With NHL Trade Deadline now less than a week away, the talk around the league continues to build with each passing day.
As both the Eastern and Western Conference continue to sort out the pretenders from the contenders, we begin to get a better idea who the buyers and sellers might be in this year’s trade market. Meanwhile, the Ottawa Senators continue to be situated squarely within deadline limbo, not a buyer but certainly not a seller either.
It is an issue that has been discussed at length among Sens fans and that is what does the club do with Filip Kuba and Sergei Gonchar. Kuba is a UFA at season’s end while Gonchar has another year left on his deal at $5.5 mil. I can tell you that right now anyway, it appears as though the Sens will hang on to both.
The reason for doing so should be fairly obvious especially with the team holding down a playoff spot and looking like a team that could make some noise if they get hot come playoff time.
Now I'm not saying Bryan Murray won’t listen to offers on the two. For Kuba, some contacts I have spoken with have speculated that the bar could be set high as a first round pick. I would be surprised if a team was willing to pay that price. Kuba is too important to the Sens blueline and even though it means he could walk this off season, the Senators need him this year.
Murray was on Hockey Central at Noon and strongly hinted that Kuba won’t be going anywhere. Smart move in my opinion.
Gonchar on the other hand would be much tougher to move considering he still has another year left on his deal. Gonchar has made it clear he would like to stay here in Ottawa and unless someone blows Murray away with an offer, I expect him to be a Senator beyond the deadline.
For what it’s worth, I have been told that the Chicago Blackhawks have kicked tires on both Kuba and Gonchar.
Murray also addressed the Rick Nash situation and said that the Senators will not be involved because the asking price is far too high. He was asked about a back up goalie and said Alex Auld is their guy.
It’s an awful thing for a rumour site to say but with one week to go until the NHL Trade Deadline, I don’t think the Ottawa Senators are going to a damn thing, and as a fan, that’s just fine with me.
