Odds of Murphy waiving to Canada are quite low

I think for Players with those clauses would probably be willing to play for Toronto or Edmonton strictly. Maybe even Calgary. But then again those teams are more than likely not on the top of their lists.

I don’t see why you are trying to make Ottawa competitive this season. Keep the rank going get another top prospect and look to improve over the off-season. Formenton is gone, Norris is done for the season there would be little use wasting assets to fall short.

I highly doubt they could crack the PO’s unless from a WC 2 spot with 5 teams coming from the Atlantic because currently right now

Boston looks like a top 3 cup favourite
Tampa and Toronto are starting to heat up
Florida has been mid but I feel they make a move that betters there odds at the TDL and their overall roster is stronger then ottawas.

Wait a year hopefully get fantilli or bedard and then your forward core is set and you can heavily focus on an RHD and a true starting goalie.

If anything Ottawa should be potentially selling on guys like Zub, Debrincat to gain better futures and prospects

Why would Toews waive to a non playoff team? SMH

Ottawa should be extending ZUB not selling him. He's the only legit top 4 RHD in Ottawa and it's pretty clear acquiring one via trade is insanely expensive.
I'd also say that Murphy is a player Ottawa should nab if possible. I know it hurts the tank but his cap hit and term make it a move you can't NOT grab if it's actually there.

No

In today's NHL you can't take too long to rebuild because contracts are 8 years max, stars get PAID right after their ELC and players become UFA at around 26 years old

Clock is already ticking on several contracts, Chabot, Tkachuk and Batherson notably


Fight until the end for the playoffs this season, be smart at the draft (like they usually do minus the Boucher pick). Winning the lottery would be nice for once

Trade DeBrincat for a similarly aged RHD when the opportunity arises

Wait for the team to get sold, then new management will hire a new coaching staff and then the team can fully breakout

Ottawa has tons of time lol Giroux is the next contract to expire at that is in 3 more seasons after this one.
Tkachuk and chabot have 5 more seasons and batherson 4

Ottawa is in no rush, jersey is a perfect example of don’t rush the rebuild when you don’t need to.

Ottawas chances of doing damage next season are much greater with teams like Boston, Pittsburgh gonna be starting to fall of due to age/ retirements, Toronto, Tampa, Florida, Colorado are gonna be running into some serious cap problems.


An addition like fantilli or bedard would be huge for them and the RHD market in the off-season is rather strong, they could also consider moving their top 5 1st for a very good RHD.

Just from what I’ve seen it seems like are has been troubles with extension talks with zub so if that’s the case you might aswell move him for solid assets rather then let him walk

Well yeah, obviously they won't let him walk. If there's no deal in place by trade deadline he's getting moved, but I haven't heard ANYTHING about the negotiations.
You got a link to someone legit mentioning negotiations are not going well?

Not that I think Jersey rushed the rebuild but 4 out of 6 of their defence were obtained by trade or free agency within the past 2 seasons along with their goaltender. I wouldn't say rushed but they definitely expedited it. They realized that their D prospects might have been a weak point and their forward prospects were plentiful so they supplemented the D with FA signings and trades.

Ottawa is in a very similar position. If PD had been able to make some key additions to the blue line the past couple of years things would be very different. Remove Hamilton, Graves and Marino off of the back end of NJ and they aren't where they are that's for sure. An experienced coach doesn't hurt either.

I would have to go back a search for it as it was stuff that popped up a few weeks ago saying that their has been no contact negotiations between the sens and zub

And that’s what Ottawa should but not this year, acquiring an expiring Toews does nothing for you if he walks next season. I wouldn’t be surprised if Murphy was still on the Blackhawks come this off-season where you could look to acquire him there for a cheaper price probably too.

Same with FA you could look to sign guys like klingberg, severson, dumba or players similar in style to zub/Murphy like mayfield, Jensen, schenn.

I just think the whole Toews part of the deal is silly as you don’t need him come next season when you have a C core of Norris/ stutzle/ pinto with guys like Giroux and Joseph who can also play C.

Toews most likely only waives for a Cup contender aswell.

Hell as a B’s fan I’d even be willing to move Carlo next year but it would have to be at the expense of pinto most likely

I don't disagree with this part of your argumentation...

But you said trade Zub and Debrincat for futures!


Which is an absolutely NO. By the time these "futures" start making the roster, Giroux will be close to retirement, Batherson bargain contract will be about to expire, Sanderson, Pinto and Greig will become expensive and God knows what could happen with Chabot and Tkachuk and if they want to stay or not.

Ottawa already has more than enough futures.


Ottawa window should be starting now but worst case they have to be good next year. Thomas Chabot turns 26 y/o in January