Campbell's Cuts: Forget Forsberg, Sens should try Sundin
Mats Sundin has bled blue and white, but Ken Campbell thinks it would be in the Buds best interest to deal him to the nation's capital.
Ken Campbell
2007-11-05 00:04:14
Now that the Ottawa Senators have signed Jason Spezza to a long-term deal to effectively lock up the core of their team for the long-term future, it's time for them now to do something bold.
Monumentally bold.
Hot off their first appearance in the Stanley Cup final, the Senators have by now realized that the very real prospect of a Stanley Cup is in their future; if not this spring, then sometime in the foreseeable future.
They've been the class of the league in putting together an 11-1-0 start and have left no impression they intend on taking any steps backward after coming so close to winning the Cup last year. They are formidable at every position, have lethal quick-strike ability and boast the most sublime level of talent on the planet.
Of course, GM Bryan Murray could stick with the team he has and hope that the likes of Spezza, Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson learned something from their failure in the Cup final last year and will be the better for it when the most meaningful games roll around this spring.
But Murray, like a number of other executives, is making noise about acquiring Peter Forsberg, the only perennially injured, non-playing player in NHL history who appears to be getting better the longer he sits out.
The way a lot of people see it, the Senators became easy to beat once the Anaheim Ducks were able to shut down their top line and adding Forsberg to the mix would give the Senators two scoring lines with Spezza and Heatley anchoring one and Forsberg and Alfredsson the other.
It's an interesting thought, but if the Senators want to add Forsberg, depending on what point in the season he comes on board, they're likely going to have to dump payroll in the form of defenseman Wade Redden or goalie Martin Gerber.
Forsberg will almost certainly want a multi-year deal, despite the fact he has done nothing in the recent past to merit it or prove that he can be counted upon to be healthy enough to contribute on a consistent basis.
But, if that's what the Senators want, they're going to have to be bold about it and either go all in or not at all. If they're intent on giving Forsberg what he wants, they may have to convince Redden to accept a trade or threaten to send him to the minors. It would be a terrible thing to do to a veteran player who has served the Senators with such loyalty, but there may be no other way to get Forsberg under contract because the Senators have less than $3 million in cap room left.
Here's another idea. The Senators should make a bold and concerted pitch to get Mats Sundin. Yes, Mats Sundin, the captain of their hated archrival Toronto Maple Leafs. And before you fall off your chair laughing, consider the following:
* If you had your choice between a broken-down, unreliable Forsberg and a rejuvenated Sundin playing his best hockey in years, which one would you want? In fact, any team that is considering picking up Forsberg at this point must also consider making a pitch for Sundin. The Leafs are still in the playoff picture only because they've played more games than anyone else in the Eastern Conference, but it's not likely to last.
There's no way Leafs GM John Ferguson would be willing to make a trade for the long-term future with his immediate future in so much doubt. That's why until the Leafs either fire him or give him a long-term extension, the team's board of directors should be the ones mandating personnel moves. This is one they should make for the good of the franchise.
* This would be a great deal for both teams if they could only be bold and brave enough to make the deal. The trade would give the Senators everything they'd want in Forsberg and more and it would give Sundin a chance to win a Stanley Cup. Sundin has said in the past that he can't see himself joining a team at the deadline just for a run at the Cup, which is why the Senators would likely have to offer him a two- or three-year contract extension.
* The Leafs, on the other hand, would finally be able to begin the rebuilding process everyone in the world outside their downtown Toronto office knows they require. Given the fact that Sundin would be coming in to Toronto to beat up on the Leafs on a regular basis, Sundin would exact a high price. The Senators have a number of good prospects and young players, but the guy they should hold out to get is Mike Fisher.
* The Senators would be able to make the trade at the deadline without having to tear apart their roster this season. The trade deadline is Feb. 26 this year and if the Senators were to acquire Sundin that day, they would be responsible for $1.21 million of his $5.5 million salary. If Fisher were to go the other way, the Leafs would have to pay $328,000 of his $1.5 million for this season, meaning the Senators would add a total of just $881,000 to their payroll for this season. It would also give them the wiggle room to pursue Sundin sooner than that if they wanted to get him before the stretch drive.
* And the great thing about Fisher from a Leafs perspective is that he's just 27 years old and is under contract for the next five seasons at a cap hit of $4.2 million. He's a Selke Trophy candidate with the Senators, but with a lot of other teams, including the Leafs, he'd be good enough to be the first-line center.
Of course, a lot of people, particularly in Toronto, would be all worked up about the optics of such a deal. Well, optics be damned. This is about winning a Stanley Cup for one team and setting the foundation for a much-needed rebuilding program with another. If Sundin truly wants what's best for the Leafs, he would understand and so would their fans.
Sure, watching the Senators skate around with the Stanley Cup in June would be difficult for them, but both franchises would be better for it.
Ken Campbell's Cuts appears Mondays only on thehockeynews.com.
One of THN’s senior writers, Ken Campbell gives you insight and opinion on the world of hockey like no one else. Subscribe to The Hockey News to get Ken's expertise delivered to you every issue.
Steve Babcock (Posted 2007-11-07 22:46:45)
Funny how a fun, hypothetical suggestion can ellicit so much animosity. I tought the article was an intersting read as I always enjoy a good what-if. Though I like the Sens the way they arre and am not a big Sundin supporter, I do agree he would be a better choice than a broken down Forsberg. However, I thought, in the fun of "what-if", why not go a step further. I love Redden and often think he dosen't get the credit he deserves, but what about a 3 way trade. Ottawa could use that missing piece of the puzzle. Toronto a new, youthfull look. And Tampa needs a defenceman. So, "what-if", Sundin to Ottawa; Redden to Tampa; and Richards to Toronto. I think all 3 would make a good edition to their "new" team without hurting their current ones. Just a thought...
patrick Rodrigues (Posted 2007-11-07 14:16:44)
If you want what's best for the Leafs and their fans, first, you have to trade Sundin to any team that'll take him (preferably in the same conference--'cause he's beatable, he's a second or third liner on any other team--he hasn't been eating his Wheats for years!). And second, the Teacher's got to sell the team to some rich dude in Hamliton if you want them to raise the cup above their heads in June, ever! The question is are there any rich dudes stupid enough to buy damaged goods? Humpty-dumpty had a great fall...
Johnny Nobody (Posted 2007-11-07 10:52:35)
Peter Hall: Peter, you appear to be a Sens fan, yet you denounce Alfreddsson? Have you not been paying attention? Since last April, Alfreddsson has proven to be the best and most productive player in a Sens uniform. To trade him and his remaining years locked in at $4.5 M would be as stupid as trading Fisher. He may not be as 'cool' or flashy as Heatley or Spezza, but the stats do not lie.
Cheers!
Brent (Posted 2007-11-06 23:06:58)
LOL, Sens choking in the playoffs? When's the last time the Leafs made it out of the conference finals? 41 years and counting. Hell, they probably won't even make the playoffs this season again. Who cares if they beat the Sens in the playoffs, they always lose the next series!! I guess all those Leaf fans complaining about Ottawa being obsessed with Toronto are hypocrites. Seems like the same thing to me.
Trading Sundin for Fisher would be a much better deal for Toronto. Lets not be stupid, Sundin is almost finished and Fisher is the heart and soul of the team. To compare Fisher to Tucker is the stupidest thing I have ever seen. Actually, whats even sadder is when Tucker is your leading scorer (last season). Only time before Sundin gets another injury and is out for most the season.
The Sens are not that stupid to trade away Fisher.
Kat (Posted 2007-11-06 23:01:04)
Might as well trade Anton Volchenkov for Hal Gill while your at it. Or how about Daniel Alfredsson for Kyle Wellwood.
Come on, lets not get carried away.
Sundin does not have much time left in the NHL, Fisher is a face of the franchise.
Just ludacris.
chenis chet (Posted 2007-11-06 17:51:43)
Trading Sundin to any other team, even to win the stanley cup is out of the question, but trading him to the sens is unthinkable.That is because if john fergson traded sundin, there is no chance of him getting a contract extention, because everyone would hate him!! :P
Tony Nightingale (Posted 2007-11-06 17:10:03)
Wow, what a facinating idea. The problem I have is rooting for the Sens because Sundin's playing with them and hoping he'd probably get his Stanley Cup because of his huge contribution and figuring out a way of curbing my hatrid for that franchise. I do like the thought of having Mike Fisher pounding Alfie into the boards though. Ok...let"s do it.
arj (Posted 2007-11-06 12:07:16)
i wonder how hard mike fisher would be laughing if he read this article... actually getting mentioned in the same sentence as sundin.. what an absolute joke. thats exactly what the leafs need too... another darcy tucker clone. ... heck... with tucker, blake & fisher, we'd have to change the team name to the toronto weasel rats
Adam (Posted 2007-11-06 10:33:59)
I'm glad to see I'm not the only person who thinks this would be the stupidest move the senators could ever make. Seriously Ken? You want them to trade Fisher? Mike Fisher, the only senator who showed up in the finals last year? the most community minded senator? Back to the drawing board there ken-o.
Nav (Posted 2007-11-06 09:58:17)
Ottawa has choked in almost every playoff year. The only year they made it remotely far was when they did not have to face the Leafs. Sundin knows Toronto will always beat Ottawa head to head in the playoffs.
Ahsan Zaidi (Posted 2007-11-06 09:33:30)
I think Ken is looking at this mainly from a salary cap point of view. This is understandable, but he needs to step back and look at the big picture in terms of what he is suggesting. Yes, Sundin can help Ottawa win the cup and yes, Fisher is a heavy price to pay, but when you have a chance to win the cup in this day and age, you have to 'go for it'. This much I agree with Campbell. But, unless he thinks Sundin is the type to pay lip service, Sundin will not leave the Leafs. Sundin does not want to play for Ottawa. Sorry Sens fans - thats just the way it goes.
Chris (Posted 2007-11-06 00:51:57)
For a second I thought I woke up and it was April 1st. What a joke.
Peter Hall (Posted 2007-11-05 23:55:38)
C'mon, let's get with the program here: Mike Fisher is the Senators! He was their best player int he finals last year and he is perhaps one of the most likeable Senators ever, and not trade bait, especially for a 'Leaf'! We do not want Leafs, we want to always beat Leafs, not acquire them...that would be like acquiring a disease called 'Traitorism'!
We win or lose in Sens Nation with Mike Fisher! In fact, if you really want to make a better run at the cup put the 'C' on Mike and let Alfie go. If you want to insure you lose the cup again, acquire any Leaf!! Rejuvenated or not, Sundin is not Mike and Mike is not replaceable with Sundin!
As one other put it, 'Give yer head a shake, Kenny!'
David Teece (Posted 2007-11-05 19:24:23)
OK Owen I'll concede some ground here. Alfredsson was much better than the other two, but where was he in games 1 and 2? At 2nil down it was all over. He does after all where the big fat 'C' on his jumper. All too little too late in my book. As for Fisher, what was he up to? Oh yeah, that's right, scoring in game 1 and then stoving heads into glass left, right and centre! Someone needed to mix it up and dish it out, and most of all get involved against that Ducks team.
Gary Lintick (Posted 2007-11-05 17:24:47)
Why would any one want Sundin !!!! He hasn't lead the Leaf's any where since he's been there.
Dan (Posted 2007-11-05 16:48:42)
This is probably the dumbest idea I've ever heard
cykodude (Posted 2007-11-05 16:41:08)
Bryan Murray will never trade Fisher. He is the heart and soul of ottawa and the future captain.
Mic Mcgueough (Posted 2007-11-05 16:38:44)
Actually this wouldn't be bad... I think Sundin would go to the sens at trade deadline, assuming JFJ asked him.
I think it would be great for the sens (being a sens fan) However, i don't think dealing fisher is. We could easily give them a 2nd round, josh hennesy, and eaves.
Graeme MacDonald (Posted 2007-11-05 16:38:22)
There is no way the Senators should even consider getting rid of Fisher. While Sundin is playing some great hockey, trading Fisher, who is a franchise player for a player who hasn't been to the playoffs for 2 years is ridiculous. Sundin is in the final years of his career, while Fisher is just hitting his prime. Besides, does anyone actually believe the Leafs would trade the Sens the "missing piece" to their Stanley Cup? Ken, start thinking seriously.
Luc Pinard (Posted 2007-11-05 16:27:04)
This is such a ridiculous suggestion that it appears to be something that an NHL neophyte would suggest, not a seasoned observer. The Leafs would never give Sundin to a division rival....and anyone who thinks Bryan Murray would trade Mike Fisher for ANYONE just doesn't follow the Ottawa hockey scene. Who moved April Fool's to November?
Ken (Posted 2007-11-05 16:05:26)
Fisher for Sundin isn't a rebuild. Sundin for a package of draft picks and/or blue-chip prospects is. The Sens don't have the prospects or the high draft picks necessary to land what the Leafs need. If you're looking for a bite on that line you're trying to throw in the lake, go with the other NHL finals team. Anaheim has Edmonton's (likely high placed) first round pick in the very deep '09 draft, and a few prospects that Burke might be willing to part with for a shot at a Cup repeat. JFJ needs to get good young prospects into the system. Fisher doesn't fit that build.
Ryan (Posted 2007-11-05 15:45:46)
Doesn't Sundin have a no-trade clause? Do you seriously think he would waive it for a trade to the Sens??? This is a guy who is the captain of, and holds all the scoring records for, the Leafs. To then consent to a trade to the hated Sens would ensure that he would be remembered more like Judas than Sittler. Even if the Sens were hypothetically willing to trade Fisher, no chance the deal ever happens.
Owen (Posted 2007-11-05 15:38:04)
Dave did you miss the finals? A little guy named Alfredsson was easily the Sens best player...and most certainly did show up. 4 goals in 5 games isn't that bad.
The Leafs need to look at young RFAs to trade for...whether Ottawa's involved or not. From the Sens more reasonable suggestions would be the likes of Eaves, Vermette, Schubert. But as a Sens fan I think I'd rather take my chances without Sundin.
yr (Posted 2007-11-05 15:33:57)
i like your idea but i dont think bryan murray is willing to give up mike fisher, maybe a chris kelly/robitaille/emery/gerber but i just cant see us trading away mike fisher
jan (Posted 2007-11-05 15:29:31)
the sens are on a roll-- why change something now? a lot can happen between now and Feb. take a look at the situation come end of Feb., then do what you have to do.
David Teece (Posted 2007-11-05 15:25:45)
There's no doubting that Sundin could play a pivotal role in a cup run if the Sens can acquire him, but if the Leafs can trade for Fisher I think they're getting the better end of the bargain. Fisher is a fast, tough and talented two-way forward who in my mind is possibly the most underated player in the NHL now everyone's realised how good Zetterberg is. He was probably the Sens best player in the Stanley Cup Final last season, when the big three failed to show up.
Graham Beatty (Posted 2007-11-05 14:56:39)
I also think this is a ridiculous article. I don't see the Leafs trading Sundin any time soon, and never to the Senators. But, let's just say, hell freezes over and the Leafs do decide to trade Sundin. Wouldn't it make more sense to trade for Redden and some draft picks? The thing they need most is defence. Seems to me that would solve their short term and longer term needs all at once, despite the fact that it would leave a gaping hole in their already shabby first line.
Jason D (Posted 2007-11-05 14:55:41)
Why on earth would the sens trade the local face of the franchise who also embodies everything required to win a Stanley Cup whose also happens to be hooked up with a long term deal for a bargain price for a rental player. Are you kidding me??? You live in a dream world...
Hendrikus J. Kleiss (Posted 2007-11-05 14:48:04)
As a rabid Leafs fan I think that this would be a wonderful move.
Owen (Posted 2007-11-05 13:47:59)
This is fundamentally one of the single dumbest articles I've ever read.
The problem is not that the two teams are contenders...but that the trade would be an absolutely ridiculous move for the Senators.
What makes you think three months of Sundin is worth 5 years of an up and coming Fisher. Fisher is a team leader, who plays in all situations, and is an incredibly physical player.
On top of that - Sundin hasn't even proven to be a particularly impressive playoff performer in the past.
At this point - Ottawa with Fisher is a better and more balanced team than Ottawa with Sundin...so I don't see them making a trade that will hurt them in the short term AND in the long term.
Tree (Posted 2007-11-05 13:17:31)
I'd love to see Sundin in Toronto - but c'mon! There's no way in the world he goes to Ottawa. Not only that, but Fisher for Sundin? Are you kidding? He's one of the most important players on that team - he's not going anywhere. Give your head a shake Ken
Pat Stewart (Posted 2007-11-05 13:10:29)
This is ridiculous. Why not suggest that the Flames trade Iginla to Edmonton? Or the Rangers make a trade with the Islanders? Hypotheticals aren't what we read this magazine for, and this would never happen, ever. I would almost bet that Murray doesn't even have Ferguson's phone number, and vice versa, because they know no trade can ever happen between them. Leafs fans would lose their minds if Sundin turned into the missing piece for the Sens, and, on top of that, there is no way the Sens trade Fisher any time soon. Maybe when Fisher gets a bit older he'll gt the chance to wear a different jersey, but, until then, he seems to like the Sens, and they sure like having him. Nobody, especially not a man with the hockey knowledge of Bryan Murray, would EVER trade the heart and soul of a successful team mid-season, idiot, and that's what Fisher is to that squad. I don't know why I still read Campbell's stupid comments, he's always based in some alternate reality, or, more likely, he's just an idiot
Steeve (Posted 2007-11-05 12:52:02)
I really think this is a good idea !!
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