Posts Tagged ‘Ottawa Senators’

Travis Yost: Sens Avoid Arbitration, Sign Regin and Campoli

30, Jul 2010

Many around Ottawa hoped that the Senators front office would hammer out a deal for Peter Regin before his arbitration date, and the two finally came to terms on Thursday afternoon.

With only 18 hours to spare before the scheduled meeting in Toronto, Bryan Murray made the announcement that the Ottawa Senators had signed Peter Regin to a two-year contract. Regin will earn 950,000 in 2010-2011,…

Travis Yost: Throwin’ it Back: Senators/Flyers Brawl!

26, Jul 2010

March 5th, 2004. The Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators budding rivalry had finally come to a tipping point, and after the dust finally settled, an NHL-record 419 penalty minutes and sixteen player ejections created one of the wildest end-of-games ever seen in the National Hockey League.

The Ottawa Senators had been getting the best of the Philadelphia Flyers in recent tilts, having elimin…

Travis Yost: Arbitration Looming for Peter Regin

25, Jul 2010

Arbitration, by all accounts, is a downright nasty process. Neither side ever wants to get there, and in Peter Regin’s case, there’s a decent chance a settlement will be reached before the hearing on July 30th. Should the two sides fail to reach an agreement, expecting both sides to remain amicable with millions of dollars on the line is just foolish, and we’ve heard absolute horror stories about…

Travis Yost: Ten Sens Questions for the Weekend

24, Jul 2010

Let me preface this article by thanking all of the Ottawa Senators fans on HockeyBuzz for their extremely positive feedback. It seems as though many of us have differing opinions heading into next season, but the fact that we’re able to discuss it in a professional and respectful manner really does show how great the Senators fan base can be.

I’ve created a list of ten questions that I want you…

Travis Yost: Does the Defense in Place Scare You?

22, Jul 2010

After my past gew blogs, it appears one of the main things my readers slightly disagree with me on is about the defense going forward. While there is no debate the team has vastly upgraded in terms of offensive blueline power, there seems to be differing opinions about how the team will play in the back.

I think this is one of the more intriguing stories heading forward, but I’ll keep it short…

Travis Yost: Is it Hockey Season Yet? Senators Thoughts Going Forward + Foligno Update

21, Jul 2010

UPDATE: Nick Foligno has signed a 2 year-deal at 2.4 million.

For many, the NHL off-season can be an exciting time. Players moving from team to team, blockbuster trades, and making a mockery of the Collective Bargaining Agreement are the usual headline grabbers during the dead months.

Unfortunately, July is notoriously the slowest and subsequently most painful to be a hockey fan. I find myse…

Travis Yost: Sabbatical Over: SenatorsBuzz is Back

17, Jul 2010

Seven weeks of covering the World Series of Poker is officially over. I thought that the brief hiatus would result in a lack of needed discussion around these parts, but I think everything was timed perfectly.

The thing I was most afraid about was missing a big trade or a huge splash in free agency, but it appears that the most noteworthy story to come out of Ottawa is Mike Fisher’s marriage t…

For Philadelphia Eagles, Releasing Michael Vick No Longer Makes Sense

11, Jul 2010

All the rumors swirling that the Eagles are still considering cutting Michael Vick can stop as of right now, because it’s not going to happen.

I don’t have a personal relationship with Andy Reid or Howie Roseman, but just by watching Reid over the years and looking at things from a practical matter, cutting Vick doesn’t even make sense anymore this late into the offseason.

If there were a time to cut Vick, it would have been before he received a $1.5 million roster bonus.

But now the only way Vick isn’t an Eagle in 2010 is if a team steps forward with an offer the Eagles simply can’t turn down and trade the gadget quarterback. If nothing materializes, Vick will be the guy behind Kevin Kolb next season.

Jeff Garcia has had his name tossed around a lot during the offseason as a possible replacement for Vick as the backup quarterback, but even that doesn’t make sense anymore.

All anyone sees is the $5.2 million that Vick is scheduled to make this season. And while that’s an unbelievably high price for a backup, $1.5 million of that has already been paid. There’s no way the Eagles can ever get that money back, so as a practical matter, Vick is really going to be making $3.7 million for his on-field services this season.

While that’s still a bit high, it makes a lot more sense when we see that a guy like Marc Bulger recently signed on with the Ravens at $3.8 million, and he won’t see the field nearly as much as Vick will.

Bulger will be holding a clipboard unless something happens to Joe Flacco. Vick, on the other hand, could see as many as 10-12 plays per game in a Wildcat-style package and other gadget plays, making him more valuable than your run-of-the-mill backup quarterback.

But still, guys like Brian Baldinger don’t see it that way.

“It’s hard for me to believe the Eagles are happy about paying Vick $5.2 million to be Kolb’s backup,” Baldinger said to Geoff Mosher of the Courier-Post. “They’re paying him like a starter,” he said, adding that cutting Vick and signing Garcia would save millions and the Eagles would probably have a better player.

But, like I said, the Eagles aren’t going to “save millions” by signing Garcia. If the Eagles were to cut Vick and sign Garcia, we can essentially add $1.5 million to anything Garcia is making, because that’s what the Eagles have already invested in their backup spot.

The only difference is that rather than Garcia getting that money, it’s already gone to Vick.

So if Garcia would even agree to, let’s say, a one-year, $2.5 million deal, the Birds are only saving a little over $1 million for a guy who won’t see half the plays Vick will see.

The extra money might be worth it to them to keep a guy in Vick who could a) have some trade value depending how he looks in training camp and the preseason, and b) add a dimension to their offense that no other backup would be able to.

It’s still possible the Eagles will be trying very hard to move Vick, but if they can’t, I don’t see any scenario—other than something epic arising from the shooting incident from which he’s been legally absolved (twice) of any wrong-doing—in which Vick is released.

If Vick were traded, however, expect Garcia to sign on about five minutes afterward.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Evgeni Nabokov to KHL: 4 years, $24M

7, Jul 2010

More photos »

Paul Sakuma – ASSOCIATED PRESS

28 days ago:

San Jose Sharks goalie Evgeni Na…

NHL Free Agents 2010: Sergei Gonchar May Make or Break Ottawa Senators GM

1, Jul 2010

It only took a few minutes after the free-agency period began before the Ottawa Senators made a splash as they signed defenseman Sergei Gonchar to a three year $16.5 million contract.

The deal will see Gonchar earn $5.5 million each season with a no-trade clause. The 36-year-old blueliner has spent the last five years with the Pittsburgh Penguins where he won his first Stanley Cup in 2009.

The six time All-Star has also played for the Boston Bruins after playing the first 10 years of his career with the Washington Capitals.

“I believe Ottawa has a very good team, probably missing a few pieces to go far in the playoffs and hopefully I fill one of them,” Gonchar told NHL.com . “It’s not easy to play against that team. That’s the reason I’m signing with them.”

While nobody can argue with Gonchar’s numbers, there have been plenty of mixed emotions surrounding his addition to the Senators’ roster. He has missed several games over the last two seasons and will be pushing 40 by the time this contract expires.

There are also a number of people who are optimistic about the signing who see Gonchar fitting the needs of Senators, a team who had their power play ranked 22nd last season.

The Russian defenseman tallied 11 goals and 39 assists last season, picking up a total of 30 points with the man advantage.

Senators GM Bryan Murray knew well ahead of time that adding to his team’s defensive corps was his top priority. Sources around the league had a strong feeling that the Sens would be targeting shot-blocking blueliner Zbynek Michalek as a cheaper option than Anton Volchenkov, but Murray opted to go with the player who would improve his team’s transition game, along with being a mentor to Erik Karlsson.

Fans in Ottawa should be very excited about this deal solely for the fact that they have finally found the type of player they have lacked for the last four seasons. Gonchar has a great amount of skill and experience that the younger players on the team (most notably defensemen) can learn from.

Not only will he help the Sens spend less time in their own zone with his tape-to-tape passes, he will have a sense of familiarity when it comes to the power play.

In Pittsburgh, Gonchar spent a lot of times at the top of the blue line feeding passes to the half board for Evgeni Malkin. Fellow Russian winger Alex Kovalev occupies the same place when on the power play, which can potentially lead to more goals with the man advantage with the Senators this season.

The two things that have many critics talking is the duration of the deal and the no-trade clause. There is no telling when Gonchar’s production will start to slide and Senators fans have already seen first-hand what the no-trade clause can lead to after the Dany Heatley disaster that took place last summer.

On the other hand, fans have to be happy that Murray went and got the best player available that will help his team win now. And when I say now, I mean, now .

Just by looking at the Senators roster, it’s easy to tell that this team is going for it all within the next two to three years. Players such as Gonchar, Kovalev, Daniel Alfredsson, and Chris Phillips will all be in the twilight of their careers at that point with few immediate replacements in the team’s farm system.

In a perfect world, Gonchar will post 55-60 points and put the Senators’ powerplay in the league’s Top 10 without missing a game. At the same time, injuries have plagued him in the past two seasons and we don’t know if he’ll be able to be the offensive force he previously was.

Regardless of how people react to this signing, it’s evident that Murray is going for broke by jumping at the chance to land Gonchar. By adding him to the roster, he is giving a new dynamic to his team in the hopes that they will be able to be a legitimate Stanley Cup competitor for the next couple of seasons.

Depending on how it goes, Murray will be looked at as the genius behind Ottawa’s success or the scapegoat in their failures. The only thing left to do is see how everything plays out.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Sergei Gonchar Signs with Ottawa Senators

1, Jul 2010

In what can only be called a shocker, the Ottawa Senators have signed long-time Pittsburgh Penguins veteran defenseman Sergei Gonchar to a three-year, $16.5 million deal.

While I am sure that Gonchar will arrive in Ottawa with far less fanfare than the Queen (who is in Ottawa today), the vibe from Ottawa fans seems to be positive.

That said, at 36 years old and with a history of injury troubles, Gonchar seems a bit risky to sign to a three-year deal. But with Anton Volchenkov looking more and more likely to sign a free agent deal with another NHL club, the Sens needed to shore up their back end.

You have to wonder, though, if the Senators could have used their money more wisely—wouldn’t you rather have the likes of Dan Hamhuis?

No matter. Gonchar will bring a ton of experience to a blue line that has the potential to be very young, with the likes of Jared Cowen, Erik Karlsson (who is NHL-ready) and Patrick Wiercioch all making a push to make the Sens’ everyday lineup.

The loss of Gonchar means the Penguins will likely follow through with signing Hamhuis and/or consider making a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs for Tomas Kaberle—something that has been speculated for months.

It’s an interesting acquisition—certainly the biggest signing to date. Time will tell if it works out for Senators general manager Bryan Murray (who has a history of poor free agent signings).

It will also be interesting to see if this calms discouraged center Jason Spezza (who has said he wouldn’t mind being traded out of Ottawa) well enough to change his tune.

It’s no question—Gonchar makes the Sens a better team. The question is: Can he stay healthy over that three-year deal?

UPDATE: The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed defenseman Zbynek Michalik to a five-year $20 million contract.

Michalik, 27, played for the Phoenix Coyotes last season, registering three goals and 14 assists for a total of 17 points.

This probably means Hamhuis is off the table…

For more NHL news and notes check out my website at www.theslapshot.com

Until next time,

Peace!

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

NHL Offseason: What’s the Cap Hit For A Buyout?

30, Jun 2010

In this article, I explain how buyouts work and clear up some confusion about the cap hit for buyouts. I’ll use the recent buyout of Ottawa Senators forward Jonathan Cheechoo as an example.

The Ottawa Senators bought out the last year of Jonathon Cheechoo’s contract this week, as expected. Cheechoo was owed $3.5 million for the coming season.

The buyout will cost the Senators two-thirds of the remaining value of the contract, which is approximately $2.333 million. This amount is spread over two years, meaning that the Senators owe Cheechoo $1.166 million this year and $1.166 million next year. 

For players under the age of 25, the buyout is only one-third of the remaining value of the contact, for example, former Ottawa Senator Ray Emery was bought out by the Senators after only the first year of a three year deal that originally paid him an average of $3.167 million a year from 2007-08 to 2009-10. The Senators are only taking a cap hit of $562,500 this year (and next) as a result of buying out Emery’s contract. 

What are the implications in terms of the cost of Cheechoo’s buyout against the Senators’ salary cap? 

It has been incorrectly reported that the Senators will take a cap hit of $1.166 million for both this season and the next. The actual cap hit is $0.666 million for the 2010-11 season and $1.166 million for the 2011-12 season. Why do the Senators get a $500,000 break this coming season? 

The reason isn’t simple, but I’ll do my best to explain how buyouts work. The main factor is that the cap hit for a contract is the same for every year of the deal regardless of what the player earns that year. Each year the cap hit is equal to the yearly average of the contract.

In Cheechoo’s case, the contract he signed was for $2.5 million in 2006-07, $2.5 million in 2007-08, $3 million in 2008-09, $3.5 million in 2009-10, and $3.5 million in 2010-11. The total was $15 million dollars, so the average is $3 million per year. Thus, the cap hit for the team employing Cheechoo is $3 million per year.

Now, when a player is bought out he gets two-thirds of the remaining value of his deal spread out over twice the number of years remaining on the deal. But, this then changes the average value of contract. Because Cheechoo was bought out, $1.166 million less was owed to him in total. The total payout to Cheechoo is $13.833 million.

The teams employing Cheechoo (San Jose from 2006 to 2009, and Ottawa from 2009-2010) had all ready taken a total cap hit of $12 million (e.g. $3 million per season for four seasons). Thus, the remaining cap hit is $1.833 million. 

Determining how the remaining cap hit is spread out over the term of the buyout is another complicated formula. For the years that extend past the original duration of the contract (2011-12 in Cheecho’s case), the cap hit is the same as the buyout payment, $1.166 million.

For the years that overlap with the duration of the original contract (2010-11), the cap hit is the buyout amount ($1.166 million) minus the difference between what the player would have earned if not bought out ($3.5 million) and the original cap hit for that year ($3 million).

$1.166 million – ($3.5 million – $3 million) = $1.166 million – $0.5 million = $0.666 million.

Thus, the Senators absorb only a cap hit of $0.666 million for the 2010-11 season due to Cheechoo’s buyout. Similarly, the Senators’ cap hit for buying out Emery’s deal was $0.479 million in 2008-09, and $0.230 million in 2009-10.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Senators Waive Jonathan Cheechoo

28, Jun 2010

In a move that may mark the end of his NHL career, the Ottawa Senators have waived forward Jonathan Cheechoo. After clearing waivers, Cheechoo can then have the remaining $3.5 million of his contract bought out and will be free to sign anywhere as a free agent.

It’s hard to believe that just four years ago, Cheechoo was coming off a season in which he lead the NHL in goal scoring with 56, winning the Rocket Richard Trophy, and signing a five year $17.5 million contract. The future looked bright for Cheechoo, but injuries took a huge toll on the big bodied forward, and his production slipped annually after 2005-06.  By 2008-09 with San Jose Cheechoo was reduced to fourth line duty, and was dealt to Ottawa as partial compensation for Dany Heatley, primarily because San Jose had to move Cheechoo’s contract

A change of scenery didn’t help Cheechoo however, as his numbers continued to decline with only 5 goals in 61 games before being assigned to Binghampton in the AHL. It is virtually unforeseeable that Cheechoo will be claimed on waivers, and whether anyone will sign him to a minimum salary contract remains to be seen .

Cheechoo’s demise is primarily blamed on injuries. Cheechoo never had great speed to begin with, and major surgery to repair a double hernia in 2006-07 further limited his mobility. Cheechoo was never a solid defender, so without the ability to get to the net and score goals, his value in the NHL has decreased to that of “reclamation project”.

Cheechoo was a feel good story when he won the Richard Trophy in ‘06, he grew up in the isolated northern town of Moose Factory, and was held up as a role model to young Aboriginals for his work ethic and success. Cheechoo is well liked and respected by his peers and may yet get another chance to play in the NHL, but his odds now might be even longer than they were as a teenager in Moose Factory .

 

 

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Travis Yost: Senators Quietly Shopping Mike Fisher

24, Jun 2010

UPDATE(6:30 AM): Bruce Garrioch now believes a Jason Spezza trade is not likely.

Classic Garrioch. My sources – 1. Garrioch’s dreams – 0.

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While the Ottawa media frantically searches for a Jason Spezza story that doesn’t exist, I’ve been doing some digging of my own on what Ottawa’s plan is going forward. Confident that Jason Spezza will remain a Senator, confident that Anton Volchenkov w…

Travis Yost: Will Peter Regin See a Vanek-esque Offer Sheet?

23, Jun 2010

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Get ready for your daily dose of Ottawa Sun doubt-it’s-true-but-who-really-knows shenanigans. Here’s the blurb, for those interested:

Speaking to a Danish TV station, Bjarne Madsen — one of Regin’s European agents — suggested Regin could get an offer sheet similar to the $50- million deal received by Buffalo’s Thomas Vanek…

NHLHS Mock Draft: With the Number Sixteen Pick…

21, Jun 2010

NHLHS Mock Draft is our latest feature where we collectively predict the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. The draft is a crapshoot and we will be wrong… …but we thought it would be fun to try.

With the sixteenth overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the Ottawa Senators select…

Beau Bennett
After going [...]

Travis Yost: Spezza Will Not Be Traded

21, Jun 2010

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Ready for your daily Jason Spezza blog? Go grab the nearest brew(I recommend an MGD 64), because this one is worth it.

I’m trying my absolute hardest to talk about the millions of other pressing issues that involve the Senators this off-season, including the draft, roster adjustments, and pending RFA/UFAs. Unfortunately, all of the…

Travis Yost: Sunday Thoughts: Volchenkov’s Rights, Tupac Shakur

20, Jun 2010

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First and foremost, Happy Father’s Day!

Just wanted to get some quick thoughts up about the recent story that Ottawa is actively shopping the rights to Anton Volchenkov. Because Volchenkov will be a highly coveted player during this free agency, you can rest assured teams are already jockeying for position and trying to send enough…

Travis Yost: Jason Spezza Trade Winds Keep Blowing

19, Jun 2010

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Ottawa Senators fans have been pretty outspoken about their desires to keep centerman Jason Spezza. No matter what hockey site you frequent or what paper you read, the majority of fans will be absolutely livid if Spezza is moved, especially for spare parts. The Dany Heatley trade has soured a ton of Senators fans, and if another top l…

2010 NHL Entry Draft: Eastern Conference Preview (Part 3)

19, Jun 2010

Having already covered a total of ten Eastern Conference teams, we now turn our focus to the next five: the Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils and the Washington Capitals.

Needless to say, drafting between 18th and 30th overall, the pickings get a little slim towards the end.

That said, many have seen players slip through the cracks.

Will the 2010 edition of the NHL Entry Draft be any different?

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