The Ottawa Senators were once a team to be reckoned with. They were a playoff contending team for years, including making it to the Stanley Cup Finals, eventually losing to the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. This past season, however, everything fell apart for the Sens. They didn't make the playoffs, they stayed at the bottom of the standings, and their line of Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza, and Daniel Alfredsson just wasn't the same.
Now Heatley wants out. This is something Ottawa really can't control. Yes, he is one of their best players, but Canada's capital city doesn't suit him anymore. Heatley has a list of teams he would go too (might I add one of them being my Boston Bruins =D ) and Ottawa was hoping to get a trade done before the NHL draft this Friday. On his list of teams includes the Bruins, as I mentioned, the Kings, Rangers, Sharks, Red Wings, Blackhawks, and Canucks. For a player like Heatley, Sens fans better hope they get some good players out of a trade with him.
The Sens also have two unrestricted free agents in forwards Mike Comrie and Chris Neil. Comrie, acquired before the trade deadline, put up three goals and four assists in 22 games played with Ottawa. Neil, on the other hand, has spent his whole career with Ottawa. He has played in 511 career games, posting 61 career goals. If Ottawa was to only resign one, my personal opinion is Comrie is the better guy to go with. Only problem is, he has a $4 million contract to pay, while Neil's is only $1.2 million. Although when it comes to signing players, it's sometimes better to go with the player with more quality.
Thirty-two year old defenseman, Filip Kuba, will become a free agent as well. This past season he produced 40 points, three of which were goals. He also ended the season a +4, with 28 penalty minutes which isn't bad for a blue liner. His contract is worth $3 million.
Ottawa has a few small contracts that will be free agents as of July 1st, such as Brad Isbister ($650,000), Greg Mauldin ($500,000), Drew Fata ($550,000), Luke Richardson ($500,000), and Brian Elliott ($758,000).
As far as the draft goes, Ottawa should look for a goaltender that they can use as a back up to Alex Auld. Auld, if he doesn't get traded, should make for a solid starting goalie. Goaltending was a slight problem during the 2008-2009 season, so a goalie should be top priority for General Manager, Bryan Murray.
8 comments:
So do you think he would get traded to the Bruins? What would the B's give up for him, if anything?
Well, the B's have some free agents as well. They could trade them Yelle, Montador & Fernandez for Heatley :] (Fernandez might retire if the Bs dont sign him, but who knows. Ottawa needs a goalie)
or im afraid to say, possibly Phil Kessel? =(
Aw no not Kessel, you saying just one for the other? Who would you rather have?
Me, personally..I'd pick KESSEL! But I do love Heatley as well. I'm not sure how far the B's are on his list anyways. Id love for him to come to Boston but I have a weird feeling he'll end up in New York (Rangers not Islanders)
My prediction goes to the Sharks. :)
We shall see :)
(I don't think he'd fit in with the Sharks =p personal opinion though)
Heater is not coming to Boston. In order for that to happen, GM PC would have to dismantle the core group of players he has assembled over the past 2 seasons, plus he makes too much money. An annual cap hit of $7.5M would put a damper on how much flexibility the B's would have going forward. I say he goes to Los Angeles or Vancouver. Both teams need offense and have the cap flexibility to accommodate that behemoth contract.
True, but I was just dreaming as a B's fan what it would take for him to come here. LA & VAN are possibilities but I could see him with the Rangers the best
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