On the Ottawa Senators …
Darren Dreger: GM Pierre Dorion wouldn’t say anything with regards to Erik Karlsson speculation or on a bunch of their other players during his media availability.
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: GM Pierre Dorion received offers at the trade deadline from the Vegas Golden Knights, Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes for Erik Karlsson.
The Senators are under no pressure to move Karlsson at the draft – they can take their time with a decision.
Zack Smith‘s name is out in the rumor mill again. Same can be said for Bobby Ryan, but it’s unlikely he’s moved because of four years at $7.25 million.
Smith might fit in well with a Western Conference team. He’s owed $3.25 million through 2020-21.
TSN Insider Trading: Darren Dreger said the fit to trade Erik Karlsson wasn’t there at the deadline, but maybe the Senators will find something at the draft.
“The pressure that the Senators might be feeling though is that if it gets to July 1 and they have to make Karlsson the offer, if he doesn’t accept it, then the leverage fully shifts into the court of the player. So there’s a list of teams interested and the Vegas Golden Knights are right there.”
Bob McKenzie continues on Karlsson saying that the Vegas Golden Knights didn’t offer enough at the deadline, and may not be offering enough now.
“The problem I think that you run into is that the Vegas Golden Knights more than any other team have the ability to take Bobby Ryan’s contract off the hands of the Senators and that would be something that owner Eugene Melnyk would look favourably upon. But I think there’s a cost associated with that and the cost is if Vegas takes the Bobby Ryan contract, they’re not going to give as many live bodies or draft picks going back the other way to Ottawa.”
McKenzie adds that longer Karlsson is with the Senators, the less of an asset he becomes.