News Article: Has Anthony Duclair been too good for the Senators to keep?

[Do Make Say Think]

We can't afford not keep him with how bad our offense is.

He is basically a complete surprise since he was likely considered to be a throw in in the Dzingel trade. Letting him walk would look awful for the franchise.

 

[swiftwin]

I find it interesting that Ottawa is the only team in the whole league where there are questions about re-signing RFAs. You sign him. Pretty simple if you ask me, but "pretty simple" always tends to get pretty complicated for this org.

The only scenario where you entertain moving him is if someone offers you a pick that could be in the top half of the first round.

I agree, it's ridiculous.

Both Tierney and Duclair are 24 and an RFA, yet people think we should trade them in order to rebuild. They're 24!!!!!! How much younger do you need to go in order to rebuild??

 

[bert]

I know lol but I think they ask the question because he tends to have a really bad season after a good one. His value is at the highest right now...

His talent is blatantly obvious if they dont sign him with all that cap space and the serious lack of talent there is no point in cheering for this franchise.

 

[Cosmix]

Everybody knows the best way to rebuild is to trade all your good players.

The Ottawa Senators have two such geniuses.

 

[The Lewler]

This one is a no brainer .

You went bargain shopping and hit gold .

But classically for this team , there is more than superficial debate about whether you should trade a young star breaking out in the hopes that your draft pick you get in return will hit that less than 30% chance that they become ... a young star on your 1st/2nd line .

silly towns to the max . Sign him.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Based on team needs, this guys importance is above and beyond the other pending RFA/UFA forwards and should be prioritized in the budget over Tierney, Brown, Pageau & Namestnikov if necessary. There won't be room in the budget for all of them.

We don't have a lot of natural goal scorers on the team, whereas we are more likely to be able to replace those other guys internally with less of a drop off.

Imo this is the order of who to prioritize in their limited budget. Obviously contract demands/leverage play in to that and both Names and Pageau are most likely gone first due to UFA status, but Duclair and Brown have to be at the top of the list.

Duclair
Brown
Pageau
Namestnikov
Tierney

 

[Ice-Tray]

It’s a pretty superficial debate since it doesn’t involve any of the parties involved.

Just the same kind of things as signing Chabot and White. There will be slagging until it gets done. In my opinion it will obviously get done.

 

[BatherSeason]

Pretty much.

There should be no issue. If neither side can go long term, Duclair is an RFA with ARB rights. A short term deal can get done.

If a team offers a 2020 1st....sure. But that isn't realistic. Teams aren't going to want to pay full value for a player who has flamed out with many teams and has had one fantastic season. Duclair will need to establish himself for longer before teams will give up full value, so why trade him?

It's such a simple answer. He has been great. Sign him to something. If the team needs another year to settle on a long term deal, go 1 or 2 years.

Sens gonna drag this right to arbitration aren't they?

 

[GCK]

During the pregame they said all FAs have been talked to and they will begin getting serious with the UFAs after Christmas.

 

[CanadianHockey]

Sign him to a short deal to see if he can build off this season. Can't constantly trade good players, otherwise we're in a perpetual rebuild.

 

[BatherSeason]

During the pregame they said all FAs have been talked to and they will begin getting serious with the UFAs after Christmas.

That's what they said last year. How did that work out for them? Same fluff every year.

 

[GCK]

That's what they said last year. How did that work out for them? Same fluff every year.

Two ways to take it.

1. They don’t want to sign any of the UFAs.
2. They hope the UFAs they want to keep Will enjoy the energy and new coaching staff and br open to staying.

 

[BatherSeason]

Two ways to take it.

1. They don’t want to sign any of the UFAs.
2. They hope the UFAs they want to keep Will enjoy the energy and new coaching staff and br open to staying.

Don't really care about re-signing any of the UFAs, for some odd reason it's the RFAs I'm worried about. Duclair specifically.

 

[GCK]

Don't really care about re-signing any of the UFAs, for some odd reason it's the RFAs I'm worried about. Duclair specifically.

With Duclair I would like to get him signed before the draft or move him if is thinking arb.

 

[Ice-Tray]

History shows that we sign our RFAs.

 

[Stylizer1]

I would sign Duclair for $5M for 5 years. He is the most dynamic offensive forward that the team has at this time.

Did you get your first girlfriends name tattooed on your arm?

 

[BatherSeason]

With Duclair I would like to get him signed before the draft or move him if is thinking arb.

The Sens always seem to do well in their arbitration cases. Duclair doesn't exactly have the track record that would help his case either. Money saving opportunity for the org. This is going to arb for sure. Can't blame them really.

 

[BatherSeason]

History shows that we sign our RFAs.

Mentioned that I was concerned about Duclair for some reason. I never mentioned anything about past RFAs. The Sens hold the cards. It's either sign him to an extension, bring him to arbitration or trade him. I'm worried they are going to trade him.

 

[BonkTastic]

We can't afford not keep him

We can't not afford not to refuse to not keep him.


... I think that checks out.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

We can't not afford not to refuse to not keep him.


... I think that checks out.

Yeah that should have read "we can't afford to not keep him"

 

[Ice-Tray]

Mentioned that I was concerned about Duclair for some reason. I never mentioned anything about past RFAs. The Sens hold the cards. It's either sign him to an extension, bring him to arbitration or trade him. I'm worried they are going to trade him.

I just mean that we will sign him. There is simply no chance that we don’t. He is exactly what we need for this rebuild, and PD just traded for him.

I don’t think any organizations value draft picks as much as folks do in here, there is very little chance that a pick turns into a better player than he is, and at 24 there is no reason to reset the development timing.

If he was a vet then I would agree that we have just traded away all of our best ones and he might look to follow suit, but as a young RFA I bet we lock him up to a multi year deal, as we just did with the other two. They could bother agree on one year if PD wants to make sure he can be this player consistently, and/or if AD thinks he can be this player consistently and wants to get a better long term deal, but I don’t see a realistic path where we trade him.

 

[BatherSeason]

I just mean that we will sign him. There is simply no chance that we don’t. He is exactly what we need for this rebuild, and PD just traded for him.

I don’t think any organizations value draft picks as much as folks do in here, there is very little chance that a pick turns into a better player than he is, and at 24 there is no reason to reset the development timing.

If he was a vet then I would agree that we have just traded away all of our best ones and he might look to follow suit, but as a young RFA I bet we lock him up to a multi year deal, as we just did with the other two. They could bother agree on one year if PD wants to make sure he can be this player consistently, and/or if AD thinks he can be this player consistently and wants to get a better long term deal, but I don’t see a realistic path where we trade him.

Trade or arbitration. That's where this is going. I hope I am wrong though.

 

[BonkTastic]

Yeah that should have read "we can't afford to not keep him"

No worries, I was just seeing how many redundant double-negatives I could put in that sentence.

 

[Stylizer1]

It is important to note Ottawa is not a good team. The opportunity players get on such teams usually inflates their numbers. We all can agree Pageau is a 3rd line center on a good team. His production has been really good because most of the team is inexperienced. Duclair is no different. We don't want to go down the Bobby Ryan path with him. He deserves a raise but until he can show consistency you be fair and not foolish.

2 years at 6.25m

season 1 2.5m
season 2 3 .75m

There is a big chance if you give him too much he becomes complacent.

 

[The Lewler]

It is important to note Ottawa is not a good team. The opportunity players get on such teams usually inflates their numbers. We all can agree Pageau is a 3rd line center on a good team. His production has been really good because most of the team is inexperienced. Duclair is no different. We don't want to go down the Bobby Ryan path with him. He deserves a raise but until he can show consistency you be fair and not foolish.

2 years at 6.25m

season 1 2.5m
season 2 3 .75m

There is a big chance if you give him too much he becomes complacent.

Would a two year deal not put him into UFA?