[Trade] Sens acquire Brassard + 2018 7th from Rangers for Zibanejad + 2018 2nd

[Locke]

Originally Posted by automaton 3

Never been very impressed by Zibanejad, seems like a one-dimensional player. I think Brassard is and will continue to be the better player.

Actual dollars for Brassard is $10M over 3 years - I think that is good value for the Sens.

Right, but look at the other point here, the Sens sold out cheap on a younger, potentially better (future) asset, in conjunction with a 2nd round pick, in order to save a few bucks right now.

I'll grant that right now Brassard is the better player but right now Ottawa is the worse team, so it really doesnt matter.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Locke

Right, but look at the other point here, the Sens sold out cheap on a younger, potentially better (future) asset, in conjunction with a 2nd round pick, in order to save a few bucks right now.

I'll grant that right now Brassard is the better player but right now Ottawa is the worse team, so it really doesnt matter.

How does it not matter? If he's the better player, they got better. Isn't that the point?

[Coach]

Didn't re3alize Brassard's age. I thought he wasn't much older than Zibanejad.

[Sylvanfan]

My numbers are wrong, it's going to be 13 total for Brassard over the next 3 seasons, 3 of his salary they pay this year, plus 5 the next two years.

I guess they likely thought Zibanejad could have had a good case for a 2 year deal at 6 million a year, plus the arbitration factor.

Either way they likely expect to have a UFA player in 3 years time that they don't want to pay. They can afford the cap space with Brassard and the remaining dollars owed. With Zibanejad, they see the risk with the arbitration eligibility.

The Sens were actually very successful in the late 90's and early 00's operating on a low budget. The shift that's occurred now is that the young 23-28 guys who used to be cost effective in the pre-cap system, aren't necessarily the most cost effective guys now.

[billybob123]

Zibanejad was great in the shootout. Something like 45% career. Sens seem to go to SO pretty often, this may hurt.

[MarkGio]

Jeez Ottawa is cheap and dumb.

[greentree]

"We felt Mika has great potential down the road, but we felt with Derick we were getting someone that was more proven, and a better hockey player at this point in time," Senators GM Pierre Dorion said, according to Pro Hockey Talk. "Our ultimate goal is to make the playoffs again, and we feel Derick's going to help us make the playoffs."

https://www.nhl.com/news/mika-zibane...?tid=278542340

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

My numbers are wrong, it's going to be 13 total for Brassard over the next 3 seasons, 3 of his salary they pay this year, plus 5 the next two years.

No you were originally correct. Brassard is owed $10 million over the next 3 seasons. While his cap hit is $5 million, the salary breakdown is as follows:

14/15 $7 mil
15/16 $6 mil
16/17 $5 mil - $2 million already payed out by the Rangers in a signing bonus
17/18 $3.5 mil
18/19 $3.5 mil

While his cap hit for the next 3 seasons combined is $15 million, the Senators will only be paying him $10 million.

source:http://www.generalfanager.com/players/1369

Factor in that Zibanejad is likely going to be paid a lot more than $3.5 million from 17-19, Senators save themselves some cash.

[savardandjokinen]

Pierre Dorion's career is off to a great start!! Not...

[Geeoff]

The more I think about it, the more this makes sense for the Sens. When Kyle Turris went down, Sens didn't have a decent centre. And when Turris came back, he was terrible. Good insurance policy.

[Vinny01]

Ottawa is definitely a treadmill team. Going nowhere fast

[Matt Reeeeead]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Ottawa is definitely a treadmill team. Going nowhere fast

Agreed. Moves like this and Phaneuf are the type of moves that put you firmly in the middle (when things are going well). Putting them on the wrong side of the aging curve, and with little future benefit. I think it makes them top out as a mid tier team.

One thing to realize is that they do have an internal budget below the cap, and these young, producing RFA's are getting a lot of money relative to their production. In real terms Brassard costs them $3.5 per year... Zib might be more like $5M. Over the term of the next 3 years they might save about $3M in real dollars. It's not a ton but does maybe give them flexibility to add an additional piece in the next few years.

To me, these are the kind of moves that Sutter used to have a vision for. If it was Tree doing it, we'd have a difficult time justifying them.