Player Discussion Connor Brown (C) - Update: Signs 3 year, $10.8M deal

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

They should have more long-term planning here. They took on Zaitsev’s contract and banked on Brown redeeming himself this season. He did that and now he’s going To walk as a UFA and we’re stick with zaitsev’s contract (we also gave Toronto a 3rd for some reason).

Well that's a whole other matter and I would agree it was poor decision making in hindsight if Brown is out the door for nothing soon. I thought it was at the time too and Brown doing decently last year didn't really change that opinion I had of that trade. Fine as stopgaps, but Brown and Zaitsev are not taking us anywhere of consequence.

Mostly, I just think Connor Brown is being overrated and propped up by okay stats from insane superstar like usage, and not someone I'm at all interested in locking up with term for 3.5-4.5 mil.

Would rather lose him for free or move him than anything 4x4 or more. 3 years is my max.

 

[DueDiligence]

And they are still building a soft shitty regular season team, more bodies doesn't necessarily mean a change in philosophy.

Didn't you hear. 32 year old Wayne Simmons has made the Leafs tougher all by himself.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Didn't you hear. 32 year old Wayne Simmons has made the Leafs tougher all by himself.

So 32 is significant to your point?

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

So which one is Brown and which one is Dorion

 

[JungleBeat]

Didn't you hear. 32 year old Wayne Simmons has made the Leafs tougher all by himself.

Simmonds, Bogosian and Vessy.

 

[DueDiligence]

So 32 is significant to your point?

In hockey terms it is. A lot of mileage on Simmons body.

 

[Sweatred]

In hockey terms it is. A lot of mileage on Simmons body.

Hope not, Dadonov turns 32 early in the season...

 

[DueDiligence]

Simmonds, Bogosian and Vessy.

Vessy might not make the team. Bogosian is a 3rd pairing guy who has averaged about 1 hit per game the last 5 years. Simmonds is the big tough guy.

 

[GCK]

Hope not, Dadonov turns 32 early in the season...

Different miles, but you knew that.

 

[Sweatred]

Different miles, but you knew that.

Ya ... different styles for sure ... but I think Father Time will influence both of their games.

 

[DueDiligence]

Hope not, Dadonov turns 32 early in the season...

For a tough guy it is. Lots of fights and hits. But even for a scorer like Dadonov we can only hope he stays near his present level. I doubt he gets better.

 

[Ouroboros]

When thinking about an extension for Connor Brown, I think it's helpful to ask the following hypothetical question: if he were a UFA this fall, what kind of contract would he have been able to land?

I don't think for a second that any team would give him a 4 year, 16M type deal. That's basically what Tyler Toffoli got, and he's essentially an upgraded version of Brown. Toffoli has a far more impressive track record of producing and he's nearly as good defensively. Jesper Fast got 3 years, 6M. Craig Smith got 3 years, 9.3M. Cody Eakin got 2 years, 4.5M.

Ottawa's offer to Brown of 2.25M is a little low, but it reflects the new COVID-depressed market. I think he would have had a tough time securing much more than 3 or 4 years at ~3.25M or so.

No need to lock yourself into a regrettable contract to a useful but replaceable depth winger.

 

[Sweatred]

For a tough guy it is. Lots of fights and hits. But even for a scorer like Dadonov we can only hope he stays near his present level. I doubt he gets better.

He’s pretty past the peak of his performance curve ... hopefully it’s a plateau vs a cliff.

 

[DueDiligence]

He’s pretty past the peak of his performance curve ... hopefully it’s a plateau vs a cliff.

Agreed. If he can score 20 or above in his 3rd year I will be pleasantly surprised. Odds are he won't.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

Maybe they think theres benefit in waiting a longterm extention out a year? Realistically, he is unlikely to play as much as he did last year and its unlikely that he'll improve his offensive totals. Maybe Batherson clearly proves to be a top 6 RW. In that sense, I get the appeal of pushing things down a year.

That said.... I wouldn't do it. So long as he's willing to be somewhat flexible in his ask, I dont think theres much risk in a mid-term extension. I really hope they don't blow this.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Maybe they think theres benefit in waiting a longterm extention out a year? Realistically, he is unlikely to play as much as he did last year and its unlikely that he'll improve his offensive totals. Maybe Batherson clearly proves to be a top 6 RW. In that sense, I get the appeal of pushing things down a year.

That said.... I wouldn't do it. So long as he's willing to be somewhat flexible in his ask, I dont think theres much risk in a mid-term extension. I really hope they don't blow this.

He's a UFA in a year. We all know how these situations play out, whether he plays well or not.

 

[Sweatred]

Maybe they think theres benefit in waiting a longterm extention out a year? Realistically, he is unlikely to play as much as he did last year and its unlikely that he'll improve his offensive totals. Maybe Batherson clearly proves to be a top 6 RW. In that sense, I get the appeal of pushing things down a year.

That said.... I wouldn't do it. So long as he's willing to be somewhat flexible in his ask, I dont think theres much risk in a mid-term extension. I really hope they don't blow this.

Dadonov plays 1RW, we hope Bath secures 2RW. No point spending $10 million on Brown and White possibly at 3/4 RW.

Lots of people like White and see him as a 3RW ... that pushes Brown to 4RW. That slot needs to make $1.2 not $4.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

He's a UFA in a year. We all know how these situations play out, whether he plays well or not.

And thats exactly why I wouldnt take that approach. Unless you arent sure you want to keep him, theres very little benefit.

Dadonov plays 1RW, we hope Bath secures 2RW. No point spending $10 million on Brown and White possibly at 3/4 RW.

Yeah, thats very possibly what they are thinking. I think you cross that bridge when you get there, personally, but if they let him go to arb I feel like thats the logical explanation.

 

[Sweatred]

And thats exactly why I wouldnt take that approach. Unless you arent sure you want to keep him, theres very little benefit.



Yeah, thats very possibly what they are thinking. I think you cross that bridge when you get there, personally, but if they let him go to arb I feel like thats the logical explanation.

I really think the Sens should pay him for one year and trade him at the trade deadline. It worked for EK, Pager, MD, RD etc. It will probably work for Connor Brown.

Than we have pieces moving forward with Z or whatever people are worried about.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Arbitration hearings are usually pretty brutal as well and often end up in tarnished relationships between GMs and players.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

I really think the Sens should pay him for one year and trade him at the trade deadline. It worked for EK, Pager, MD, RD etc. It will probably work for Connor Brown.

Than we have pieces moving forward with Z or whatever people are worried about.

The more I think about it, the more I believe you are correct. Or, if Brown proves his worth and Batherson doesn't, we commit. I hope we take that approach with Tierney.... a little more skeptical with Brown, but I get the thought process.

Arbitration hearings are usually pretty brutal as well and often end up in tarnished relationships between GMs and players.

Yep, this is why I think if they go to arb it will be the start of the end. I'd avoid arb at any cost. Really no benefit.

 

[Sweatred]

The more I think about it, the more I believe you are correct. Or, if Brown proves his worth and Batherson doesn't, we commit. I hope we take that approach with Tierney.... a little more skeptical with Brown, but I get the thought process.

I think if they sign Brown with term ... White is done ... brown will only be a 3RW on any good team. So White rebounds and becomes a very good top 6 making Batherson redundant or he’s bought out/bribed to Seattle. We can’t have Dadonov, Bath, Brown, and White as our RW at $20+ million for 3 years with VA, Greig, Pinto etc lurking.

Our LW project to be more expensive than our RW (Stutzle, Brady, Norris, Brown, Form) and $20 million is over 28% of the internal cap on RW.

 

[TheDebater]

I feel indifferent about Connor Brown. He is a solid bottom 6 player who can "help out" on the top lines if necessary, but he not a bonafide top 6 player in this league.

We now have a clear picture as to the team Dorion is building, and for us to have success, Connor Brown cannot be a part of the top 6 long term, short term maybe but who are we kidding here?

He needs to agree to a contract that pays him a reasonable amount for a 3rd or 4th line player because if that is where he finds himself in a year or two, then the last thing we want is to have another bottom 6 player being paid as a top 6.

 

[GCK]

I think if they sign Brown with term ... White is done ... brown will only be a 3RW on any good team. So White rebounds and becomes a very good top 6 making Batherson redundant or he’s bought out/bribed to Seattle. We can’t have Dadonov, Bath, Brown, and White as our RW at $20+ million for 3 years with VA, Greig, Pinto etc lurking.

Our LW project to be more expensive than our RW (Stutzle, Brady, Norris, Brown, Form) and $20 million is over 28% of the internal cap on RW.

Norris, L. Brown are centres And Stutzle may wind up playing centre. I promise you Logan Brown has no future with the Sens unless it’s at centre.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Yep, this is why I think if they go to arb it will be the start of the end. I'd avoid arb at any cost. Really no benefit.

If he does get around 4 mil in arb, it'll be one year and the Sens can't back-load it so I imagine they probably want him for at least 2 years.