Sekeres and Price: Frank Seravalli on the Sekeres and Price show on if Claude Giroux, Lawson Crouse or Vladimir Tarasenko be on the move.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Matt Sekeres: “Can you satisfy Grady Sass’s curiosity and let him know whether Claude Giroux is available from the Ottawa Senators and if there’s any way of prying Lawson Crouse out of Arizona?”
Seravalli: “So I’ll start with Giroux. I doubt it. He’s an odd like, well, he’s from Hearst, Ontario but his home has been Ottawa since he was a teenager and they are perfectly comfortable there. And I think not only that, that Sens team is really devoid of leadership. And I think to take him out of there were a bunch of guys have really responded well to him, and he’s one of the only strong voices that they have. I think that would be a big mistake, and I also don’t think he wants to go anywhere. So I don’t foresee that happening.
When it comes to Crouse. Like we heard his name pop up at varying points last year. It was sort of Crouse and (Nick) Schmaltz, ‘Hey, what will the coyotes do?’
I think they’re gonna be selling when it comes down to it at the end of the day. They’ve got some, you know, sort of, what would you call them short-term signings. The Matt Dumba‘s and Jason Zucker‘s of the world.
But I don’t think that as attractive as someone like Crouse might be to a team, same thing with Schmaltz, you’re going about chasing your tail, I think if you’re in the Yotes. Because you create some real value that you get back in return, but then you’ve got to go out and fill that exact position. And you’ve got guys that already don’t make a ton that are kind of close to fitting your age scheme and where you’re heading. It doesn’t really seem to make a lot of sense to create a hole just to have to go plug it again.”
Sekeres: “There you go. You satisfied.”
Blake Price: “Last we’ll hear of Giroux.”
Sekeres: “I told him, we know Giroux’s wife, she grew up, you know, steps from the arena. So I didn’t think there was a move.
Let’s get let me just ask him about Tarasenko though.”
Seravalli: “Okay.”
Sekeres: “Totally available?”
Seravalli: “I’m actually not convinced that he’s available.”
Sekeres: “Oh.”
Seravlli: “Look, I think the price is gonna have to be right for Ottawa because another guy that they’ve been really impressed with. And yes, they haven’t talked about an extension or anything, but he holds the cards here with the full no-trade.
And last time I checked his son playing youth hockey in Ottawa, not entirely keen on bouncing around and another voice next to Giroux. I was told the two players that have been very impressive so far in that room and what’s been an awful season have been Giroux and Tarasenko.
So take that for what it’s worth. I’m not saying they won’t trade him. I’m just saying I don’t think that’s their first preference.”