We were talking about trading Spezza, or not trading Spezza, or possibly just leaving Spezza behind unintentionally while on a road trip and accidentally bringing some prospects and a 1st round pick back with us, and we got to thinking: If you DID trade Spezza (not that you would) what is the MINIMUM you would want back (if you did want something back)?
Well he’d have to waive his NTC. The three teams I see as possibilities are Jersey, Anaheim. or Columbus. All three are knocking on the door, feature a potent scorer and lack a playmaker in the middle. (I know Jersey is terrible but pairing him with Ilya might be too tempting, plus they are garbage down the middle.)
We’d have to get at least a 20 goal guy in return, a goal scoring prospect and hopefully a draft pick before round 4. Not sure the possiblilty is out there. I’d love to get more but it’s really a crap shoot since I know gutsy roster moves aren’t made amongst American teams. Costs need to be kept to a minimum. I actually don’t see him being dealt unless a contender gets desperate as a reactionary move to another deadline deal by a team occupying a similar spot in the standings. Then again, he’s not a rental.
Basically, most teams thinking of dealing for Spezza are looking at picking up a new, highest paid player on the team. That would be a gutsy move.
So here’s my gutsy move if I’m Melnyk. Solicit RFP’s for what aspiring GM’s would do if they’re the GM of the Sens for the free agency period. Let Murray continue to handle the drafting, player development and roster transactions but hire an outside contractor to handle the summer’s free agency period. There’s gotta be consultants out there with ideas on what to do with 17 million in potential cap space (that’s if all RFA’s and UFA’s hit the road)
Obvs its more complicated than that, but not much more and hockey features a serious lack of outside the box thinkers. If a rebuild is on the horizon whoever you bring in would probably do a better job of convincing ownership to tear it down than any payroll employee would.
What say you, readers? What’s a minimum package for Spezza?
Welcome To Your Karlsson Years 
A big bag of salt n vinneager Ruffles. Those things are as elusive as the prairie whale.
I suppose at minimum I’d want to see him dealt to the West… you know he’ll haunt us for years if he stays in the East. I wouldn’t mind those guys from Edmonton that were named in the nixed Heatley “deal” But I think we may be stuck with the Spez for a while… could Clouston be on his way out? Would that mean you guys would have to start thinking of a new name for the blog?
I’ve got to think that this team would still rather find a sniper to play with Spezza than to trade him. Maybe they’ll go after Semin in the offseason, though it would probably take an insane amount of money to snag him, and I don’t think he’s worth it. But if they decide to rebuild I’d want at least a 1st rounder, a good prospect, and a roster player who can score 25 goals and is a responsible two-way player. Which is why it’ll never happen.
I could go for a trade to Columbus for their first, Filatov and ideally Ryan Johansen (C), or maybe Sestito or Calvert (both L). They need a center for Nash, though I doubt they have the money to pay for him. And that’s probably a lot to give up.
I would also trade Leclaire and a 2nd round pick to Columbus for Vermette.
Spezza stays, but I’ll give you Fisher, Kuba, Crapoli, and Kovalev. What can you give me in return? 5 bux and a guarantee that Murray will actually freaken retire after this year…SOLD !
I’d be happy with Spezza haunting us for years in the East.
Playing 6-8 games per season against Spezza, who would braincrampingly hand over the puck to Alfredsson, Fisher or Karlsson then look completely befuddled…priceless.
Yes, I want Spezza to hand US two points per meeting as he has handed other teams glorious scoring chances in the past. Let karma look kindly on us for a chance!
I’d want a high pick and forward prospect, but we’re unlikely to get that. He costs 7 million and isn’t a game-breaker, is injury-prone, etc. Probably we can get a round 2 pick and salary back.