Michael Stuart: A Masterclass in Asset Management

Rudolfs Balcers disagrees.

I think overall this year has been a wasted year, we could have gotten so much more out of it. That we made some decent moves at the TDL doesn't change the fact that we gave away Balcers for nothing, and gave up a 2nd for nothing (Stepan). This all while we should have used our cap in a better way.

Rudolfs Balcers disagrees.

I think overall this year has been a wasted year, we could have gotten so much more out of it. That we made some decent moves at the TDL doesn't change the fact that we gave away Balcers for nothing, and gave up a 2nd for nothing (Stepan). This all while we should have used our cap in a better way.
- DutchSenators

Yesterday during trade deadline their was a discussion on what Calgary is trying to do. The key comment was something to the effect, we have no idea what Calgary is trying to do. And, the bonus comment was along the lines of I know exactly what Ottawa is trying to do and I can see their results beginning to take shape.

Calgary is in a transactional mode. They need to measure each deal as a win/lose proposition. On the other hand. Ottawa is making their decisions around a rebuild philosophy. We all know what they are trying to do. They brought in some bodies and pylons to take some of the pressure off the kids. And, now, as we head into the final stretch it is all about the kids and next year.

Brannstrom, Formenton, Pinto and JBD are now likely here to stay.

It is easy to look at the decisions on Stepan and Balcers and say the Sens could have done better. Or, perhaps we could still argue that the Sens should have been more transactions and resigned Karlsson, Stone, Duchene, Hoffman and, even, Dzingle. Or, at least, they should have gotten a better return from dealing those players.

Transactions matter. But, when you focus on the need to win every transaction, you get lost, disconnected from your ultimate objective. Stepan and Balcers will be long forgotten when the rebuilt Sens make their next playoff appearance.

good blog Michael. Good comment spatso.

The Sens are clearly on their way to better days. A good goalchie coach for Murray will get them there sooner.

Rudolfs Balcers disagrees.

I think overall this year has been a wasted year, we could have gotten so much more out of it. That we made some decent moves at the TDL doesn't change the fact that we gave away Balcers for nothing, and gave up a 2nd for nothing (Stepan). This all while we should have used our cap in a better way.
- DutchSenators

Say something nice about Dorion...go!

You're going to have hits and misses. Give PD a break as he had a good day and made a few good transactions. No room for Balcers, and Stepan was worth a 2nd round pick that we have plenty of. The kids will play more and have been great this year. Future is already here

If Balcers was still here, he would still be in Belleville as he would not play ahead of any of the wingers currently in Ottawa. The waiver wire is intended to help players who are trapped on one team to transition to another team who will play them. Ottawa had a surplus of wingers but a shortage of quality defencemen and goalies. Think of it as trading Balcers for Forsberg and Mete.

If Balcers was still here, he would still be in Belleville as he would not play ahead of any of the wingers currently in Ottawa. The waiver wire is intended to help players who are trapped on one team to transition to another team who will play them. Ottawa had a surplus of wingers but a shortage of quality defencemen and goalies. Think of it as trading Balcers for Forsberg and Mete.
- Binker

Losing Balcers stings a little, but that is more a tribute to your young depth than poor management. From an outside perspective, I think Dorian has done a fantastic job on the rebuild, especially considering how his hands were likely tied on many issues due to ownership along the way.

Yesterday during trade deadline their was a discussion on what Calgary is trying to do. The key comment was something to the effect, we have no idea what Calgary is trying to do. And, the bonus comment was along the lines of I know exactly what Ottawa is trying to do and I can see their results beginning to take shape.

Calgary is in a transactional mode. They need to measure each deal as a win/lose proposition. On the other hand. Ottawa is making their decisions around a rebuild philosophy. We all know what they are trying to do. They brought in some bodies and pylons to take some of the pressure off the kids. And, now, as we head into the final stretch it is all about the kids and next year.

Brannstrom, Formenton, Pinto and JBD are now likely here to stay.

It is easy to look at the decisions on Stepan and Balcers and say the Sens could have done better. Or, perhaps we could still argue that the Sens should have been more transactions and resigned Karlsson, Stone, Duchene, Hoffman and, even, Dzingle. Or, at least, they should have gotten a better return from dealing those players.

Transactions matter. But, when you focus on the need to win every transaction, you get lost, disconnected from your ultimate objective. Stepan and Balcers will be long forgotten when the rebuilt Sens make their next playoff appearance.
- spatso

Great post. Rare hockeybuzz logic.

Wohlanin stings more than Balcers

but we can all agree to disagree

I like Mette.
I look forward to this coach trying NOT to play the kids now. Brown somehow will play all of Coburn and Gudbrandson's minutes.

Yesterday during trade deadline their was a discussion on what Calgary is trying to do. The key comment was something to the effect, we have no idea what Calgary is trying to do. And, the bonus comment was along the lines of I know exactly what Ottawa is trying to do and I can see their results beginning to take shape.

Calgary is in a transactional mode. They need to measure each deal as a win/lose proposition. On the other hand. Ottawa is making their decisions around a rebuild philosophy. We all know what they are trying to do. They brought in some bodies and pylons to take some of the pressure off the kids. And, now, as we head into the final stretch it is all about the kids and next year.

Brannstrom, Formenton, Pinto and JBD are now likely here to stay.

It is easy to look at the decisions on Stepan and Balcers and say the Sens could have done better. Or, perhaps we could still argue that the Sens should have been more transactions and resigned Karlsson, Stone, Duchene, Hoffman and, even, Dzingle. Or, at least, they should have gotten a better return from dealing those players.

Transactions matter. But, when you focus on the need to win every transaction, you get lost, disconnected from your ultimate objective. Stepan and Balcers will be long forgotten when the rebuilt Sens make their next playoff appearance.
- spatso

The Sens have been at the bottom for 4 seasons now. I understand every fan thats tired of being sold hope. Were yet to see if this ' plan ' will work or not. Its at least 2 more seasons before we see real results. 6 seasons later is a lot to ask of being sold hope. It grows into who cares for many *most) regular fans that fill the stadium and dont go to hockey blogs.
On thebright side, there is more hope then ever.

Can we get a blog at some point explaining how the hell Ottawa is still cap compliant after yesterday?

Rudolfs Balcers disagrees.

I think overall this year has been a wasted year, we could have gotten so much more out of it. That we made some decent moves at the TDL doesn't change the fact that we gave away Balcers for nothing, and gave up a 2nd for nothing (Stepan). This all while we should have used our cap in a better way.
- DutchSenators

i'm as critical of PD as anyone, but he had a great 2 days leading up to the TDL.

as for this year being a "wasted year"....that's ridiculous. the team got a poop load of ice time for a ton of their young players, most of who seem to be progressing quicker than anticipated.

yes, the balcers move was garbage, and the signings and trades last offseason were poop, but PD has done a pretty good job cleaning up the mess he created.

If Balcers was still here, he would still be in Belleville as he would not play ahead of any of the wingers currently in Ottawa. The waiver wire is intended to help players who are trapped on one team to transition to another team who will play them. Ottawa had a surplus of wingers but a shortage of quality defencemen and goalies. Think of it as trading Balcers for Forsberg and Mete.
- Binker

That trade analogy is exactly what I was thinking as well, as is the statement around the purpose of waivers... Mete would have been good value for Balcers straight-up, and Forsberg was brought in at a truly critical time, and played better than anyone else in the system. And while it was hardly ideal to lose Balcers for nothing, at some point this team (and its fans) needs to get out of "collect as many assets as possible" mode, and get into "retain the best assets possible" mode. Balcers wasn't as good as any of Tkachuk, Batherson, Stutzle, or Dadonov in a scoring line role, and wasn't as good as Brown, Dzingel, Paul, or Watson in a two-way/checking role. Plus, the team already has at least six forward prospects in the system with more promising upside, and another six 1st/2nd round picks coming up in the next year and a half.

As for the trade deadline moves, recovering a 3rd pick and a pair of 7th picks for Gudbranson, Reilly, and Coburn was the statement that the fan base has been waiting for. The days of "hard to play against" depth veterans is past, and the time has come for the training wheels to come off for a very promising collection of young players. Ultimately, if you'd been told back in October that the team would have Brannstrom, Zub, Mete, and Bernard-Docker playing on the blue line by April, you probably would have been quite satisfied with that. And it's unquestionably now time for those same players to make it clear they're ready for the challenge.

That trade analogy is exactly what I was thinking as well, as is the statement around the purpose of waivers... Mete would have been good value for Balcers straight-up, and Forsberg was brought in at a truly critical time, and played better than anyone else in the system. And while it was hardly ideal to lose Balcers for nothing, at some point this team (and its fans) needs to get out of "collect as many assets as possible" mode, and get into "retain the best assets possible" mode. Balcers wasn't as good as any of Tkachuk, Batherson, Stutzle, or Dadonov in a scoring line role, and wasn't as good as Brown, Dzingel, Paul, or Watson in a two-way/checking role. Plus, the team already has at least six forward prospects in the system with more promising upside, and another six 1st/2nd round picks coming up in the next year and a half.

As for the trade deadline moves, recovering a 3rd pick and a pair of 7th picks for Gudbranson, Reilly, and Coburn was the statement that the fan base has been waiting for. The days of "hard to play against" depth veterans is past, and the time has come for the training wheels to come off for a very promising collection of young players. Ultimately, if you'd been told back in October that the team would have Brannstrom, Zub, Mete, and Bernard-Docker playing on the blue line by April, you probably would have been quite satisfied with that. And it's unquestionably now time for those same players to make it clear they're ready for the challenge.
- khawk

A+

Great obs Spatso and Khawk. Sure he hasn't hit a home run every swing, but I definitely dig that PD took away DJ Smith's crappy old broken toys. My biggest beef this season is that it's like there has been an unopened Nintendo Switch sitting there the whole time but DJ Smith refused to stop playing with his ball in a cup. Brannstrom got an assist in his first top 4 game, giving him over twice Gubranson's points tally in less than half the games played to date. Maybe when DJ was drawing up the lines he was getting his Eriks mixed up?

Mats Soogard just signed his ELC. Good 48 hrs for PD.

Best move of the week is signing Mads Sogaard. Kid is the real deal, watched him play a lot in Medicine Hat before everything got shut down.

Best move of the week is signing Mads Sogaard. Kid is the real deal, watched him play a lot in Medicine Hat before everything got shut down.
- Sage

6"7 too?!?!?! Is he good enough to be a consistent number 1??

Mats Soogard just signed his ELC. Good 48 hrs for PD.
- sensarmy_11

That's good news. Looks like he hasn't played at all this year though, curious if that impacts his development at all.

I assume this means he'll play in Belleveille next year, I wonder what that means for the rest of Ottawa's goaltending situatio.

That's good news. Looks like he hasn't played at all this year though, curious if that impacts his development at all.

I assume this means he'll play in Belleveille next year, I wonder what that means for the rest of Ottawa's goaltending situatio.
- david22

He play in Denmark, his team was just eliminated Sunday or Monday

Can we get a blog at some point explaining how the hell Ottawa is still cap compliant after yesterday?
- ahjnkn

Stepan, Ryan and Phaneuf take up about 12 million. Then I think the rest of the team is a little above 50 million, so that's 62 million. Min cap is 60.2 million.

He play in Denmark, his team was just eliminated Sunday or Monday
- Crosside

Sogaard is definitely a bit of a wild card... 6'7/200, has WHL pedigree, played at the WJC, and finished this year with the best sv% in the Danish league (.922).
https://www.eliteprospect...layer/265409/mads-sogaard

He definitely passes the "% of net area covered by human mass" test, but we'll see how it all translates to the AHL/ECHL level. The most intuitive comparison would be to someone like Ben Bishop, but I don't want to jinx it and see him traded for whatever the 2021-equivalent is of Cory Conacher.

Interesting posts. Good commentary. It was nice to see Dorion at least get something for the dead weight on the blueline. I’ll give him some credit for that. The Mete pick up was just logical.

I said it at the start of the season, that this roster would look tremendously different than it did on opening day. While some of the moves proved to be borderline pointless for the most part (brining in Stepan, Coburn, Galchenyuk, Gudbransson, etc), it has not gotten in the way of development really. The young players have gotten their chance. Some earlier on than others so it was a bit of a staggered start, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Some middling prospects have been moved in favour of younger players. This is all typical to a rebuild. There will be some controversial moves in the summer/start of next season as well. Will Logan Brown still be part of the plan? Will Hogberg still be an option in goal?

Next season will likely be a bit similar, but the team should be a little more competitive on a consistent basis.

There are still holes in this team to be filled but the youth movement is likely here to stay.

Happy for the trades that took place, however the sunk cost argument is a bit of a stretch. If you consider the Zbad trade as a sunk cost, is the return a master class as well?

Cleaning up your own mess at a lower return to the price paid should not be considered a win, in my opinion.

Happy for the trades that took place, however the sunk cost argument is a bit of a stretch. If you consider the Zbad trade as a sunk cost, is the return a master class as well?

Cleaning up your own mess at a lower return to the price paid should not be considered a win, in my opinion.
- sensfan1984

It terms of what Dorion brought in this year, was it really that big of a mess?

Ottawa did not have any serviceable defence in the system ready to step up and play. They needed to bring in someone.

So he brought in some very replaceable players for lower picks, got some games out of them while help was incoming, and moved them out for very late picks.

You can't really compare it in a strict picks in picks out framework, because it ignores all the games you got out of them.