While the future of Erik Karlsson remains on the front burner, it’s not the only item on Pierre Dorion’s off-season To Do list.
Yesterday was the deadline for restricted free agents to file for salary arbitration and not surprisingly, two Senators have gone that route.
Both Mark Stone and Cody Ceci are RFAs this summer and both have filed for arbitration. At this stage, it’s mostly considered a formality but it’s important to note that by filing for arbitration, both players are now ineligible to sign an offer sheet. Sorry Cody!
Over the last couple months, there has been a lot of talk about the possibility that Mark Stone might be a prime target for an offer sheet only the issue is those really don’t exist in the NHL. Sure they happen from time to time but they have become so rare that they certainly aren’t worth worrying about.
In the case of Stone, the fact that his has filed for arbitration opens up an interesting/terrifying possibility where he signs a one year deal that gets him to unrestricted free agency next summer. The Senators would certainly prefer to avoid that situation though and will prioritize a long term extension with Stone.
Ceci, on the other hand, seems like a prime candidate for arbitration. His offensive production is almost non-existent, his underlying numbers are troubling to say the least and at 24 years of age (with 366 games played), it’s pretty safe to assume that what you see is what you get with Ceci.
Ottawa has done a good job on RFA contracts in recent years and it would seem like they are in the driver’s seat on this one. A long-term deal with Ceci would be an unnecessary and entirely unforgivable mistake by Pierre Dorion.
Players are allowed to negotiate and sign contracts before their arbitration hearings, which are scheduled to take place in Toronto from July 20th to August 4th.
-Last night, it sounded like the Erik Karlsson situation was coming to an end. Shawn Simpson said he heard it was a done deal pending a call to the league office but it appears as though that may have been a touch premature. For what it’s worth, I had heard similar rumours last night but it has been quiet so far today. This morning, Pierre McGuire mentioned that “it’s almost done”. The more we hear about this trade, the more complex it sounds. With a third team likely involved and extensions and no-trade clauses to sort through, it’s not hard to imagine why it might be held up. Either way, I guess we don’t need say goodbye to Erik. Yet…
