Florida & Ottawa agree to a deal

[PigsRule]

Ottawa Sends:
RW - Chris Neil, $2.0m (2012-2013)
D - Alexei Emelin, $0.2m (2012-2013)
MiLR player C - Mikael Granlund, N/C, (0 Games)

Florida Sends:
RW - Brian Gionta, $2.0m (2013-2014)
D - Andrei Markov, $1.8m (2013-2014)
D - Derek Smith, $0.2m (2012-2013)
4th Round (EDM)

low-down: i'm continuing to fine tune my team for the stretch drive and talking to all sellers about deals that will work out very nicely if they can be patient. Gionta and Markov are great point producers with great contracts but currently injured, same with D.Smith who was QB'ing Calgary's PP before he went down.

I feel my cats win now and sens win next season easily.

DickieDunn to confirm! thanks for the smooth negotiations 

[Drew]

Ottawa Sends:
RW - Chris Neil, $2.0m (2012-2013)
D - Alexei Emelin, $0.2m (2012-2013)
MiLR player C - Mikael Granlund, N/C, (0 Games)

Florida Sends:
RW - Brian Gionta, $2.0m (2013-2014)
D - Andrei Markov, $1.8m (2013-2014)
D - Derek Smith, $0.2m (2012-2013)
4th Round (EDM)

low-down: i'm continuing to fine tune my team for the stretch drive and talking to all sellers about deals that will work out very nicely if they can be patient. Gionta and Markov are great point producers with great contracts but currently injured, same with D.Smith who was QB'ing Calgary's PP before he went down.

I feel my cats win now and sens win next season easily.

DickieDunn to confirm! thanks for the smooth negotiations 

For a rebuilding OTT team this is a brutal move. They give up one of the top prospects outside the NHL and Emelin who is becoming decent in MON. Markov is a injury-prone player as well as Gionta thus far this season. They get rid of Neil who puts up decent points but don't get anything back except Smith. 4th round pick is a shot in the dark.

[dickiedunn]

Ottawa Senators management confirm this trade.

We want to rebuild and believe we will have an incredible team next year. Without a goalie this season after losing Anderson and Elliott under the guidance of the former Ottawa owners it was going to be challenging to compete at 100%.

As for this trade, First, our team is also over the limit at the minor league level and needed to trim or move someone. This deal helps us reach the minor league roster ceiling. Mike Granlund is a great prospect but how many years will it take before the Finnish center cracks Minnesota's line-up full-time with Koivu, Brodziak, Cullen. There's also Charlie Coyle and Zack Phillips waiting in the wings in the minor leagues and I own Phillips.

Second, the three players we pick up will easily outplay the one and a half NHL regulars we gave up in this trade. Markov is due to return in late February in time for my Play-off run LOL. Gionta's point totals prior to this season make him a high-end Right Winger. While the Flames Sutter and Feaster love Smith's all around game and toughness great for Hits in our scoring system.

Third, all the players coming to Ottawa fit our salary structure this season and for the foreseeable future at $2.0 Million or less (Gionta), $1.8 Million (Markov) and $0.2 Million (Smith).

Ottawa Senators like this trade and we will be stronger for it next season whether the players play for our team or we end up trading them for even better players. I've spoken to teams about a mid to late 1st round draft pick for Chris Neil but when will that Draft pick help my team? Maybe in 3-5 years? This deal meets my criteria to become competitive starting this off-season without breaking team payroll.

[Drew]

(2/2/12) Andrei Markov (knee) skated by himself for 15 minutes on Tuesday and he took to the ice again on Wednesday for 20 minutes. It's still unclear if Markov will be ready to return at all this season. The oft-injured blueliner hasn't appeared in an NHL game since Nov. 13 during the 2010-11 campaign.

Markov played 7 games last season and 40 the season before. And hasn't played a game this year.

[hockeyfreak6000]

I'm not liking this deal so much for ottawa... I will wait and see what everubody else says

[PigsRule]

(2/2/12) Andrei Markov (knee) skated by himself for 15 minutes on Tuesday and he took to the ice again on Wednesday for 20 minutes. It's still unclear if Markov will be ready to return at all this season. The oft-injured blueliner hasn't appeared in an NHL game since Nov. 13 during the 2010-11 campaign.

Markov played 7 games last season and 40 the season before. And hasn't played a game this year.

you mean next yr when the deal breaks down to neil for gonta it's still going to "look" bad to you. who's going to guarantee me granlund cracks the wild line-up full-time on L1 or L2 in 2012-13. anyone who wants to do that is welcome to send an offer to take him off my hands. drew, open offer... just send me a player of equal value.

guys, how much more is neil going to improve ottawa's standing this season? how does this hurt ottawa? you veto a deal if one club is getting the severe short end. if we're talking this very moment in time, ottawa and my cats net out, markov's not playing, neither is granlund, they both have potential and risk, neil is playing but isn't gonta the better fantasy point guy? then smith for emelin is a wash, both are young. plus a pick to ottawa.

where's the one-sided deal here guys?

[Drew]

you mean next yr when the deal breaks down to neil for gonta it's still going to "look" bad to you. who's going to guarantee me granlund cracks the wild line-up full-time on L1 or L2 in 2012-13. anyone who wants to do that is welcome to send an offer to take him off my hands. drew, open offer... just send me a player of equal value.

guys, how much more is neil going to improve ottawa's standing this season? how does this hurt ottawa? you veto a deal if one club is getting the severe short end. if we're talking this very moment in time, ottawa and my cats net out, markov's not playing, neither is granlund, they both have potential and risk, neil is playing but isn't gonta the better fantasy point guy? then smith for emelin is a wash, both are young. plus a pick to ottawa.

where's the one-sided deal here guys?

Just makes no sense from OTT stand point. Granlund is in the NHL next season. Neil for Gionta is a wash as the risk for injury and jsut crappy overall play from Gionta is too much. Emelin in my mind is better than Smith and Markov is more of an injury concern that FLA is dumping. Just don't get how this helps the future of OTT.
 

[dickiedunn]

My Ottawa Senators are happy with this deal.

Looking just at Neil versus Gionta point totals over the past 3 seasons and their rank at Right Wing

Neil with a $2.0 Million salary averages 89.96 points per season
2010-11 = 102.75 (69th)
2009-10 = 119.75 (48th)
2008-09 = 47.4 (111th)

Gionta with a $2.0 Million salary averages 155.76 point per season
2010-11 = 170.35 (16th)
2009-10 = 141.15 (32nd)
2008-09 = 155.8 (25th)

That's Neil's 90pts versus Gionta's 156pts annually. What's not to like for my Senators acquiring Gionta? I feel Neil is being moved while his value is high and Gionta is being acquired while his perceived value is at its lowest.

[dickiedunn]

Another thing it will not be the first time I acquire an injured player.

As a matter of fact, I acquired Latendresse from Drew's Wild before the holidays.
Then I added Cam Barker and Huselius from Columbus, both injured and both with a history but they will be dirty cheap contract extensions next year and are big reward type players.

So I'm moving Granlund. He's good but when does he help me? Around the same time Markov helps me? Which player will have an immediate impact when they play? I say Markov is the bigger risk reward guy and Markov's $1.8 Million salary looks much better than Granlund's $2.5 Million salary.

This deal helps my Senators when I expect my team to compete hard starting this off-season and Fall.

Again Ottawa is more than happy with this deal and to say it isn't a good deal is telling me I don't know hockey.

[Tarheels55]

My Ottawa Senators are happy with this deal.

Looking just at Neil versus Gionta point totals over the past 3 seasons and their rank at Right Wing

Neil with a $2.0 Million salary averages 89.96 points per season
2010-11 = 102.75 (69th)
2009-10 = 119.75 (48th)
2008-09 = 47.4 (111th)

Gionta with a $2.0 Million salary averages 155.76 point per season
2010-11 = 170.35 (16th)
2009-10 = 141.15 (32nd)
2008-09 = 155.8 (25th)

That's Neil's 90pts versus Gionta's 156pts annually. What's not to like for my Senators acquiring Gionta? I feel Neil is being moved while his value is high and Gionta is being acquired while his perceived value is at its lowest.

I can see where Ottawa is going here so