The case for Dustin Penner

by Joebo on Feb 21, 2011 4:44 PM EST

Brian Burke has said he's going to deal a little more as a buyer this week, and specifically that he has interest in Dustin Penner.

Despite Bryan Murray's seeming directive to clean up and set the table with draft picks for the next GM, I wonder whether he shouldn't take a look at Penner as well. Here's the case:

Why should the Sens look at him?:

His stats are reasonable as a 1st liner/excellent for a 2nd line, with a salary in line for that spot
He would be #1 on the team in points and goals at this point
He'd be #1 in size (currently Carkner is the biggest, Penner is same height but 10 lbs heavier)
He wouldn't be on the Leafs
He's got a little *cough* playoff experience :(

I think there's a top-6 spot for him next year, given that Kovalev is most likely going to be shipped out soon (and won't be back) and none of the rookies other than Butler look ready to play in the top 6:

Michalek - Spezza - Butler
Penner - Regin - Alfredsson
Foligno - Winchester - Neil
Shannon - Smith - (next best prospect)

What do you think?

Poll

Should Bryan Murray trade for Dustin Penner by the deadline?

Heck yeah, let's get this done! Pay whatever it takes to keep him off the Leafs!

4 votes

Murray should make a bid without selling the farm, and risk having him be the guy that falls on Anderson and Lehner next year if he goes to the Leafs

34 votes

Pshah - who's Penner? I eat Paneer for supper... no trade!

16 votes

54 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

He's like Fisher in terms of production and cap hit

Makes no sense to trade Fisher and then to acquire him. Not sure what he will cost though in terms of trade.

Also, I would like to think that our draft pick will be in the top 6, whether it’s Regin’s 2nd line spot, or Penner’s 2nd line spot.

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

by Adnan on Feb 21, 2011 5:00 PM EST reply actions

Rush em in?

Are the top prospects in the coming draft ready to step in right away, a la Hall, Seguin, etc?

How about trading Regin + lower pick (not our top one) for Penner, and then lining him up next to our #1 pick at center + Alfie??

I agree it’s trading sideways if we flipped Nashville’s #1 for Penner (although we might still get the 2nd/3rd rounder), although I think Penner plays a more effective power F game.

by Joebo on Feb 21, 2011 6:13 PM EST up reply actions

I agree. He is the type of player Ottawa is trying to get rid of, not bring in. This move would seem to go against everything we have seen so far of “the plan”.

by Barnsley Pal on Feb 22, 2011 3:26 PM EST up reply actions

I like this idea a lot

But he’s not a player I feel we should overpay for. The deadline is all about overpaying, so now isn’t the right time to make the deal. I’d like to wait until the season has ended before we did anything. That way we’d have a good idea of the value of our picks, which would let us make a better deal.

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by Mark Parisi on Feb 21, 2011 8:05 PM EST reply actions

I like picking him up

But I like picking him up in the off-season.

Also, if the Sens sign him and don’t play him alongside Spezza, they’d be wasting his talent. I think he’d be really solid with a setup man like Spezz.

An Ottawa Senators fan blogging at www.silversevensens.com

by Peter Raaymakers on Feb 21, 2011 9:52 PM EST reply actions

Yep

I think he’d be better with Spezza than Michalek, who has never really shown that he excels with Spezza. Probably because Michalek’s all about speed, whereas Spezza is all about slowing things down and slick passes.

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by DarrenM on Feb 22, 2011 1:51 AM EST up reply actions

Also, Michalek with Alfredsson and a decent centreman on the second line seems like a natural fit. As Alfie slows down, Mickey seems to be getting his speed back, so they should offset one another; as long as the centreman (I assume it would be Regin) can keep up, it would make for a solid two-way line.

Throw Butler on the Penner-Spezza line to see how he does, and you’ve got plenty of options for Spezza to set guys up.

An Ottawa Senators fan blogging at www.silversevensens.com

by Peter Raaymakers on Feb 22, 2011 10:04 AM EST up reply actions

I don't like the idea of Butler on the first line.

Too much pressure with too few games. If the Sens were to go this route, they’d need to find a high-end RW (cough-Parise-cough) to play with Spezza. Let Butler play a year on the third line with, say, Regin and Condra (my phone autocorrected this to Contra. AWESOME!). Then he’s ready to move up to the second line to play with Michalek and Couturier (I’ve already drafted him in my head) when Alfie retires.

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by Mark Parisi on Feb 22, 2011 12:05 PM EST up reply actions

I feel Butler is wasted if not on a top six spot.

He has one real skill: he scores goals. His all around game isnt good enough to be a third liner. Not a lot of defensive awareness, and not much size. He needs to play with a playmaker, so he can score some goals.

that being said, if we can get parise, I dont care where butler plays

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by DaveYoung on Feb 22, 2011 12:36 PM EST up reply actions

I agree wholeheartedly

I think the best thing the Sens can do with Butler, much like Lehner, is put him in a situation to succeed. I feel a third line of him, Regin and Condra would be both fast and responsible. They wouldn’t be facing top players, so they should be able to really maximize those minutes. Butler gains confidence and becomes ready for his top six spot. It’s brilliant, brilliant, I tell you!

Silver Seven - The Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators Blogs

by Mark Parisi on Feb 22, 2011 2:04 PM EST up reply actions

Not very consistent

I remember this deal and Edmonton way overpaid for him. He’s not top line material and I’ve seen him not show up some nights. Granted it’s on an Edmonton team that’s all over the map some nights but early in the season he was one of those who got a lot of press on his inconsistent play.

by Hockey Playoff Run SensFan on Feb 21, 2011 11:58 PM EST reply actions

I would consider looking at him in the off-season.

Everyone is overpaid at this time of the year, which is awesome when we are sending players out.

by Los Blancos Chicca on Feb 22, 2011 8:22 AM EST reply actions

What the Oil need for Penner

I think we had our chance at Penner and a certain San Jose Shark nixed that one. Now what the Oilers need is not what we have to sell. If Kevin Lowe has his head screwed on properly, they need to draft Adam Larsson and have him develop really fast and they need to add another good young defensive dman to go along with all of these developing forwards that they have.

To get Penner, I imagine we probably need to win the first overall and grab Larsson ahead of the Oilers. Then we wouldn’t get the young inexpensive gunner that we need, as the best of those gunners will be long gone by the time we get to Nashville’s pick.

by Marvellous on Feb 22, 2011 10:08 AM EST reply actions

I think I'd take a pass

We’re not even one year into our rebuild, I don’t think we should be taking on any expensive players just yet. I think we should at least wait until we draft this year and then play out next season, maybe look at some UFA’s in the summer of 2012.

by Smiles on Feb 22, 2011 11:29 AM EST reply actions