Last night on TSN’s Tradecentre Update, the name Ryane Clowe was mentioned as possibly being up for grabs, with the cost being a late first round pick or possibly a second rounder and mid-level prospect.
Jan 27, 2013; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks right wing
Ryane Clowe(29) punches Vancouver Canucks right wing
Zack Kassian(9) during the first period at HP Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Bryan Murray should jump all over this.
You might look at his stat line and think I am crazy. Zero goals, 8 assists in 22 games is hardly a game breaker.
But Clowe is just the type of player the Senators are in desperate need of. He is a tough guy who can play the game at a high level. While Kaspars Daugavins, Patrick Wiercioch and Chris Phillips‘ efforts to stick up for teammates is admirable, none of them exactly strike fear into the minds of opponents on the ice when it comes to fisticuffs. Popular opinion is that the Senators need to get tougher, but not at the expense of a talented player. Clowe brings both, and is in desperate need of a change of scenery from the stale Sharks environment.
He has averaged over 20 goals, 50 points and almost 100 PIMs per season since becoming a full-time NHLer, and brings the right blend of talent and truculence (as Brian Burke would like to say) to a team that can afford to add his expiring contract.
Putting Clowe on a line with Kyle Turris would give Turris a little more room to move out there and not let him get physically dominated like he has been lately, and with the rugged winger riding shotgun, he might feel a little bigger himself.
Clowe is in the final year of a contract that pays him $4M this year, with a cap hit (not that it matters to the Senators) of $3.625M.
Especially with the uncertainty of Milan Michalek on a day to day basis, and the inconsistency of Guillaume Latendresse, bringing in a Ryan Clowe type player would be just what the doctor ordered. If it works, then they can re-up on a new contract if both sides wish, or he can just be a rental to get the Senators through a difficult time.
I still think Corey Perry should be the ultimate target whenever he comes available (most likely between the end of the playoffs and the opening of free agency), but Clowe would be a great stop-gap measure that would come at a price that wouldn’t be too steep for the Senators.