This team has a shot yes as long as Forsberg keeps playing .920 hockey next year

As an outsider, it seems like you need one more year. 2/3 of your 3rd line have combined < 20 NHL games played. Sanderson and Hamonic as 2nd pair has some uncertainty.

But that’s a very bright future and there are def some eastern teams on the back 9 due to age.

My heart says yes but I think it'll be more because one of the teams you'd expect to be contenders next year falls apart (thinking 1/2 of the Boston/Washington/Pittsburgh/NYI(please no) falling out of contention).

I do think they make a push even if you keep Formenton over Fiala - the one area I'd really want to upgrade is goalie. Find a good 1B for Forsberg, whether it's a rejuvenated Matt Murray or an outside acquisition, and then I think you've really got a stew going.

I really do think they need Fiala but if you keep Formenton at 3LW and trade another prospect for Fiala, I think Formenton-Pinto-Brown could be one of the best 3rd lines in the league

Fair points.

I really cant see Formenton as a top 6 guy on a playoff team, at least not yet maybe in a couple years if he can add another dimension to his game.

Would love to keep Formenton on that third line as well but I think then the Wild make you give up Greig in a trade for Fiala which Im not ready to do.

I get it - I would definitely keep Grieg over Formenton. I also missed the fact that Formenton is RFA this year and probably expects a raise, so I'd be leaning a little more towards making that deal.

Like you said in the description, goaltending is the big if. I know people kind of dumped on the Hamonic trade but I think he's a decent player to have in the room - maybe he transitions to being a 6th/7th D when JBD comes up, but he's been around a long time and plays a strong defensive game, and I would think he could help mentor a lot of this younger D corps that Ottawa is building up. The forward depth is there with this lineup, and there's room to add on if you need to. If Matt Murray can come back strong next year, or they find a decent 1B to go with Forsberg, it's gonna be a fun season for the sickos.

with that defense, its hard to tell. i think its gknna depend a lot on sanderson performance.

Why use draft capital to dump Zaitsev? Just scratch him

Ottawa can get Fiala for the 2023 1st and Jarventie. Maybe add the BOS 3rd or something if needed, but no chance do I give them a 1st and Forms OR Greig. If that's the price just add $1M a year to the Giroux offer and draft a FWD with our 1st round pick.

I don’t think you’ll have to give up Greig. I think another team likely beats an offer of Jarventie + ‘23 1st, but I just don’t see anyone giving up a Greig level prospect.

Isles aren’t giving up Raty, Kings aren’t giving up Faber, Ducks aren’t giving up Perrault or Pastujov. Sens won’t give up Greig.

I think MN has to look like one tier below that in terms of value and then a 1st. And they’ll just need to decide internally what package they like most.

- I absolutely hate to give up Formenton but this gives the Sens the ingredients to build a very competitive top-6

I'd personally go like this. I know, I am very bullish on Greig. that 3rd line could be insane too. Or Greig with Pinto and Brown could be very nice too, but experience would be low

Greig - Stutzle - Batherson
Tkachuk - Norris - Fiala
Joseph - Pinto - Brown


- I hope they don't make that kind of move for getting rid of Zaitsev. Just buy him out instead or even bury him in the NHL. Picks are very valuable too ($)

- Del Zotto will have only 1 year left at 2.0, some team will give up a pick for him. He has 37 pts in 43 AHL/NHL games this season



Rejuvenated in the sense that he is being given a new body? He is very injury prone at this point and concussion/head injuries are concerning, to the point where I'm actually wondering if he gets cleared to play contact hockey again

More or less what I meant. I think if (the biggest IF you can think of) he can get healthy again, he's shown he is back. I just worry he's basically gonna be LTIR the rest of the deal, which means Ottawa needs to find a 1B for Forsberg. It's a bummer because he seemed to be putting it back together this year before getting hurt again.

Yeah sucks but as a goalie myself, I can tell you it's not an easy position to play. Even if amateur leagues you need to be an athlete lol

Murray had 0.914 SV% in 25 GP since April 2021, despite a few games that destroyed his numbers, like the recent game vs Arizona and the game vs Toronto on January 1st where he was completely left out to dry

This situation kinda reminds me of Anders Nilsson, unfortunately

Try telling that to DJ

That would be great if we can, guess I have a lot less faith in Dorion than you do.

Yeah I dont think Sens give up Greig either, but I dont feel the same way about Formenton cuz Joseph is better than Formenton right now and Greig has higher upside so Im not sure where Formenton fits in to the top 9 long term. Maybe Formenton + 2022 2nd would be a better deal then for the Sens?

Yeah better for the Sens, but is that really the best MN can do? I don’t think so. IMO, that offer gets beat by the market.

I could be wrong, but that feels more like an opening offer and not a winning one.

Im praying DJ is gone under new ownership