Mark Stone signs for $7.35 for 1 year

[JD1]

Sure, and that's more than fair.

I look at it as, "why sign right now mid-season (he is gone 100% by the deadline if not already signed, we basically have 1.5 months to sign him from Jan 1st to deadline) with this team in a terrible position when I can negotiate with every team in the league, in much better positions and situations for both the team and myself?

He doesn't have a wife from Ottawa, he wasn't just traded here and raised close by, he just signed a deal bringing him directly to UFA when the team was very obviously hoping to ink him long term, he just has himself and his hockey to look out for, and realistically hitting UFA is the best thing for him to do. All signs point to one thing, hopefully news comes out that changes that.

I think the problem is cash flow. those 3 guys want what other stars are getting which is bonus laden deals and with a lockout looming and a new arena on the horizon the money isn't there to do it.

hopefully the rumoured equity injection solves this issue

 

[aragorn]

Well the arena part is an investment and doesn't include only an arena. It includes several other opportunities to build other attractions/condos that would generate significant revenue. IMO this is a dream scenario for any investor. What other city offers to completely remodel part of it's core area? I think any investor who has the money to make it hapoen would jump on this right away.

Have you ever been to Lansdowne Park when there is no game on? It is pretty much dead during the day time, I'm not sure if they do more business at night? And the 67s have dropped off the map in Ottawa now. I would guess that Lebreton Flats would be similar in that it would be dead most days when there is no game on but in the beginning anyway it might do much better at night, especially from across the river, if the proposed EB Eddy buildings are all refurbished into cafés, bars & boutiques.

This is going to be a billion(s) dollar investment, is this group that rich to also afford an NHL franchise? Are there many Canadian companies/people that are that rich & willing to purchase an NHL/AHL franchise that seems to constantly bleed money? It's extremely interesting to follow especially given the present ownership is such a hard headed A-hole. Can they make money in Ottawa given the history of sports teams going bankrupt & leaving over a long period of time? Ownership would need to own & operate numerous venues that are profitable for this to work one would think. Would Quebec City have more to offer or be anymore profitable than Ottawa?

 

[BondraTime]

I think the problem is cash flow. those 3 guys want what other stars are getting which is bonus laden deals and with a lockout looming and a new arena on the horizon the money isn't there to do it.

hopefully the rumoured equity injection solves this issue

Problem is definitely cash flow, which has affected every area of the team from management/bench/on-ice, which has resulted in the team we have before us.

Once this team gets it's cash flow injection, which like you said may come at some point in time in the future, it is still going to be in a very rough spot moving forward.

It's definitely step 1 on a long list of steps back to respectability, and hopefully money is the only thing that is keeping these guys from signing.

 

[SensFanInBoston]

I don't post often but I think the potential lockout along with signing bonuses is a major factor in all contract discussions between management and players. I believe owners can opt out of the agreement next September (2019). Star/high level players want to have large bonus % as part of their contracts (all 3 players we are discussing). We can probably all agree that ownership doesn't want to pay out bonus $ during a lockout (even at 50% bonus for the 2019 season for these 3 players is probably going to cost ~14 million). Assuming the players want to stay in Ottawa (which even I think isn't that likely given current ownership), ownership will need to be willing to loose bonus money during the lockout. If I was a betting man, and I am, I would probably think that only 1 of the big 3 will stay with Ottawa even if they all are willing to extend (just due to the dead bonus $). I just hope that management can get assets in return when the players are traded - but I believe they will get average return at best.

Out of the 3 players, I'd probably be most upset to loose Stone even though EK might be the best talent wise.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

You don’t sign a one-year deal as the first step in the process to sign a player long-term after you’ve had 13 months to do so. He’s gone.

All that boasting about how good our drafting has been will be flushed down the toilet soon.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Have you ever been to Lansdowne Park when there is no game on? It is pretty much dead during the day time, I'm not sure if they do more business at night? And the 67s have dropped off the map in Ottawa now. I would guess that Lebreton Flats would be similar in that it would be dead most days when there is no game on but in the beginning anyway it might do much better at night, especially from across the river, if the proposed EB Eddy buildings are all refurbished into cafés, bars & boutiques.

Not before I buy a house in old hull!!

I need to get in on those valuation dollars.

 

[JD1]

You don’t sign a one-year deal as the first step in the process to sign a player long-term after you’ve had 13 months to do so. He’s gone.

All that boasting about how good our drafting has been will be flushed down the toilet soon.

you do if you are financially handcuffed

if both sides want a deal and understand why at this point in time it cannot get done.....then you do what you can which is the deal we have

Stone has not signalled any interest in leaving. Neither have the other two for that matter.

hopefully as I said the rumoured cash injection solves the issue

it is our only hope with these 3 players

 

[Micklebot]

For what it's worth, Stone took the sense to arbitration, had he wanted out ASAP, he could have asked for a trade and threatened to hold out. I see this as a reverse show me deal, the sense have a year to show Stone the are building towards a future he wants to be a part of. He seems to like the city and org in general, just maybe not the current situation.

 

[JungleBeat]

For what it's worth, Stone took the sense to arbitration, had he wanted out ASAP, he could have asked for a trade and threatened to hold out. I see this as a reverse show me deal, the sense have a year to show Stone the are building towards a future he wants to be a part of. He seems to like the city and org in general, just maybe not the current situation.

I think he’s content playing out the year for $7.35M and signing wherever he chooses come the offseason. Why hold out when you can play for $7+M? This is a bad situation to be in and the end doesn’t look bright for the Sens.

 

[Micklebot]

I think he’s content playing out the year for $7.35M and signing wherever he chooses come the offseason. Why hold out when you can play for $7+M? This is a bad situation to be in and the end doesn’t look bright for the Sens.

Stone comes off as a pretty honest guy, so I'm taking him at his word when he talks about wanting to be part of the solution. I don't think he's as good as gone, but I think we'll have to be tracking in the right direction for him to stick around.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Crazy theory so bare with me.

We know Alfie is directly involved with trying to get some form of ownership change.

Alfie is one of Karlsson's mentors.

Is it conceivable that Alfie convinced Karlsson (who then might have passed along the idea to Stone and maybe even Duchene) that threatening to leave as UFAs might actually help get an ownership change?

I mean as far as leverage goes, our best C, W and D are now in a very strong position to make demands of ownership.

Plus Karlsson and Alfie are strong proponents of the NHLPA so the theory sounds cool.

 

[SoulDynasty]

Have you ever been to Lansdowne Park when there is no game on? It is pretty much dead during the day time, I'm not sure if they do more business at night? And the 67s have dropped off the map in Ottawa now. I would guess that Lebreton Flats would be similar in that it would be dead most days when there is no game on but in the beginning anyway it might do much better at night, especially from across the river, if the proposed EB Eddy buildings are all refurbished into cafés, bars & boutiques.

Since the Lansdowne Park revitalization, I've gone there close to 15 times during the mid-late afternoon. Not once did I not have to wait in line at a restaurant. Not once did I think the place looked dead, or even quiet. It is always full of people.

 

[aragorn]

Since the Lansdowne Park revitalization, I've gone there close to 15 times during the mid-late afternoon. Not once did I not have to wait in line at a restaurant. Not once did I think the place looked dead, or even quiet. It is always full of people.

I was there last week & there were less than 7 people in the restaurant & there was next to nobody walking around the plaza outside. Two weeks ago I went to the movie theatre there & again it was completely empty & maybe ten people in the theatre with us at night. During the summer we often have out of town guests & as part of the town tour we take them through Lansdowne as part of the canal tour & I have yet to see a crowd of people there unless there is something going on at the stadium or a festival of some kind. The market is always packed as is Elgin street when it's not under construction.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

Stone comes off as a pretty honest guy, so I'm taking him at his word when he talks about wanting to be part of the solution. I don't think he's as good as gone, but I think we'll have to be tracking in the right direction for him to stick around.

Most players will say the right things to the media in this situation.

Stone signed for one year because he's out of here unless something big happens and Melnyk is out.

 

[SoulDynasty]

I was there last week & there were less than 7 people in the restaurant & there was next to nobody walking around the plaza outside. Two weeks ago I went to the movie theatre there & again it was completely empty & maybe ten people in the theatre with us at night. During the summer we often have out of town guests & as part of the town tour we take them through Lansdowne as part of the canal tour & I have yet to see a crowd of people there unless there is something going on at the stadium or a festival of some kind. The market is always packed as is Elgin street when it's not under construction.

I don’t mean to start anything with you, but I’m very skeptical on what you’re saying. Landsdowne is mostly restaurants, so possibly you’re going there before supper hours?

Joeys at Landsdowne has always been about a 40+ minute wait (this was last Wednesday at 6:00). Milestones also has a longer wait times during supper hours. I’ve also had to wait for Craft and Local. Some of the smaller restaurants have no lineups (Crust and Crate, Industria), but you couldn’t really call them empty though.

I find it really strange to call Landsdowne empty though. It doesn’t really add up to me.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

I would guess that Lebreton Flats would be similar in that it would be dead most days when there is no game on but in the beginning anyway it might do much better at night, especially from across the river, if the proposed EB Eddy buildings are all refurbished into cafés, bars & boutiques.

​

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

Crazy theory so bare with me.

We know Alfie is directly involved with trying to get some form of ownership change.

Alfie is one of Karlsson's mentors.

Is it conceivable that Alfie convinced Karlsson (who then might have passed along the idea to Stone and maybe even Duchene) that threatening to leave as UFAs might actually help get an ownership change?

I mean as far as leverage goes, our best C, W and D are now in a very strong position to make demands of ownership.

Plus Karlsson and Alfie are strong proponents of the NHLPA so the theory sounds cool.

Do we?

We know he thinks new ownership would be a good thing from his "off the record" interview ............. but we don't any more than that.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Just a thought, if the team is sold what makes people think that the new ownership will be overly liberal with their budgets & player salaries as people seem to think? Or what if they become as frugal as the present ownership is until they get a good handle on what it costs to run an NHL franchise, farm team & arena. IMO they would have to be richer than EM is, who it is argued was & may still be a billionaire. Is that why he is attempting to reach the cap floor & has most of his best players needing a contract by the end of next season.

Do we expect this new ownership group to buy the franchise, build a new arena & sign the best players on the team to hefty long term contracts for millions more than they have earned to date, all at the same time? I wonder what that would all cost & whether they could afford all that & more?

All we need to do is look at Carolina. New ownership there isn't exactly throwing money around.

As much as I want new ownership, I'm not going to take for granted that they'll act like big shots and suddenly spend like crazy. We know that new arena will go up....whether we have a great team or AHL-level fodder on the roster. The real key (for me, anyways) is having new ownership that will be stable (financially and mentally) and start running the team properly. We don't necessarily need to be a cap team, but we need better people in management, no more legacy hires, and definitely stay out of the spotlight.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

If we get an owner that spends like a mid-market team (which is what we are), that’s good enough.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

If we get an owner that spends like a mid-market team (which is what we are), that’s good enough.

We need an owner that is willing to operate in the market place. Not being able to sign your best players and effectively being forced into trades from a position of weakness will sink the hockey team

 

[Langdon Alger]

After the 2013 draft we had

Karlsson
Cowen
Stone
Hoffman
Silfverberg
Lehner
Ceci
Lazar
Noesen
Puempel
Zibanejad
Prince
Pageau

That’s a very good group of prospects/young players. Most of those guys are gone now, but yet we still have Ceci.

 

[Ray Kinsella]

Have you ever been to Lansdowne Park when there is no game on? It is pretty much dead during the day time, I'm not sure if they do more business at night? And the 67s have dropped off the map in Ottawa now. I would guess that Lebreton Flats would be similar in that it would be dead most days when there is no game on but in the beginning anyway it might do much better at night, especially from across the river, if the proposed EB Eddy buildings are all refurbished into cafés, bars & boutiques.

This is going to be a billion(s) dollar investment, is this group that rich to also afford an NHL franchise? Are there many Canadian companies/people that are that rich & willing to purchase an NHL/AHL franchise that seems to constantly bleed money? It's extremely interesting to follow especially given the present ownership is such a hard headed A-hole. Can they make money in Ottawa given the history of sports teams going bankrupt & leaving over a long period of time? Ownership would need to own & operate numerous venues that are profitable for this to work one would think. Would Quebec City have more to offer or be anymore profitable than Ottawa?

“if the proposed EB Eddy buildings are all refurbished into cafés, bars & boutiques.”

I must have missed that news. The EB Eddy buildings have looked like dungeons for decades. Not sure who would consider refurbishing that. It’s a creepy looking place to say the least.

 

[mysens]

All we need to do is look at Carolina. New ownership there isn't exactly throwing money around.

As much as I want new ownership, I'm not going to take for granted that they'll act like big shots and suddenly spend like crazy. We know that new arena will go up....whether we have a great team or AHL-level fodder on the roster. The real key (for me, anyways) is having new ownership that will be stable (financially and mentally) and start running the team properly. We don't necessarily need to be a cap team, but we need better people in management, no more legacy hires, and definitely stay out of the spotlight.

Knowing the family personally, they will not come in with guns a blazing, they won't throw money around either. They are a hard working family who have accumulated an empire through hard work, massive sacrifices and determination. This will be their biggest one off investment, other than their business. So, money will come in, but frugal, smart money it is.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

You know it’s bad when he won’t even offer lip service.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

“if the proposed EB Eddy buildings are all refurbished into cafés, bars & boutiques.”

I must have missed that news. The EB Eddy buildings have looked like dungeons for decades. Not sure who would consider refurbishing that. It’s a creepy looking place to say the least.

Some of the the former E B Eddy / Domtar buildings have already been torn down. Some will be left standing, and will be refurbished.

About 20 years ago ...... the old "Board Mill" on the right hand side when crossing over to Hull, was set for demolition....... and the wrecking ball just bounced of the walls like it was a ping pong ball ....... so I will be interested in seeing what happens there.

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1440813