Trevor Shackles: Thursday Think Tank: It's All About the Money Thoughts on the Zack Smith trade, Colin White's next contract, and more.

this is why i think OTT will trade Chabot, he will want a Aho type contract and the folowing year Tkachuk will be traded as he will want a Aho type contract too. The NHL MUST force melnyk to sell the team or the Sens are finished, the Fans have been yelling at the NHL for years about cheapo Melnyk. If the Sens do not use their cap space between now and the 2020 trade deadline to get 1-2 year cap dumps from other teams for picks and prospects then melnyk has no bisness owning a NHL team and NHL must force a sale.

this is why i think OTT will trade Chabot, he will want a Aho type contract and the folowing year Tkachuk will be traded as he will want a Aho type contract too. The NHL MUST force melnyk to sell the team or the Sens are finished, the Fans have been yelling at the NHL for years about cheapo Melnyk. If the Sens do not use their cap space between now and the 2020 trade deadline to get 1-2 year cap dumps from other teams for picks and prospects then melnyk has no bisness owning a NHL team and NHL must force a sale.
- Athrin

No need. Spatso has been telling us about the imminent sale of the team through his inside sources for two years now.

No need. Spatso has been telling us about the imminent sale of the team through his inside sources for two years now.
- poopstash

i am anxiously for the sale update from spatsnyk.

can't wait to see if it is a 'silence is a good indication of an upcoming sale' post day or if it is a 'if there is smoke there is fire' post day.

i am anxiously for the sale update from spatsnyk.

can't wait to see if it is a 'silence is a good indication of an upcoming sale' post day or if it is a 'if there is smoke there is fire' post day.
- Tumbleweed

while I don't believe for a second that Spatso has any inside info, or knows more than anyone else...........there has been at least one, and possibly two offers to buy the team within the last 2 years.

I know for a fact that Melnyk considered one offer, but amended it so that he would retain a portion of the team and still be involved in the day to day.......at that point the buyers basically told him to go (frank) himself and walked away.

My older brother works in corporate banking in Ottawa, and his best friend was part of the team that re-financed Melnyk's debts. I trust them implicitly when it comes to this.

they said the offer was from Laliberte, as part of getting the rights to build Lebreton. The deal also stated that the team would be run by OSEG (who also run the Redblacks, 67s, and the soccer team)......in essence creating something similar (albeit much smaller) to MLSE, where all teams were run under the same umbrella.

as soon as Melnyk insisted that he remain involved, the deal fell apart.

^^that is the story I heard as well from a different source, practically word for word^^

A lot of this has to do with Melnyk's daughter getting something left to her.

Regardless.

Trevor your article is accurate. No need rehash it.

I will say, and I've been saying for a while - Colin White should be the next captain. Not Chabot. And 100% Absolutely not Tkachuk. (for the same reason Marchand isn't captain)

The long summer continues.

Trevor, in keeping with your money theme though. You have to admit, by hook or by crook - or by ignorance the Sens seemingly dodged three financial bullets by not resigning Turris, Karlsson and Dzingle.

^^that is the story I heard as well from a different source, practically word for word^^

A lot of this has to do with Melnyk's daughter getting something left to her.

Regardless.

Trevor your article is accurate. No need rehash it.

I will say, and I've been saying for a while - Colin White should be the next captain. Not Chabot. And 100% Absolutely not Tkachuk. (for the same reason Marchand isn't captain)

The long summer continues.

Trevor, in keeping with your money theme though. You have to admit, by hook or by crook - or by ignorance the Sens seemingly dodged three financial bullets by not resigning Turris, Karlsson and Dzingle.
- Octavarium

not sure about White as C....definitely an A, but not C in my opinion. I think you need a "presence" to be C and White seems to mellow/vanilla...almost reminds me of the Chris Phillips of forwards. the Captain should be the face of the franchise, and I don't think that's White.

I'm of 2 opinions on that:

1. don't have a captain until one of Chabot or Tkachuk (or maybe another young guy) shows they're ready

2. give it to Boro or Ryan, or some other vet, until one of the young guys is ready...then hand it off to them. you can pretty much guarantee that Boro isn't with this team past the end of his current contract, definitely the same with Ryan, and possibly Pageau...so once they inevitably leave, give it to one of the kids.

That’s my understanding of the deal as well. Melnyk still wants to be involved, a lot. It would be a miracle for someone to buy 49% of this team and have him retain 51%.

My fingers are crossed that he sells the team in 2-4 years when the team begins to be competitive again or somehow manages to open the wallet more by that time. Both seems like dreams.

Too early to be calling anyone captain. Curtis Lazar was supposed to be the next captain…

If we score Lafreniere in the draft next year, gotta think he would be in the running down the line.

Long road ahead folks.

Too early to be calling anyone captain. Curtis Lazar was supposed to be the next captain…

If we score Lafreniere in the draft next year, gotta think he would be in the running down the line.

Long road ahead folks.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

if OTT get #1 OA they will most likely go for Byfield, he is already 6 foot 4 and 213 LBS at 16 years old and is usually talked about in same level as Lafreniere and he is a Center. Lafreniere is a LW. Centers more valuable as Wingers and Franshise Centers always better than wingers.

if OTT get #1 OA they will most likely go for Byfield, he is already 6 foot 4 and 213 LBS at 16 years old and is usually talked about in same level as Lafreniere and he is a Center. Lafreniere is a LW. Centers more valuable as Wingers and Franshise Centers always better than wingers.
- Athrin

Either or really at this point. Still a year of development left. It’s my understanding Byfield is trending up, but still behind being a consensus #1 overall pick. My main point is that the hope is to get a legitimate piece at the draft, and they could very well be captain material in 3-4 years when the team is competitive again.

I like them both. My main concern with Byfield is that size is great, but is he just dominating teenagers? Size doesn’t always translate to the NHL.

if OTT get #1 OA they will most likely go for Byfield, he is already 6 foot 4 and 213 LBS at 16 years old and is usually talked about in same level as Lafreniere and he is a Center. Lafreniere is a LW. Centers more valuable as Wingers and Franshise Centers always better than wingers.
- Athrin

Hopefully well pick 2nd!!

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Seattle expansion with regard to E.M.

Doesn't the expansion fee go directly to the owners?

If that is the case, why would he ever sell the team prior? Why would he even hint at selling it?

I still have no idea why they signed Nilsson. He's clearly the odd man out.

For me what I'd like to see is...

Condon on LTIR

NHL Goalies
Anderson
Hogberg

AHL
Gustasson
Daccord

That way we can ride out Andy for the next year or so until he retires.
We can see if Hogberg can step up.
We can develop the future in Gus and Daccord

I'm still thinking Gus is going to be an amazing #1 NHL Goalie.

^^that is the story I heard as well from a different source, practically word for word^^

A lot of this has to do with Melnyk's daughter getting something left to her.

Regardless.

Trevor your article is accurate. No need rehash it.

I will say, and I've been saying for a while - Colin White should be the next captain. Not Chabot. And 100% Absolutely not Tkachuk. (for the same reason Marchand isn't captain)

The long summer continues.

Trevor, in keeping with your money theme though. You have to admit, by hook or by crook - or by ignorance the Sens seemingly dodged three financial bullets by not resigning Turris, Karlsson and Dzingle.
- Octavarium

Not re-signing Turris has worked out, although they still lost out on the 4th overall pick because of that. Dzingel got us a good return but he also signed for 2 years and $3.375M, which is incredibly fair for him. Karlsson is still incredibly good and I'd want to have him around too, so I'm not so sure we can say they "dodged a bullet" with him just yet.

Too early to be calling anyone captain. Curtis Lazar was supposed to be the next captain…

If we score Lafreniere in the draft next year, gotta think he would be in the running down the line.

Long road ahead folks.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

I couldn't agree more on picking Lafreniere if we get the chance. I've heard people say not to because he isn't a C.... Tell that to the Caps when they picked Ovi... I'm sure if they could go back and do it again, they would do it the exact same.

Ottawa has a bunch of good C's on the way. In fact our farm system has some of the most depth in the league. So, I'm not worried about that.

What I am worried about is two things.
#1. That we have no top end talent to help develop our young guys coming up
#2. Retaining those young guys long term

this is why i think OTT will trade Chabot, he will want a Aho type contract and the folowing year Tkachuk will be traded as he will want a Aho type contract too. The NHL MUST force melnyk to sell the team or the Sens are finished, the Fans have been yelling at the NHL for years about cheapo Melnyk. If the Sens do not use their cap space between now and the 2020 trade deadline to get 1-2 year cap dumps from other teams for picks and prospects then melnyk has no bisness owning a NHL team and NHL must force a sale.
- Athrin

Agree on Melnyk 100%

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Seattle expansion with regard to E.M.

Doesn't the expansion fee go directly to the owners?

If that is the case, why would he ever sell the team prior? Why would he even hint at selling it?
- Storman

it will be 2 years before he gets that money, and in that time he'll probably lose more owning this team than he will get from the expansion fees......I doubt that's much of a consideration.

I think each owner will get approx. 20 mil from the expansion fees.....Melnyk probably loses 25-30 mil each season he owns the team.

I still have no idea why they signed Nilsson. He's clearly the odd man out.

For me what I'd like to see is...

Condon on LTIR

NHL Goalies
Anderson
Hogberg

AHL
Gustasson
Daccord

That way we can ride out Andy for the next year or so until he retires.
We can see if Hogberg can step up.
We can develop the future in Gus and Daccord

I'm still thinking Gus is going to be an amazing #1 NHL Goalie.
- Maverick1818

I think signing Nilsson was smart.......there is almost zero chance that Anderson makes it through this season healthy, and even when he is healthy he isn't a legit #1 goalie anymore (Nilsson is the better goalie between the 2). also, other than those 2, the only other goalie who is remotely close to NHL ready is Hogberg....so after this season, you still have nilsson for another year when Hogberg comes up.

I think re-signing him was smart, and keeping it at only 2 years was even smarter

Not re-signing Turris has worked out, although they still lost out on the 4th overall pick because of that. Dzingel got us a good return but he also signed for 2 years and $3.375M, which is incredibly fair for him. Karlsson is still incredibly good and I'd want to have him around too, so I'm not so sure we can say they "dodged a bullet" with him just yet.
- Trevor Shackles

I think the bullet we avoided with Karlsson is the contract length.

he's probably an 11 million dollar player right now, but he's very clearly on the decline and in a couple of years that contract is going to be AWFUL!

I think the bullet we avoided with Karlsson is the contract length.

he's probably an 11 million dollar player right now, but he's very clearly on the decline and in a couple of years that contract is going to be AWFUL!
- sensarmy_11

and reportedly we offered Dz 5x5 ?
That's the bullet. Though, he could look good enough to justify that deal. Torts certainly didn't like his game.

That would be the dumbest move ever. Chabot is essentially the new rising superstar on the team. I totally get fan frustration as I have felt it many times over the last couple of years. There is miss-management, then there is just being plain dumb and that's what trading Chabot would be. Not even the CIA could mask the fact that Eugene is as cheap as owners in the NHL can get, but I do think he is more committed to the rebuild than most fans think. I totally agree that Melnyk has to go if we want a fighting chance in the next 4 seasons. The only way the league can force him out is by raising the minimum cap, and to minimise the impact on the rest of the league Bettman could decide to keep the maximum cap by simply reducing the cap window. That would do us sens fans a ton of favor.

I couldn't agree more on picking Lafreniere if we get the chance. I've heard people say not to because he isn't a C.... Tell that to the Caps when they picked Ovi... I'm sure if they could go back and do it again, they would do it the exact same.

Ottawa has a bunch of good C's on the way. In fact our farm system has some of the most depth in the league. So, I'm not worried about that.

What I am worried about is two things.
#1. That we have no top end talent to help develop our young guys coming up
#2. Retaining those young guys long term
- Maverick1818

Pretty sure the next captain will be any between Tkachuk, White and Chabot. They can't wait another 2 year minimum, if not 3 or 4 years before choosing a captain. I think Tkachuk is next captain.

Pretty sure the next captain will be any between Tkachuk, White and Chabot. They can't wait another 2 year minimum, if not 3 or 4 years before choosing a captain. I think Tkachuk is next captain.
- PtotheY

I meant C's as in Center not Captain.

But I agree, I actually think White would be good as Captain but you never know who might emerge as a leader

"That would be the dumbest move ever. Chabot is essentially the new rising superstar on the team. I totally get fan frustration as I have felt it many times over the last couple of years. There is miss-management, then there is just being plain dumb and that's what trading Chabot would be. Not even the CIA could mask the fact that Eugene is as cheap as owners in the NHL can get, but I do think he is more committed to the rebuild than most fans think. I totally agree that Melnyk has to go if we want a fighting chance in the next 4 seasons. The only way the league can force him out is by raising the minimum cap, and to minimise the impact on the rest of the league Bettman could decide to keep the maximum cap by simply reducing the cap window. That would do us sens fans a ton of favor."

Melnyk is committed to the rebuild in the most wrong of ways. He's just committed to keeping the team payroll as low as possible and is banking on the RFA's to reach their prime/potential before their RFA status is up. Maybe that's why Ottawa is continually stocking up on draft picks. Draft picks and young RFA's are cheap, they can't go anywhere unless Melnyk wants them to, and when the top stars of the Sens (Chabot and others) leave because of UFA status, they'll have some new guys coming up for us Sens fans to "get married to", as Dorion so elegantly put it to the fan base.
Sens are selling a BS rebuild plan to it's fan base. Euge is only interested in turning a profit and hopefully have a competitive team before the RFA's leave. The constant retooling will begin afterwards if Euge is still the owner.