Sens got better of big trade — at least for now
The moon turned blue on Tuesday and a pig was spotted flying near the Ottawa airport.
We know these reports to be true because the Senators just completed a blockbuster, nine- player trade with their arch-enemy, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Both organizations were last seen patting themselves on the back. Both dumped what were thought to be unmovable contracts — the Senators unloading the deals of defenceman Jared Cowen and forward Colin Greening, and that of injured veteran winger Milan Michalek. The Leafs shed the five-year, $7-million-per cap hit of captain Dion Phaneuf.
In the exchange, the Senators will save $1.4 million U.S. in payroll this season, $4M U.S. the next. That frees up money to sign a player like pending free-agent winger Mike Hoffman, and there should be cap room, and cash, down the road for a Phaneuf contract that declines in real dollars toward the end of the deal.
Both dumped a whipping boy defenceman — the Leafs parting with Phaneuf, who never lived up to the expectations of being “The Guy” in the Centre of the Universe.
Cowen, a former first-round pick of the Senators, reached a point where he had to move on, for his own sake — his game a wreck, confidence shattered.
Who wins? Ottawa, in the short term. The Senators get the best current player in the deal, and fill an obvious need as they pursue a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
For the Senators, this deal is about the here and now. Conversely, the rebuilding Leafs are freeing up cap space for the future. Forward prospect Tobias Lindberg, whom the Leafs insisted be included, could be the sleeper in the trade. Ottawa feels it can afford to let him go, with so many other kids knocking on the door, including Nick Paul and Matt Puempel.
General manager Bryan Murray says of Lindberg: “He’ll probably play for the Leafs within a year, and that’s good for them.”
Lindberg’s departure means there is nothing left from the deal that sent goaltender Ben Bishop to Tampa Bay.
The minor leaguers involved — forwards Matt Frattin, Casey Bailey, Ryan Rupert and defenceman Cody Donaghey — were pieces the Senators had to accept to move the contracts they did.
As much airtime and print space has been devoted to crunching salary numbers on this trade, for Murray it was foremost a “hockey” deal.
“It’s about getting an experienced leader, a good person, a hard working, competitive guy to add to the mix in our top four,” Murray said.
Murray and Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello, two of the NHL’s lions in winter, talked about Phaneuf some time ago but got serious on Saturday, when the two teams met in Ottawa. Having already traded with the likes of Tampa Bay and Buffalo, Murray is fearless about making moves in his own division and jokes that he might “go through the whole group.”
“I think if you can make a trade to satisfy your needs, you can’t worry about how it affects the other team,” Murray says.
As quiet as he was beloved, Michalek’s departure was a blow to players and staff. Still, $4 million was a steep tag for a player whose offensive output is in decline. Professional to the end, Michalek had to add the Leafs to his trade list to allow this deal to go down.
Largely, though, it’s about Phaneuf, 30. Winger Clarke MacArthur, a close friend of Phaneuf and a former teammate in Toronto, vouched for the character of a player sometimes portrayed as aloof.
“I think he’s going to be great,” said MacArthur, just off the ice from a skate as he works toward returning to action from a concussion. “He’s a character guy we need. He came a long way in Toronto, becoming the captain of the Leafs. It’s a tough place to play, even tougher to be the guy that takes the heat.”
MacArthur was stunned that a significant deal went down between the Leafs and Senators, the first since a couple of minor moves in Ottawa’s early years.
Senators winger Chris Neil, who has had a few on ice run-ins with Phaneuf over the years, says it won’t be hard to turn the page.
“As a group, we’re excited,” Neil said. “We get an elite defenceman like Dion. He’s going to come in and help us right away.”
Head coach Dave Cameron expects Phaneuf will slot in alongside Cody Ceci against the Red Wings on Wednesday. He will play a lot, and help keep the minutes to a more appropriate level for some of the younger D-men.
Cameron, Murray and the entire front office were visibly giddy at having got this deal done. Murray hopes it sends a message to his room that “we’re trying to win,” even as the GM admits that making the playoffs will be a stretch.
In their past two games, both victories, the Senators have borne a remarkable resemblance to the club that charmed the region last winter.
Whether history repeats or not, the addition of Phaneuf is guaranteed to spice up the final weeks of the season.