I doubt anything comes of it. Also at the draft I thought Seth Jones made better sense than acquiring Debrincat. Rh d to play with chabot I know the contract is horrible but I think the two sides could have made it worked imo.
- Scott1977

Interesting. I like your post.

But question - if there is a draft RIGHT now to have a D-man for the next 4-5 years, where is does he fall in the ranking? No bias.

Also I think CHI have to eat about 20% of the contract to get a proper return

Honestly why would ottawa trade a guy back to the team that just traded him? Better yet, why would Chicago have a redo of the trade? Just seems like a crazy rumour.

Seeing as we just acquired Debrincat from Chicago this is extremely improbable. I cannot think of any other examples in NHL history of a team acquiring a marquee player only to flip him back to that same team before the ten game mark. Ottawa would have to get their extra draft picks from the trade back and retention so Jones' contract matches Chabot's, and Cat is owed a massive QO. A team can only retain 3 salaries at a time and Jones has 8 years left, so retention would *seriously* hamper the Hawks' cap management flexibility for a very long time. So I'd say whoever floated this idea has zero insight and is just trying to drum up clicks.
- Bartacus

Truly bizarre. I agree with your assessment

Boston and Dallas sit on top of East and West Conferences early in this season. Comined they have only lost 3 games. But 2 of those losses have been to Sens who beat have both teams.

Coming up on playing 10% of season (8 games). Small sample but Sens have had a great start. On pace for 108 points.

Too early to start chatter for DJ and Jack Adams.

Sorry but they're winning in spite of this coaching staff, not because of it.
Same with the face offs. It's the "players coach" Giroux who's affecting the change.

Sorry but they're winning in spite of this coaching staff, not because of it.
Same with the face offs. It's the "players coach" Giroux who's affecting the change.
- Octavarium

Pinto and Kastelic had excellent faceoff percentages before the NHL.

I agree with your take on the coaching staff.

Sorry but they're winning in spite of this coaching staff, not because of it.
Same with the face offs. It's the "players coach" Giroux who's affecting the change.
- Octavarium

Thank you.

NHL coaching staff is not really important for any team. They mostly follow the same models and style. There are a few exceptions like Tortarella who actually believe in their mind that they are difference makers. But the best coaches listens to his players and puts the guys on the ice that work in the best combinations. Your players leadership knows what needs to be done.

Players and the dressing room have always dictated the accountability and presence of the players on the ice.

When teams win big it is because the players are able to push through and the coach gets out of their way (Jon Cooper is pretty clear in making it known he supports the players pushing forward).

If a team wins it is because of the players.

If a team loses it is because of the players.

Coaches make dumb calls or they can lose the room and the support of the players. But most successful teams are strikingly consistent in the degree of support players and coaches offer one another. The players in Ottawa love DJ and that is all I need to know. DJ loves his players.

Sheldon Keefe came out and said "the Leafs star players were not playing like star players." Later he was forced to back down and said he had misspoken. A preliminary indication that Keefe has lost the players. Chatter out of Toronto is the Leafs may need to change coaches. But, a new coach will not make a difference. Leaf players need to figure out what they need to do. But the third and fourth lines are feeble, they have no depth on defence and there is a huge question going forward about goal tending.

Leafs have proven they do not have the depth for a long playoff run. Now the depth has been further diminished and some wonder if the problem starts to become a regular season challenge.

Lots of chattering suggesting the problem get fixed by changing coaches.

It has very little to do with the coaching. Same in Ottawa, the improvement in play by the Sens has very little to do with coaching. It is about the talent on the ice and leadership in the dressing room.

Interesting. I like your post.

But question - if there is a draft RIGHT now to have a D-man for the next 4-5 years, where is does he fall in the ranking? No bias.

Also I think CHI have to eat about 20% of the contract to get a proper return
- AlfieisKing

I think Jones sometimes tries to do too much if he stays within his game, which in the first 5 games thus there has been that, he is top 3 defender on any team. As for ranking him top 15 on the league plus being rh and big gives him attributes teams convent. Imo as the season goes on and plays like he us now I wouldn't be surprised if teams come calling to see what kind of trade could be made. One last thing hawks need to find him a steady every game partner to play with.

Honestly why would ottawa trade a guy back to the team that just traded him? Better yet, why would Chicago have a redo of the trade? Just seems like a crazy rumour.
- PuckPix

Not sure why people find this idea so crazy. The DeBrincat trade was made very hastily at the draft, they didn't even know his impression of he trade, they didn't know what his intentions and contract expectations might be on a RFA extension, and it's very possible that the attempted extension negotiations revealed that he's not interested in a long-term deal. They also didn't know that Giroux would sign as a UFA, they didn't know that Pinto would start the season so productively, and they didn't know they'd be shifting Stutzle/Norris around at C so that they had their two best goal-scorers playing together. They also didn't know they wouldn't have resolved the blue-line issue, or that the options would be so limited on that front throughout the summer.

Conversely, Jones would address a major long-standing team need, there's a long-term structure already established in his contract, 12% of his entire $76M contract has already been paid out as an up-front signing bonus, and given how much CHI seems to want to go scorched earth on the rebuild they could probably get CHI to eat another 15%-20% of the AAV. It's also getting to the point where OTT will start to lose some of their higher-potential AHL assets in the very near future if they don't start creating room/using them for trade value. Plus, it's always possible that a 3rd team might be involved. So while I agree that it's unlikely, I don't agree that it's some kind of mystery how/why that trade might be considered on both sides.

Looks like the worst is happening with Norris, out a probable 3-5 months, they are talking about rehab, but at this point just rip the bandaid off and get him the shoulder surgery.

Any word on Formenton? I know they were waiting on Hockey Canada, but the guy is just sitting there doing nothing?

If Norris is out long term, do you slide Giroux to center? Move up Pinto? Man that sucks for him and the Sens.

Comformed Norris out for season, same shoulder but different part of shoulder injured than last season

Looks like the worst is happening with Norris, out a probable 3-5 months, they are talking about rehab, but at this point just rip the bandaid off and get him the shoulder surgery.
- RyeDog13

Definitely bad news re: Norris, but if he needs surgery he needs surgery. Best to just get it done, and let him recover long-term. In the interim, this certainly validates the Brassard signing in a major way, and illustrates the value of functional depth. They've sustained direct hits to their #2C and #2G so far, but neither would compare to the impact of losing one of the top-3D. Hopefully some kind of D-bolstering move is made soon before it becomes truly necessary, and the team is left over the barrel.

Looks like the worst is happening with Norris, out a probable 3-5 months, they are talking about rehab, but at this point just rip the bandaid off and get him the shoulder surgery.
- RyeDog13

Agreed. Get the surgery.

Not sure why people find this idea so crazy. The DeBrincat trade was made very hastily at the draft, they didn't even know his impression of he trade, they didn't know what his intentions and contract expectations might be on a RFA extension, and it's very possible that the attempted extension negotiations revealed that he's not interested in a long-term deal. They also didn't know that Giroux would sign as a UFA, they didn't know that Pinto would start the season so productively, and they didn't know they'd be shifting Stutzle/Norris around at C so that they had their two best goal-scorers playing together. They also didn't know they wouldn't have resolved the blue-line issue, or that the options would be so limited on that front throughout the summer.

Conversely, Jones would address a major long-standing team need, there's a long-term structure already established in his contract, 12% of his entire $76M contract has already been paid out as an up-front signing bonus, and given how much CHI seems to want to go scorched earth on the rebuild they could probably get CHI to eat another 15%-20% of the AAV. It's also getting to the point where OTT will start to lose some of their higher-potential AHL assets in the very near future if they don't start creating room/using them for trade value. Plus, it's always possible that a 3rd team might be involved. So while I agree that it's unlikely, I don't agree that it's some kind of mystery how/why that trade might be considered on both sides.
- khawk

imo ithink Ottawa wanted Jones and wanted the hawks to retain on the contract plus take Zaitsev back also but when things didn't come through Ottawa shifted to Debrincat and the Chicago and Ottawa didn't have enough time to really solid trade put together hence the underwhelming return for Debrincat plus 9 million qualifying offer needed after this season and word of agreeing to extension. That is just my take on it. No insider info just a thought.

Norris on LTIR is a set back to the season.

On the other hand it gives the Sens a huge amount of flexibility on the cap and the ability to add a big ticket item (now) or at the deadline. Probably crazy...but do you think Patrick Kane could be good fit on Sens second line?

Chicago is winning games and perhaps there is some panic about the Connor Bedard sweeps getting away from them. Maybe Kane gets moved sooner rather than later and there are not a lot of teams that have the cap space to take on that kind of add.

Any word on Formenton? I know they were waiting on Hockey Canada, but the guy is just sitting there doing nothing?

If Norris is out long term, do you slide Giroux to center? Move up Pinto? Man that sucks for him and the Sens.
- CooCooKaChoo

It is so weird that Formenton not being on the team or not having a contract is such a non story for everyone involved. I guess they are all just waiting on the London Police and can't do anything until then?

imo ithink Ottawa wanted Jones and wanted the hawks to retain on the contract plus take Zaitsev back also but when things didn't come through Ottawa shifted to Debrincat and the Chicago and Ottawa didn't have enough time to really solid trade put together hence the underwhelming return for Debrincat plus 9 million qualifying offer needed after this season and word of agreeing to extension. That is just my take on it. No insider info just a thought.
- Scott1977

I m not sure at 100% but I think I heard Jones don t want to play for a Canadian team

It is so weird that Formenton not being on the team or not having a contract is such a non story for everyone involved. I guess they are all just waiting on the London Police and can't do anything until then?
- GrimmdaGoalie

exactly

I m not sure at 100% but I think I heard Jones don t want to play for a Canadian team
- Crosside

It's true that Jones has a full NMC, and he may prefer not to play in Canada. However, it's also true that he's looking down the throat of a ~4 year rebuild in CHI once Kane/Toews are moved. At some point you have to ask yourself if that's how you want to spend the prime years of your career. At least with OTT you'd be going to a team that's emerging from a rebuild with a lot of energy and potential. Alternatively, you could also see a major 3-way deal... one example could be Jones going to PHI, and then maybe Ristolainen going to OTT.

Who knows... but any major trade involving a D-man will almost certainly have the Sens buzzing around with some interest by default.

It's true that Jones has a full NMC, and he may prefer not to play in Canada. However, it's also true that he's looking down the throat of a ~4 year rebuild in CHI once Kane/Toews are moved. At some point you have to ask yourself if that's how you want to spend the prime years of your career. At least with OTT you'd be going to a team that's emerging from a rebuild with a lot of energy and potential. Alternatively, you could also see a major 3-way deal... one example could be Jones going to PHI, and then maybe Ristolainen going to OTT.

Who knows... but any major trade involving a D-man will almost certainly have the Sens buzzing around with some interest by default.
- khawk

There are very few contenders with the cap space to take on a substantial contract. This is especially true if the contract runs into next year.

I agree that moving of Jones may require a 3 way.

Jones is too old for a rebuilding team. Too expensive for any of the mature contending teams. He will need to go to one of the emerging teams (LA, Detroit, New Jersey...perhaps Ottawa) but the cap cost is prohibitive and far too disruptive for most teams. I like Zub at $5m.

Lovely.

Question would you be interested in either domi or towes if you are in the playoff hunt? If so what would trades look like? Just curious on your thoughts and other centers to fill the void by Norris. That's too bad I really like him as a player.

What kind of drugs are you guys on? Patrick Kane, Seth Jones?

One thing I've noticed is that Leafs Nation guys like Kyper and Bourne are completely ignoring Ottawa. Surprise1 Surprise!

Norris being gone will open up opportunities. Sanderson means they have 3 of 4 of their top 4. Time to give JBD and Thomson a look because face it this team is not winning anything this year other than some respect. They will scare people. Next year they will demolish them.

I can see them adding another depth forward.

Connor Brown would be looking good right now. Oh yeah we got a 2024 second round pick! What was I thinking?