Are the Senators interested in Ruutu?
Twenty-seven shopping days to the NHL trade deadline.
The next time the Senators face the Bruins at TD Garden, it will be a day after the Feb. 27 deadline.
A lot will have happened by then. For the Senators, GM Bryan Murray will have decided if he’s going to be a buyer. Much will depend on price tags.
The shopping is about to get serious. There’s a belief that Toronto GM Brian Burke could strike as early as this week. If that’s the case, he may be forced to pay a higher price than most, but he badly wants a forward.
Melnyk says Sens still in rebuild mode 31With the Feb. 27 trade deadline approaching, the focus has changed and the Senators could be a buyer. That doesn’t mean Murray is going to spend wildly and if the Senators do anything, it might be a tweak.
“(Dealing) would come with one caveat. Let’s not lose focus of what our job is: That’s to rebuild,” said Melnyk. “The deal we made for Kyle Turris was more of an anomoly than anything else because we did give up a piece of our future and we weren’t going to be competitive without a second-line centre.
Could the Sens add a substantial player? If the Senators’ bubble was going to burst, you would have expected it to do so by now. It hasn’t, eh? Well, maybe under the hot California sun, where they start a four-game in six-day stretch Thursday against Western Conference teams, in their own time zone, who are at different levels of desperation.
GM Bryan Murray doesn’t think it’s going to happen, though. He looks at his team — the surprise of the NHL season with a 26-16-6 record and within a short saucer pass from the Eastern Conference lead — and he doesn’t see a crash and burn in its future.
Digital Faceoff: Should Sens deal for playoff run?BAINES: To what extent does Bryan Murray go to get to the playoffs and perhaps ensure a bit of a run? Does he trade away significant young assets to acquire impact players? Or does he deal mid-round draft picks for role players.
GARRIOCH: They need to get one more forward. Just think they need a little more scoring depth. I’m not sure I’d trade a first-rounder to do that, but they do have three picks from the first round last year. Maybe one of those guys could be used (Not Zibanejad, of course)
Turris Dealt to the SenatorsOK, centre Kyle Turris has his wish, dealt away from the evil hand of Coyotes coach Dave Tippett, who wanted him to be able to play when he didn’t have the puck, and GM Don Maloney, who gave him exactly what he deserved ($2.8 million over two years) about three weeks ago. The jury’ is very much out on Turris, who chafed at how he was used in Phoenix after being the No. 3 overall pick in the 2007 draft.
Are the Sens interestred in Brassard?The Senators made a minor trade Friday, but there’s a bigger one for the taking if they want it.
Claims by his agent of mistreatment in Columbus made it clear that Derick Brassard is available. The 24-year-old Hull product has the pedigree to become the second-line centre the Senators have sought. A junior scoring star when he was Guillaume Latendresse’s set up man with the Drummondville Voltigeurs, Brassard was the sixth pick in the 2006 draft. But his Blue Jackets’ career has been marked by injury and an inability to near his potential. Brassard’s best season was 2010-11, when he had 17 goals and 30 assists, and through the first two months of the current campaign, he has just two goals and two assists.
Turris off Sens' radarThe Senators may like Kyle Turris. But it doesn’t look like he will be packing his bags anytime soon.
While the Senators — along with three other Canadian teams — remain interested in the 21-year-old centre after he finally agreed to a contract with Phoenix Tuesday, Coyotes GM Don Maloney isn’t playing Let’s Make a Deal.
Turris, who missed the team’s first 19 games as a restricted free agent before agreeing to a two-year, $2.8-million deal, will suit up for the Coyotes while his demand for a trade sits on the table.
Sens will be able to deal with depth on defenceBryan Murray spent a long time in the stands during Sunday’s morning skate speaking with Mike Gillis.
Yes, the Senators left with defenceman Filip Kuba on board.
Whether the Senators GM and his Vancouver counterpart actually talked trade during their chat is only speculation, but it’s well-known the Canucks are looking for defencemen and Ottawa will have extras sooner or later.
If Sens winning ways continue, Murray may be forced to dealThe way his team has played over the first 20 games has created a dilemma for Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray.
Instead of just sitting back and watching in a rebuilding season, he might have to start thinking about adding pieces to bolster his team’s playoff hopes. One game over .500 as they prepare to meet the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday, the Senators have the No. 8 playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Their fortunes could easily change over the next 20 games, but if they don’t, and the Senators remain in the playoff picture, then Murray said he’s going to have to start thinking about making a deal or deals.
Filatov wants out; Sens say not so fastNikita Filatov wants to take the money and run all the way back to Moscow.
Senators GM Bryan Murray confirmed Wednesday the 21-year-old top prospect isn’t happy playing with the club’s AHL affiliate in Binghamton and asked for his release, so he can suit up for the Central Red Army in the KHL.
