Batherson Sogard and what's left of Matt Murray's money to Columbus

for

Jake Been and both of the 3rd picks Columbus has in the upcoming draft.
- Octavarium

I'm wary of trading a goalie prospect who is looking pretty good at the moment. I feel like at some point this team needs to draft and develop a legit starting goalie.

I'm wary of trading a goalie prospect who is looking pretty good at the moment. I feel like at some point this team needs to draft and develop a legit starting goalie.
- david22

agree!

Little bit dead around here.

While it was nice to get the 4 available points in Sweden, I didn’t feel like the team turned any corners to inspire newfound confidence going forth.

In the Detroit game, you saw the same old poor defensive play and poorly timed goals against. At some point, you must stop blaming the unlikely bounces against (couple of the wings goals) and acknowledge when some go your way (beauty goal by Stu in OT but that play was all friendly bounces and luck). The play of the team overall is not great. Bounces sometimes just magnify that.

In the Wild game, I saw two scared teams. Both were playing not to lose rather than trying to win. While it might have been a good game in terms of no crazy errors happened, the Sens didn’t exactly create many opportunities. It was a game they could have won much more easily had they created more chances which with this forward group should be easy to do.

If you sort by point percentage (as Ottawa has the least games played in the Eastern Conference), Ottawa is sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference. Out of a playoff spot by American Thanksgiving which the average fan knows is a reasonable measuring stick to know what teams are playoff teams are and what teams are not. While a hot run can certainly change things, it’s an uphill battle from here on out.

While I’d be happy to be proven wrong, I don’t think DJ Smith is the guy to lead this team to significant success. I would like to see the GM situation addressed by December so there is some chance of salvaging this season.

Batherson Sogard and what's left of Matt Murray's money to Columbus

for

Jake Been and both of the 3rd picks Columbus has in the upcoming draft.
- Octavarium

I assume this is a gag - we can't trade the dead cap from Murray, we don't need another offensive minded LD who is having a poor season, and Batherson's phenom contract and Sogard's extremely hot start are worth at least a first rounder, not two thirds.

Little bit dead around here.

While I’d be happy to be proven wrong, I don’t think DJ Smith is the guy to lead this team to significant success. I would like to see the GM situation addressed by December so there is some chance of salvaging this season.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Dead because they haven't been playing any games. Seems like a ridiculous amount of time between games. We have no idea what this team is because they haven't played much.

And yes, to get them to the next step, I also think DJ isn't the guy. No in-game adjustments, no defensive system or structure, too much of a players guys.

But, let the season play out now....if he doesn't make the playoffs, he has to be gone.

And we will all wonder what someone like Julien or Gallant could do with this group...

Don't have a lot of patience with folks who grind on about team failure and coaching inadequacy being synonymous with structural failure. Most often a coaching change will enable a restart of some type for the players. New coaches usually get improvement by reducing structure and "letting the players play."

Did anyone really believe Edmonton had a coaching problem? Who thinks Edmonton solves their problem by improving on team defensive structure?

I am not saying that teams cannot fail because of inadequate structure. But the failure is almost always because of a failure in execution. Failure occurs primarily because teams lack the experience, talent or depth to execute. Sometimes the team lacks the players offering the burning desire needed to succeed. This happens when the players quit on the team. They stop believing in themselves.

I know coaches can screw it up (eg, Guy Boucher who believed his complicated system was more important than his players). But, for the most part, a good coach needs to adapt and implement systems that takes advantage of the talent and skill of the players he is able to put on the ice.

I am not a fan of TJ Smith one way or the other. I just don't believe coaches are that important. But the players seem to love TJ. And, I believe in this team and the players. They have not quit on TJ. So, I am not even close to quitting on them.

Imagine waking up an Oiler fan this morning. So, let's talk about the failings of the new coach (does anybody remember his name?). He needs to get McDavid, Draisaitl, Hyman, Kane and Nugent-Hopkins just playing with better defensive structure.

I believe there are exceptional coaches (Brind'Amour) who are able to suck every ounce of competitive juice out of their players. But, not sure even Brind'Amour would be up to fixing the Oil without changes in the goaltending and the defensive pairings.

Nope.
Wasn't a joke.

I though we could move dead money, considering he's on LTIR.
Batherson has had one season where maybe he got close to earning that money. He's not just a defensive liability he simply doesn't understand backchecking. His contract will not age well. when he's getting 60 points but is also -45. Sogard is a reasonable goalie prospect with some underlying stamina and injury concerns. He's not a future goalie prospect.

I would attempt to fleece edmonton or someone else needing a goalie with those two players.

Little bit dead around here.

While it was nice to get the 4 available points in Sweden, I didn’t feel like the team turned any corners to inspire newfound confidence going forth.

In the Detroit game, you saw the same old poor defensive play and poorly timed goals against. At some point, you must stop blaming the unlikely bounces against (couple of the wings goals) and acknowledge when some go your way (beauty goal by Stu in OT but that play was all friendly bounces and luck). The play of the team overall is not great. Bounces sometimes just magnify that.

In the Wild game, I saw two scared teams. Both were playing not to lose rather than trying to win. While it might have been a good game in terms of no crazy errors happened, the Sens didn’t exactly create many opportunities. It was a game they could have won much more easily had they created more chances which with this forward group should be easy to do.

If you sort by point percentage (as Ottawa has the least games played in the Eastern Conference), Ottawa is sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference. Out of a playoff spot by American Thanksgiving which the average fan knows is a reasonable measuring stick to know what teams are playoff teams are and what teams are not. While a hot run can certainly change things, it’s an uphill battle from here on out.

While I’d be happy to be proven wrong, I don’t think DJ Smith is the guy to lead this team to significant success. I would like to see the GM situation addressed by December so there is some chance of salvaging this season.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

I agree that American thanksgiving is a good barometer for making the playoffs, but so is goal differential and they’re doing pretty well there. I think this team is exactly what their winning percentage is, a bubble team. Sports Club Stats puts them at 52% right now. While none of these are be all end all, the combination of them really shows this team is a coin flip.

As for DJ, I think the talent on this team can win in spite of him. The time to fire him was before the Sweden trip; now the only way he gets fired is if they go on a losing streak and then the playoff chances are already pretty much shot, so it’s moot for this year.

Before Ottawa starts tinkering with the talent, they need to figure out their front office structure. Build a better scouting system, hire a GM ... those are crucial in helping to set direction. Then we look at the coaching staff and the direction we want to go. Who fits that need?
GM .... Horcoff or Darche would do nicely to start.
Coach ... I think I could live with Claude Julien, buit at 63, how many more years does he have left. His last stint in Montreal was "okay" but not exceptional by any stretch. That is why I hope we can make it through the season and pick up another coach ... John Gruden from the AHL. Maybe even snag assistant coach Chris Kelly from Boston as an assistant.

Then we can look at sifting through some changes to the personnel on the team. But we need to see how all these players function in a relatively healthy line-up. Next year we will not have any issues with the salary cap so we have lots of room to restructure a few elements.
As for Sogaard .... I think he does have the potential to be a number one goalie and I believe the plan is to have Korpisalo and Sogaard as the top 2 starting next season, or the following season.
Next season ... Kubalik is gone. Brannstrom is gone. Thompson is gone. MacEwen is gone. Kelly is gone. Not sure about Tarasenko yet (he may want to stay .... he is not really a big city bright lights kind of guy ... more family oriented and so may actually prefer a place like Ottawa). Hamonic will be gone.
Once DJ Smith is gone, several of his favourites will be out of jobs.

Defence next year:
Sanderson, Chychrun, Chabot, Zub, JBD, Kleven, Guenette. Maybe we make a trade and bring in more, but the "muscle, snot, etc." we desire is there, we just have to get it playing time together. Trading a player like Chabot is very difficult and we will lose on that trade. Chabot is a well liked player on this team and there may be room issues if he is traded.
As for Batherson. He is fine. He just needs a coach who will make him responsible defensively .... benching him, sitting him down for a period or two. DJ Smith is in a trying to win mode to save his job. Benching players to teach them responsibility is not part of his plan. He is in survival mode.

I know coaches can screw it up (eg, Guy Boucher who believed his complicated system was more important than his players). But, for the most part, a good coach needs to adapt and implement systems that takes advantage of the talent and skill of the players he is able to put on the ice.
- spatso

Well, we an agree on something.

Many talk about about American Thanksgiving as being a playoff barometer .... this year I disagree with that notion. What made that stat relevant in the past was that teams tended to be 25% of the way through the season (played 20 games). The Senators have only played 15 games and many teams are only at 17 or 18 games. Overall, the teams have not gotten into the flow of the season. Too many days off for many teams to really judge. There has really been no flow to this season. By mid December we will know, or at least have a good idea on the overall flow to this season.

Before Ottawa starts tinkering with the talent, they need to figure out their front office structure. Build a better scouting system, hire a GM ... those are crucial in helping to set direction. Then we look at the coaching staff and the direction we want to go. Who fits that need?
GM .... Horcoff or Darche would do nicely to start.
Coach ... I think I could live with Claude Julien, buit at 63, how many more years does he have left. His last stint in Montreal was "okay" but not exceptional by any stretch. That is why I hope we can make it through the season and pick up another coach ... John Gruden from the AHL. Maybe even snag assistant coach Chris Kelly from Boston as an assistant.

Then we can look at sifting through some changes to the personnel on the team. But we need to see how all these players function in a relatively healthy line-up. Next year we will not have any issues with the salary cap so we have lots of room to restructure a few elements.
As for Sogaard .... I think he does have the potential to be a number one goalie and I believe the plan is to have Korpisalo and Sogaard as the top 2 starting next season, or the following season.
Next season ... Kubalik is gone. Brannstrom is gone. Thompson is gone. MacEwen is gone. Kelly is gone. Not sure about Tarasenko yet (he may want to stay .... he is not really a big city bright lights kind of guy ... more family oriented and so may actually prefer a place like Ottawa). Hamonic will be gone.
Once DJ Smith is gone, several of his favourites will be out of jobs.

Defence next year:
Sanderson, Chychrun, Chabot, Zub, JBD, Kleven, Guenette. Maybe we make a trade and bring in more, but the "muscle, snot, etc." we desire is there, we just have to get it playing time together. Trading a player like Chabot is very difficult and we will lose on that trade. Chabot is a well liked player on this team and there may be room issues if he is traded.
As for Batherson. He is fine. He just needs a coach who will make him responsible defensively .... benching him, sitting him down for a period or two. DJ Smith is in a trying to win mode to save his job. Benching players to teach them responsibility is not part of his plan. He is in survival mode.
- OttawaB

Wonderful read! Great effort. Thank you.

Wonderful read! Great effort. Thank you.
- spatso

Except Hamonic has one more year left on his deal and a nonmove clause. And MacEwan has two more years on a one way deal

The top 9 are pretty much set next year factoring in Pinto and Grieg full time. Maybe 2 forward spots to be filled.

The D is set IMO. Brannstrom has improved but a luxury we can't afford.

And the net is set.

Except Hamonic has one more year left on his deal and a nonmove clause. And MacEwan has two more years on a one way deal

The top 9 are pretty much set next year factoring in Pinto and Grieg full time. Maybe 2 forward spots to be filled.

The D is set IMO. Brannstrom has improved but a luxury we can't afford.

And the net is set.
- GrimmdaGoalie

Hamonic and MacEwen are easy buyouts, total Cap hit would be 625,000 approx (from Capfriendly) over the next 2 years, and would be $258,000 for a 3rd and fourth year for MacEwen. Or we just buy out Hamonic, and toss MacEwen to Belleville for the last 2 seasons of his contract. He can lose fights down in Belleville. Either way, it is an easy and inexpensive fix. Getting rid of 2 more of Dorion's problems.

The new management of the team Staios + GM + Coach + Scouts may have other ideas for trades within our defence and forwards. As for goaltending, we better be prepared to be happy with what we have, and develop what he got ........ goaltending league wide is a crap shoot at best these days .... goalies get hot then cold, who knows. The best goalies (Vasilevsky, Oettinger, Shesterkin, et al) are unattainable.

Things that make you go hmmmmmm. Leafs send Klingberg onto LTIR. Looks like they are repopulating Robidas Island. Building some permanent structures on the island to house the inmates.
Which leads me to a question ..... How many players can a team have on LTIR and is there a maximum amount they can use for salary cap circumvention?

So, TSN ranks the top young player pools in the NHL. They ranked the Sens 7th overall with both Stutzle and Sanderson ranking in their top 10.

But, was it an accident they decided to keep Brady Tkachuk (2018 draft) off their list? 2018 was a good draft. Players like Rasmus Dahlin, Svechnikov, Quinn Hughes, Noah Dobson, K'Andea Miller, Evan Bouchard and Mattias Samuelson as well as multiple other players are included on these TSN rankings.

Several of the players included on the list are the same age as Brady (Quinn Hughes).

Was this an oversight by TSN or did putting Ottawa at the top of their rankings just not fit the storyline they wanted to spin?

So, TSN ranks the top young player pools in the NHL. They ranked the Sens 7th overall with both Stutzle and Sanderson ranking in their top 10.

But, was it an accident they decided to keep Brady Tkachuk (2018 draft) off their list? 2018 was a good draft. Players like Rasmus Dahlin, Svechnikov, Quinn Hughes, Noah Dobson, K'Andea Miller, Evan Bouchard and Mattias Samuelson as well as multiple other players are included on these TSN rankings.

Several of the players included on the list are the same age as Brady (Quinn Hughes).

Was this an oversight by TSN or did putting Ottawa at the top of their rankings just not fit the storyline they wanted to spin?
- spatso

Yes, agreed, it does not fit the storyline that TSN wanted. Multiple players from that draft are included ... Brady is notably absent. Poor reporting to try to bend a storyline to your outcome.

Looks like Korpisalo is out day to day with an injury. Sogaard called up. Probably means Forsberg gets the game tonight v Columbus and probably against Florida. Unless he goes back to pooping the bed.

But regardless, the Sens will be fine if they tighten up and play a bit more defensively. ... Bahaha ..... I'll be here all week. Try the buffet.

To Calgary: Thomas Chabot (-/+ ?)
To Ottawa: Mackenzie Weegar

To San Jose: Josh Norris, Shane Pinto, Zack Ostapchuk, 2024 1st
To Ottawa: Tomas Hertl, Logan Couture (15% retained)

To Philadelphia: Erik Brannstrom, Lassi Thomson
To Ottawa: Sean Walker (resign 4 years @4M)

Trade deadline

To Chicago: Dominik Kubalik, pick or prosect
To Ottawa: Nick Foligno (50% retained)

8.25 - Tim Stutzle
8.21 - Brady Tkachuk
8.13 - Tomas Hertl
8.05 - Jake Sanderson
6.80 - Logan Couture
6.50 - Mackenzie Weegar
4.60 - Artem Zub
4.60 - Jakob Chychrun

March 2024 Lines

Tkachuk - Stutzle - Giroux
Couture - Hertl - Batherson
Joseph - Grieg - Tarasenko
Foligno - Chartier - Kastelic

Sanderson - Weegar
Chychrun - Zub
Walker - Hamonic

Fire DJ - hire Gerard Gallant (or someone else - don't care)
Name Matheiu Darche GM

To Calgary: Thomas Chabot (-/+ ?)
To Ottawa: Mackenzie Weegar


-this seems like a redundant trade that Calgary wouldn't do, Weager makes less does more-

To San Jose: Josh Norris, Shane Pinto, Zack Ostapchuk, 2024 1st
To Ottawa: Tomas Hertl, Logan Couture (15% retained)

--this seems like large overpay by Ottawa, you're basically saying that Norirs' injury history cancels out Couture's age and injury proneness lately. I've never been a Hertl fan. Wouldn't do. I bet SanJose would be all over that.

To Philadelphia: Erik Brannstrom, Lassi Thomson
To Ottawa: Sean Walker (resign 4 years @4M)

Brannstrom is 5'10 179 and we complain about size. Walker is 5'11 180 and older. I don't see the point of this one really either.

Trade deadline

To Chicago: Dominik Kubalik, pick or prosect
To Ottawa: Nick Foligno (50% retained)

This one I might do. Still an over pay. Just Kubalik or no deal.

Yes, agreed, it does not fit the storyline that TSN wanted. Multiple players from that draft are included ... Brady is notably absent. Poor reporting to try to bend a storyline to your outcome.
- OttawaB

I'm pretty sure you'll find the rationale was because they defined it as a list of U24 players, and Brady Tkachuk has a September birthday (i.e. technically, he turned 24 before the start of the NHL season). It's a pretty ridiculous detail, though, given that Quinn Hughes was drafted in the same draft, is literally 28 days younger than Tkachuk, turned 24 just 4 days into the season, and has been 24yo for over a month before the publication of the story they just ran about U24 players.

Classic TSN treatment of the Senators, though... why bother considering the Senators' captain, and the best young power forward in the NHL?

Not fussy about any of those trades. Instead I look at this one ......

Ottawa trades Kubalik and Brannstrom to Philly for Sean Walker. Maybe toss in a 3rd round pick. I know this is Ottawa overpaying a bit. But it frees up 4.5 million in cap space and takes back $2.65 million. Walker is right d-man and Brannstrom Left ..... both are small guys. But Walker probably balances out that Right/Left defence position.

Now, stepping outside the box, who says we can't have 3 equal defence pairings and play them each 20 minutes per game. It lessens the load, and maybe stops the injuries from being overplayed. Time will also vary depending on powerplay or penalty kill times. But essentially, all 3 pairing get equal time. I'm still not sold on this trade even though I'm suggesting it. Its just that there are not a lot of dmen out there who are right handed and don't have an NTC.

Sanderson, Zub
Chychrun, JBD
Chabot, Walker

Sure, we could go to St. Louis and offer up Chabot for Parayko, figure out a few minor pieces and salary stuff .... Parayko is a right dman with about 7 years left at $6 million and change and is older the Chabot .... but he has a NTC and would he waive that to come to Ottawa?

The reality is that we will be keeping Chabot and will have to figure out d-man pairings later.

Kevin Korchinski scored the OT winning goal against the maple leafs.

He is the 7th overall pick the Sens gave away for DeBrincat. So frustrating what Dorion was thinking there. You don't get a player like DeBrincat unless you have him resigned with it!

To Calgary: Thomas Chabot (-/+ ?)
To Ottawa: Mackenzie Weegar


-this seems like a redundant trade that Calgary wouldn't do, Weager makes less does more-

To San Jose: Josh Norris, Shane Pinto, Zack Ostapchuk, 2024 1st
To Ottawa: Tomas Hertl, Logan Couture (15% retained)

--this seems like large overpay by Ottawa, you're basically saying that Norirs' injury history cancels out Couture's age and injury proneness lately. I've never been a Hertl fan. Wouldn't do. I bet SanJose would be all over that.

To Philadelphia: Erik Brannstrom, Lassi Thomson
To Ottawa: Sean Walker (resign 4 years @4M)

Brannstrom is 5'10 179 and we complain about size. Walker is 5'11 180 and older. I don't see the point of this one really either.

Trade deadline

To Chicago: Dominik Kubalik, pick or prosect
To Ottawa: Nick Foligno (50% retained)

This one I might do. Still an over pay. Just Kubalik or no deal.
- Octavarium

Great breakdown. This is what it's about.

I agree with Chabot going to Calgary but Chabot has a couple of years ahead of him. I also think most NHL GMs know how good Chabot is - he hasn't played his best hockey. Weegar is up there in age and I see him as an immediate upgrade but after a few seasons he may not be the same. It's more about the cap relief for the others trades I was thinking while still have a solid top 3 D-man

With the trade with San Jose we get amazing top 3-4 players with TONS of playoff experience. Good catch, I am VERY concerned about Josh Norris. At 8M he not only has to stay healthy, he has to be a stellar 200 foot player. Health is my biggest concern long term. Hertl with Stutzle would be amazing - so many options with the top 6

With respect to Walker, pending UFA, has been solid in Philly and can log big mins, including PK. Size is important but not as important if you are really smart defensively. Dylan Demelo comes to mind.

Folingo for Kubalik is just vets going back to the teams they had so much success with. It can be Nick or someone else in the bottom 6. I want a guy like Alex Burrows to come in the bottom 6.

Sadly I see this is fantasy talk but I don't see Staios doing much at all.... hope I'm wrong

Not fussy about any of those trades. Instead I look at this one ......

Ottawa trades Kubalik and Brannstrom to Philly for Sean Walker. Maybe toss in a 3rd round pick. I know this is Ottawa overpaying a bit. But it frees up 4.5 million in cap space and takes back $2.65 million. Walker is right d-man and Brannstrom Left ..... both are small guys. But Walker probably balances out that Right/Left defence position.

Now, stepping outside the box, who says we can't have 3 equal defence pairings and play them each 20 minutes per game. It lessens the load, and maybe stops the injuries from being overplayed. Time will also vary depending on powerplay or penalty kill times. But essentially, all 3 pairing get equal time. I'm still not sold on this trade even though I'm suggesting it. Its just that there are not a lot of dmen out there who are right handed and don't have an NTC.

Sanderson, Zub
Chychrun, JBD
Chabot, Walker

Sure, we could go to St. Louis and offer up Chabot for Parayko, figure out a few minor pieces and salary stuff .... Parayko is a right dman with about 7 years left at $6 million and change and is older the Chabot .... but he has a NTC and would he waive that to come to Ottawa?

The reality is that we will be keeping Chabot and will have to figure out d-man pairings later.
- OttawaB

Good post. I was a huge fan of Chabot from 2016-2019 but don't know why he isn't playing up to his contract. Maybe he needs a new coach!