sens trade Zibanejad to Rangers for Brassard

[Nik]

Zibanejad's most frequent linemates last year were Ryan and Hoffman so it's hard to see there being a huge gap in terms of the linemates either guy played with.

 

[TBLeafer]

I think Turris will be 1C with Hoffman and one of Stone or Ryan.

Brassard 2C will get a now healthy CMac and one of Stone or Ryan.

Just a hunch.

 

[Nik]

It must be infuriating to have Melnyk as an owner. There were a few gems from a presser he did before the end of the year when the sens were well out of playoff contention that make me think this is entirely a move motivated by financials. That, and potentially one that will make him think they're contenders (again) this year.

Maybe? I mean I don't mind taking any opportunity to take a shot at Melnyk but I think this has less to do with Melnyk than it does with a reality of operating the Ottawa Senators. I don't know who could own the team that wouldn't have them operating with an internal budget.

 

[TBLeafer]

It must be infuriating to have Melnyk as an owner. There were a few gems from a presser he did before the end of the year when the sens were well out of playoff contention that make me think this is entirely a move motivated by financials. That, and potentially one that will make him think they're contenders (again) this year.

Maybe? I mean I don't mind taking any opportunity to take a shot at Melnyk but I think this has less to do with Melnyk than it does with a reality of operating the Ottawa Senators. I don't know who could own the team that wouldn't have them operating with an internal budget.

Canadian Tire?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Zibanejad's most frequent linemates last year were Ryan and Hoffman so it's hard to see there being a huge gap in terms of the linemates either guy played with.

I think that Ottawa actually did well here in a player-for-player sense. The Rangers have generally been a pretty low-scoring team, perhaps because their defence isn't usually very mobile and can't move the puck up. That's going to be even more of a problem now that Yandle and Boyle are gone. So I wouldn't be surprised if Brassard continued to outscore Zibanejad. And like you said, Ryan, Hoffman, (and Stone) aren't a bad collection of wingers for him. Plus he'll have Karlsson on his backend from time to time (EK was Zibanejad's 2nd most frequent on-ice teammate last season).

They also did a good job identifying a player who fits their budgetary restrictions. Can't fault Dorion for that. Having to give up a 2nd round pick just to save $2mil cash is bad for the team, but again that's probably something Dorion couldn't really control.

 

[Omallley]

It must be infuriating to have Melnyk as an owner. There were a few gems from a presser he did before the end of the year when the sens were well out of playoff contention that make me think this is entirely a move motivated by financials. That, and potentially one that will make him think they're contenders (again) this year.

Maybe? I mean I don't mind taking any opportunity to take a shot at Melnyk but I think this has less to do with Melnyk than it does with a reality of operating the Ottawa Senators. I don't know who could own the team that wouldn't have them operating with an internal budget.

I meant less on the budgetary restriction side (because you're right, that's not going away given the market), and more along the lines of expecting the team to be competitive year in a year out on that level of budgetary restriction.

 

[Nik]

I meant less on the budgetary restriction side (because you're right, that's not going away given the market), and more along the lines of expecting the team to be competitive year in a year out on that level of budgetary restriction.

Fair enough. I definitely think Melnyk and all of his big talk would probably be frustrating when it's that insistence that keeps the team firmly in the middle ground.

That said, it'll be interesting to see what kind of owners the Thompsons turn out to be once some of the shine wears off the Jets and how closely their situations align.