Sens sign Johnny Oduya - 1yr, $1M

[Matt the Aussie]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/ottawa-senators-bolster-blue-line-addition-veteran-oduya/

Not really sure what to think of this? Straight replacement for Methot?

[Josh]

It really doesn't make sense to me. He's only just good enough for a spot. This is how I rank the Sens LD in terms of being fit for big NHL minutes:

Phaneuf
Borowiecki
Oduya
Claesson
Englund
Chabot/Harpur

The signing of Oduya gives very little chance for Claesson to fit into that picture. I've heard people say the Sens want to try Claesson with Karlsson, but there's no way he's ready for that kind of assignment long term. It would have made a lot of sense to pencil Claesson into that third pair role. What's stranger is that the Sens have so much talent at LD and so little at RD. And they're pretty sorely wanting for talent on the right side too:

Karlsson
Ceci
Wideman

Ceci hasn't show that he belongs in the top-four and in all honesty, Wideman probably doesn't even belong on the team. Would have made a lot more sense to go after an RD2. Roman Polak, currently a free agent as well, would have made an excellent signing:

Phaneuf - Karlsson
Borowiecki - Polak
Claesson - Ceci

If Claesson plays well, you swap him with Boro. If he continues to excel, you put him with Karlsson. And if he can keep it up, then you move to trade Phaneuf, which is the rumoured direction the Sens want to take. Then you create an avenue for one of Englund, Chabot, or Harpur to land a position. No Oduya needed.

[Matt the Aussie]

Are they perhaps considering Phaneuf goes back to the right? So second pair is Claesson/Phaneuf and third is Boro/Ceci...but that means Oduya/Karlsson? That also doesn't work.

[matchesmalone]

I don't know about Phaneuf, but I know Boro has played plenty on the right side in the past.

[thedaigle1]

My name is Owen and I'm an alcoholic.

Actually I don't drink. I do have a problem though. I think about the Senators' defence. A lot.

It keeps me awake at night and sometimes it leads me to dark places.

I hope you have your aluminum foil hats ready cos I'm gonna bring you into the dark with me.

This is my X-Files theory about the Sens' d-corps and I fully anticipate some incredulity.

Question: Who are the two impending free agents whose contracts loom most heavily over the fanbase? Answer: Erik Karlsson and Mark Stone (and to a lesser extent Ryan Dzingel).

Who are the owners of Ottawa's two greatest albatrosses? Bobby Ryan and Dion Phaneuf.

What is the most head-scratching signing in recent Ottawa Senators history? Johnny Oduya.

What do all of those players have in common besides playing for the Senators in 2017-18? THEIR MOTHERFUCKING AGENT.

I hope you're all connecting push-pins on a cork-board with bits of red string by now.

You better believe that Newport Sports Management Inc. aka thehockeyagency.com has got Pierre Dorion's metaphorical testicles in metaphorical vice grips. Eugene Melnyk is putting a lot of Newport employee's kids through college. Don't try and tell there is no collusion afoot here.

In brief I'm saying that the Senators were coerced into adopting a stray puppy as a favour for Newport in the form of Johnny Oduya. Take it or leave it.

For me this is both consoling and troubling.

It's consoling to know that Guy Boucher hasn't completely lost his fucking mind. I don't think he genuinely wants to give Wideman or Claesson or Chabot's potential minutes to a 35+ pylon who can't clear the zone or move the puck. I don't think he has a choice because Oduya's performance bonuses are based on minutes and games played. Also I don't think Dorion genuinely wants to waste money and a roster spot on someone he doesn't need.

It's troubling because this means that as long as Oduya is healthy, we're stuck with him. He won't get scratched or benched. He also won't get traded. Not only does he have an modified NTC. He also has the aforementioned bonuses and as we learned with Vrbata last year, those will scare away any cap team. Also Oduya is below replacement level and no one would want him.

Ultimately I'm left more curious than I was when I began. Is it a good sign that the two parties have established a working rapport? Is Ottawa merely getting strung along only to have its heart broken when it's most vulnerable? I can only speculate and offer conjecture. I can scream into the void about optimal lineup implementation and forever have my words fall on deaf ears. For those whose influence matters most, only money talks.

[Matt the Aussie]

I'm more genuinely interested in HOW Newport got to be so well represented amongst Ottawa players? What's their "in"?

[thedaigle1]

I'm more genuinely interested in HOW Newport got to be so well represented amongst Ottawa players? What's their "in"?

Well Newport is based out of Mississauga. Does Mean Eugene have any business interests there? Oh, only most of his investments? Story checks out.

[Matt the Aussie]

Oh right, yes, the old Mississauga connection!

[thedaigle1]

Oh right, yes, the old Mississauga connection!

This is my Pepe Silvia.

[Matt the Aussie]

This is my Pepe Silvia.

I still haven't watched It's Always Sunny yet...I need to.

[Alfie11]

The team definitely needs to move Bobby or Dion going forward. I was a fan of Phaneuf’s last year but he’s struggling out there I find. Bobby had a good playoffs and good start to the season but it’s hard to justify zero goals.

[thedaigle1]

The team definitely needs to move Bobby or Dion going forward. I was a fan of Phaneuf’s last year but he’s struggling out there I find. Bobby had a good playoffs and good start to the season but it’s hard to justify zero goals.

I have another (hopeful and wishful) conspiracy theory cooking and I want to know if anyone else sees it:

Boucher grooming Harpur to be the next young-marginal-defender-who-gets-devoured-with-difficult-assignments so he can take Ceci's role. The logic to me is that Harpur is coming off his ELC and will cost less than Ceci and if they can move Ceci it will free up some cap space for Karlsson. Thoughts? How much cocaine have I done today?

[Matt the Aussie]

How much does Ceci make right now?

[thedaigle1]

How much does Ceci make right now?

Ceci makes $2.8M against the cap (he actually makes $3.35M). Allow that to sink in. And he's arbitration eligible this coming summer so he expects a raise. AND HE PERFORMS BELOW REPLACEMENT LEVEL.

So here's my real question, if not Ceci, who goes to make cap space?

Easy answer is MacArthur on LTIR. Otherwise the scenario is:

~1.7M in cap space for Ottawa if the cap doesn't go up.
And they have to consider:
-1M saved when Oduya leaves
-0.8M saved when Wideman leaves (sad)
Bringing cap space to 3.5M
~2M raise for Stone
~1M raise for Claesson
~0.5M raise for Harpur
And that would break even.

McCormick has one-way at 650K although Dumont has two-way at 650K so that's a wash (unless Dumont is significantly better than McCormick). And they have to convince Drieger and Paul to stay on two-way deals in the AHL to avoid cap hits for them.

To me it only works if Mac goes on LTIR or if they move someone. It happened to Z-Bad and it can happen to you.

[Matt the Aussie]

A lot depends on this next road trip. If all of a sudden they start playing really well again, expect the same "no problems here" attitude we've seen from this team in countless seasons past. If they continue to be terrible, we should be looking at offloading Ceci. We have Harpur, Jaros, Chabot behind him...none of which are fantastic yet but neither are they going to make us lose even more.

As much as I want Bobby Ryan to bust this slump, it would be great to move on from his $7M+ cap space too.

BTW, can we just shoot Max McCormick into the Sun already? Guy's a tool.