Last minute deal done

Vermette signs. This topic's been beaten to death.

...I still say trade him.

Project Hennessy: To be continued

I didn't expect to see it happen, but the Senators' brass have decided against ending the Josh Hennessy project and re-signed the centreman to a two-year two-way contract. I haven't found financial terms of the deal yet, but I can't see it being worth any more than the $565K Hennessy made last season.

Although he'll have a chance to make the NHL squad in training camp, Hennessy will likely re-join the Binghamton Senators for the third season in a row, with a few mid-season call-ups if the big team runs into injuries. In 152 AHL games over the last two seasons, Hennessy has scored 49G and 59A for 108P total.

The signing retains the services of one asset we received in the Martin Havlat trade, along with 2008 second-round pick Patrick Wiercoch and I think Michal Barinka is still technically a Sens prospect.

The Sens also re-signed goaltending prospect Jeff Glass to a one-year, two-way deal earlier in the week. It is, according to NHLScap, worth $550k.

The Rumour Mill: How valuable is Andrej Meszaros?

Although it might not seem important at first, the Jay Bouwmeester signing in Florida might prove to be consequential for the Ottawa Senators. First off, it lowers the bar on restricted free agent Andrej Meszaros' contract salary demands, because no one in their right mind would say Meszaros is even close to as important to the Sens' success as Bouwmeester (whose salary will be $4.8M, according to NHLScap.com) is to the Panthers'. And secondly, it removes one huge name from the pool of eligible defencemen, making Meszaros' trade value higher than it was previously.

Various sources have pegged Meszaros' salary demands around $4M per year, which seemed like the market share until Bouwmeester signed for $4.8M; Mesz, although a good player, isn't even 80% the player Bouwmeester is. Despite rumours to the contrary, Meszaros' value doesn't seem that high; Lee Versage made a good point on Team 1200 this morning in stating that if he was highly sought after, someone would have thrown an offer sheet his way. He remains a young, puck-moving defenceman, however, and there are many teams who would be interested in acquiring him if they could sign him to a long-term deal.

Something playing into Meszaros' favour is the rumour (take it for what it's worth), spread by Sens Chirp, that he's got a contract offer with a KHL team for next year that he'll run to if the Sens don't meet his expectations. Even if he does, Bryan Murray doesn't seem like the kind of man who takes very kindly to threats, but I do hope that the Sens don't lose Mesz for nothing.

A smooth-skating, puck-moving defenceman who can get the puck out of the defensive zone is arguably the Sens' most pressing need, and--despite the odd giveaway or mistake--Meszaros fits that bill. Brian Lee might do that in the future, or even in this upcoming season, but we have no way of knowing how he'll respond to a full 82-game NHL season--plus playoffs. There are options via trade, but only Murray really knows Meszaros' value, and which defencemen are truly available.

What do you think; is Meszaros in the Sens' future? Should he be, or shouldn't he?

How does Vermette compare to Bouchard?

Today, the Minnesota Wild announced that they'd avoided arbitration with their top-scoring centreman Pierre-Marc Bouchard with a five-year, $20.4M contract (a cap hit of $4.08 per year). This might seem like just another signing to Sens fans, but with Sens' centreman Antoine Vermette's arbitration hearing coming up, how will this signing impact the verdict?

On paper, there isn't really much of a comparison. Bouchard has scored 179 regular-season points over the last three seasons, while Vermette has only put up 125. While Bouchard has less playoff points (7, compared to 8 for Vermette) he has only played 16 playoff games, while Vermette's played 38. There is really no comparison in terms of offensive output, and Bouchard is undoubtedly a more important component of the Wild than Vermette is of the Sens.

Bouchard, however, was given more opportunities to produce offensively than Vermette. He averaged more than one minute more per game than the Verminator (18:50 compared to 17:34), including more than twice as much powerplay time per game (3:35 compared to 1:28). And Vermette had a lot more penalty-killing time (3:39 per game, while Bouchard averaged 0:02 per game); as we all know, his speed makes him a solid penalty killer, so Vermette's value is defensive, as well.

According to newspaper reports, Vermette has been asking for a long-term contract in the range of $4M per year, just like Bouchard's. He might be worth that to another team, but he hasn't proven the Senators that he can justify that kind of dough with consistent, timely offensive production.

Oh my dear God, please sign Glen Murray

Glen Murray is being bought out by the Boston Bruins, and this presents an excellent opportunity for the Ottawa Senators to sign the soon-to-be free agent.

I don't know the whole story about Murray's career, but the guy had 28 goals in 2006-07 and 92 points in 2002-03! This (now much older) man screams secondary scoring. I recommend that the other Murray, Bryan, make a freaking decision about Meszaros and Vermette and start putting the Sens on the right track immediately, or yet another opportunity may pass the team by.

PS: Haven't the Bruins taken enough players from the Sens?

Ottawa Citizen says a mouthful in just one paragraph

From today's Ottawa Citizen:

Martin Gerber can probably breathe a little easier with Alex Auld and not Ray Emery waiting in the wings to be the Ottawa Senators' No. 1 goalie.

When Alex Auld is so obviously challenging for the #1 goaltending spot on your team... it's not a good thing. And doesn't this paragraph implicitly reveal that HWSNBN is/was a much better goalie than Auld? Isn't it true?

I still cannot understand the Ottawa media's support for Martin Gerber. Patrick Lalime was run out of town for much less (and he won more than zero playoff series, and more than 2 playoff games - often in the same series. Okay, calm down Ben, this isn't about Lalime).

"In my career, when I've been on the bench, I've probably been the other goalie's biggest fan and supporter, and you hope for the same when you're in net, too."

Screw that! Take the #1 spot. I would be much happier to support an overachiever than an overpaid underachiever. (2007 Stanley Cup playoffs ring any bells?)

"I see both of us as No. 1 goalies"

Sadly, on this team, that will be the case.

Only 342 days until Gerber's contract ends!

Something to blog about

Based on the lyrics of "Something to talk about" by Bonnie Raitt.

People are talkin', talkin' about signings,
I hear them whisper, you won't believe it,
They think Williams is now a Senator.
I just ignore it, but they keep sayin'
We trade Vermette for Kesler
We trade Meszaros for Bouwmeester
We trade Neil for Cam Barker
Maybe they're seeing something we don't, Murray

Please give me something to blog about
Murray, give me something to blog about
Let's give fans something to read about
How 'bout a traaaaaaade?

I feel so foolish, I never noticed,
You'd act so nervous, what are you hiding, Murray?
It took a rumour to make me wonder.
Now I'm convinced something's going down.
Thinking 'bout signings every day,
Dreaming 'bout trades every night.
Hoping that you feel the same way.
Now that we know it, let's make a signing, Murray!

Let's give them something to talk about,
A little contract to figure out!
Let's give them something to talk about,
How about a free... agent... sign... -ing?

Please give something to blog about.
Let's give them something to figure out.
Let's give them something to read about,
How about a trade, trade, trade, trade?

Ooooooh-hoooooooo!

Listen up, Murray!
A little signing won't hurt!
How 'bout a second line winger?
A defenceman, a goalie?

Would you sign Vermette for 6 years?

It's an interesting question that GM Bryan Murray is asking himself right now. With NHL teams generally moving towards longer-term contracts for players, Antoine Vermette and his agent may be asking for a deal in the arena of 4-6 years.

When signing a young player for 5, 7, or 11 years, many teams feel that they are paying for the potential that a player will likely realize. To the player in question, I'm sure, that's A-OK with him. In the case of Vermette, the Ottawa Senators are posing the question: What is Antoine's potential? Where will be in 3 or 6 years?

The Edmonton Oilers recently re-signed a player with similar stats to Vermette, Shawn Horcoff, to a 6-year contract worth $33-million. Is Vermette worth this kind of money? Well, that depends on his potential, and as Ray Emery learned just last year, potential is about more than talent.