The NHL General Managers are hitting their busy season and one of the first items on every GMs "To Do List" is the qualifying of restricted free agents.
Today, Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun has indicated that the Senators have officially extended qualifying offers to seven of the eight RFAs on the roster. That list includes Condra, Wiercioch, Borowiecki, DaCosta, Hoffman, Cowick, and Dziurzynski. The one player not receiving an offer was Louie Caporusso.
Not all that surprising to see Caporusso left off that list. With the improved depth at forward in the organization over the last couple years, there just wasn't room for the former Michigan Wolverine.
The 3rd round pick in the 2007 Entry Draft had six points in 36 games with the Binghamton Senators over two seasons.
Caporusso will become an unrestricted free agent on July 5th.
- Unrestricted free agents on the roster include Daniel Alfredsson and Andre Benoit. Mike Lundin, Peter Regin, Guillaume Latendresse and Hugh Jessiman are also still technically on that list but don't appear to be in the team’s plans going forward. We’ll have to wait and see what the team does with Binghamton goaltender and UFA to be Nathan Lawson.
- In his latest installment of 30 Thoughts, CBC’s Elliotte Friedman discussed the possibility of Marian Hossa making a return to Ottawa. The Sens have a need for additional scoring and the Hawks could use a little cap relief. Plus it would be awesome to see Hossa come back to Ottawa. Unfortunately, that’s where the possibility ends. The Sens have a ton of cap space but the $7.9 per season Hossa makes for the next three years makes the move pretty much impossible. Because, budget.
- Will be interesting to see what the club does with Jim O’Brien this summer. Has another year on his current deal but seems to be on the outside looking in with the current group of forwards. With Spezza/Turris/Smith/Zibanejad/Pageau all occupying centre ice positions, JOB is way down the depth chart. O’Brien was solid at times last season but seemed to fall out of favour with Coach MacLean down the stretch.
