Ottawa Senators Veterans Are Too Costly

It’s no secret that the Ottawa Senators operate under a very tight budget. Currently they are spending $58.23 million on the cap, which is 29th in the league. Yet despite that, the Senators may find themselves in financial trouble regarding their own budget and the salary cap because of their veteran players.

Yesterday, Ary from Silver Seven Sens looked at their cap situation for next year, and it isn’t looking too great. Ottawa will be spending around $60 million, and that’s without including restricted free agents like Mika Zibanejad, Mark Stone, Mike Hoffman, and Alex Chiasson. Of that group of four, we can expect that the total salaries from them will be at least $10 million, which is pretty significant. That means that Ottawa will have a cap hit of perhaps just a shade over $70 million, which is way over the amount that Eugene Melnyk wants to be spending.

But it’s not the RFA’s that will be causing Ottawa problems; it’s the expensive veterans that bring little to nothing on the team. That list includes Chris Phillips, Chris Neil, David Legwand, Colin Greening, and Milan Michalek. I’m not as adamant about getting Michalek traded as I was a month or two ago, but at $4 million he’s an expensive player that at best will get you 40 points nowadays.

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And even besides those five players, there are others that wouldn’t necessarily be considered “veterans” that I would like to see moved in order to save some money. Players like Jared Cowen, Zack Smith, Eric Gryba, and Mark Borowiecki all play minimal roles on the team, and added up they actually take up a big chunk of salary.

Essentially, there is a lot of wasted space on the roster, and it starts with some veterans. The first group I mentioned takes up $14.05 million in cap. That is way too much, and obviously if you are looking to shed salary, that’s the first place you look. Individually, they aren’t too expensive and you can afford a couple bad contracts. But added up they can cripple a team like Ottawa.

Chris Neil has a few teams interested in him, and if Bryan Murray ever feels comfortable in doing so (which he should), Neil should be shipped out-of-town. I think Ottawa could actually get a decent pick in return as well. Chris Phillips has shown he’s no longer a capable NHL defenseman, and really any Senators defenseman could replace him.

Colin Greening isn’t even on the NHL roster right now, and I’m assuming he will be bought out. He will still count on the cap a bit, but it’s worth it. David Legwand most likely doesn’t have a huge market, but if there is even one team willing to take him for the next 1.5 seasons I would deal him. He sits 338th in the NHL amongst forwards in points per 60 at 5 on 5, and the only saving grace for him this season is that he has produced on the power play while playing with superior players.

Jan 6, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Ottawa Senators defenseman Chris Phillips (4) checks Philadelphia Flyers left wing

R.J. Umberger

(18) during the third period at Wells Fargo Center. The Flyers defeated the Senators, 2-1 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Then there’s Michalek, who has undoubtedly been much better of late. Still, for the Senators, a player who is making $4 million is going to have to do a heck of a lot more than what he has been doing. Money is tight, and if there’s an opportunity to send him to a contending team that’s the right thing to do.

The absolute worst thing that could happen is Ottawa can’t afford an RFA or two because they hang onto too many veterans, and then a team with a bigger budget offer sheets a certain player which makes the Senators lose a player. The organization knows they are in a tough spot financially, and to me, the fix seems pretty easy. It’s not as if trading these veterans will make the team worse, in fact I would say it makes them better.

Furthermore, there’s those four other players that I wouldn’t mind moving (Cowen, Gryba, Borowiecki, Smith). In total, those four cost $7.33 million, which is not a whole lot, but it isn’t insignificant. Lets say that Ottawa did in fact move all of those nine contracts (which would never happen), and they freed up $21.38 million in cap space. How would they fill those roster spots?

Here is what I would propose:

MacArthur-Turris-Stone

Hoffman-Zibanejad-Ryan

Chiasson-Lazar-FA RW

Prince-Pageau-Condra (re-signed for $1.5 millon)

Methot-Karlsson

Wiercioch-FA RD

FA LD-Ceci

Anderson

Lehner

Obviously there would be a couple of bench players in there as well, but that could be the primary roster. So the team would only need to add four free agents, and simply keep Shane Prince, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and Curtis Lazar with the team. Also, I would love to see Erik Condra re-signed, as he’s a perfect inexpensive bottom six forward.

A free agent defenseman like Jeff Petry might cost around $4.5 million. Then after that, a third pairing defenseman to play with Cody Ceci could be anywhere from $1-2 million, so lets settle with $1.5 million. Or even if money is still too tight, Fredrik Claesson or Chris Wideman could be playing with Ceci.

The fact remains that those four players would cost about $4 million less than Legwand, Neil, Phillips, Michalek, and Greening, and they would improve the team

Like I just mentioned, Condra would be cheap at around $1.5 million, and then Ottawa would most likely want to add another top nine winger which could cost maybe around $3 million. All in all, those three additions (plus Condra re-signing) would cost Ottawa only $10.5 million.

Perhaps I may be undervaluing what certain free agents would cost, but not by much. The fact remains that those four players would cost about $4 million less than Legwand, Neil, Phillips, Michalek, and Greening, and they would improve the team. In the end, the Senators would be spending just over $59 million for next season. Factor in some larger cap hits that I may have underestimated, and the number sits at around $62-63 million.

Of course, that is still a big budget for a Melnyk team, but that isn’t very much compared to the rest of the league. Furthermore, the team would still have holes, but it does look like a possible playoff candidate. But it’s obvious that the veterans of the team are too costly right now, and they’re making the situation much worse. It’s not the players fault that they have big cap hits, but they need to be moved regardless.

Between now and the end of summer I sincerely hope management sees what I see, as the young players are very useful on this team, whereas a majority of the older ones are far past their prime and cost too much for a small budget team.

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