On the Ottawa Senators, Mike Hoffman and Erik Karlsson …
TSN: Darren Dreger on TSN’s Insider Trading said that the Senators could trade Mike Hoffman at the NHL draft. GM Pierre Dorion is getting and considering offers, but they are not there just yet.
“There’s a strong market for him and there’s been a strong market for him, but it’s much stronger now that there’s more flexibility.”
Chris Nichols of FRS Hockey: Darren Dreger was on TSN 1200 talking about TSN’s/Frank Seravalli’s top 25 trade candidates, and said that the Senators are not really interested in trading Erik Karlsson. Dreger said that the Senators trading Mike Hoffman is more likely than Karlsson, despite Seravalli having Karlsson ranked higher.
“In fact, I’d be surprised if Mike Hoffman wasn’t traded at the draft. I think that the interest has been significant dating back to the turn of the year, January 1. It was significant right up to the trade deadline. But as we predicted on February 26, when you’ve got valuable players like this obviously the expected rate of return is going to be high. And in-season, sometimes it’s just too difficult to break up your roster or give up the pieces that are needed to acquire a player like that. There is more flexibility in the system right now, both in dollars and in prospects and in players.”
Dreger continues that it shouldn’t be a surprise if a team with multiple assets steps up. The asking price back at the trade deadline was for multiple pieces.
Though the Senators want to keep Karlsson, Dreger was asked how difficult it might be for them to resist some of the trade offers they are presented with. Dreger says the Senators will do all they can to sign Karlsson to a contract extension, but from Karlsson’s side, what is the rush to get a deal done?
“So there is some urgency from Ottawa’s standpoint. You’ve got to get to a place where you feel like there’s just no negotiation. If Erik Karlsson comes in and he wants $12 million a year – I’m not suggesting that he will, but if he did – maybe that’s just flat-out too money for Eugene Melnyk and the Ottawa Senators to chew on. And if Newport Sports makes it clear that there really isn’t going to be a negotiation – it is what it is – then by position of general manager, you’ve got to listen to the multitude of interest that will be expressed.”