Proposal: MTL-OTT (Zaitsev for Weber)

[Hale The Villain]

Zaitsev

Weber

Habs save 3.357M in cap space each of the next 3YRs, then 4.5M once Zaitsev's deal is finished in 4YRs. Get a replacement RD that is decent in a 2nd/3rd pairing D role. Big benefit for them is getting rid of Weber's 7.857M cap hit and replacing him with a younger D, avoiding the risk of a significant decline in Weber's play as he approaches his late 30s.

Sens get the better of the two D right now. Weber has no NTC so he can't say no. He makes the same salary as Zaitsev over the next 2YRs (9M), and then makes 1M in the last 3YRs of his deal (if he doesn't retire early), which is music to Melnyk's ears. Much higher cap hit doesn't hurt the Sens, since it's unlikely they'll ever spend to the cap as a budget team. Could be a great fit beside Chabot.

Thoughts?

Click to read more...

 

[Gaunce4gm]

As a fan of neither team... I expect MTL to say no very quickly.

 

[Techcoockie]

value of habs players is so skew on this site, im done.

 

[NyQuil]

It's clever but I suspect there will be a lot of grumbling for no reason.

 

[TFHockey]

It's clever but I suspect there will be a lot of grumbling for no reason.

This isn't a fair trade for the Habs. C'mon, grumbling?

 

[Hale The Villain]

value of habs players is so skew on this site, im done.

There's no question Weber would have a decent amount of value if not for his contract, but he's 35 with a 7.857M cap hit until the end of the 2025/26 season. How much value would he have around the league because of it?

 

[Kshahdoo]

This isn't a fair trade for the Habs. C'mon, grumbling?

Let's see, what Ottawa fans will say on this...

 

[Jared Dunn]

Weber is on the decline no doubt but the chance he gets worse than Zaitsev or even close in the next two seasons is incredibly slim lol with his injury history and career earnings of roughly 130 million I will eat my shoe if Weber is playing past 2023 for 1 million a year

 

[NyQuil]

This isn't a fair trade for the Habs. C'mon, grumbling?

Well, there's another thread on this very board about tearing down the Habs completely.

With Weber's big cap hit, there aren't going to be a lot of trading partners.

The Senators are one of the few teams out there that can absorb that size of a contract on an aging asset.

 

[Spirit of 67]

Ottawa would never do this.

Nor should they.

 

[Hale The Villain]

It's clever but I suspect there will be a lot of grumbling for no reason.

I mean I get it. The idea of trading your captain and a legendary D for a lesser player to save cap space is hard to swallow, even if it's possibly in the team's best interest long-term.

 

[LPHabsFan]

Man people on this board really don't understand Weber's contract and why it won't be a problem if the Habs want to trade him. The team will not be taking back a bad contract for him as there's no need. There will be in the next year or two several teams who will have no problem and/or want to take on Weber's hit.

 

[Martin Skoula]

If the Habs trade Weber, who's Gary going to hand the cup to?

 

[Boondock]

If the Habs trade Weber, who's Gary going to hand the cup to?

Stamkos?

 

[Mike Towers]

Zaitsev

Weber

Habs save 3.357M in cap space each of the next 3YRs, then 4.5M once Zaitsev's deal is finished in 4YRs. Get a replacement RD that is decent in a 2nd/3rd pairing D role. Big benefit for them is getting rid of Weber's 7.857M cap hit and replacing him with a younger D, avoiding the risk of a significant decline in Weber's play as he approaches his late 30s.

Sens get the better of the two D right now. Weber has no NTC so he can't say no. He makes the same salary as Zaitsev over the next 2YRs (9M), and then makes 1M in the last 3YRs of his deal (if he doesn't retire early), which is music to Melnyk's ears. Much higher cap hit doesn't hurt the Sens, since it's unlikely they'll ever spend to the cap as a budget team. Could be a great fit beside Chabot.

Thoughts?

Thoughts are if you want to save cap space just leave Weber unprotected in the expansion draft and sign RHD Dougie Hamilton to replace Weber.

 

[TFHockey]

Well, there's another thread on this very board about tearing down the Habs completely.

With Weber's big cap hit, there aren't going to be a lot of trading partners.

The Senators are one of the few teams out there that can absorb that size of a contract on an aging asset.

Sure, but in real dollars his contract is front loaded. The next five years it goes from $6 Million to $3Million and then to $1 Million for the last three years.

 

[Altimus]

its the Phaneuf deal all over again.

 

[jbeck5]

I don't see why Ottawa does this. Webers contract would be an issue when we have to resign tkachuk, stutzle, Norris, batherson, brannstrom, etc

He's still a good player but that contract would keep teams away.

 

[armani]

The Zaitser has been very solid this season, the best he has looked as a Senator and a big reason for the Sens improving as of late.

Weber is on the decline, but he is still Shea Weber who a young team like the Sens can learn from. That said, the cap is too high and age related diminishing return on investment is inevitable. Very few teams can take on the cap that size. Barring a useless one bad cap for another type trade, Montreal either has to retain cap or give up some assets to make Weber'a cap hit another team's problem.

Cannot see Eugene El Cheapo Melnyk approving such a move.

In a vacuum, with salary/cap reality, you are looking at Weber+ for Zaitsev.

 

[Prairie Habs]

It's clever but I suspect there will be a lot of grumbling for no reason.

Stutzle (0.579 PPG) for Armia (0.583 PPG)

Ottawa is the worst defensive team in the league, so adding a better defensive forward that produces at the same rate would be a sensible move for them.

No grumbling.

 

[Hale The Villain]

Man people on this board really don't understand Weber's contract and why it won't be a problem if the Habs want to trade him. The team will not be taking back a bad contract for him as there's no need. There will be in the next year or two several teams who will have no problem and/or want to take on Weber's hit.

Zaitsev has actually been pretty decent this year. Good enough to justify a protection spot.

I'm still a little skeptical since he was underwhelming last season, but I don't think I'd consider his contract a particularly bad one.

 

[NyQuil]

Stutzle (0.579 PPG) for Armia (0.583 PPG)

Ottawa is the worst defensive team in the league, so adding a better defensive forward that produces at the same rate would be a sensible move for them.

No grumbling.

Your analogy would make sense if Stutzle is 29 years old and Armia is 35.

 

[swiftwin]

Clever, but as the Sens I say no.

I still think Zaitsev is a better fit for Ottawa. We're not ready for a playoff run, and I'm worried how much Weber will decline by the time the Sens are ready to make the playoffs in the next season or two.

I'd consider it next season or two seasons from now if Weber doesn't decline too much.

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

value of habs players is so skew on this site, im done.

Weber for Ekblad
Just kidding

 

[Hale The Villain]

Thoughts are if you want to save cap space just leave Weber unprotected in the expansion draft and sign RHD Dougie Hamilton to replace Weber.

That's interesting. I could see Seattle selecting Weber to be their captain, despite his cap hit. Somewhat of a local guy too given he's from BC.

Might be a way for the Habs to clear his contract off their books without adding any cap.