The Ottawa Senators acquired forward Cedric Paquette, defenseman Braydon Coburn and a 2022 second-round pick from the Tampa Bay Lightning for forward Marian Gaborik and goaltender Anders Nilsson.
Greg Wyshynski: The Lightning announce that newly acquired Gaborik and Nilsson “will be placed on long-term injury reserve and will not play this season.”
David Pagnotta: Defenseman Coburn had a full no-trade clause and would have had to approve the trade to Ottawa.
The Numbers
Chris Johnston: “The #TBLightning will start this season with nearly $17M in cap commitments on long-term injured reserve: Nikita Kucherov ($9.5M), Marian Gaborik ($4.875M) and Anders Nilsson ($2.6M).”
Puck Pedia: Trade: #Sens trade Gaborik ($4.875M – LTIR) & Nilsson ($2.6M) to #Lightning for Coburn ($1.7M), Paquette ($1.65M), ’22 2nd.
Net Cap +$4.125M for TB, but Gaborik to LTIR & assume 1 G to taxi (saves $1.075M), net impact is $1.825M Cap Benefit for TB.
Puck Pedia: “If Nilsson (concussion) also to LTIR, despite adding $4.125M annual Cap Hit, the #Lightning actually saved $3.35M effective Cap Hit in Deal.
Ottawa cash savings = Gaborik $3.075M Nilsson $2.4M – Coburn $1.6M -Paquette $1.65M = $2.225M savings”
Puck Pedia: “If Nilsson also to LTIR, #Lightning can exceed cap by max $16.975M to start year & set LTIR Pool.
Currently Projected Roster is $16.52M over Cap w/ 21 active (13F/6D/2G). This Roster would be cap compliant & LTIR Pool for year would be $16.52M.”
Thoughts from the media
Pierre LeBrun: “Tampa GM Julien BriseBois had said he had a other move likely coming even after Kucherov going on LTI made the Bolts cap compliant. He wanted more cap flexibility. Move Paquette $1.65M and Coburn $1.7M off the cap. Nilsson and Gaborik on LTI.”
Joe Smith: “#tblightning has depth up front and Mitchell Stephens showed he was ready for regular role – can be 4C with Cedric Paquette dealt to Ottawa. Braydon Coburn was one of most well-liked vets in room, with Tampa since 2015 deadline. But blueline packed + TB needed cap room.”
Eric Engels: “I’ve been pretty critical of the Senators for not retaining quality vets like Pageau and Borowiecki to help support the youth movement, but the acquisitions of Stepan, Paquette and Coburn help.”
- Eric Engels: “Getting them and moving dead money off the books is good work.”
Justin Bourne: “If nothing else Ottawa seems determined to be a roster that won’t just give you two points next year while their kids come along.”
- Eric Engels: “Said this on the air today: Even if you have them penciled into last place in the North, they went from playing in a 31-team league to a seven-team league. It won’t shock me if they upset the applecart.”
Ryan Pike: “Ottawa getting Paquette, a pick, and some cash relief in exchange for saving Tampa from cap jail is some tidy work.”
Frank Seravalli: “For #Sens, they now get back a 2nd round pick they traded to ARI for Stepan yesterday.
In other words, in 24 hrs: Sens acquired veteran depth help in Stepan, Paquette and Coburn for … two players that weren’t going to play this season, now whom they won’t have to pay, either.”
JFresh: “Of the eleven players that Ottawa added this summer for a combined $28M in cap, I have two of them (Evgeny Dadonov and Josh Brown) projected above replacement level next season. What’s the opposite of MoneyBall?”
Charting the trade
Cedric Paquette, acquired by OTT, is a subreplacement-level centre who’s great on the PK, meh defensively, and useless offensively. #GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/8CeAHuUkKR
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) December 28, 2020
Braydon Coburn, also acquired by OTT, is an okay bottom pairing two-way defenceman who takes a lot of penalties. #LetsGoSens pic.twitter.com/yvjEiHzNhF
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) December 28, 2020
that’s better for ottawa pic.twitter.com/TBrLFR17F6
— dom luszczyszyn (@domluszczyszyn) December 28, 2020
Player Stats
Cedric Paquette
Braydon Coburn
Marian Gaborik
Anders Nilsson