Line Combos: 2022/23 Lineup Projections

[Micklebot]

Yes, grew up in Nepean, in the Borden Farm area, In fact he, Jamie Baker and Jeff Brown all were in the same neighborhood and grew up together

They talked about it a lot his draft year, he was often brought up as a potential pick due to his local connection

 

[Micklebot]

I think we're a Giroux signing away from having a pretty balanced lineup.

Tkachuk-Norris-White
Giroux-Stutzle-Batherson
Formenton-Pinto-Brown
Joseph-Gambrell-Watson

Extra: Kelly, Kastelic, Sokolov, Senyshyn, Greig

Chabot-Zub
Sanderson-Hamonic
Brannstrom-Holden

Extra: Zaitsev, Del-zotto, JBD, Thomson

Forsberg
Murray

We could use an upgrade on White who imo is better suited on a 3rd line but I've liked how he's played with Tkachuk and Norris in Batherson's absense, we could flip him and Brown but I think Brown makes that third line a real threat. Rumours about a trade to Mtl lead me to think one of Drouin or Anderson could be the target,

On the back end, we need another top4 RD, right now we have two bottom pairs, Either of Brannstrom and Sanderson could play in a top 4 role but ideally with a strong partner. Dumping Zaitsev's contract would be ideal imo, but I don't know if we'd do it.

Goaltending, well, I'd dump Murray if we can, but otherwise it is what it is.

Getting into the playoffs will still be tough, as there's a lot of competition for that last wildcard spot.

 

[NorthCoast]

I think we're a Giroux signing away from having a pretty balanced lineup.

Tkachuk-Norris-White
Giroux-Stutzle-Batherson
Formenton-Pinto-Brown
Joseph-Gambrell-Watson

Extra: Kelly, Kastelic, Sokolov, Senyshyn, Greig

Chabot-Zub
Sanderson-Hamonic
Brannstrom-Holden

Extra: Zaitsev, Del-zotto, JBD, Thomson

Forsberg
Murray

We could use an upgrade on White who imo is better suited on a 3rd line but I've liked how he's played with Tkachuk and Norris in Batherson's absense, we could flip him and Brown but I think Brown makes that third line a real threat. Rumours about a trade to Mtl lead me to think one of Drouin or Anderson could be the target,

On the back end, we need another top4 RD, right now we have two bottom pairs, Either of Brannstrom and Sanderson could play in a top 4 role but ideally with a strong partner. Dumping Zaitsev's contract would be ideal imo, but I don't know if we'd do it.

Goaltending, well, I'd dump Murray if we can, but otherwise it is what it is.

Getting into the playoffs will still be tough, as there's a lot of competition for that last wildcard spot.

I don't see any way we bring in a decent Top 6 or Top 4 without getting rid of 2/3 of White/Murray/Zaitsev contracts and without taking on significant money back. Will PD/EM be willing to ship off the draft picks required to turn White<>Drouin into White<>Anderson? (I actually would be surprised if Montreal moves Anderson but the same will apply to any Top 6 that is an upgrade on a decent contract).

I am all for Giroux if he comes in on a very friendly contract. But there is a limit to how much you can give what should be our 5th best forward. What the team needs right now is a couple higher end guys that are better than what we have but won't break the bank. I don't see us getting that in free agency outside of some miracle hometone guy giving us a break like Giroux, and outside of Pinto/Formenton/Thomson/JBD taking huge leap forward over the summer, I don't see it in the prospect pool for the next couple seasons.


I know a team will never do this but if I was running the team on the Xbox I would probably trade our 1st this year to fill these gaps.

Ex: Ott 1st (top 5), Ott 2nd, White, Zaitsev <> Chi McCabe, Stome

(I don't know if McCabe, Strome are the exact targets, just an example of players that are upgrades, under 30, on a team maybe going into a rebuild that might not need them/willing to trade cap space for picks, can likely fit our budget, and are locked in for a few years.)

IMO if you dont' use picks to fill these gaps then another 2 years will go by while they wait for the holes to be filled by the prospect pool. I look at how aggressive GMs in the NFL are with 1sts and I honestly wonder why they are so sacrilege in the NHL. Do we really need another high-end player that will take 2-3 years to develop, or worse another Boucher pick.

 

[Micklebot]

I don't see any way we bring in a decent Top 6 or Top 4 without getting rid of 2/3 of White/Murray/Zaitsev contracts and without taking on significant money back. Will PD/EM be willing to ship off the draft picks required to turn White<>Drouin into White<>Anderson? (I actually would be surprised if Montreal moves Anderson but the same will apply to any Top 6 that is an upgrade on a decent contract).

I am all for Giroux if he comes in on a very friendly contract. But there is a limit to how much you can give what should be our 5th best forward. What the team needs right now is a couple higher end guys that are better than what we have but won't break the bank. I don't see us getting that in free agency outside of some miracle hometone guy giving us a break like Giroux, and outside of Pinto/Formenton/Thomson/JBD taking huge leap forward over the summer, I don't see it in the prospect pool for the next couple seasons.


I know a team will never do this but if I was running the team on the Xbox I would probably trade our 1st this year to fill these gaps.

Ex: Ott 1st (top 5), Ott 2nd, White, Zaitsev <> Chi McCabe, Stome

(I don't know if McCabe, Strome are the exact targets, just an example of players that are upgrades, under 30, on a team maybe going into a rebuild that might not need them/willing to trade cap space for picks, can likely fit our budget, and are locked in for a few years.)

IMO if you dont' use picks to fill these gaps then another 2 years will go by while they wait for the holes to be filled by the prospect pool. I look at how aggressive GMs in the NFL are with 1sts and I honestly wonder why they are so sacrilege in the NHL. Do we really need another high-end player that will take 2-3 years to develop, or worse another Boucher pick.

I don't disagree, but lets chart this out in actual salary for next season:

Tkachuk (6.5)- Norris (~5, assuming similar structure to Brady) - White (4.75)
Giroux (~6) - Stutzle (.925) - Batherson (3.5)
Formenton (~1.5) - Pinto (.925) - C.Brown (4)
Joseph(~1) - Gambrell (~1.5) - Watson (1.5)

Chabot (4) - Zub (3.25)
Sanderson (~.925)- Hamonic (3.25)
Brannstrom (~2)- Holden (1.3)

Forsberg (2.55)
Murray (7)

Extra: Zaitsev (4.5), MDZ (2.25),
Buyout: Ryan (1.833333) Phaneuf (.354167)

F: 37.15
D: 14.725
G: 9.55
extra and dead: 8.9375

Total: 70.3625

No doubt that's increasing our expenditure from this year (we are estimated at around 61 mil), buying out Murray and replacing him with Gus would bring us about 3.75 closer, ditching Zaitsev is tougher as his bonus structure makes buying him out not an option. A trade seems unlikely, but maybe with retention we could have somebody else eat 2.25 mil and see him as a viable bottom pair option.

The real trick is after next season when Tkachuk, Batherson, and Chabot's salaries all rise significantly.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Lol White on the top line, don't kill me.

"Balanced" and White anywhere in the top 6 outside of being on a line with 2 90+ point players does not compute.

 

[Micklebot]

Lol White on the top line, don't kill me.

"Balanced" and White anywhere in the top 6 outside of being on a line with 2 90+ point players does not compute.

He's currently playing there, ahead of Brown no less. Batherson with Stützle I think could be dynamic and frankly with Giroux on the other side would clearly form the number one line, so lol at you calling out White on the top line I guess.

The reality is I'm more worried about tandems, Tkachuck and Norris, Stützle and Batherson. Pinto and Brown imo could create an really good shutdown line. The third wheel on those lines isn't set in stone or really all that important so long as they don't drag it down, you could sub in any of White, Formenton, or even Joseph.

 

[SpezDispenser]

Imagine Giroux with Stützle...man, are we allowed to even dare to dream?

 

[NorthCoast]

I don't disagree, but lets chart this out in actual salary for next season:

Tkachuk (6.5)- Norris (~5, assuming similar structure to Brady) - White (4.75)
Giroux (~6) - Stutzle (.925) - Batherson (3.5)
Formenton (~1.5) - Pinto (.925) - C.Brown (4)
Joseph(~1) - Gambrell (~1.5) - Watson (1.5)

Chabot (4) - Zub (3.25)
Sanderson (~.925)- Hamonic (3.25)
Brannstrom (~2)- Holden (1.3)

Forsberg (2.55)
Murray (7)

Extra: Zaitsev (4.5), MDZ (2.25),
Buyout: Ryan (1.833333) Phaneuf (.354167)

F: 37.15
D: 14.725
G: 9.55
extra and dead: 8.9375

Total: 70.3625

No doubt that's increasing our expenditure from this year (we are estimated at around 61 mil), buying out Murray and replacing him with Gus would bring us about 3.75 closer, ditching Zaitsev is tougher as his bonus structure makes buying him out not an option. A trade seems unlikely, but maybe with retention we could have somebody else eat 2.25 mil and see him as a viable bottom pair option.

The real trick is after next season when Tkachuk, Batherson, and Chabot's salaries all rise significantly.

Long-term is really where I am thinking. By the 23-24 season lets say the roster looks something like:


F1 BT 8.3 --- DB 6.3 --- JN 7.5
F2 XX 6 --- CB 3.6 --- TS 7.5
F3 AF 3.5 --- MJ 1.5 --- SP 3.5
F4 XX 1 --- XX 1.5 --- XX1.5

D1 TC 8 --- AZ 2.5
D2 JS 1--- XX 4
D3 1.5 --- TH 3

G1 MM 6.3 (*Assume Murray can perform or ends up as buyout and the remaining spent on 1B/backup.)
G2 AF 2.8

Total = 81

Assuming the cap is around 84-85, that leaves space for buyouts, extra depth if needed, etc.

The main pieces are not moving. Surely the core should be competitive starting in 2023-2024, so to me the key is locking in the XX in the top 6 and Top 4 at these rates and give it 3-4 years to see what happens. Which is also imo more important than almost anything we get out of this draft because I don't see us landing both in FA, and even Giroux is probably 50/50 to get, and get under 6.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Long-term is really where I am thinking. By the 23-24 season lets say the roster looks something like:


F1 BT 8.3 --- DB 6.3 --- JN 7.5
F2 XX 6 --- CB 3.6 --- TS 7.5
F3 AF 3.5 --- MJ 1.5 --- SP 3.5
F4 XX 1 --- XX 1.5 --- XX1.5

D1 TC 8 --- AZ 2.5
D2 JS 1--- XX 4
D3 1.5 --- TH 3

G1 MM 6.3 (*Assume Murray can perform or ends up as buyout and the remaining spent on 1B/backup.)
G2 AF 2.8

Total = 81

Assuming the cap is around 84-85, that leaves space for buyouts, extra depth if needed, etc.

The main pieces are not moving. Surely the core should be competitive starting in 2023-2024, so to me the key is locking in the XX in the top 6 and Top 4 at these rates and give it 3-4 years to see what happens. Which is also imo more important than almost anything we get out of this draft because I don't see us landing both in FA, and even Giroux is probably 50/50 to get, and get under 6.

Highest cap go next year is 82.5, and 83.5 year after, assuming HRR is > than 4.8 billion.

 

[Joeyjoejoe]

Tis my lineup.

Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson
Kuzmenko-Stutzle-Giroux
Formenton-Pinto-Brown
Kelly-Kastelic-Joseph
Sokolov

Chabot-Zub
Sanderson-Hamonic
Braanstrom-Holden
MDZ

 

[Micklebot]

Long-term is really where I am thinking. By the 23-24 season lets say the roster looks something like:


F1 BT 8.3 --- DB 6.3 --- JN 7.5
F2 XX 6 --- CB 3.6 --- TS 7.5
F3 AF 3.5 --- MJ 1.5 --- SP 3.5
F4 XX 1 --- XX 1.5 --- XX1.5

D1 TC 8 --- AZ 2.5
D2 JS 1--- XX 4
D3 1.5 --- TH 3

G1 MM 6.3 (*Assume Murray can perform or ends up as buyout and the remaining spent on 1B/backup.)
G2 AF 2.8

Total = 81

Assuming the cap is around 84-85, that leaves space for buyouts, extra depth if needed, etc.

The main pieces are not moving. Surely the core should be competitive starting in 2023-2024, so to me the key is locking in the XX in the top 6 and Top 4 at these rates and give it 3-4 years to see what happens. Which is also imo more important than almost anything we get out of this draft because I don't see us landing both in FA, and even Giroux is probably 50/50 to get, and get under 6.

In two seasons, both JBD and Thomson need to sink or swim. We'll also have this year's presumably very high draft pick. it will be interesting to see how it shakes up.

That said, I suspect Connor Brown and Zub will be gone, and very tough to replace at the prices you have listed.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

He's currently playing there, ahead of Brown no less. Batherson with Stützle I think could be dynamic and frankly with Giroux on the other side would clearly form the number one line, so lol at you calling out White on the top line I guess.

The reality is I'm more worried about tandems, Tkachuck and Norris, Stützle and Batherson. Pinto and Brown imo could create an really good shutdown line. The third wheel on those lines isn't set in stone or really all that important so long as they don't drag it down, you could sub in any of White, Formenton, or even Joseph.

No, no, I completely understand you. I wasn't laughing at your suggestion, it's very logical. But we aint going anywhere with White there. I think he's as good as gone in the off-season. I'll give him until end of season though to truly make an impression. He's missed the whole year, so I think 15 games is a good enough time to have him back and kind of settled in. What we see here on out is a clearer indication of the White we gonna get.

I'm puzzled cause one of his best qualities was his IQ. It seems to have disintegrated. Unless he's so focused on other aspects of his game due to injuries and what not that it's impeded his use of IQ.

 

[Adele Dazeem]

Tis my lineup.

Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson
Kuzmenko-Stutzle-Giroux
Formenton-Pinto-Brown
Kelly-Kastelic-Joseph
Sokolov

Chabot-Zub
Sanderson-Hamonic
Braanstrom-Holden
MDZ

Now that's a decent lineup, but one injury in the top-6 (Stuzle, Batherson) or top-4 (Chabot, Zub) and things can go downhill fast.
Also Forsberg is still a question mark in my opinion.

 

[NorthCoast]

Highest cap go next year is 82.5, and 83.5 year after, assuming HRR is > than 4.8 billion.

Yeah, I was talking 23-24. I think by then the debt is paid and can go up more.

 

[God Says No]

Now that's a decent lineup, but one injury in the top-6 (Stuzle, Batherson) or top-4 (Chabot, Zub) and things can go downhill fast.
Also Forsberg is still a question mark in my opinion.

I don't think it's that dire if we're going with the above lineup. We will have Sokolov, Crookshank, Jarventie as possible short-term fill-ins on F, and JBD, Thomson, Guenette, Aspirot on D.

Now imagine if we don't get Giroux nor Kuzmenko.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Now that's a decent lineup, but one injury in the top-6 (Stuzle, Batherson) or top-4 (Chabot, Zub) and things can go downhill fast.
Also Forsberg is still a question mark in my opinion.

Eh, I'm not so sure about that, tbh. Chabot yea no doubt, but that can apply to half the league losing a top 10 defender. But that's a pretty good lineup in terms of depth.

Batherson goes down and we have Giroux, Brown, Joseph, lol that's still the best RW depth in years.

I do agree that we need a legit 4th line C to stabilizing the bottom 6 and prevent somewhat relief in case of C injury. Don't forget Giroux can fill in C worst case, and plays defense like a C. Such huge help. That's why we must get him, lol.

Don't know if I see Kuzmenko now with what happening in Russia. I can equally see Formenton on 2nd line and Greig with Pinto and Brown.

 

[Samsquanch]

Imagine Giroux with Stützle...man, are we allowed to even dare to dream?

What a game changer this would be for this franchise, wow.

Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson
Giroux-Stu-Pinto
Formenton-White-Brown
Joseph-Kastelic-Watson

I personally still really want to see if we can get Pinto and Stutzle going together long term at some point. And I feel like Pinto is such a smart player and great shooter that he would benefit more than most from having a player like Giroux on his line. If its Norris and Stu down the middle going forward, then we need to flirt with the idea of Pinto on the wing. Hes going to be a legit top 6 pl;ayer for us imo.

 

[Icelevel]

What a game changer this would be for this franchise, wow.

Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson
Giroux-Stu-Pinto
Formenton-White-Brown
Joseph-Kastelic-Watson

I personally still really want to see if we can get Pinto and Stutzle going together long term at some point. And I feel like Pinto is such a smart player and great shooter that he would benefit more than most from having a player like Giroux on his line. If its Norris and Stu down the middle going forward, then we need to flirt with the idea of Pinto on the wing. Hes going to be a legit top 6 pl;ayer for us imo.

Looks good. Then eventually Sokolov can replace Watson, crookshank in for brown, Greig for white, jarventie for giroux.
Until we draft some better players

 

[Tuna99]

Sens management is so bad at selling the team fans are inventing their own hope to stay sane and have a reason to cheer for this team.

Sens nation is in that state of the rebuild where fans have 100% lost faith in the manager and has invented saviours from outside the team that will save the GM from failure this summer.


1. Giroux - wants to be here, just not right now he had to stop in Florida for some high fives. Is building a house with Eugene Melnyck’s money.
2. Sanderson - saviour, just insert and enjoy hockey salvation
3. Kevin Fiala - nobody understands how badly he’ll turn this team around. Nobody knew of him 3 months ago, but he’s basically Dany Heatley with all his teeth. He’s our Jeff Carter, our Jordan Binnington, our Patrick Sharpe

(None if this will happen by the way, but I get needing to believe in blue skies)

 

[Cowumbus]

Do you guys expect to extend Zub?

 

[Icelevel]

Do you guys expect to extend Zub?

Should be a priority

 

[GermanSpitfire]

I think Greig will make the team.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Do you guys expect to extend Zub?

Is grass green? But seriously though, he's probably our number 1 priority this off-season. Vital, vital to this team.

 

[Samsquanch]

I don't disagree, but lets chart this out in actual salary for next season:

Tkachuk (6.5)- Norris (~5, assuming similar structure to Brady) - White (4.75)
Giroux (~6) - Stutzle (.925) - Batherson (3.5)
Formenton (~1.5) - Pinto (.925) - C.Brown (4)
Joseph(~1) - Gambrell (~1.5) - Watson (1.5)

Chabot (4) - Zub (3.25)
Sanderson (~.925)- Hamonic (3.25)
Brannstrom (~2)- Holden (1.3)

Forsberg (2.55)
Murray (7)

Extra: Zaitsev (4.5), MDZ (2.25),
Buyout: Ryan (1.833333) Phaneuf (.354167)

F: 37.15
D: 14.725
G: 9.55
extra and dead: 8.9375

Total: 70.3625

No doubt that's increasing our expenditure from this year (we are estimated at around 61 mil), buying out Murray and replacing him with Gus would bring us about 3.75 closer, ditching Zaitsev is tougher as his bonus structure makes buying him out not an option. A trade seems unlikely, but maybe with retention we could have somebody else eat 2.25 mil and see him as a viable bottom pair option.

The real trick is after next season when Tkachuk, Batherson, and Chabot's salaries all rise significantly.

Its simultaneously hilarious and sad that your doing actual salaries paid for our projected lineup. And not the real salary cap hit for each player.......

Because we all know which one really matters to the Ottawa Senators.....Reaching the cap ceiling seems like a road we wont ever need to worry about crossing....

Having said that, the time of reckoning for ownership is nigh. There wont be any more words that can hide the truth when players need to be signed (including FAs like Giroux).

 

[Tuna99]

Giroux if a perimeter player. He’s an excellent Kyle Turris, can make all the passes from the outside, but he’s still on the outside

Hard pass on Giroux. To come to Florida and just play on the outside made me see he’ll never be interested in a rough and tumble game. He’s not a player that can grow morale for a young team because he’d be the guy on the outside of every scrum looking in. Not a fit for the spirit of this team