BY DEREK CARSON – FAN FUEL BLOGGER
The Ottawa Senators have shown themselves to be a playoff bubble team, hovering near that coveted eighth spot. For a team in “rebuild mode” that’s not bad, but big decisions will have to be made come trade deadline day. The season and the future of the club could be significantly altered that afternoon.
Fan Fuel wants to hear from you on how you’d fix the club in its current state if you were given the keys to the general manager’s office.
Daniel Alfredsson is finally starting to show his age (there, I said it). There’s still no one on the Sens roster I would rather give the puck to in the dying seconds of the game when we desperately need a goal, but I must face reality. This could be Alfie’s last year and a new general manager could even want it to be his last year (you heartless sod).
However, Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek are young and are doing well this season. In fact, Michalek is on pace for a career year. These two could be significant building blocks for the future of the club.
Erik Karlsson is putting together a legitimate All-Star year. He’s been great, but his contract is up this year and he’ll be looking to cash in. With that in mind, do you trade him at the deadline? He’s small and a bit on the soft side and he’s not all that great defensively if we’re being honest. Maybe as a new general manager you’d look to deal him for picks, prospects or even established players? Maybe “Kid Karlsson” doesn’t fit with your vision of the team?
How about the goaltending? Craig Anderson was signed to a four-year deal in the summer worth almost $13 million but his play has been suspect at times. Do you relegate him to the backup role and bring up Robin Lehner, the only goaltending prospect the Sens currently have?
Finally, we have Filip Kuba and Sergei Gonchar, the two highest paid and yet simultaneously most expendable defencemen on the team. Kuba is on the last year of his contract and could easily be traded to a contending club in need of a “Tomas Kaberle” to put them over the edge. Gonchar, however, still has a year remaining on his contract, and at $5.5 million, and with the way he’s played, it will take a miracle to get him off the team. Buyout anyone?
So what’s your plan Sens fans? How would you turn this playoff bubble team back into a contender? What would you do if you walked up to Bryan Murray and told him to hit the road?
Let us know by writing below!
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