OTTAWA’S ANDERSON SAID TO BE SEEKING A TRADE
Veteran player may have to wait as there’s not a huge market for 37-year-old goalies
As if the Ottawa Senators didn’t have enough problems to deal with already.
They may have another huge headache on their hands with talk that goalie Craig Anderson has requested a trade.
Anderson, who last September signed a two-year extension through 2019-20 worth US$4.75 million per season, had a 23-25-6 record and a .898 save-percentage last season.
Justin Duberman, Anderson’s agent, was tight-lipped when reached Friday morning.
It’s certainly possible that Anderson could be moved this summer, but there’s not a huge market for a 37-year-old goalie coming off a bad season and, at the moment, the situation seems fluid, which means he could certainly be at training camp in September.
Duberman wouldn’t confirm Anderson, who has been with the Senators for eight seasons, had asked for a trade.
But the goalie has been around long enough to know the club is in a difficult position to fulfil such a request.
There was a report that Duberman had been asked by general manager Pierre Dorion to help facilitate a trade, but the agent indicated that wasn’t so, and he hasn’t had any discussions with any teams regarding Anderson.
“Ottawa has never asked me for help,” Duberman said. “They’re going to do whatever they can to improve their team. If that means they’ll trade Craig Anderson, they’ll trade Craig Anderson.”
This is something Dorion and the Senators don’t need at the moment, and it’s doubtful Anderson will be moved in the near future.
Dorion spent Friday answering calls from other National Hockey League teams about captain
Erik Karlsson, fellow defenceman Cody Ceci and centres Zack Smith and Jean- Gabriel Pageau.
The Senators sent winger Mike Hoffman packing on Tuesday after Postmedia reported that Melinda Karlsson, the wife of Erik, had requested an order of protection against Hoffman’s fiancee, Monika Caryk, for alleged cyberbullying.
If that’s not enough, the Senators also need to re-sign winger Mark Stone, who can become a restricted free agent on July 1. Speculation in Dallas is that the two sides aren’t close on a deal, although it’s quite possible talks have been put on hold because Dorion needs to get through the draft weekend before trying to get Stone re-signed to a longterm extension.
Stone will almost certainly be back next season because he’s a restricted free agent with rights to salary arbitration.
If Karlsson is dealt, then Stone would be a strong candidate to be the Senators’ next captain.
You really have to wonder what their roster will look like next season, especially if Anderson isn’t back.
Not only has he been the Senators’ top goalie since he was acquired in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche in 2011, but he’s also one of the team’s most popular players.
Part of this scenario could be related to Anderson’s personal circumstances. It’s possible he wants to be closer to family because his wife, Nicholle, who was cured of a rare form of throat cancer in May 2017, remained in Florida last season with their two children.
This is a deal that would be very difficult for the Senators to make unless they can find another team that’s looking for a veteran netminder with playoff experience.
At last year’s trade deadline, the Senators took calls on most of their players except Anderson and fellow goaltender Mike Condon.
Both had sub-par seasons on a team that struggled defensively, and the goalie market is flooded this summer with plenty of options for teams looking for help.
Washington Capitals backup Philipp Grubauer came off the market Friday when he was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche in a deal that also sent Brooks Orpik to Denver.
Cam Ward of the Carolina Hurricanes, Carter Hutton of the St. Louis Blues and former Senators goalie Robin Lehner of the Buffalo Sabres are all set to become unrestricted free agents. The Sabres confirmed Friday they would not give Lehner a qualifying offer.
Anderson has been a good soldier for the Senators, and there’s a good chance he’ll bounce back next season because that has generally been the case throughout his career. That doesn’t mean another team will be willing to gamble on it happening again, which means he may have to return to Ottawa.
For now, the Senators will likely have to put this on the back burner.
So, if Anderson really does want to move elsewhere, he’s going to have to be patient.
At last year’s trade deadline, the Senators took calls on most of their players except Anderson … and Mike Condon.