[browna]

Why all this sign and trade talk as far as the mechanism in this situation?

IIRC The sign and trade in basketball is a thing because they have the rules that teams that drafted those players can sign that player for a year longer and more money then another team could, which is why the signing is done by the current team, before the trade of that player to a new team, so the player gets more money and the new team gets a longer term then if that new team just signed the player as a UFA.

NHL doesn't have that stipulation, thus no advantage. If any team like the Flames wanted to extend Stone, they would want to be the ones to do the contract extensions, not leave it in the hands of the Sens. If the Flames are granted permission pre trade as part of the process in talking extending Stone (which they'd want to be a part of) why not negotiate the contract, make the trade and then sign the extension after the trade?

Its semantics I guess, but I can't see the Sens giving Stone some contract without the team or teams looking to trade for him, being fully part of the terms of that contract.

As for Duhas return, I think that looks a bit light. My guess is Sens would want Bennett as part of a package for an extended Stone.