Community Picks: Philadelphia Flyers 0% vs Ottawa Senators 0%

What a weird day.  It was reported in the afternoon that the Pittsburgh Penguins had acquired Derick Brassard from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a 2018 first-round pick, Filip Gustavsson, and Ian Cole, but it soon became apparent that the transaction was more complicated than that. Vegas got involved so that Pittsburgh, which obviously has significant cap considerations, wouldn’t be on the hook for Brassard’s full $5 million annual cost through 2018-19.  The trade seemed to be in limbo for hours until it was reported that the NHL rejected the deal and then, roughly seven hours after the trade had first been reported, a reworked version of the deal was made official. Pittsburgh would indeed end up with Brassard and at a 40% cap discount thanks to Vegas taking part of the contract.  In exchange for the Golden Knights help, Vegas got Penguins enforcer Ryan Reaves and a 2018 fourth-round pick.  The new trade also led to Pittsburgh getting a third-round pick from Ottawa, 22-year-old former Senators prospect Vincent Dunn, and Golden Knights 22-year-old prospect Tobias Lindberg (who assuming had originally been drafted by the Ottawa Senators back in 2013).  In addition to getting Cole, Gustavsson, and the Penguins’ 2018 first-round pick, Ottawa also ended up with the Penguins’ 2019 third-round pick. Continue to Article

February 24, 2018 3:36:am EST

Last year, Derick Brassard was battling the Pittsburgh Penguins to a Game 7 overtime with a trip to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final on the line. The Penguins went big to land Brassard, sending a package that includes a first round pick to the Ottawa Senators, who maybe quieted the Erik Karlsson trade talk … for a millisecond. Senators get a first-round pick, Ian Cole, and intriguing goalie prospect Filip Gustavsson, via TSN’s Darren Dreger. Continue to Article

February 23, 2018 5:27:pm EST

Nikita Kucherov and the Tampa Bay Lightning are back atop the NHL. Kucherov had two assists to reach 80 points this season and Tampa Bay defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-3 on Thursday night. Tyler Johnson, Victor Hedman, Vladislav Namestnikov and Brayden Point scored for the Lightning (41-17-3), who leapfrogged expansion Vegas to regain the top spot in the overall standings with 85 points. Continue to Article

February 23, 2018 3:27:am EST

It is no secret that Karlsson, whose contract expires after the 2018-19 season, is going to want to become one of the highest paid players in the NHL (as he should be) and is difficult to imagine a scenario in which the Senators are going to be able or willing to handle that demand. Are the Senators going to be able to build a competitive team around him? There is already growing speculation that it could happen before Monday’s trade deadline. Continue to Article

February 22, 2018 2:23:pm EST

When Erik Karlsson arrives at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday, he'll almost surely end up going straight to the hometeam's dressing room as usual. If the Senators deal Karlsson, it will be because he is expected to demand top dollar when they are allowed to start talking to him about a new contract in July -- one year before his current deal expires -- and the Senators are in retooling mode. The Senators (21-28-10) are expected to make some moves before the deadline in a season that has seen them win only seven of 29 road games, the latest setback being a 3-2 shootout loss in Chicago on Wednesday. Continue to Article

February 22, 2018 12:28:am EST