Sens Tank Nation Part 1- The Fruit of Futility

[Hasbro]

The EK front is pretty quiet. If out foil Dorion is holding out on Tampa trying to low ball him if EK is only interested in going there, that is surprisingly canny on his part. If he's just waiting until Yzerman dumps some salary on a player with an NTC who isn't interested in the Sens and going to take a bad trade.

However, unless he's got a good deal from the Bolts nailed down as soon as the cap is opened I can't see why he isn't trying to scare up more interest in the 19 other teams he can trade EK. Even as rental you think an Eastern Rival with Cup aspirations would be willing to sweeten the pot on a rental plus rate and slap some conditionals on there. Dubas, Poile and Rutherford should be blowing up Dodo's phone until EK actually holds up a TB jersey.

 

[Thepoolmaster]

The EK front is pretty quiet. If out foil Dorion is holding out on Tampa trying to low ball him if EK is only interested in going there, that is surprisingly canny on his part. If he's just waiting until Yzerman dumps some salary on a player with an NTC who isn't interested in the Sens and going to take a bad trade.

However, unless he's got a good deal from the Bolts nailed down as soon as the cap is opened I can't see why he isn't trying to scare up more interest in the 19 other teams he can trade EK. Even as rental you think an Eastern Rival with Cup aspirations would be willing to sweeten the pot on a rental plus rate and slap some conditionals on there. Dubas, Poile and Rutherford should be blowing up Dodo's phone until EK actually holds up a TB jersey.

Agreed I don't see why the leafs don't make a move for him. Even if it's just one year pay the rental price. 1st prospect and decent roster player and go for it next year.

 

[Hasbro]

Agreed I don't see why the leafs don't make a move for him. Even if it's just one year pay the rental price. 1st prospect and decent roster player and go for it next year.

If they could get Ottawa to take Nate Horton's contract back the Leafs could even absorb Ryan.

 

[Thepoolmaster]

If they could get Ottawa to take Nate Horton's contract back the Leafs could even absorb Ryan.

They can't take on Ryan cuz they need to be able to pay Marner/Nylander next year but the point remains. They have the cap space and likely the assets. Wouldn't be surprised if Melnyk doesn't want Toronto to have any success and would block that kind of move.

 

[Freudian]

Melnyk hates the Leafs. No chance he'll trade EK there.

 

[member 116861]

Melnyk hates the Leafs. No chance he'll trade EK there.

Who doesn't hate the Leafs? The one thing Canucks fans are right about.

 

[MarkT]

If they could get Ottawa to take Nate Horton's contract back the Leafs could even absorb Ryan.

The Leafs don't need to move Horton's contract. He doesn't count against the cap during the season because he's on LITR. Ryan would cost against the cap so there's no way they could afford to take him on.

 

[Freudian]

In a perfectly rational world, Dorion and Melnyk would act as if the pick never existed and just do what's best for the team with what they have. Enter irrational elements like pride, arrogance, fear and they might make bad decisions because they don't want to look bad. That would be a mistake, but also a very human reaction.

In a way the Karlsson, Stone and Duchene contract status might save them from themselves because they have to spend most of their energy attending to those situations, so they can't spend time coming up with other bad ideas.

They do need to trade Andy. They might not be aware, but if Andy doesn't want to be there they are in for a rough ride. He might be bad just because he's 37, but add him sulking and ouch.

 

[Pokecheque]

The Leafs don't need to move Horton's contract. He doesn't count against the cap during the season because he's on LITR. Ryan would cost against the cap so there's no way they could afford to take him on.

Not only that, but the reason the Jackets dealt Horton's contract for Clarkson's is because the latter is insured, the former isn't. Melnyk would never, ever trade for a dead contract for a player he actually still had to pay.

 

[S E P H]

Yes lol. He’s going back to college.

Which is easily the correct decision, his skating needs a lot of work before he jumps into the NHL. But we can still lol at it.

 

[Bender]

Tkachuk's totally going to stay in college and go the UFA route isn't he?

I know that this was mentioned as more of a joke but I wouldn't be surprised unless something dramatic happens in Ottawa (ownership change).

It's funny though because Dorion could have selected Zadina and gotten him signed and ready to go right away and secured the asset. Instead, he takes a college kid in Tkachuk and HE'S GOTTA KNOW at least potentially that there is at least a chance that Tkachuk sits back and see Karlsson dealt away, Stone getting a 1 year arb. ruling awaiting UFA and Duchene waiting to see what happens with Stone before deciding to negotiate a new deal and decides...you know what, I'm not signing with the senators, screw that! I'm going to take the 'Jim Vesey/Will Butcher' route and sign with whoever I like (or at least tell the sens that I'm not signing with them so they'll trade me).

I won't be surprised at all if that happens.

 

[Ararana]

I know that this was mentioned as more of a joke but I wouldn't be surprised unless something dramatic happens in Ottawa (ownership change).

It's funny though because Dorion could have selected Zadina and gotten him signed and ready to go right away and secured the asset. Instead, he takes a college kid in Tkachuk and HE'S GOTTA KNOW at least potentially that there is at least a chance that Tkachuk sits back and see Karlsson dealt away, Stone getting a 1 year arb. ruling awaiting UFA and Duchene waiting to see what happens with Stone before deciding to negotiate a new deal and decides...you know what, I'm not signing with the senators, screw that! I'm going to take the 'Jim Vesey/Will Butcher' route and sign with whoever I like (or at least tell the sens that I'm not signing with them so they'll trade me).

I won't be surprised at all if that happens.

I went back and read their draft thread on Ottawa's board. So many Ottawa fans were thrilled Zadina fell to four only to watch them take Tkachuk. After one more year of sucking I hope they get a new owner and turn that ship around. No fan base derserves the shit show they're having to sit through right now.

 

[henchman21]

The last 1st round pick to go that route was Wheeler... I simply don't see it happening. Tkachuk likely joins Ottawa at the end of the season if Boston is out early, or camp 2019.

 

[Bender]

The last 1st round pick to go that route was Wheeler... I simply don't see it happening. Tkachuk likely joins Ottawa at the end of the season if Boston is out early, or camp 2019.

Chances are it won't but that doesn't mean it can't.

My point is that dorion left that possibility open instead of taking a kid like Zadina who would have been signed right away. Now, Tkachuk will spend his 2nd year at Boston College watching the sens best players jump ship as fast as they possibly can.

Tkachuk could easily tell the sens that he's not interested in signing with them and that they can trade his rights to another team if he doesn't want to spend the first 4-5 years of his career going to quite possibly the worst possible destination.

I wouldn't put money on it but like I said, I wouldn't be surprised if it happened.

 

[Avalanche]

I was in Ottawa Tuesday for the Foo Fighters. While waiting for the band to take the stage a "Go Sens Go" chant started. It died out after 5 seconds with a lot of grumbling by the rest of the crowd

 

[Pokecheque]

While I have no wish to re-open the arguments I made against Bettman's induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame, I'll take back what I said about him doing nothing to try and rectify the mess that is the Ottawa Senators. Pretty certain based on what I've heard/read that he's very quietly putting things in motion to get Melnyk the hell out of there. I still think he could/should do more, but at least he's recognizing Melnyk's continued involvement is detrimental to the league at large.

 

[hockeyfish]

While I have no wish to re-open the arguments I made against Bettman's induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame, I'll take back what I said about him doing nothing to try and rectify the mess that is the Ottawa Senators. Pretty certain based on what I've heard/read that he's very quietly putting things in motion to get Melnyk the hell out of there. I still think he could/should do more, but at least he's recognizing Melnyk's continued involvement is detrimental to the league at large.

It's kind of a tough position for the league to take. It's one thing to boot an owner who is doing something illegal or can't afford the team. It's another thing to boot an owner who just isn't very good or has a tight budget.

 

[Bubba Thudd]

I was in Ottawa Tuesday for the Foo Fighters. While waiting for the band to take the stage a "Go Sens Go" chant started. It died out after 5 seconds with a lot of grumbling by the rest of the crowd

Grohl probably started the chant just to troll them.

 

[henchman21]

Chances are it won't but that doesn't mean it can't.

My point is that dorion left that possibility open instead of taking a kid like Zadina who would have been signed right away. Now, Tkachuk will spend his 2nd year at Boston College watching the sens best players jump ship as fast as they possibly can.

Tkachuk could easily tell the sens that he's not interested in signing with them and that they can trade his rights to another team if he doesn't want to spend the first 4-5 years of his career going to quite possibly the worst possible destination.

I wouldn't put money on it but like I said, I wouldn't be surprised if it happened.

There is a chance that I could marry Kristen Bell too...

Tkachuk is very, very likely to play for the Sens. 1st round picks don't force themselves off teams too often. The one in a thousand chance simply isn't worth the worry. They took Tkachuk because they liked him better than Zadina... it is as simple as that. I really think fans were far more in love with Zadina than teams were. He wasn't a clear #3 in the draft and teams have their own lists and feelings. To pick a player over another one you rate higher because they could sign right away would be a huge mistake IMO. The point is to draft the best player for your team as possible for the duration of their tenure.

 

[UncleRisto]

There is a chance that I could marry Kristen Bell too...

Come on, you could do better than that.

 

[henchman21]

Come on, you could do better than that.

I have to keep it as realistic

 

[Balthazar]

The point is to draft the best player for your team as possible for the duration of their tenure.

Exactly, there's this whole "you need to take the BPA" culture on HF like it's a clear cut thing. BPA is usually true for one or two players per draft, after that it's all about preference.

 

[Ararana]

Come on, you could do better than that.

How dare you....

- Kristen Bell fanboy

 

[Pokecheque]

How dare you....

- Kristen Bell fanboy

Seconded.

 

[henchman21]

How dare you....

- Kristen Bell fanboy

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