htey make the pick.

https://www.thescore.com/...draft-pick-at-7th-overall
- david22

Your GM is a fool. I can’t comprehend how any organization would allow him to navigate this team any further considering how awful he has been.

What Pierre Dorion said when Colin White signed his 6 year deal (less than 3 years ago):

"We've identified Colin as one of our core young players who will help drive our team's success in both the short and long term"

"Colin plays the 200-foot game that is so coveted in today's NHL. He can skate, play on both special teams and is a character player and leader who loves hockey and this city. While he is coming off a season where he finished among rookie leaders in many categories, we also know he is just scratching the surface of his potential in this league. We're very happy that Colin will be a Senator for the next six years."

Matt Murray contract. Colin White contract. Two big mistakes by PD
- AlfieisKing

He has signed many others to bad contracts during his tenure. Not just those two.

I’d hope some bad contracts are going back to Montreal if that is the case. Hold on tight…
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Your GM likes to help all the Canadian teams while hurting his own team. Ask Toronto and Vancouver how over joyed they were to see Zaitsev and Hamonic go Bahaha

Dorion says 50 50 chance htey make the pick.

https://www.thescore.com/...draft-pick-at-7th-overall
- david22

Personally, I don’t mind moving the pick if it’s for a quality player (Keller, Debrincat, etc). If it is for more players that this team will potentially need to buy out down the line and not even fit in the top half of the depth chart (Dvorak, Anderson, etc), then it will be bad.

I’m trying to stay in the positive light ahead of the draft, but Dorion does make one nervous.

I am not sure I feel entirely comfortable with PD trading the #7 pick. Call me crazy, but I am not overly confident PD will get a great (or even fair) return for the pick. I have been wrong plenty of times before so PD can certainly prove me wrong.

If the Sens keep the pick, who do you see that 7th overall pick bringing to Ottawa? Who would you target? Who do you want in a Sens jersey?

I am certainly no professional scout, but the more video I watch, the more reports I read, the more I am intrigued with Cutter Gauthier. He has skating, skill, size, IQ and can play physical. He seems like a great blue chip prospect and a complete package. The kid likes to score. Love his shot.

I do understand that the Sens need help on RW and a RD. Notwithstanding any acquisitions through trades or signings, there are a few potential draft options available. Now, just about any of these players could be off the board at by #7. I doubt all of these players will be gone so there should be some options at RW (Kemell, Lekkerimaki, Yurov) and RD (Nemec, Jiricek) for the Sens.

That said, if the trade return isn't there, and the top RW / RD are off the board, and if Cutter is still on the board (does Arizona take him at 3#?), do the Sens take him being a C/LW?

Would anyone want Klingberg from Dallas?

https://insidetherink.com...-the-room-john-klingberg/

I am not sure I feel entirely comfortable with PD trading the #7 pick. Call me crazy, but I am not overly confident PD will get a great (or even fair) return for the pick. I have been wrong plenty of times before so PD can certainly prove me wrong.

If the Sens keep the pick, who do you see that 7th overall pick bringing to Ottawa? Who would you target? Who do you want in a Sens jersey?

I am certainly no professional scout, but the more video I watch, the more reports I read, the more I am intrigued with Cutter Gauthier. He has skating, skill, size, IQ and can play physical. He seems like a great blue chip prospect and a complete package. The kid likes to score. Love his shot.

I do understand that the Sens need help on RW and a RD. Notwithstanding any acquisitions through trades or signings, there are a few potential draft options available. Now, just about any of these players could be off the board at by #7. I doubt all of these players will be gone so there should be some options at RW (Kemell, Lekkerimaki, Yurov) and RD (Nemec, Jiricek) for the Sens.

That said, if the trade return isn't there, and the top RW / RD are off the board, and if Cutter is still on the board (does Arizona take him at 3#?), do the Sens take him being a C/LW?
- HoweHatrick

Gauthier is certainly a Pierre Dorion type pick. Big, physical and going to Boston College where he is slotted into the #1 centre position. If Arizona takes Logan Cooley at #3 good chance Gauthier is still there at #7.

Like you, as we get closer to draft, I hope Sens slow down their decision making on a trade. #7 is going to be a good player and there will be lots of good RFA's and UFA's that cap challenged teams will struggle to sign. Price can only come down on some of these players.

I think it was really smart to start Stutzle on the wing. Breaking into the NHL is hard enough. Centre is especially difficult.
- spatso

I'm inclined to agree about starting Stu on the wing, except for the fact that when it was clearly not working the coach showed zero initiative or innovation to kickstart his game. This is our young phenom, star in the making, and it took injuries to force the obvious change. He makes zero in game changes - zero. In a throwaway season where there is no jeopardy for your job, why on earth wouldn't you try something, anything? He squandered a perfect scenario to play with opportunity, play matchmaker. You have to be pathologically incompetent or lazy to not take advantage. Now we have all these young players and we have almost zero sample size of how they match with our big ticket players. Square one, except now his job is likely on the line, meaning he's more likely to revert to old bad habits. It's bananas. I'm not going to say 'get rid of the coach', because I believe Smith will relieve himself of the job all by himself. It is telling that no former Ottawa coach has a HC job in the NHL outside of Rick Bowness, who took years to get back to the helm.

NHL schedule released. Sens get 8 of the first 12 games at home!

https://www.nhl.com/senat...ason-schedule/c-334820478

No, you can't buy out an injured player. They bought out White because of his age. Wait one more year and the buyout cost goes from 1/3 to 2/3 cost. As a team that will likely get nowhere near sniffing the cap, the real question one has to ask is why buy anybody out at all?
- Bartacus

Actually, the real question is how many times a GM can make unforced errors of this magnitude before you consider replacing him. It doesn't really matter if you're a team at the cap ceiling or the cap floor... there's no room in the NHL in 2022/23 for these kinds of self-inflicted terrible contract decisions. At this point last summer, they had over $20M AAV tied up in Murray, Dadonov, White, and Zaitsev, which accounted for nearly 1/3 of their entire payroll. In fact, the only other player on the roster making more than $4.5M/yr was Chabot, meaning that 4/5 highest salaries on the team were the result of major errors in judgement.

NHL schedule released. Sens get 8 of the first 12 games at home!
- Kevin Francis

so fans get to see sens lose live!!!

NHL schedule released. Sens get 8 of the first 12 games at home!
- Kevin Francis

They need a strong start to the season.

They need a strong start to the season.
- spatso

with smith as coach, that is impossible, better chance to find a unicorn in your closet.

so fans get to see sens lose live!!!
- Mithos

https://www.nhl.com/senat...ason-schedule/c-334820478

Great discussion, keep it going! I wil be back tonight to respond.
To hear that PD is looking at Dvorak and Anderson with MTL.....if he does this...my goodness....reports are he is willing to give up the number 7 pick for one of these 2 misfits that have no hockey IQ.....every shout I talk to say to stay far away from both players....both would be on their 3rd team if Ottawa acquired either of them for a reason.....ugh!
- Kevin Francis

Yeah I highly highly doubt that Dvorak or Anderson will be in a Sens uniform unless we see an exchange of big contracts OR a 3 way deal

dp

Yeah I highly highly doubt that Dvorak or Anderson will be in a Sens uniform unless we see an exchange of big contracts OR a 3 way deal
- AlfieisKing

Josh Anderson is horrible and on a terrible contract. Get rid of White, only to add an older, more expensive unproductive third line plug? He's never gotten 50 points in a season despite getting oodles of top six time. He is injured more often than not. Neither draws or takes penalties. People talk about how awesome he is - he's Tyler Boucher except not on an ELC and eight years older. If we trade the 7 and he's the big piece coming back it'll be a worse debacle than last year.