- Zibanejad plus a 2nd round pick for Brassard plus a 5th round pick
- Trading up to draft Logan Brown in 2016
- 4-year contract extension for Zach Smith
- Trading Lazar for a scrub and a 2nd round pick (used on Alex Formenton)
- Burning year one of ELC for Colin White with late season call-up and one playoff game
- Signing Condon to a 3-year contract extension
- Signing Nate Thompson to a 2-year deal (AAV $1.65 mil)
Are we defining moves by waiting to see how they turn out, or are we defining them based on what we felt would be the right course of action with what we knew at the time?
If it's the latter...
- Zibanejad plus a 2nd round pick for Brassard plus a 5th round pick
Solid move. Zibanejad had consistency issues dating back to the Paul MacLean days. He had TONS of upside and there's an element to this trade where you know he could break out and make the Sens look foolish for pulling the trigger, but the reality is if Zib's lack of consistency was part of the reason for making this move even know he is younger the Sens probably only have 3 more years of him due to arbitration and not wanting to commit big money to a long term deal. We got what was supposed to be a comparable player with added vet experience and leadership skills locked down at 3.33M in real money. At the time, this was a solid move.
- Trading up to draft Logan Brown in 2016
A big topic on this forum is how badly this team needs a franchise center. Brown was labeled as a hugely risky boom/bust pick who had that potential. Aside from some people being embarrassed because they felt Dorion got hustled out of a 3rd round pick, go back and read the draft GDT, a good majority of posters here were hoping for Logan Brown. Now this pick could go sideways in the future, but again, at the time it should be considered a positive move.
- 4-year contract extension for Zach Smith
25 goals the year before, was red hot when put with Brassard and Stone. Looked like he could hit 20 again. Look at Matt Beleskey for an example of what that kind of forward might attract in terms of UFA offers. Solid contract extension at the time....
- Trading Lazar for a scrub and a 2nd round pick (used on Alex Formenton)
This is a two sided move. The team made a big mistake by keeping Lazar up past his waiver exemption GP limit, but at the same time he would have had to be waived at training camp this upcoming season if he didn't make the team. I firmly believe Lazar will become a solid bottom 6 forward and that Calgary got a great deal here, but at the same point this seems like the type of scenario where Lazar needed a change of scenery and wasn't going to make it on Guy Boucher's Senators. A negative for not keeping him in the AHL, neutral for the return.
- Burning year one of ELC for Colin White with late season call-up and one playoff game
Burning a year of a blue chip prospects ELC who no longer qualifies for an ELC slide is almost customary in the NHL. This is why the proposal of White taking an ATO was so baffling. I wouldn't consider this a big enough deal to be on the list as a positive or a negative because it's pretty much what happens in the NHL with these kind of prospects. Although, having White around the team and in the room in a deep run like the Senators had was probably a big positive.
- Signing Condon to a 3-year contract extension
There's some risk in the extension, and I don't think Condon has the upside to be anything more than an average starter. He also got a bigger contract than I expected. With that in mind, the only people who I'd imagine would call the extension a bad move are those who believe we could have magically had him for cheaper. There were multiple teams in on him including the Leafs. Craig Anderson will be 37 at the end of this season and Driedger/Hogberg have zero NHL experience up to this point. If people were polled under the premise of "Offer Condon a 3 year 2.6M contract, or else he walks away and we lose him" I think most people would take the contract. From that point, I'd qualify it as a good move.
- Signing Nate Thompson to a 2-year deal (AAV $1.65 mil)
Not counting Nate Thompson, and how the Lazar situation unfolded, all of those above were very solid moves at the time. All have potential to unravel and end up bad. But it comes down to this, do we want to judge moves in hindsight, or judge them with what we knew at the time?
None are HOMERUNS. But if people need every move their GM makes to be a homerun, they are going to be perpetually dissatisfied.