People may crap all over DeBrincat, but as you said it's hard to see trading him away as making the team better. I'm also looking at this through the lens of the team no longer being able to assume growth in their young core assets. Tkachuk and Stutzle can't be expected to produce significantly more than they have this year, Giroux will almost certainly start to decline when on the wrong side of 35, Batherson has shown the limitations of his game, and Norris remains a major question mark... especially if he's no longer going to get #1C ice time, or have a regular winger like Tkachuk. It's also pretty clear that if any of Jarventie, Sokolov, or Pettersson have legitimate top-6 upside, it will be at least 2-3yrs away from impacting the NHL roster.

They have a salary cap pinch coming this year, but the only other major RFA they have to deal with are Pinto/Brannstrom... both of whom could be fairly easily signed to 1yr-2yr deals. The following year will free up $5M in dead cap space, and its speculated the salary cap will also increase. There wouldn't be enough cap space to bring back players like Talbot ($3.7M), Hamonic ($3.0M), Watson ($1.5M), or Holden ($1.3M), but they'd just have to rely on the likes of Sogaard, Kleven, Greig, and Bernard-Docker to be good enough replacements to allow them to keep their top-6F/top-4D at a playoff-level of quality. This is the whole point of having invested 1st/2nd round picks in those players, and it's time to start mobilizing them as affordable supporting assets.
- khawk

Pinto is 22 years old and has scored 20 goals in what is effectively his rookie season; and has already proven himself to be, at the very least, a really really good number 3C. Lock him up long term. Same with Sanderson because if you wait another year so you can use the money to sign the leprechaun instead Sanderson will end up costing you a lot more - 10+ per.

Fight your way through any spells the leprechaun has cast upon you and recognize the fact that they obviously need a reliable goalie and that will cost money. Don't give it to the leprechaun! Sogaard and Forsberg ain't going to cut it.

Fight your way through the leprechaun spells. I remember Tampa getting swept 4 straight by Columbus one year and by making the right acquisitions to fill in their middle six they did alright the following year. That costs money. I wouldn't want to be depending on guys like Jarventie, Sokolov, Pettersson or even Greig to make the difference 2 or 3 years down the road. I want to do alright next year.

Stutzle is 21 years old. Tkachuk is 23. Batherson is 24 and has just recovered from a long term injury that has hampered his play considerably and it shows with his greatly improved play of late. Fight your way through the leprechaun spells! There is no reason to believe that these guys will not improve considerably as they come into their prime.

Fight your way through the leprechaun spells. There is no pot of gold at the end of that rainbow.

Pinto is 22 years old and has scored 20 goals in what is effectively his rookie season; and has already proven himself to be, at the very least, a really really good number 3C. Lock him up long term. Same with Sanderson because if you wait another year so you can use the money to sign the leprechaun instead Sanderson will end up costing you a lot more - 10+ per.

Fight your way through any spells the leprechaun has cast upon you and recognize the fact that they obviously need a reliable goalie and that will cost money. Don't give it to the leprechaun! Sogaard and Forsberg ain't going to cut it.

Fight your way through the leprechaun spells. I remember Tampa getting swept 4 straight by Columbus one year and by making the right acquisitions to fill in their middle six they did alright the following year. That costs money. I wouldn't want to be depending on guys like Jarventie, Sokolov, Pettersson or even Greig to make the difference 2 or 3 years down the road. I want to do alright next year.

Stutzle is 21 years old. Tkachuk is 23. Batherson is 24 and has just recovered from a long term injury that has hampered his play considerably and it shows with his greatly improved play of late. Fight your way through the leprechaun spells! There is no reason to believe that these guys will not improve considerably as they come into their prime.

Fight your way through the leprechaun spells. There is no pot of gold at the end of that rainbow.
- Whatisavailable

You had a really good slate of interesting, uplifting and constructive comments for awhile there, you should reread your previous entries and look to emulate that moving forward.

Pinto is 22 years old and has scored 20 goals in what is effectively his rookie season; and has already proven himself to be, at the very least, a really really good number 3C. Lock him up long term. Same with Sanderson because if you wait another year so you can use the money to sign the leprechaun instead Sanderson will end up costing you a lot more - 10+ per.

Fight your way through any spells the leprechaun has cast upon you and recognize the fact that they obviously need a reliable goalie and that will cost money. Don't give it to the leprechaun! Sogaard and Forsberg ain't going to cut it.

Fight your way through the leprechaun spells. I remember Tampa getting swept 4 straight by Columbus one year and by making the right acquisitions to fill in their middle six they did alright the following year. That costs money. I wouldn't want to be depending on guys like Jarventie, Sokolov, Pettersson or even Greig to make the difference 2 or 3 years down the road. I want to do alright next year.

Stutzle is 21 years old. Tkachuk is 23. Batherson is 24 and has just recovered from a long term injury that has hampered his play considerably and it shows with his greatly improved play of late. Fight your way through the leprechaun spells! There is no reason to believe that these guys will not improve considerably as they come into their prime.

Fight your way through the leprechaun spells. There is no pot of gold at the end of that rainbow.
- Whatisavailable

10+ 😂 shake your head Sanderson is really good but settle down man 🤦‍♂️
Give Pinto just under Batherson money and I hate to say it but I really believe they gonna sign Debrincat 😂

talbot, he let in 4 goals on 11 shots.
- Mithos

Don't blame Talbot...blame DJ for starting him!! How you sit Mads after a couple of solid games, with his record at home, is beyond me. Recipe for disaster. Start Mads last night, Talbot against CLB. It isn't rocket science.

As for offseason goaltending, the UFA field is thin. Jarry? Someone will overpay at Jack Campbell money. Better bet is to try to get someone on the cheap or on the rise....Vladar in Cal. Maybe Demko in Vancity but that require a 1st and players. (Jospeh, JBD, plus 2nd?). You could get Cal Peterson on the cheap and take a risk but you'd have to send $$$ back....cough, cough Joseph. All the other UFA options are veteran backups, at best. Which we may need.

As for Talbot...I applauded the trade when it happened. The numbers backed up the decision. He had a bad, injury prone year and Gus exploded. The first one you could see coming given CT's age...the 2nd one has come out of nowhere, and may have more to do with the goaltending coaching and defensive system in Minny.

Sens need to draft a Russian goalie, like everyone else.

As for Debrincat...loved what he did last night. Just don't think you pay a second line winger more than $8million a year. He is a luxury they may not be able to afford. Like a $3-4million third line winger that doesn't score (cough, cough....Joseph).

The good news is they can easily get back what they paid to get Debrincat if it comes to that.

Change the coach first, then make personal decisions. But I fear that how the Sens are playing now have all but assured DJ is back next year for at least a half season...

You had a really good slate of interesting, uplifting and constructive comments for awhile there, you should reread your previous entries and look to emulate that moving forward.
- Bartacus

I thought that thinking that with just a few solid acquisitions, maybe even in the UFA market, they could be serious contenders this coming season was pretty positive.

It would also be foolish not to think that a few bad moves could cripple them for years to come. It's happened to other teams in the past.

10+ 😂 shake your head Sanderson is really good but settle down man 🤦‍♂️
Give Pinto just under Batherson money and I hate to say it but I really believe they gonna sign Debrincat 😂
- sens4life1971

10+ Not if they extend him this summer but if they wait another year you betcha. I'm looking at some of the moves he's pulling off and thinking future Norris Trophy winner right there. There was that one play just above the corner on the side boards when he spun away from two forecheckers in close succession that was just out of this world and he made it look easy. Lock that puppy up this summer.

If they can extend Pinto at around 4, and I think that they can, I would consider that a steal.

Don't blame Talbot...blame DJ for starting him!! How you sit Mads after a couple of solid games, with his record at home, is beyond me. Recipe for disaster. Start Mads last night, Talbot against CLB. It isn't rocket science.

As for offseason goaltending, the UFA field is thin. Jarry? Someone will overpay at Jack Campbell money. Better bet is to try to get someone on the cheap or on the rise....Vladar in Cal. Maybe Demko in Vancity but that require a 1st and players. (Jospeh, JBD, plus 2nd?). You could get Cal Peterson on the cheap and take a risk but you'd have to send $$$ back....cough, cough Joseph. All the other UFA options are veteran backups, at best. Which we may need.

As for Talbot...I applauded the trade when it happened. The numbers backed up the decision. He had a bad, injury prone year and Gus exploded. The first one you could see coming given CT's age...the 2nd one has come out of nowhere, and may have more to do with the goaltending coaching and defensive system in Minny.

Sens need to draft a Russian goalie, like everyone else.

As for Debrincat...loved what he did last night. Just don't think you pay a second line winger more than $8million a year. He is a luxury they may not be able to afford. Like a $3-4million third line winger that doesn't score (cough, cough....Joseph).

The good news is they can easily get back what they paid to get Debrincat if it comes to that.

Change the coach first, then make personal decisions. But I fear that how the Sens are playing now have all but assured DJ is back next year for at least a half season...
- GrimmdaGoalie

It would be very difficult to move that Joseph contract.

DeBrincat is just flat out untradeable. No sane GM will pay that guy anywhere near 9 million dollars for one year taking him to UFA status without some sort of extension agreement in place and no sane GM is extending that guy for more than 7 million.

A new Sens GM could just not qualify him and let him walk. Blame it on Dorion. I'd love to see that guy run around as a UFA asking for 8 million plus.

Unfortunately if Dorion is still here he won't want to let himself appear to be stupid so he'll double down and give DeBrincat big money for term. Bye bye parades.

new blog has been sent to Khawk.
When he wakes up he'll see it.

Sens can easily move DeBrincat and get a nice return. Should they is a more challenging question.

Sens can easily move DeBrincat and get a nice return. Should they is a more challenging question.
- spatso

Not a chance in the world. They couldn't get a seventh round pick for him unless they agreed to pay part of his salary.

Assume Debrincat doesn't want to be here and takes his QO. If he posts similar numbers next year, somebody will pay real assets at half retained at the deadline to acquire him. If he bounces back to his usual scoring touch, the package could be quite significant. You can think it's a bad idea to acquire a player with a high qualifying offer, that's fine, but look at the demand for Meier this past deadline, and the package he received. He has arb rights and his QO is 10M.

Assume Debrincat doesn't want to be here and takes his QO. If he posts similar numbers next year, somebody will pay real assets at half retained at the deadline to acquire him. If he bounces back to his usual scoring touch, the package could be quite significant. You can think it's a bad idea to acquire a player with a high qualifying offer, that's fine, but look at the demand for Meier this past deadline, and the package he received. He has arb rights and his QO is 10M.
- Bartacus

If he doesn't want to be here, do you trade him now though, or wait til the deadline?

If you can't get fair price, then I suppose playing him makes more sense.

new blog has been sent to Khawk.
When he wakes up he'll see it.
- Octavarium

Pacific time zone... full-time job... young kids... it's coming.

Not a chance in the world. They couldn't get a seventh round pick for him unless they agreed to pay part of his salary.
- Whatisavailable

With QO, can a team sign him, and then extend him right after, to a lower cap hit overall?

Or would the lower hit only kick in one year later?

Pacific time zone... full-time job... young kids... it's coming.

- khawk

I wasn't sure if that was the case or he was taking a shot at you.

Not a chance in the world. They couldn't get a seventh round pick for him unless they agreed to pay part of his salary.
- Whatisavailable

Seriously, man... you've lost it when it comes to DeBrincat. It's just been a non-stop parade of loosely-veiled prejudiced rants about under-sized players, one after the other. Which is a shame, because I know you've got other perspectives that are far more interesting to hear about.

If he doesn't want to be here, do you trade him now though, or wait til the deadline?

If you can't get fair price, then I suppose playing him makes more sense.
- david22

A fair question - I'd think based on Debrincat's past performance and with a healthy top 6, it's a reasonably safe bet the player will outperform his current season numbers next year and increase his value. The goal would be to recoup as much of the value of the cost - a 7th overall pick, which I don't think you will find get at the draft or off-season. But AD has shown that gamebreaking ability in the past, and if he's at or near a PPG/30 goals at the deadline, teams would pay through the teeth at 4.5M or 2.25M. The real question becomes what happens if we are competitive next season - do you keep the player and risk letting him walk à la Gaudreau or Kawhi? If we are really great, I think you roll the dice and keep him.

A fair question - I'd think based on Debrincat's past performance and with a healthy top 6, it's a reasonably safe bet the player will outperform his current season numbers next year and increase his value. The goal would be to recoup as much of the value of the cost - a 7th overall pick, which I don't think you will find get at the draft or off-season. But AD has shown that gamebreaking ability in the past, and if he's at or near a PPG/30 goals at the deadline, teams would pay through the teeth at 4.5M or 2.25M. The real question becomes what happens if we are competitive next season - do you keep the player and risk letting him walk à la Gaudreau or Kawhi? If we are really great, I think you roll the dice and keep him.
- Bartacus

There was no stampede for Kadri, Gaudreau or Klingberg. Matthew Tkachuk was a more interesting model. Florida was clearly ready to walk away from Huberdeau.

The cap puts as much pressure on the players as there is on the teams. Players need to find a fit. Teams need to manage inside the cap. I think the Sens will do fine by either signing or moving DeBincat.

If the Sens and DeBrincat decide a move is preferable, my hope is they will package the acquired assets to make a block buster offer for Pierre Luc Dubois.

There was no stampede for Kadri, Gaudreau or Klingberg. Matthew Tkachuk was a more interesting model. Florida was clearly ready to walk away from Huberdeau.

The cap puts as much pressure on the players as there is on the teams. Players need to find a fit. Teams need to manage inside the cap. I think the Sens will do fine by either signing or moving DeBincat.

If the Sens and DeBrincat decide a move is preferable, my hope is they will package the acquired assets to make a block buster offer for Pierre Luc Dubois.
- spatso

Even with the rumors he wants to play in Montreal? Granted, Ottawa is a lot closer than Winnipeg or Columbus, and it does have the Gatineau connection.

Even with the rumors he wants to play in Montreal? Granted, Ottawa is a lot closer than Winnipeg or Columbus, and it does have the Gatineau connection.
- david22

Good point on the PLD to Quebec rumours. I do wonder if Debrincat, in his own right, has a preferred destination to play. He's from Michigan. There may be a lot more parallels between the situation Ottawa and Winnipeg find themselves in with these two players than meets the eye.

Even with the rumors he wants to play in Montreal? Granted, Ottawa is a lot closer than Winnipeg or Columbus, and it does have the Gatineau connection.
- david22

Players want to win. Montreal is still a long way away from contending. Winnipeg, if they miss the playoffs this year, will have no choice but to commit to a rebuild that will result in a few key players being shuffled with Dubois at the top of the list.

The idea that he wants to go to Montreal followed a first report that he wanted to go to the Rangers. I don't think there is any deep commitment on his part of wanting to get to the Canadiens. Based on the current roster and the new ownership, Ottawa is going to be a demand location for many players.

There are not many teams that are in a position to offer Dubois the $8m he will be looking for in a long term deal. He won't give you more goals than DeBrincat but he will give you a lot more jam.