The Ottawa Senators and Anaheim Ducks are both in a tough spot with restricted free agents (RFA) that need to be resolved as soon as possible. The Ducks have Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale unsigned as the team enters the preseason while the Senators don’t have the money to lock up Shane Pinto. With rumors surrounding Zegras’ future in Anaheim, there is potential for a win-win situation between the two teams.
Blockbuster deals are not as rare as they once were. We have seen giant trades including Matthew Tkachuk, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Jack Eichel and more over the past few seasons, and while this might not be on the same magnitude, a deal involving Josh Norris and Zegras could make a lot of sense.
Zegras Not Accepting Latest Offer
As reported by Matt Murley on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, the latest offer to the star center was a three-year deal paying him $4 million per season. Maybe on a one-year deal, this could make sense but given the fact that Zegras has already posted two 60-point campaigns before 23 years old, the odds of him signing a deal like this are very little.
Murley also stated that the Buffalo Sabres have reached out to check in on the possibility of a trade. While no specifics have been leaked, there are also two other teams that have made the same call.
General manager Pat Verbeek learned how to do his job under Steve Yzerman, who we all know is someone willing to play hard-ball when it comes to handing out contracts. Having the patience to wait for the price to come down on Zegras could be the right move, but the latest offer is insulting to the young star. While no reports have indicated as such, it is possible that this aggressive of a negotiation could tarnish the relationship between the player and club.
The likely scenario is that Zegras signs a short-term deal around $6 million per season, but anything is possible at this point.
Trading Norris Could Clear Cap Space
The Senators need to clear just north of $2 million to get their third-line center Pinto signed. He will play an important role for the Senators as they hunt for the playoffs. Playing ahead of him are Norris and Tim Stutzle. While the club would love to keep a healthy Norris around, there is a world that trading him could be beneficial.
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The former 35-goal scorer has a lot of potential to get back to his high-scoring pace, and now that he is healthy and ready to start the season, there are high hopes for him. He has seven years left at $7.95 million, which is far from a bad deal. It may be a little rich for some, but the expectation is that he plays to about that value throughout the deal. Nobody wants to see Norris traded, but if they can get another young center at a lower price for at least this season, it could be explored.
This is extremely unlikely. Norris is a key part of this club. As a hypothetical, creative way to get Pinto under the salary cap while keeping Erik Brannstrom and Mathieu Joseph around, this is a fun scenario.
The Zegras/Norris Swap
The Senators would certainly need to add to a deal involving the two players. Zegras might not have the goal totals to match, but point production is in the same realm. What would lead to the Senators having to add is the risk of Norris’ health. He is coming off a significant shoulder injury and eight months after the surgery he started training camp in a non-contact jersey. He has since switched to the regular practice jersey but has no preseason action.
The injury concerns are certainly a bit of a red flag, but there is also just as good of a chance he remains healthy and just needed a smooth transition back onto the ice. A fair value for the Senators to add would be in the realm of Egor Sokolov and a second- or third-round draft pick.
The Ducks get a goal-scoring, top-six center, a potential third-line winger and a draft pick while the Senators get a rising star and the relief to sign Pinto. This has the potential to be a win-win scenario, and while, again, it is extremely unlikely, it is always fun to find creative ways to work around problems.
