I would argue that if its even possible, like if Philly ever puts the option on the table, and Giroux is down with getting traded home to the Sens mid-season (and then extending his contract here immediately) - then it would be ultra-prudent for the Sens to jump all over that before anyone changes their mind about it. Or before another team swoops in.
Ottawa fans should not just assume that he can be signed as a UFA, imo. While we do seemingly have one of the inside tracks on signing him beyond this seasons - so much can happen between now and the time he turns UFA.
You just dont let the opportunity to improve your team by that much slip away, and passively wait/pray that it just falls on your lap sometime later on... Not by my playbook anyways. Not for a team with the prestige level (or lack thereof) of the Ottawa Senators - we dont get that luxury.
He has a NMC, no one is swooping in to pick him up in a trade. If he is ok going to Ottawa, great, see you in the summer. All of these ‘he may not sign as a UFA in the summer so we better trade for him now’ arguments are seriously flawed.
First, he has to waive to be traded here. If he is willing to be traded here, then that would be a good indicator that he would also be willing to sign here for free in the summer.
Second, if we trade for him, we STILL have to sign him as a pending UFA either in the remaining months of the season, or in the summer. Either way we still have to convince the guy to sign with us for next season.
Sure, we’d have a few months of exclusivity to negotiate, which could be handy, but that could also backfire if he has his fill with the hometown team (box checked, now time to chase a cup). In my opinion that ‘chance’ is not even remotely worth Boucher, or our first rounder this draft, like laughably not.
I am completely against getting the idea of falling in love with the idea that we need CG to ‘vastly improve’ our roster this season, or that he’s going to raise the prestige level. He won’t, he would be a nice veteran add in the twilight of is career, but he isn’t going to outshine any of the kids in Ottawa, outside of perhaps is friends and family.
He is absolutely a potential add that would be awesome to make, that should without question be done in the summer when we don’t have to give up a single asset, let alone a first round pick in a deep draft, or a current developing top 10 pick. I doubt CG would even want us to help out a potential rival at his new team’s expense, just for a handful more games.
Patience is key, and patience here is a no brainer.