Speculation: Stepan on the outs in Ottawa already?

[Mike Jones]

Pretty sure he's only getting paid $2m.

That's his base salary but it's his cap hit that a new team is going to have to make room for.

 

[13pacheco31]

Pretty sure he's only getting paid $2m.

In real dollars, yes. His cap hit is 6.5

 

[BHD]

I heard one Ranger fan describe him as “cooked” when the trade was made.

 

[Qward]

replace Smith first

 

[Emerica]

I heard one Ranger fan describe him as “cooked” when the trade was made.

Oh he burnt now

 

[dellzor]

Sens have the worst pro-scouting group in the entire league.

canucks traded for sutter, gudbranson, sbisa,

 

[Brodeur]

They traded a 2nd for him. I can't imagine why.

In theory I could understand what they were thinking. Stepan could take some of the tough minutes as somebody like Stutzle were getting their feet wet, while providing veteran grit™ and leadership to a young group. Then at the deadline they could trade him and replace the draft pick. They were probably banking on Stepan being motivated in a contract year. But I could understand if Stepan's not exactly in the best frame of mind knowing that his time there would be short.

Maybe not exactly the same circumstances but I'm reminded of 2010 when the Devils traded a 2nd round pick and a C tier prospect for Jason Arnott before the season. Things didn't work out and we traded him at the deadline for a 2nd round pick and a warm NHL body. And just for clarification, Ottawa traded Columbus' 2nd rounder for Stepan so at least it wasn't their own pick.

 

[foggyvisor]

Dorion thought he would be a defensively responsible centre who could provide some playmaking. Unfortunately he missed the part about Stepan not being able to skate or win faceoffs.

 

[2020 Cup Champions]

He was traded for Tony DeAngelo once before...

If we're lucky we'll get to see Phoenix Copley moved back out to St. Louis to complete the circle.

 

[DingDongCharlie]

Was a stupid move in the first place. Overpaid with a 2nd and nobody has 6.5 million cap space to add him nor should the couple of teams who could.

 

[swiftwin]

In real dollars, yes. His cap hit is 6.5

But the cap is completely irrelevant to the Sens. They can retain as much as needed without worrying about retaining real salary.

 

[13pacheco31]

But the cap is completely irrelevant to the Sens. They can retain as much as needed without worrying about retaining real salary.

I think the problem is really more even at 50% retained, who wants to take him?

 

[bert]

They traded a 2nd for him. I can't imagine why.

No one can in Ottawa, well except for a few very vocal members of our board. @swiftwin will find a way to try and spin this into a positive. Its just the hf sens echo chamber in reality it was actually a good idea.

 

[GoldiFox]

Stepan @ 50% retained for Ryan Dzingel

Cap hit is even. Both are UFA this offseason. Stepan is a better depth fit on the 4th line for the Canes. With the potential to move up the lineup if/when injuries hit. Ottawa could possibly recoup a 2nd on Dzingel if deployed right.

 

[swiftwin]

No one can in Ottawa, well except for a few very vocal members of our board. @swiftwin will find a way to try and spin this into a positive. Its just the hf sens echo chamber in reality it was actually a good idea.

Here you go again, personally attacking me, and putting words in my mouth. Why are you so obsessed with me?

This trade was not a good one. I have been open about bad moves in the past, and will continue to do so in the future.

 

[DingDongCharlie]

But the cap is completely irrelevant to the Sens. They can retain as much as needed without worrying about retaining real salary.

Even with retention at 50% how many clubs want 3.25 million on the cap for Stepan and have to give up an asset. Most teams don’t even have that cap space either. Is Ottawa going to trade him for another bad contract that likely has a higher dollar owed amount? Doubtful.

 

[Canuck86]

Who can trade for him with his cap hit?

L. Eriksson

 

[Clamshells]

No one would miss Stepan or Smith if either or both had to go. I'd say dump Smith first.

 

[DingDongCharlie]

Ottawa will shop him and when they don’t find a taker Dorion will have to fire Smith. Eugene wants to see improvement on the ice. Dorion I’m sure knew this wasn’t a playoff club but expected better than 1 win in 10 games. Something has to give right or wrong and if the player and coach are that at odds he’s on the hot seat to fix it.

Ottawa is going to likely get their teeth kicked in on this next stretch of games till the 18th. Run with Smith. Can him after the road trip and bring in Gallant and start putting a bigger importance on playing the kids.

 

[BKarchitect]

The Sens could've sucked this year but in a fun way. A young, rebuilding, we are figuring this out kind of way.

They had a GREAT farm team in Binghamton with lots of seasoned prospects with very little left to prove in the AHL. They could have really started to saturate their team with these guys - all proven at lower levels, all with a lot of continuity from time together in the AHL. Maybe one or two additions - but start seeing what these older prospects have at the NHL level. There will be ups and downs but you roll with it knowing you are building something.

Instead the Sens went out and got: Alex Galchenyuk, who is both a bad player and not even used. Micheal Haley to goon things up. Both Austin Watson and Cedric Paquette...for reasons. The rotting and expensive corpse of Derek Stepan. The holy trinity of defensive pylons in Erik Gudbranson, Josh Brown and Brayden Coburn. And yes, guys like Anisimov STILL on the team.

Meanwhile Colin White, who they've invested heavily in - is in and out of the line-up. Logan Brown and Brannstrom still can't even get NHL ice time and it's hard to tell at this point if they are amazing prospects getting completely shafted or just not good enough to beat out a bunch of grinders and retreads. And guys like Chlapik, Zub, Balcers, Jaros, etc - not world beaters but younger cheap guys who you might want to see more of at the NHL level - either not playing or lost because the GM went crazy collecting as many useless one-way contracts as he could in the off-season.

There was this very, very faulty logic at the time that the Sens were going to be able to turn all these signings into draft pick gold. Galchenyuk was going to get them a 2nd or 3rd rounder scoring at a 50 point pace even though he's a player a contending team wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole. Stepan was going to get more than he cost at the TDL because...well...for some reason he just was. All these guys...the Sens can just trade them away for picks so it's just free money.

Except that it's not. And now the Sens are both bad and almost unbearable to watch outside of the Stutzle show. And nobody wanted these guys (much if at all) this off-season and they are going to be wanted even less now. The Sens will probably be fine in the long-run...they have too much prospect and draft capital...unless Dorion and Smith simply spend the summer of 2021 repeating this exact same process which you can't put it past them.

 

[smoneil]

Yeah, that's a tough one. Not sure if something like Dubinsky's cap hit, a draft pick / prospect, and two large pizzas could work? I forget if Melnyk has refused to retain money before, but in this case it wouldn't be as bad since Stepan was only due (a prorated) 2 million this season.

That's actually a really solid idea. Both Dub and Stepan's contracts expire at the end of the year, Dubinsky is on IR, so he wouldn't cost, and Step would give Columbus a center to help fill the gap from PLD (and Stepan's best years came under Torts).

As a Rangers fan, I'd offer Strome for Stepan (either with retention to even up the salaries or with a pick). It offers the Rangers a shorter-term place-holder for that 2C spot and also a veteran PK center, which we could really use.

 

[Mike Jones]

L. Eriksson

You must hate the Sens.

 

[4Twenty]

He sucks. I can't believe they didn't make you guys pay the 2nd to get rid of him.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Sens have the worst pro-scouting group in the entire league.

IT is shocking how bad many teams pro scouting depts and coaching staffs are.

Hockey seems like it's run by a gaggle of clowns league wide

 

[Web In Front]

Stepan for DeAngelo?