Rangers, Senators Swap Centers, Picks
Ian Gooding
2016-07-18
The Ottawa Senators have acquired Derick Brassard and a 2018 seventh-round pick from the New York Rangers in exchange for Mika Zibanejad and a 2018 second-round pick.
This trade seem to catch everyone out of the blue, as neither Derick Brassard nor Mika Zibanejad had been frequently discussed in trade rumors. This is essentially a swap of top-6 level centers who posted very similar numbers last season.
Zibanejad: 81 GP, 21 G, 30 A, 51 P, 184 SOG, 17:46 ATOI
Brassard: 80 GP, 27 G, 31 A, 58 P, 182 SOG, 17:53 ATOI
Why then, would teams swap players at the same position? Age is one factor, as Brassard is 28 and Zibanejad is five years younger at 23. Brassard also carries a higher cap hit at $5 million compared to Zibanejad at just $2.63 million. Zibanejad will also be an RFA next summer, so it’s possible that the internal cap-driven Senators didn’t want to give him a raise.
The Rangers made this move to clear cap space and pick up a coveted second-round pick, but why would the Senators want to add cap space then? And why would the Senators want to lose that pick and get five years older at a position? Brassard did play a partial season of junior hockey under new Sens' coach Guy Boucher.
From a fantasy perspective, it’s not clear how this will shake out. Brassard could be as high as a number one center or as low as a number three center on the Senators. Jean-Gabriel Pageau formed amazing chemistry with Mark Stone last season – would the Sens try Brassard with Stone instead? Or maybe Mike Hoffman? Bobby Ryan is a right-handed shot. Perhaps, as one commenter suggests below, the Senators wanted to match him up with a lefty centerman?
As for the Rangers, maybe they plan to move Zibanejad to the wing, where he has played in the past. If that’s the case, Derek Stepan, J.T. Miller, and Oscar Lindberg stand to gain the most. With 22 goals and 43 points last season, Miller appears ready to handle a top 6 role. But if the Rangers use Zibanejad as a center, then it’s pretty well status quo.
Fantasy players this helps, in order:
- Miller
- Lindberg
- Stepan
- Ryan
Fantasy players this hurts, in order:
- Pageau
Fantasy owners are discussing this trade now – give your take right here!
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Is this the first trade where it didn’t help or hurt the actual players being traded?
Could help Z if he doesn’t have wing eligibility entering the season and then gains it because the Rangers use him there.
Do you have Miller as a C or W? Listed as a C in Yahoo last year but took only 150 faceoffs. Zbad took 1300.
Yahoo’s positional eligibilities can be beyond explanation. But they are what they are. I wouldn’t be surprised if they keep Miller as a C.
Ok I read your comment in the article to imply that if Z plays wing it opens up the 2C spot for Miller, hence his benefit from the trade.
It helped brassard for sure
As a longtime Senators fan, and an owner of Zibanejad in my pool, I don’t actually mind this trade too much. I think he was developing slower than anticipated and his upcoming free agent status likely scared management a little. If he were to have a major breakout year this year (which people have expected for a couple of years now) then it would be a tough negotiation. Now, if that happens, it’s someone else’s problem. Having Brassard (a local boy) in the fold at a guaranteed hit of $5mil per for the next 3 seasons provides some cap stability in that position.
Zibanejad likely will fill a top 6 role with the Rangers either on the wing or at center, so I can’t see his production changing too much, unless he has that breakout year. Also, the Rangers could use him on the PK, where he displayed some skill this past season, something that Brassard did not provide.
I can’t see the Senators dropping Brassard below the top 6 at all though. Yes, Pageau has shown some good chemistry but I don’t think he’s at the Brassard level as far as talent or consistency goes. I would count Brassard as stronger on the PP too, so that’s a bonus for the Sens as well.
Could be one of those rare “win-win” trades…
If the sens are still an internal budget team, Brassard’s back diving contract could’ve also been attractive to them.
Brassard has familiarity with Guy Boucher from their QMJHL days too.
Bobby Ryan really needs a center that faces him, and acquiring a left hand shot playmaking center with great vision is a big plus for Ryan if he is going to play RW.
Now that doesn’t mean I like this trade, but rather I am looking for silver linings.
Six years is a lot in age difference, and the older player coming out of his peak years into his solid years and the younger player that should be about to hit his prime (play & earning) years. NY will be happy with Zibanejad, and the 2nd rd pick is gravy. How Ryan plays will be the gauge to whether this was a good trade, IMHO.
Some trades have extenuating circumstances, such as clearing cap space and room for a grittier skilled LW, or making a more appealing locker room for a larger than life Russian star player returning to the NHL, Ryan is the target here, and lets hope he responds, for Sens fans sake.
Personally I have to wonder if the fact Ottawa has taken centers in the first round for the last 2 consecutive years (and a 3rd year in 2013 if you consider the fact they had no firsts in 2014) had anything to do with this. Already they had Turris, Zibanejad, Lazar, Smith, and Pageau, and White and Brown are going to be looking to make the jump in 2-3 years or so. Coincidentally Brassard’s contract will be up in 3 years. I love Zibby and as a Sens fan I’m sad to see him go. I guess they saw him becoming a 50-point forward, possibly still improving on that, and approaching a contract year — and thinking maybe they don’t want to commit to him long-term as a top-6 C when White and Brown are in the mix.
I dont like this deal for the Sens, getting older and more expensive, and they had to throw in a 2nd round pick? Zibanejad isnt far off offensively from Brassard, and his cheaper contract shouldve been a huge advantage for a low budget team.
Brassard is a much better player right now and is a playmaker rather than a shooter. Sens needed a playmaker and a lefty one at that
Brassard is cheaper than zibanrjad in actual salary by the way
Brassard makes $5mil this year, Zib 3.25mil, so no he isnt cheaper. Brassard maybe better now- but I doubt that will be the case in a year or two.
Sens only pay brassard $3 million this year.
I doubt Zibanejad ever does more than he is doing now. He doesn’t have the brains or the creativity to be more than a guy like Kreider
not according to capfriendly He gets $5mil this year, then $3.5mil for each of the next 2 years.
Rangers already paid him $2 million bonus on July 1
btw- upvoting your own replies is a total douche move.
Why would you even think brassard wouldn’t be a top six centre. That’s exactly where they’ll use him next to bobby Ryan.
wow a hockey trade
Brassard is becoming (has become?) a pretty polished player, Zbad has some untapped upside. A #2 may have been a bit steep, but the Sens needed to shake things up.
I like the trade, but I wonder if the Rangers will be able to re-sign Zbad next year…