So many trade proposals are introduced in so many threads, I figured I'd make a thread specifically for it.

Alright, so here is my current opinion of what the Senators need to do:

First of all, we trade Alex Picard and Brian Lee to two separate teams for 3rd Round draft picks. There are two reasons for this. First, neither Picard nor Lee fit into my plan. Secondly, because the two third rounders will be used as bargaining chips later.

The two draft picks, as well as San Jose's 2nd in 2010, are shopped in packages with Alex Kovalev, Jonathan Cheechoo, Chris Kelly, and Chris Phillips to three different teams. All in all, shedding these players frees up $15.3 million in cap space. (Kovalev 5, Cheechoo 3, Kelly 2.2, Phillips 3.5, Picard 0.8, Lee 0.8).

The three teams are Vancouver, Chicago, and St. Louis. The return is Kevin Bieksa, Patrick Sharp, and Andy McDonald. The amount of salary we take on is $12.4 million, so we have $2.9 million breathing room for additional changes at the deadline.

Chicago is strapped for cash, so the most they can take is Kelly. Sharp for Kelly saves them almost $2 million. I think they would easily go for one of the 3rd round picks, San Jose's 2nd, and Kelly for Sharp. That's a really respectable return.

Vancouver is making no secret about their will to acquire Peter Forsberg. Only, they really don't have the cap room for it, and Forsberg is still an injury concern. Trading Bieksa to us for picks gives them almost $6 million they can offer Forsberg. Or, the way I see it, Forsberg and Kovalev are similar players. Maybe Vancouver accepts Kovalev and the other 3rd rounder for Bieksa. Remember, even without Bieksa they are STACKED on D - Salo, Ehrhoff, Schneider, Edler, Mitchell, O'Brien.

In the end, the team poised to pick up the remaining pieces is St. Louis. If they trade us McDonald, they effectively have $12.3 million relief. If all went as planned, they would only take $6.5 million from us, which leaves them almost $6 million more to add. I think St. Louis would jump at Cheechoo and Phillips for McDonald.

So what does the lineup look like after all that? Well, I think it looks like a Stanley Cup winning team:

Michalek - Spezza - Alfredsson
McDonald - Fisher - Sharp
Foligno - Regin - Shannon
Ruutu - Winchester - Neil

Kuba - Bieksa
Volchenkov - Carkner
Campoli - Karlsson

This assumes that Donovan does not return, but if he does we have the cap space to fit him in easily.

I see Kevin Bieksa as a bit of a rental. Once Jared Cowen is ready (which could be next year the way he's going now) he will replace him and we can trade Bieksa for picks/prospects and relieve some cap. Similarly, Patrick Wiercioch will be able to take Campoli's spot if the latter doesn't come around soon.

If all this happened, our biggest question would be who, between Brian Elliott, Andy Chiodo, Mike Brodeur, and Chris Holt, will battle hardest and be the backup for Pascal Leclaire. That is, until Robin Lehner is ready to take the helm.

^^ All that, with about $3 million in cap space and some great youth in the fold, sounds like a pretty rosy future to me.

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Well, here is one I posted in another thread earlier today:

Cheechoo, Lee and a 2nd round pick to Edmonton for Tom Gilbert.

Or another one I posted recently:

Kovalev and Brian Elliot to Anaheim for J.S. Giguere, Peter Holland and Philadelphia's 2010 1st rounder.

I know, I know, that one sounds idiotic, and maybe it is, but the more I think about it, the more I like it. This one is more for the future. I think Anaheim would actually do it, because they need to dump Giguere's contract in order to re-sign Hiller this off-season, and Elliot would be a nice back-up to him. Getzlaf, Perry, Lupul, Ryan, Palmeiri, Selanne, Kovalev, Koivu, would they really miss Holland that much? Now they could even trade one of those guys elsewhere for immediate help on the blueline, which I think is what they need more than anything.

The cap exchange is basically identical, we lose an over-paid, under-acheiver in Kovalev and gain an experienced goalie capable of mentoring and backing up Leclaire and replacing him when he is injured. The one thing that makes this trade seem so stupid, of course, is that we now have almost 10 million dollars being paid to 2 goalies over the next season and a half. While I don't really have a solution to that, I have an excuse. Chicago did it, and it worked out well for them (Western conference finals). Plus here is the real benefit, when they are ready to become UFAs in 2011, we extend them for 3/4s of that, 4 million to Leclaire and 3.5 to Giguere for a combined 7.5 million, I think it would be worth it to have arguably the best goalie tandem in the NHL. Just picture it... Goaltending stability, something the Ottawa Senators have lacked since their inception.

Now here is the REAL benefit of this trade:

A prospect pool already containing Erik Karlsson, Brian Lee, Jared Cowen, Patrick Wiercioch, Peter Holland, Jakub Silfverberg and Robin Lehner now can add 2 first round picks and 2 second round picks in the 2010 draft.

We pick a pair of forwards in the first round, one, a big, strong, talented, safe pick, perhaps Austin Watson or Quinton Howden, the other, take a risk on an enigma, a project type, maybe Nino Niederreiter or Maxim Kitsyn or Teemu Pulkkinen. In the second round, we pick up another goalie to further solidify our goaltending stability, maybe Calvin Pickard, or maybe Lehner's partner in Sault St. Marie. Then we still have another 2nd rounder for Murray to blow as he wishes, or maybe use to move one of those 1st rounders up a few spots.

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Chris Pronger is said to be unhappy in Philly. Philly is in need of offence

unhappy in philly? calgry? you mean

Chris Pronger my bad sorry

Kovalev, Lee, 1st round (09) FOR Ryan, Holland, Eminger, Artyukin, 3rd round (09)

about 6M FOR about 4M

Picard, Shannon, 2nd round (09 ottawa) FOR Barker

about 1.4M FOR about 3M

Cheechoo, Campoli, Zubov (if he isn't traded) FOR Seidenberg

3.6M FOR 2.2M

Lines

Michalek - Spezza - B. Ryan

Foligno - Fisher - Alfie

Artyukin - Kelly - Regin

Ruutu - Winchester - Smith/Bass

Scratch: Neil (injured), Donovan (injured), Holland

Kuba - Barker

Seidenberg - Carkner

Phillips - Volchenkov

Scratch: Eminger, Karlsson

Leclaire

Elliot

Scratch: Brodeur, Lehner


we will have 1.8M extra cap space...won't effect us big, but will give us a space to breath atleast.

Our offense isn't bad so I just added the players who give us energy, scoring, and grit.

The defence is the place I put into. Look all our games, and we make fool of ourselves with rediculous mistakes. Guys like Barker & Seidenberg are players who can be relied on both offensively and defensively. They also don7t make much mistakes in their zone.

I don't know if its the right choice to get Ryan over Kovalev...doesn't look right but anyways this is my fantasy line so far at this point.

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Thanks to SD, AK-84, Vesal Audi, Jakim, and BSF. People who made my sigs!

Right now i hear people like Seabrook, Hamhuis, Ryan, Pronger etc... are hitting the trade market, which most people weren't expecting.

I know for sure Murray is going to wait until a very good person is available for sure like Ryan before he makes a trade. I'm going to wait like 2-3 weeks before posting my trades because i truly believe in that time is when everyone talks rumours and most players are offered up for trades.

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I was just reading the latest Senschirp article and I thought of this poosibility.

James Wisniewski, Joffrey Lupul and Kyle Palmeiri for Alex Kovalev, Cody Bass and Brian Lee.

I would trade Kovalev, Kelly, Cowen & and 1st for Havlat & Burns.

Havlat is having the same problem as Kovalev. Havlat would love to come back to Ottawa and fit right in. Minnie would get rid of the commitment of Havlat's contract and would have more flexibility after next season.

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shut the funk up when grown folk are talking and you just might learn something!

I do believe Weber will eventually get frusterated and want to play in a Canadian market and i believe Murray is that type of GM who has a madcrush on this guy so here goes...

Ottawa gets:

Shea Weber, 2nd rounder in 2010/2011

Nashville gets:

1st rounder in 2009, Patrick Wiercioch, 2nd rounder in 2011 or conditional first if we make semi finals in 2011 and Jim O'Brien.

Remember if Nashville trades Weber for ANY purpose its going to be for the fact that HE wants out so his value will decrease like Heatley.

I believe that is a fair trade due to the circumstances.

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There we go. Murray makes both of our trades and we become a dynasty.

So I had a couple of bubbly pops with my buddy that works for the Senators last night. Now, I should start by saying that he konws nothing more than we do about trades and such, until he drinks his fourth beer.

Lee is not happy in Ottawa and he never wanted to play in Canada, his dreams are surrounded by stars and stripes. Ottawa would like to trade him but they want a Pronger type player, I mention Pronger because he wants another ring. and it doesn't look like it is going to happen in Philly. In order to swing such a deal they need to throw in a Cheechoo, Kovalev or somebody making some good coin to free up some cap. RUMOUR has it that Murray threw out a few offers that were rejected by Paul Holmgren.

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http://twitter.com/robscraft . .and I thought Facebook was the fast lane wow

Are you telling me they are trying to land Pronger? Cause I don't cheer teams with Pronger..I would be very disapointed to have him wear a Sens jersey.........

Pronger would be great. I would trade Phillips, Lee, Kovalev & a 3rd for Pronger & Giroux

And I would jump ship......honestly. I hate Pronger that much!

My better half claims that all of the girls like Pronger all most as much as Fisher

Pronger is arguably the best defenseman in the NHL.

I just vomit in my mouth saying his name.


And without a doubt whatsover, the dirtiest!

I don't let myself get that emotionally involved . If it makes the team better then I'm good.

Cheer for the logo on the front not the name on the back, right?