Sens pay a 5th round pick to acquire goaltender protection via Condon
It didn’t take long for speculation about Ottawa’s uncertain goaltending situation to turn into action. With Craig Anderson’s status on a day-to-day basis due to his family situation, and Andrew Hammond’s groin injury, GM Pierre Dorion acquired insurance today in the form of ex-Habs and Pens ‘tender, Mike Condon.
News Release: #Sens acquire goaltender Mike Condon from the Pittsburgh: https://t.co/5FsFxuqHn0
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) November 2, 2016
In speaking to both the media and TSN1200 today on the return of Thomas Chabot to junior, GM Pierre Dorion noted that he’d be finding out Andrew Hammond’s injury status later today. Though this is just speculation, it’s safe to say that the update Dorion received on Hammond wasn’t great and that the team was uncomfortable keeping the Binghamton Senators tandem of Chris Driedger and Matt O’Connor both in Ottawa when the two young players, both on expiring RFA deals, need ice time in order to fight for a spot with the organization next year.
Even when Hammond healthy & assuming Anderson on roster, OTT plan for foreseeable future is to carry 3 goalies (Anderson, Hammond, Condon).
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) November 2, 2016
Condon is a UFA at the end of the season, and since he’s guaranteed $575K regardless of where he plays, it makes sense to keep him as the third goalie up in Ottawa. Not that it matters that much, but the team also ends up saving ~$310K in cap space with this move.
The Penguins claimed Mike Condon 3 weeks ago, gave him 20 minutes in a blowout, and then flipped him for a 5th. Tidy piece of business.
— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) November 2, 2016
The price, a 5th round pick, seems steep to me for a players that was just on waivers last month. In terms of draft pick value, there really isn’t that much difference between a 3rd rounder and a 5th rounder, so I’m interested in why the price for Condon was so high despite the rash of goalie injuries around the league. As our former dear leader Peter Raaymakers noted, Kari Ramo, Dan Ellis, Anders Lindback, and Ray Emery were all UFA options that could’ve been signed for only a monetary acquisition cost.
The best rationale, for me, comes from A:
scenario in which he feels he can say "yes, I will go be with my family" presumably this does this once Hammond is healthy
— A (@millvsSPQR) November 2, 2016
On a related note, Matt O’Connor has been reassigned to Bingo.
Following the Condon deal, the #Sens will reassign goaltender Matt O'Connor to @SenatorsAHL.
— Sens communications (@Media_Sens) November 2, 2016
