Free Agency Looms, Fallout from the Draft, Senators Speculations
It’s your Monday Links, News, and Notes
- In a pre Alex-DeBrincat-to-the-Ottawa-Senators paradigm I may have had Filip Forsberg at the top of my list for UFAs to pursue (see also Trochek, Vincent or Jarnkrok, Calle). But alas, the Nashville Predators have done the reasonable thing and extended their franchise player long-term. Meanwhile, Ville Husso, Alex Georgiev, and Vitek Vanecek have all found new homes (with the former two garnering new contracts) in deals that all make Ottawa’s Matt Murray trade and sign look that much worse in hindsight (20/20, yes I know). Also rumours continue to swirl that Ottawa might actually move Murray (in Murray’s defence, he had a decent season when healthy) to anyone willing to pay his salary. I don’t even want to know about the sweeteners.
- Garrioch went over said rumours and then some in his latest and added the name Alex Formenton to the list of Senators potentially on the move (joining the likes of Murray and Connor Brown). I don’t love the idea of trading away one of the best skaters in the league but if Ottawa includes Formenton in a package to acquire a bona fide top-four RHD then maybe I guess I’m listening? Still, good luck trading Nikita Zaitsev and Murray in this market.
- Over at CBC’s The Buzzer, Myles Dichter gave a rundown of Canada’s seven teams post-draft and pre-free agency and their respective situations. Most of these storylines we already know (Toronto and Edmonton still need goaltenders and defence in case you didn’t know), but some of us would like to see some resolution regarding the fates of Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk. Also, Claude Giroux, please come to Ottawa.
- Garrioch also did a little synopsis on Ottawa’s picks from rounds two through seven from the entry draft (not as good as our coverage though!) ahead of Ottawa’s forthcoming development camp here in the nation’s capital. I do genuinely enjoy reading the blurbs from Ottawa’s scouting department on their picks. Nothing here really deviates from the script (we already know this organization values size). Colour me stoked to see Oliver Johansson and Tomas Hamara at camp. Speaking of rumours.
- Wayne Scanlan shares his and Pierre Dorion’s thoughts about the DeBrincat acquisition for the Sens and how the next few days should shake out with free agency and contract negotiations on the horizon. Even without knowing how things will pan out longterm with DeBrincat contract-wise, how can you not feel absolutely thrilled about the prospect of seeing him on a line with Tim Stützle if only for a couple of seasons. No matter how poorly the Matt Duchene trade aged, he and Mark Stone destroyed shit together.
- And finally, over at the Athletic they probably also had things to say about the draft and free agency and stuff [paywall]./
