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Connor Brown And Nikita Zaitsev Could Be Traded; Matt Murray Trade Talks Intensifying

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While the Senators made a big splash yesterday with the acquisition of winger Alex DeBrincat, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch relays (Twitter links) that there are still a pair of priorities for Ottawa – adding a defenseman and moving Matt Murray with talks intensifying on that front.  He adds that winger Connor Brown and blueliner Nikita Zaitsev could be players on the move.

Brown isn’t likely to sign an extension after suggesting he’d like to test free agency when he’s eligible next summer and at $3.6MM, he’d carry some trade value after being a key two-way player.  Zaitsev, meanwhile, has two years left at a $4.5MM AAV and might be used to match salaries in a move for a defender.  Murray blocked a trade to Buffalo on Thursday but the Senators are still looking to get out from the two years at $6.25MM per season left on his deal but will almost certainly need to pay down a fair-sized portion of that to facilitate a move.

Ottawa Senators Acquire Alex DeBrincat

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Just a few hours before the draft, we have a massive trade. The Ottawa Senators have announced that they are acquiring superstar winger Alex DeBrincat from the Chicago Blackhawks for the seventh-overall pick, the 39th overall pick, and a 2024 third-round pick.

As relayed by Mark Lazerus of The Athletic, Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson said the following regarding the deal:

It was an incredibly difficult decision to trade a player of Alex’s caliber. We feel as if this move sets the Blackhawks up for future success by giving us additional flexibility and future talent.

DeBrincat, 24, has one year remaining on his contract before he becomes a restricted free agent entitled to a $9MM qualifying offer. After that point, barring an extension, DeBrincat will become an unrestricted free agent. There is currently no word on any possible extension for DeBrincat, but one has to assume that the Senators will make every attempt to keep him in Ottawa beyond the two years of team control they have just acquired.

For the Senators, acquiring DeBrincat is a major coup as the team looks to escape their rebuild and finally return to contention. DeBrincat is a superstar forward in a relatively similar age range to the Senators’ other core pieces. He is close to the same age as Thomas Chabot and only a few years older than players such as Josh Norris and Brady Tkachuk. DeBrincat is an elite offensive player, having scored over 40 goals twice in his career, including this past season. His 78 points would have led the Senators in 2021-22, and the Senators have to be extremely excited about the possibility of DeBrincat playing with Tkachuk and Norris.

The contract situation is definitely something for Ottawa to monitor, as the Senators have had issues in the past with players not wanting to sign there long-term. But at the cost of their first-rounder, second-rounder, and a 2024 third, the chance to add a player of DeBrincat’s caliber for at least the next two years (and potentially longer) is definitely a risk worth taking.

For the Blackhawks, this trade is on one hand shocking and on the other wholly unsurprising. Davidson has made it no secret that he’d be stripping the roster bare in order to pursue a rebuild, and DeBrincat’s name had been floating in trade rumors for weeks. So the fact that he was ultimately dealt is not a surprise, especially when one considers the fact that the Blackhawks did not have a 2022 first-round pick until this trade. And having that seventh-overall pick is definitely a boon for a team looking to add more prospects to a depleted prospect pool.

That being said, there is a general sentiment that the return the Blackhawks received was a bit light when one takes into account DeBrincat’s age and talent level. A top-ten pick and a high second-rounder are two valuable assets, but only six players have scored more goals than DeBrincat over the last four years. He’s a superstar player who hasn’t even turned 25 years old. The last superstar-level player to be traded, Jack Eichel, net the Sabres a package that included NHL-ready talent such as Peyton Krebs and Alex Tuch as well as draft picks. While Eichel did have more years left on his contract, he also had some medical uncertainty, the kind of uncertainty the rarely-injured DeBrincat does not carry.

This trade is certainly going to be widely celebrated among Senators fans, but whether this trade is ultimately successful for Ottawa could depend on if they manage to sign DeBrincat to a long-term extension. For the Blackhawks, this trade is a major one, setting the tone for what could be a difficult few years as Davidson attempts to find the next set of core Blackhawks players. Finding one of those core players tonight, with the seventh-overall selection they just acquired, will be essential.

Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff was first on the deal. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Senators, Sabres Discussed Matt Murray Trade

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12:15pm: Darren Dreger of TSN reports that the deal would have included the Senators retaining some of the salary, and Buffalo moving up from No. 16 to No. 7 in today’s first round.

11:10am: With the shallow free agent goaltending market this year, teams are trying to get a bit more creative. One name that has popped up a few times is Matt Murray, the Ottawa Senators netminder who fell out of favor with the team and spent a good chunk of last season in the minor leagues. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the Senators and Buffalo Sabres were “deep into conversations” about Murray.

Unfortunately for both teams, Murray has Buffalo on his 10-team no-trade list and, as Friedman puts it, “stuck to his list.” That would suggest the talks got far enough along to ask him about whether he would waive, as the Senators try to rid themselves of his contract. Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia notes that Ottawa wouldn’t face the same issue with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are also “in the mix”, as Murray would agree to a move there.

It’s easy to understand why the Senators want to move on. Not only does Murray have a $6.25MM cap hit, but the actual salary owed is higher in the last two years of his deal, with a $7MM salary in 2022-23 and $8MM in 2023-24. Combine those escalating costs with inconsistent play and a handful of exciting goaltending prospects, and you have a player that needs to be shipped out of town.

The Sabres are looking for a veteran goaltender to help Craig Anderson carry the NHL load while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen continues to develop in the minor leagues, and given Murray’s experience–two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins–he certainly fits that bill, despite being just 28. For Buffalo, taking on a cap hit like that wouldn’t be an issue (the same can’t be said for Toronto), meaning they could likely have landed another asset along with Murray from the Senators.

Ottawa Senators Expected To Push For Claude Giroux

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With the Florida Panthers still hoping to try and re-sign him and several other teams waiting for their chance, Claude Giroux is a wanted man. One team that most might not have expected is the usually tight-budgeted Ottawa Senators, who have emerged as a “legitimate option” for the veteran forward according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.

Not expected, until one is reminded that Giroux grew up and played his minor hockey in the area, and still has strong ties to Ottawa. The 34-year-old would be a huge splash for an organization that is trying to claw its way out of the rebuilding stage and contend for a playoff spot once again.

After buying out Colin White, the team has plenty of money and cap space to go after someone like Giroux, and could offer him a chance to play with young talents like Brady Tkachuk or Tim Stutzle. The veteran forward has played mostly wing the last few years but also has tons of experience in the middle, meaning he and Stutzle–just learning the center position himself–could share responsibilities, as right and left-handed options on the same line.

They won’t be the only team after Giroux though. He still put up 65 points in 75 games this season, including an outstanding 23-point run with the Florida Panthers after a midseason trade. There’s enough skill there to be a difference-maker for the Senators or any team at both even-strength and on the powerplay, even if he’s not going to be the 100-point player he was in his prime.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Ottawa Senators Sign Dillon Heatherington

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The Ottawa Senators have completed a bit of work on draft day, signing Dillon Heatherington to a two-year, two-way extension. The deal will carry an average annual value of $762.5K, paying him $750K at the NHL level in 2022-23, and $775K in 2023-24. The contract also includes minor league salaries of $325K in both years.

Senators general manager Pierre Dorion released the following statement:

Dillon’s leadership this season was key to helping our defensive prospects in Belleville grow as players. He was a player we quickly identified that would be key to Belleville’s success moving forward. He filled in capably for us in Ottawa last year and showed us he has the smarts and high hockey IQ necessary to be an NHL defenceman.

Heatherington, 27, has just 20 games of NHL experience under his belt and would have been an unrestricted free agent in a few days. Instead, he’ll stick around in Belleville, where he racked up 13 points in 45 games this season. While he may also get a handful of games with the NHL club, there are a number of players ahead of him on the depth chart, meaning this is a move for AHL depth more than anything.

Though he’s never had a one-way deal in his career, the two-year term of this new contract will provide Heatherington with some career stability. It also comes with a very healthy minor league salary, a raise over the $250K he made last season.

Ottawa Senators To Buy Out Colin White

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July 6: White has cleared waivers, meaning the Senators can now exercise the buyout.

July 5: The Ottawa Senators have placed Colin White on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a buyout, ending his time with the team. Because White is still just 25, the Senators will be on the hook for just one-third of the salary remaining on his contract. It will result in the following cap charges:

  • 2022-23: $875K
  • 2023-24: $875K
  • 2024-25: $-$625K*
  • 2025-26: $875K
  • 2026-27: $875K
  • 2027-28: $875K

*Because of the way the contract is structured, the team will actually receive a cap credit in the 2024-25 season.

White had three years remaining on the six-year, $28.5MM deal he signed in 2019 after his first full season in the NHL. When he scored 41 points that year, it appeared as though he was going to be a long-term option in the top-six, potentially even as a future first-line center for the team. Things were never the same after that, with just 51 points in the 130 games since, and plenty of time on injured reserve.

Once the buyout goes through tomorrow, the 2015 first-round pick will sit with more than 220 games of NHL experience and no team, meaning he could be a nice buy-low candidate for a contender looking to add skill around the margins. White has put up strong possession numbers his entire career, though that usually hasn’t resulted in actual offensive success. He also has almost no playoff experience, playing in just one postseason game during the team’s 2017 run.

For the Senators, who operate on an internal budget, a move like this represents savings of $10.5MM in actual salary. The cap change isn’t really all that meaningful for this year, though the Senators could very well be pushing up close to the cap ceiling in the next few years if players like Alex Formenton, Joshua Norris, and Tim Stutzle all sign long-term deals as restricted free agents.

Clearing White’s money off the books not only allows the team to spend more on their other young forwards but also opens up a roster spot for some of their prospects to battle over. It had become very clear that White had played his way out of the team’s long-term plans, meaning a split now was the obvious choice. Had they waited until next year, when he will be 26, they would have had to pay two-thirds of the remaining salary instead.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Offseason Notes: Chychrun, White, Dallas

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It’s been a while since we’ve heard Jakob Chychrun’s name atop trade rumors, especially when considering how he was viewed as one of the hottest commodities ahead of the Trade Deadline. It’s not often an under-25 defenseman with top-pairing pedigree becomes available, but the Arizona Coyotes decided not to move him just yet. That could change, however, as the Columbus Dispatch’s Brian Hedger reports that the Blue Jackets and Coyotes are talking about a deal. While he couldn’t offer Chychrun’s name specifically, he also reminds that Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has said that the team could move their 12th overall pick at the 2022 draft in exchange for a young NHL player with term.

Chychrun certainly fits that bill, signed at just $4.6MM through 2025. It also matches up with the rumblings that Columbus is looking to add aggressively on defense, as multiple reports suggested they were in discussions with the Tampa Bay Lightning about landing Ryan McDonagh. If Arizona acquired the 12th overall selection, it would give them a jaw-dropping four first-round picks in addition to their five second-round picks.

  • There’s significant interest in soon-to-be free agent Colin White after he was placed on waivers for the purpose of a buyout today by the Ottawa Senators. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports that up to 14 NHL teams have shown interest in White over the past few months, which could lead to a significant bidding war for his services once free agency opens. TSN’s Darren Dreger specifically names the Montreal Canadiens as a team that could be a fit, as general manager Kent Hughes was his agent prior to getting hired in Montreal.
  • The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta says the Dallas Stars are looking to add a significant punch at forward this offseason, specifically to add a jump to a line with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. Dallas will reportedly be active on both the trade and free-agent markets, looking to be aggressive and squeeze out whatever this core has left in them to try and win a championship. Neither Benn nor Seguin, who are making above $9MM per season each, cracked the 50-point mark last year.

Atlantic Notes: Palat, Senators Priorities, Murray

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The Tampa Bay Lightning may have fallen just short in their attempt to win a third straight Stanley Cup, but that hasn’t stopped them from doubling down on some of the players that got them there, and they started earlier this week with a seven-year extension for playoff hero Nick Paul. While defenseman Ryan McDonagh could be on the move, it seems as though that move would be motivated by the team’s desire to keep another important playoff performer: Ondrej Palat. Palat is one of the Lightning’s ultimate success stories, a seventh-rounder who developed to the point of being among coach Jon Cooper’s most trusted players. Palat is a pending unrestricted free agent, and GM Julien Brisebois has already made public his desire to sign Palat to an extension.

Earlier this week, The Athletic’s Joe Smith took a look (subscription link) at what a potential Palat extension could look like, and concluded that another team could very well offer Palat a long-term contract worth more than $5MM per year. But, according to Smith, even in the face of those offers “the Lightning are absolutely going to try to keep Palat.” The decision on whether he remains in Tampa “will likely rest in [Palat’s] hands” as he’ll have to decide if he’s willing to take a potentially lower offer in order to remain with the only franchise he’s ever known.

Now, for some other notes regarding teams in the Atlantic Division:

  • The Senators want to improve their team for next season, with the goal of potentially competing for a playoff spot in 2022-23. That much is no secret, and Ottawa indicated that would be their team’s direction earlier this year, when they traded a mid-round draft pick in order to acquire a veteran defenseman in Travis Hamonic. But while we know they want to improve their team, what we don’t know is exactly how they’ll go about doing so. According to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia, the Senators are looking to add a “high-end winger” and a “top-four defenseman” as their main priorities for this offseason. Luckily for the Senators, there are high-end wingers and top-four defensemen on the market this summer, although acquiring them through free agency could prove to be a challenge as Ottawa has not traditionally been among the most desirable markets for free agents. The Senators have been dangling the seventh-overall pick in trade talks, though, so perhaps that pick holds the key to the Senators acquiring the players they desire.
  • Perhaps the single greatest factor the Senators have going in their favor as they seek to improve their team is their advantageous cap position. In a league where most teams are walking a salary cap tightrope, the Senators have over $20MM in projected cap space. Per Garrioch, they’d like to grow that number, and one avenue they’re considering is a move for goaltender Matt Murray. Murray is making $6.25MM against the cap for the next two seasons and the Senators already have found their number-one goalie for that time frame in Anton Forsberg. Garrioch reports that the Senators have talked about “packaging” Murray’s contract with the seventh-overall pick in order to clear his cap hit off their books. While Garrioch does note that such a scenario would need to bring the Senators a “strong return” in exchange, one does have to wonder if the cap relief trading Murray would provide could be considered part of a satisfactory “strong return.”

Ottawa Senators Promote Trent Mann; Hire Ryan Bowness

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After losing assistant general manager Peter MacTavish to the agent world earlier this month, and parting ways with Pierre McGuire, the Ottawa Senators had some vacancies in the front office. They’ve filled two of them today, by promoting chief amateur scout Trent Mann and hiring Ryan Bowness. Both men will take on assistant general manager titles, effective tomorrow.

GM Pierre Dorion released the following:

Trent’s promotion and Ryan’s hiring represent two significant additions of our front office staff. On top of the success they have achieved in NHL, both are excellent hockey minds, hard workers and quality leaders. Trent has shown to be one of the top evaluators of amateur talent in the industry and has progressed to become an invaluable resource to the entire organization. Ryan is a critical thinker whose experience will allow him to contribute to a wide variety of areas. His success in professional scouting along with his ability to communicate in detail makes him an ideal complement to our hockey group.

Mann, 48, has been with the team since 2010 and quickly climbed up the organizational chart. In the press release for his promotion, the team indicates that he will still serve in the same scouting role while adding “greater player developmental responsibilities.” A former goaltender, he has been an integral part of the Senators draft decisions over the last several years and will continue to lead their team when they make five selections in the first three rounds next month.

Bowness comes with a surname that many will recognize, as the son of long-time NHL coach Rick Bowness. The 38-year-old executive has been with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the last six years, serving most recently as the director of professional scouting. With his new team, he will serve as general manager of the Belleville Senators while also overseeing “contractual-related items.”

It’s a homecoming of sorts, as his father was the first head coach in Senators franchise history when they came into the NHL in 1992. Ryan Bowness was just nine years old at the time and played minor hockey in the area before moving on to the Brampton Battalion of the OHL.

Senators Will Not Qualify Adam Gaudette

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It wasn’t so long ago that Adam Gaudette was a top prospect, leaving Northeastern University with the Hobey Baker and a ton of NHL momentum. In his second season, he scored 12 goals and 33 points in 59 games, suggesting that he could be a reliable top-six contributor down the road.

Now, just a few years later, he won’t be receiving a qualifying offer from the Ottawa Senators, making him an unrestricted free agent again at age 25. Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports that the Senators have already told Gaudette of their plan to leave him unqualified.

This is nothing new for the young forward. He failed to receive a qualifying offer last year either, though eventually agreed to a new contract with the Chicago Blackhawks for the same amount anyway. The team then put him on waivers in November, leading him to Ottawa, where he played 50 games in the second half of the year.

It doesn’t appear as though a contract is coming from the Senators this time, meaning Gaudette will have to find a new NHL home. With just 25 points since the start of the 2020-21 season (across 98 games and three teams), it’s unclear what exactly he can bring to the table at this point.

For Ottawa, who have plenty of young talents pushing for looks in camp and a tight budget, the risk of salary arbitration was likely too much. Though he hasn’t done much recently, that 33-point season would still likely mean a contract above $1MM through the arbitration process, while his play can be replaced by another candidate for the Senators.

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