A quick recap of Senators trades

by Mark Parisi on Feb 20, 2011 7:00 AM EST in Analysis

Bryan Murray, shocked that someone hasn't heard of Jenga. (Photo by Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images)

Maybe this weekend you were watching a game and wondering, "Who the hell is Colin Greening?" Or maybe you were saying to yourself, "Uh, is Chris Kelly hurt?" Or maybe you were thinking, "Why is our goalie suddenly positioned correctly in front of the post?" Maybe you weren't thinking any of those things. I don't really know. What I do know is that this has been a tumultuous week for the Senators, and a lot of familiar faces aren't around anymore.

Essentially, once Mike Fisher was traded, GM Bryan Murray screamed, "JENGA!" and it's been a free-for-all ever since. As of Sunday, here's where we're at:

Mike Fisher traded to Nashville for Nashville's 1st round pick and a conditional 2012 draft pick. Here's our analysis.
Chris Kelly traded to Boston for Boston's 2nd round pick. This one caught a lot of people by surprise, but Peter has some good analysis here.
Jarkko Ruutu traded to Anaheim for a 6th round pick. Ruutu had been an obvious part of Senate Reform since it was clear the team was going that route. Discussion of the move is here.
Brian Elliott traded to Colorado for Craig Anderson. Not on anyone's radar, you can talk about it right here.

Not to toot our own horn, but our "Senators for Sale" series has done a pretty good job of predicting what the team might get in return for the players we think might be traded. If you missed it, here are the remaining candidates to get the dreaded scarlet letter.

Check them out. It's been a wild week, and there's no sign of Bryan Murray stopping anytime soon. Stick with us as we try to make sense of the carnage together.

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Comments

I like carnage

I still think they should keep Campoli and Lee. They are inexpensive and who are you going to get as a cheap free agent this summer.

by Hockey Playoff Run SensFan on Feb 20, 2011 8:56 AM EST reply actions

Cowen and Rundblad are going to cheap with their entry deals starting

Mariners, Senators, Trail Blazers, Seahawks fan that also covers the Ottawa Senators prospects for Silver Seven. All from Sunrise, FL. And I do for you guys! Silver Seven

by Alexander Calloway on Feb 20, 2011 9:06 AM EST up reply actions

Actually, their cap hits will make them more expensive than Lee

Probably around the same salary as Campoli. But if they don’t hit their bonuses, you’re right, they’ll probably be cheaper.

An Ottawa Senators fan blogging at www.silversevensens.com

by Peter Raaymakers on Feb 20, 2011 10:18 AM EST up reply actions

Experience

This team will need some experience “D” . You really want to have Cowen and Rundblad to be playing 25 minutes a night

by Hockey Playoff Run SensFan on Feb 20, 2011 10:20 AM EST up reply actions

Why not?

Cowen got size and will be 21 when the season starts, and Rundblad will likely get the same ice time as Karlsson did last season. These guys aren’t your typical rookies, both were drafted two years ago, are should have an impact in their second years.

Mariners, Senators, Trail Blazers, Seahawks fan that also covers the Ottawa Senators prospects for Silver Seven. All from Sunrise, FL. And I do for you guys! Silver Seven

by Alexander Calloway on Feb 20, 2011 10:22 AM EST up reply actions

that's true

But the game changes once these guys play in the NHL. It’s happens far too often and the fact that our forwards are going to be equally young means they will see the puck a lot trying to defend our zone. It’s a long season and a tough grind.

by Hockey Playoff Run SensFan on Feb 20, 2011 10:27 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah but it pays off

Chicago did with Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith, both started their rookie seasons in 05-06 and look at them now.

Mariners, Senators, Trail Blazers, Seahawks fan that also covers the Ottawa Senators prospects for Silver Seven. All from Sunrise, FL. And I do for you guys! Silver Seven

by Alexander Calloway on Feb 20, 2011 10:32 AM EST up reply actions

true again

by Hockey Playoff Run SensFan on Feb 20, 2011 11:21 AM EST up reply actions

They also did it with Cam Barker

And he’s been a healthy scratch a bunch of times this season.

I think they’ll both have a good chance, but I don’t want to assume they’ll be fine in the bigs without seeing them prove it. Rundblad hasn’t even been through an NHL training camp.

An Ottawa Senators fan blogging at www.silversevensens.com

by Peter Raaymakers on Feb 20, 2011 2:27 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah but he's clearly got the talent

He may start the year in Binghamton, but I don’t think he’ll finish the year there.

Mariners, Senators, Trail Blazers, Seahawks fan that also covers the Ottawa Senators prospects for Silver Seven. All from Sunrise, FL. And I do for you guys! Silver Seven

by Alexander Calloway on Feb 20, 2011 6:47 PM EST up reply actions

Clear out Kuba and maybe Gonchar and/or Phillips

There could be room for Campoli and even Lee next season if Murray clears out most of the long in the tooth defenders on this year’s team. Kuba should be gone even if it takes a buy-out. Gonchar probably should be traded, too, since the Sens are not going to contend during the rest of his contract. Phillips could be re-signed if he will take a lesser contract and he could play with and mentor Cowen. Also, lately, I have felt that the Phillips-Lee combination has been pretty good.

Anyway, for me, one of the biggest thing the Senators need going forward is a reliable partner to play with Karlsson. Hale and Sutton seem to have been his best partners so far. Maybe down the road Cowen will be the guy. In the meantime, I wonder if Karlsson-Carkner would make any sense.

by DW19 on Feb 21, 2011 10:09 AM EST up reply actions

If Carkner can regain his game it would be an asset, he could protect the kid from goons like Cooke who like to take out defenseman. Carkners game is simple and that could make it a no go. Karlsson needs someone with some skill to either pass to or receive a pass from. Carkner tends to dump the puck out, make a safe play given his skill set.

by Hockey Playoff Run SensFan on Feb 21, 2011 10:38 AM EST up reply actions

If I'm correct, those two were older when they started than Cowen and Rundblad

more seasoning in AHL.

Silver Seven: the Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators blogs.

by DarrenM on Feb 20, 2011 7:11 PM EST up reply actions

Seabrook had 3 games of AHL experience

He also started when he was 21, I think. Duncan Keith however, played two full seasons in the AHL before starting.

Mariners, Senators, Trail Blazers, Seahawks fan that also covers the Ottawa Senators prospects for Silver Seven. All from Sunrise, FL. And I do for you guys! Silver Seven

by Alexander Calloway on Feb 20, 2011 7:15 PM EST up reply actions

The Senate Reform is well underway

I wonder what Anderson means to it. We still don’t know what he represents for the team—it’s hard to believe he can steal every game with a 50-save shutout—but that sure was a good first impression.

An Ottawa Senators fan blogging at www.silversevensens.com

by Peter Raaymakers on Feb 20, 2011 10:19 AM EST reply actions

He's a stopgap

He will fill in nicely until Lehner is ready if he continues to play at the level he’s shown so far. No one talks about Leclair either, is it assumed he’s gone?

by Hockey Playoff Run SensFan on Feb 20, 2011 10:23 AM EST up reply actions

He's still in Ottawa

And it’s looks like Snoopy days in Ottawa are done. So he’s going to be the backup for a while.

Mariners, Senators, Trail Blazers, Seahawks fan that also covers the Ottawa Senators prospects for Silver Seven. All from Sunrise, FL. And I do for you guys! Silver Seven

by Alexander Calloway on Feb 20, 2011 10:24 AM EST up reply actions

keep leclaire..

i think we should re-sign Leclaire for a year if he comes cheap (prob will cuz risk of injuries)…He has shown some flashes of brilliance and it would be a waste to let him walk…. If we go with Anderson and Leclaire next year we have two potential starters and will give us a chance to see who can steal the spot. Then when leclaire gets injured.. which he will… we bring up Lehner and let him get some more nhl starts. I think keeping Lehner in the minors next year would be a good idea based on the kind of team the sens will be next year.

by Eric Cartman on Feb 20, 2011 11:50 AM EST up reply actions

I'd much rather go the Alex Auld route and sign a guy to be the backup for 82 games, not 40 like Leclaire will provide

Shake'n Snake - Silver Seven - The Classic Blog

by Ryan Classic on Feb 20, 2011 3:57 PM EST up reply actions

Ditto

Leclaire isn’t backup material. Even if he can avoid the injuries (highly doubtful), he needs to play a bunch of games to get his rhythm going.

Better to sign someone line Hedberg, Auld, or Garon, or even Theodore, Niemi, or Harding.

An Ottawa Senators fan blogging at www.silversevensens.com

by Peter Raaymakers on Feb 20, 2011 4:01 PM EST up reply actions

Clean slate for LeClaire

The poor guy has had terrible luck in Ottawa. He needs a fresh start somewhere else. If the Sens want Lehner to spend a year developing in Bingo then I totally agree they should go for a Auld-type of career backup to partner Anderson(assuming he re-signs).

by DW19 on Feb 21, 2011 10:12 AM EST up reply actions

Leclaire can't play backup. Last time he was a backup on the bench he got HIT IN THE FACE.

by The Tif on Feb 20, 2011 6:40 PM EST up reply actions

He can the guy who platoons with Lehner

He’s shown he can be starter, and he won’t eat up too much cash in an extension.

Mariners, Senators, Trail Blazers, Seahawks fan that also covers the Ottawa Senators prospects for Silver Seven. All from Sunrise, FL. And I do for you guys! Silver Seven

by Alexander Calloway on Feb 20, 2011 10:23 AM EST up reply actions

It looks as if the Anderson trade is the only one we needed to make!

We’re certainly not used to seeing the Sens win a game that they should have lost, gotta wonder though if we had Fisher and Kelly would the score have been 3-0?

Probably not.

by oldmonk on Feb 20, 2011 11:42 AM EST reply actions

Well it's only been a game

Let’s not give him the key to the city yet.

Mariners, Senators, Trail Blazers, Seahawks fan that also covers the Ottawa Senators prospects for Silver Seven. All from Sunrise, FL. And I do for you guys! Silver Seven

by Alexander Calloway on Feb 20, 2011 11:44 AM EST up reply actions

Are you still thinking cup??

by Hockey Playoff Run SensFan on Feb 20, 2011 1:16 PM EST up reply actions

Off topic

I’m watching Minnesota vs Detroit and I just saw Havlat on a breakaway score a beauty. Ahh the memories.

by Hockey Playoff Run SensFan on Feb 20, 2011 2:39 PM EST reply actions

sigh

He is the reason I am a Senators fan.

Trying to be Erik Karlsson's agent since October, 2010.

by Adnan on Feb 20, 2011 2:56 PM EST up reply actions

Havlat was great

He was awesome when he played for the Senators. I haven’t followed him much since then, but when he is healthy he is one of the league’s most exciting players.

by DW19 on Feb 21, 2011 10:14 AM EST up reply actions

took me out of my seat every night

by Hockey Playoff Run SensFan on Feb 21, 2011 10:39 AM EST up reply actions

The caption on the Murray photo gets my early vote for caption of the year

Shake'n Snake - Silver Seven - The Classic Blog

by Ryan Classic on Feb 20, 2011 3:58 PM EST reply actions

I was going to ask you to Photoshop something for me, but then I found this and it was perfect.

Silver Seven - The Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators Blogs

by Mark Parisi on Feb 20, 2011 4:11 PM EST up reply actions

Absolutely. That trumps anything I could've Photoshopped.

Shake'n Snake - Silver Seven - The Classic Blog

by Ryan Classic on Feb 20, 2011 4:25 PM EST up reply actions

"once Mike Fisher was traded, GM Bryan Murray screamed, "JENGA!"

Lines like this are why I read SSS for my Senators news, and not TSN, the Sun or anywhere else.

That, and because here everyone gets the Z. Smith “doesn’t give a crap” reference.

by The Tif on Feb 20, 2011 6:41 PM EST reply actions

Kuba, Kovalev, Gonchar

Those are the guys that should be moved for their own good as well as the good of the Senators.

by DW19 on Feb 21, 2011 10:16 AM EST reply actions

are 3 faces you better get used to looking at

for the rest of the season anyway. You think others will want them? Of those three, I give Kovalev the best chance of going because his contract is done at the end of the year. Otherwise, D-injuries around the league or not, these guys’ contracts are an albatross we’re likely gonna have to wear.

I just hope Campoli isn’t the fall guy because of it.

by west-sider on Feb 21, 2011 12:14 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah

If Kuba were in the last year of his contract, it might be possible to move him on account of the many injuries to defensemen this season, but I can’t see anyone else wanting the last year of his contract when their regular defensemen are healthy by next season.

by JonathanA on Feb 21, 2011 8:14 PM EST up reply actions