(UPDATE 1:24 PM)- Bryan Murray was on TSN1200 this morning and had lots of interesting updates including info on Colin Greening, Craig Anderson and his search for a top six forward. You can listen to the complete interview here.
The NHL trade deadline is a little over a month away but the rumour mill is already starting to pick up steam.
The Ottawa Senators aren’t quite ready to label themselves as sellers just yet but it’s getting close to that point. Their ten points back of that final playoff spot and even though we just passed the half-way point of the season, that’s a huge gap to close. Bryan Murray has let it be known that he’d like to add a top six forward to the ranks but deals like that are tough to find these days.
A quick round-up of some of the rumours around the Ottawa Senators right now.
-Sounds like it could be the end of the line for Todd Bertuzzi. After just two games in the American Hockey League, rumours have surfaced that Bertuzzi is dealing with a knee injury that could end his comeback attempt. I know not everybody loved this move but based on the reaction from the guys, they really respected Bertuzzi during his brief stint in Bingo. The organization is still waiting to hear an update on his health.
-The Senators have been interested in Ryan O’Reilly for a long time. As far back as February 2013, the Senators were among a handful of teams seriously looking at the Avalanche forward. According to people I’ve talked to, Ottawa explored it again at last year’s deadline and then once more this past summer. I’m not really sure if there’s a fit there but I know the teams have talked in the past. If the Avalanche make O’Reilly available again, Bryan Murray will certainly make a call.
-Bryan Murray has made it pretty clear that he’d like to add some scoring to the line up although half the General Managers in the league would probably say the same thing. Apparently the Senators talked to the Oilers about David Perron at one point earlier this season but felt like the asking price was a little too high. One thing I have been told is that if the Senators do make a move for a top six forward, it’s going to be someone that fits in with their long-term plans. Certainly hope that’s the case because this really isn’t the time for the Senators to be considering rental players.
-As much as Murray would like to “buy”, he’s also got some important decisions to make on who to sell. Don Brennan brought it up over the weekend that the Senators may have to consider moving Chris Phillips. He’s been a pressbox regular under Dave Cameron and with Mark Borowiecki close to a return, the Senators are going to have 8 healthy defenceman on the roster. Can’t imagine there’s a huge market for Phillips and I really don’t know if he has any interest in a move to a contender but it’s a conversation the team will need to have in the next month or so.
-Ottawa is going to have to make a decision on Marc Methot in the near future. His return has really stabilized things on the Ottawa blueline and certainly improved the game of Erik Karlsson. But with the trade deadline rapidly approaching, Ottawa has to decide on a contract extension. Methot recently switched agents and since then, it seems like people are a little more optimistic about a deal getting done. But there was definitely some bad blood between the two sides this past summer so an extension certainly won’t be easy. It seemed like both sides drew a line in the sand this summer and now both are going to have to budge a little bit to get something done. One thing is certain- the Senators blueline desperately needs Marc Methot.
-Over the weekend, Bruce Garrioch silenced those Craig Anderson rumours that have come up in the last couple weeks. It lines up with what I’ve heard. The Ottawa Senators really aren’t seriously considering moving Anderson and essentially, it would take a jaw-dropping offer for them to move their number one goalie. I’ve had multiple “connected” people say this to me in the last couple weeks and it’s something I have heard in the past couple years- if the Senators were seriously considering moving one of their goalies, it’s more likely it would be Robin Lehner. With that said, I think Ottawa is happy with two goalies. They’ll certainly re-examine the situation in the summer though.
-For the first time, an update on Chris Stewart did not include the Ottawa Senators. Elliotte Friedman mentioned Stewart on Hockey Night in Canada this weekend and suggested that the Flames and Predators are two possible destinations. I think Tim Murray is a smart fella but it seems like he’s botched this one a little bit. He set the bar unrealistically high on Stewart and has seen his value plummet with each game he plays. Stewart is going to get moved at some point but the market has thinned dramatically and it’s clear the Sabres won’t get anywhere near what they expected for his services.
-With Chris Neil closing in on a return, the Senators are going to have to make a decision with Colin Greening in the near future. Bryan Murray spoke to Greening after practice today and laid out some of the options the team is considering with Greening. Murray was on TSN 1200 and suggested that he is willing to let Greening’s agent talk to other teams to see if there is a fit. If not, the organization is considering putting him on waivers after the All Star break. One thing is clear- Colin Greening’s time with the Ottawa Senators is coming to an end.
