Confirmed with Link: Senators sign Christian Wolanin to Entry Level Contract

BonkTastic

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Nov 9, 2010
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I'll be shocked if he isn't with the big club at the start of next year.

Honestly, it'll depend on whether or not we trade Karlsson or not in the offseason, and whether or not we add a UFA defenceman. It might be a numbers issue, where he is waivers exempt over other players who aren't and he gets sent down for a spell while the org rearranges a few pieces.

I could see him starting the year in Belleville next season for a month or two to "work on a few things" before getting a permanent call-up before Christmas. He still has some "junior" in his game - most specifically, he gets caught a lot in transition: he needs to adjust his timing because he's been getting consistently burned at the NHL level so far by guys who know how to exploit defencemen who are slow to transition.

The good news is that's one of the easiest things to solve in a player's game since it's simply an adjustment issue and not a skill issue, but it is a reason why he might stay in the AHL for a month or two to start the season next year, if the organization thinks it would be better to work those sorts of things out of his game in Belleville instead of Ottawa.

The rest of his game is a pleasant surprise, though... in fact, the whole Wolanin situation has really turned out about as well as anyone could have hoped for, considering I wasn't expecting him to sign with us after the rumours suggested he would bail and go to UFA, and certainly was not expecting him to be as good as he has been this quickly. I expect him to get 50ish NHL games next year, be a permanent part of the NHL roster by Christmas, and for him to really hit his stride by the trade deadline. Once he's got 50-60 pro games under his belt and understands what you can't get away with at the NHL level that you could in NCAA (and makes the appropriate adjustments), I think he'll be a real nice player for us.
 

Sensinitis

Registered User
Aug 5, 2012
15,934
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Left side:
Chabot
Wolanin
Lajoie/Englund/Harpur/Claesson

Right side:
Karlsson
Ceci
Jaros/DAHLIN?!?!
 

OgieO

Registered User
May 17, 2006
5,277
1,180
Halifax
Left side:
Chabot
Wolanin
Lajoie/Englund/Harpur/Claesson

Right side:
Karlsson
Ceci
Jaros/DAHLIN?!?!
I can't stop thinking of Dahlin, i sure hope we get lucky and win the lottery. He can play either side, but a top 4 of TC-EK RD-CC is amazing to think about. We have plenty of bottom 6 guys too though no RD really.

this year would be totally worth it if we manage to get the 1st pick.
 

Tuna99

Registered User
Sep 26, 2009
14,715
6,804
Left side:
Chabot
Wolanin
Lajoie/Englund/Harpur/Claesson

Right side:
Karlsson
Ceci
Jaros/DAHLIN?!?!

Max Lajoie ha promise but I think he has 1 goal in Bingo this year and has 14 assist in 50 games. He's at least another full AHL year away from joining the big club
 

Burrowsaurus

Registered User
Mar 20, 2013
42,066
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Max Lajoie ha promise but I think he has 1 goal in Bingo this year and has 14 assist in 50 games. He's at least another full AHL year away from joining the big club
15 points in 50 games while getting over some injuries ain’t bad
 

Sensinitis

Registered User
Aug 5, 2012
15,934
5,526
Max Lajoie ha promise but I think he has 1 goal in Bingo this year and has 14 assist in 50 games. He's at least another full AHL year away from joining the big club

Was more an assortment of names than a NHL depth chart.
 

JungleBeat

Registered User
Sep 10, 2016
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Canada
Looks better and more promising than Cleasson,Borowiecki and Harpur in my limited viewings. It’s time to let some of those guys go.
 
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Nac Mac Feegle

wee & free
Jun 10, 2011
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Good start...but we've seen this movie before. Guys know they are out of the playoffs and a lot of the pressure is off.

Next season will be the real test for the kid. He looks like he has all the tools to be a good one....but you don't know for sure, until he actually proves it on the ice over a season.
 
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TheBradyBunch

Registered User
Dec 17, 2008
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Looks better and more promising than Cleasson,Borowiecki and Harpur in my limited viewings. It’s time to let some of those guys go.
I'm sure you never said similar things about Claesson and/or Harpur after a small sample size, so this assessment fills me with confidence.

Wolanin has looked good, but a lot of DMen have shown that progression is not linear and, sometimes, a guy is what he is. I think Wolanin could be a nice middle-of-the-lineup piece for us, but I also expect him to struggle.

And, although I was being a little tongue in cheek, I think it's absolutely time to let Claesson go. I'd trade Harpur if the value was there. No point getting rid of Boro, though - there are very few NHL DMen making less money than he is, he's important on and off the ice and he's been a pretty good player for us this year.
 
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Sens of Anarchy

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Jul 9, 2013
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I don't see the Sens keeping his waiver exempt contract in the NHL to start, he'll be in the AHL to start, even if he is one of top 6 D or he makes us a better team. We had the exact same scenario play out with Chabot.
He'll battle Harpur and Claesson ... To me there is no question Wolanin is better offensively , or with the puck. Neither Harpur not Claesson has shown enough in any aspect to make me want to see them in more than Wolanin... I like what I've seen so far and he has to make progress in his own end but we don't have any gems in there now.
 
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Cosmix

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Jul 24, 2011
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I think he is looking great. He has incredible poise with the puck for a guy 5 games into his NHL career or whatever it is. You cannot teach the things he does well. I'll be shocked if he isn't with the big club at the start of next year.

I would not say shocked; however he looks like he has the basic tools to play a good defensive game with offensive upside, thus having top 4 potential. Given the other options (Wideman, Claesson, Jaros, Englund, Lajoie) for nest season’s roster, I think he has a decent chance to make the full time roster which already consists of Karlsson, Chabot, Ceci, Borowiecki, and Harpur.
 

Engineer

Rustled your jimmies
Dec 23, 2013
6,143
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I have a feeling we are going to offer Claesson a 2-way deal instead of a 1-way contract, he'll get insulted about it, and he'll head back to Sweden and that will be it from him.

Just a gut call on my part, though.
Well at minimum the qualifying offer is a 1-way 715k contract, which he can choose to accept if we want to keep him as RFA.
 

Sens of Anarchy

Registered User
Jul 9, 2013
65,007
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I have a feeling we are going to offer Claesson a 2-way deal instead of a 1-way contract, he'll get insulted about it, and he'll head back to Sweden and that will be it from him.

Just a gut call on my part, though.

Hard to say what happens there I could see another cheap as possible 1 yr 1 way . Do they offer Wideman a contract?
 

BonkTastic

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Nov 9, 2010
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Well at minimum the qualifying offer is a 1-way...

God damnit... did Claesson play more than 60 games this year?

Bah. He's not even worth a 1-way deal. He'll be 26 soon and barely can keep a 3rd pairing spot on one of the shallowest bluelines in the league.

I honestly hope we just let him walk, then.
 

coladin

Registered User
Sep 18, 2009
11,781
4,476
I hate Wideman (because he's a prick, not because he's bad at hockey), but I'd absolutely give him a contract before I give one to Claesson.


Yeah, Claesson has been probably my biggest disappointment this season on the blueline. He might be the casualty of Wolanin impressing. My worry is Wolanin pulling a Harpur next season.
 

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