Heavyweight or Paperweight? – How The Matt Kassian Trade Puts The Ottawa Senators in A Tight Spot

The latest Ottawa Senators game lasted 63 minutes and 54 seconds. Matt Kassian watched the game from the bench for 60 minutes and 33  seconds or actually touched the ice for 3 minutes and 21 seconds. No kidding I think I spent more time getting up from my seat to get myself another beer, while watching the game. Now your probably wondering why any of this even matters. I will explain…

Oct 11, 2011; Ottawa, ON, CAN; Then Minnesota Wild left wing

(left) fights against Past Ottawa Senators center

(right) in the first period at Scotiabank Place. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports

After watching a couple Senators players that never/rarely fight a couple times, Senators general manager, Bryan Murray pulled off the impulse move to acquire, Matt Kassian. I am sure that some people actually like the trade, just as much as some that do not. I fit in the latter.

I am not against fighting by any means, but I find it hard to believe that Kassian fits into Paul MacLean‘s line-up. The coach runs the kind of system that requires players to possess the puck as much as possible and always be skating it into the oppositions defensive zone to try and create scoring chances. His kind of defense is offense, to a certain extent.

Kassian is a fighter. He does not possess the skills of a player that can do both, fight and create chances i.e. Chris Neil and Zack Smith. The fact that the new number 28, played an astounding 3:21 proves just how much he fits in the probable Jack Adams finalist’s line-up. I assume that it was Murray who wanted this player and not MacLean. This is why I feel this puts the Senators in a tight spot. I don’t believe the coach was jumping up and down when he heard the news and probably figured he had to remove talent in the line-up for a player that talents include dropping his gloves. For example he had to remove the recent twitter sensation, Kaspars Daugavins from the line-up, who 11 points last year and was a force on the penalty kill for a player who played 24 games for the Minnesota Wild and registered 2 goals (in the same game). He did nothing more the rest of the games but put up 55 PIMs.

Kassian has one more year left on his contract, I find it hard to find a spot for him in the line-up either once, Jason Spezza or maybe even Milan Michalek, come back into the mix. Or you can even go further and ask yourself where does he fit next year?

Feel free to voice your opinion in the comment section!