Report: Three frontrunners for Sens trio

Hoffman, Smith and Pageau are all but gone… but where? And what’s the asking price?

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 6 years ago
Report: Three frontrunners for Sens trio
Keystone Press

Just one goal shy of playing for the Stanley Cup a season ago, the Ottawa Senators have been one of the most disappointing teams this season. Picked by many fans to be a Stanley Cup contender in 2017-18, the Sens have plummeted to the basement of the NHL and sport a 15-18-9 record… not exactly a Cup contender’s record.


An early season trade for Matt Duchene was meant to bolster an already strong offence led by offensive defenseman Erik Karlsson, sniper Mike Hoffman and leading scorer Mark Stone. As it is, Duchene has tallied just six goals and 12 points in 28 games with the Sens, meanwhile his counterpart who was traded to the Nashville Predators, Kyle Turris, has managed 19 points in 27 games with his new team. Ouch.


With unfilled expectations, of course, comes change. The fans aren’t happy in Ottawa and they’re calling for GM Pierre Dorion to make another big move to bolster the team’s roster. Getting back into the race this season seems like an impossibility, but can Dorion clear the deck for 2018-19 and make a move or two between now and the NHL’s February 26th trade deadline?


Sportsnet senior colmnist Chris Johnston reported this weekend that Dorion has been receiving a lot of calls on forwards Hoffman, Zack Smith and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. But, what’s his appetite to make a move?

Ottawa Sun columnist Bruce Garrioch cited a “league executive” who indicated that the St. Lous Blues, Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers and San Jose Sharks have each shown interest in the Sens’ trio of forwards. Of those teams, only three are really playoff contenders... so it's unlikely that the Panthers would be considered a serious trade option. Regardless, Dorion prefers a patient approach and is hoping to ensure a quality return for his team IF he elects to trade any of the above mentioned players. We’ve seen Dorion’s patience pay off, in theory at least, during the Duchene deal… could he be working a similar angle this time around?


One thing’s for sure, if the Sens don’t make some drastic changes soon, the 2017-18 season will be a total loss. If Dorion can recoup some assets and ice a better squad in 2018-19 though, he may be afforded some more time and another shot at a Stanley Cup playoff spot.

Coyotes set their price for OEL

In other trade news, Garrioch also managed to uncover and report the Arizona Coyotes’ asking price for star defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Coyotes GM John Chayka has held firm whenever asked about his team’s interest in trading Ekman-Larsson.  “I’ve been on the record numerous times about the subject and have been very clear,” Chayka said back in November. “I haven’t had a single conversation about Oliver that has lasted more than five seconds.”


Still, with the Coyotes on the outside of the playoff picture for a 6th consecutive season and with Ekman-Larsson’s contract set to expire in the summer of 2019, trade winds continue to swirl in the Arizona desert. The man they call OEL is set to hit unrestricted free-agency for the first time in his career and will command absolute top dollar. He may not be Erik Karlsson or Drew Doughty, but he’s in the next tier of elite-level defenseman and someone is bound to pay a hefty price tag for his services. If he wants to leave Arizona, might it make sense for Chayka and the Coyotes to trade his contract now so that they can maximize their return?

In his latest column, Garrioch believes that the team is already receiving calls and offers on OEL, with the Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers leading the pack. 

It’s believed the Toronto Maple Leafs are among the teams that have shown more than a passing interest in Ekman-Larsson. You can put the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers in that group, too, but league sources said Saturday the asking price was extremely high.

So, what is the asking price? According to Garrioch, “not only do the Coyotes want two high-end players”… “they’re also asking for a first-round pick.” Ouch… that’s three big pieces for, admittedly one huge returning piece… but still, that’s a hefty price to pay. There’s no real harm in asking though and because OEL’s contract is up until two summers from now, they can afford to take their time and demand top return.


But, the real question the Coyotes need to ask themselves is “will OEL’s value go up or down between now and his trade?” With rumors and speculation comes heightened criticism. The 26-year-old blue liner is already a -37 on a bad team in Arizona this year, will the pressure of a trade and the constant media chatter that comes along with it affect his game next season? The Coyotes are playing with fire here.