When I read this morning’s article in the Ottawa Sun which indicated the Senators had expressed interest in Calgary Flames forward Curtis Glencross, I was hardly surprised.
Slated to earn $2.55 million through the 2014/15 season, Glencross is a rarity on the Flames’ roster – a marketable commodity who is actually: a) cost-effective; b) at a relatively decent age; and c) good.
Whether Glencross would be willing to waive his no-trade clause and be willing to accept a move to another organization remains to be seen, but with Jarome Iginla bolting for brighter pastures and Mika Kiprusoff potentially on the way out too, the Flames’ are up to their knees in shit and their GM, Jay Feaster, is digging them out using a spoon.
The Senators do have some familiarity with the player.
Obvious #Sens connection on Glencross rumours. While in Anaheim, Bryan and Tim Murray signed him as a college free agent in 2004.
— Steve Lloyd (@Steve_Lloyd) April 1, 2013
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
So maybe there’s a significant chance that he’d be willing to come to the Senators.
As a forward who has tallied 24 and 26 goals in his last two seasons (he has 14 goals in 31 games this season), Glencross would assuredly help Ottawa now. And with his paltry cap hit, the Senators would continue to have the financial flexibility that allows them to go out and take on a significant contract that can help put the team over the top.
Now here’s the rub…
They would still have to go out and get that high-end guy. Like it or not, having cap friendly contracts and a shit-tonne of cap space is meaningless until the Senators actually go out into the trade or free agent market and acquire the kind of high-calibre player they surely covet.
And if we’re really being honest with ourselves, those kinds of players are rarely, if ever, available in free agency. For the Senators to go out and acquire elite talent, they’re going to have to draft it or acquire it via trade. So it’s worth re-examining whether it’s prudent to move some young assets – in this case, the reported asking price is Ben Bishop and a draft pick – when these same assets could be packaged as part of a larger deal to bring in a better and younger talent who can play with this team’s younger core and hopefully give the Senators a bigger window of Cup contention.
In a vacuum, the trade makes sense for right now. Bishop is expendable because Robin Lehner has shown that he’s NHL-ready and can play well when called upon. And the draft pick, well that’s a gamble at the best of times. Nonetheless, I don’t believe that Glencross is a player who can put Ottawa "over the top" by the time his contract expires following the 2014/15 season and for that reason, I’d rather see management explore the trade market in the summer, moving their currency (goaltending, draft picks, prospects) as part of a deal that nets them a better talent.
Other Rumours and Rumblings…
– In a recent blog for ESPN, Pierre Lebrun affirmed that Sergei Gonchar will not be dealt and that the Senators have received a number of calls on Ben Bishop but do not feel compelled to move him before the April 3rd deadline.
"The Senators, I don't think, feel pressed in moving Bishop before Wednesday's deadline. They're more than happy to wait until the summer to figure out their three-goalie situation with Bishop, Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner.
However, if a team made a strong enough push on Bishop (hint, hint: top-six forward), then he could certainly be moved over the next few days."
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
