Michael Traikos discusses the Ottawa Senators parting with their GM and who's next, neck protection, if Nicklas Backstrom is a Hall of Famer, Sidney Crosby's rookie year and much more.
The Ottawa Senators parted with GM Pierre Dorion on Wednesday. President of hockey operations Steve Staios takes interim-GM status.This is The Wraparound. Michael Traikos looks at a handful of topics in the NHL and elsewhere with links to further reading on The Hockey News' team and theme sites.
In the aftermath of Pierre Dorion getting fired for botching the Evgenii Dadanov trade, it is easy to suggest that Dorion was one of Ottawa’s worst GMs. But there’s more than enough evidence to suggest he might have also been one of its best.
It’s a complicated history.
Dorion, who worked for years under a budget-conscious owner, is the guy who traded away Erik Karlsson and Kyle Turris. But he is also the guy who acquired Claude Giroux, Vladimir Tarasenko and Jakob Chychrun.
Dorion drafted Brady Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot, Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson, who appear to be set in stone as the Senators’ core. But imagine what could have been had the Senators not traded away the fourth overall pick in 2019 (Bowen Byram) in exchange for Matt Duchene or lost another first-rounder as a penalty for the Dadanov trade.
In Dorion’s first year on the job, Ottawa came within an overtime goal of reaching the Stanley Cup final. But since then, the Senators have spent six years without a playoff appearance.
That could change this season. And if it does, Dorion deserves a lot of the credit — and, unfortunately, a lot of the blame.
Michael Andlauer paid $950 million for the Senators. That amount of money allows you to right to rant.
Between losing a first-round pick and the services of Shane Pinto for half the year, Andlauer has every right to be upset with Dorion and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman for inheriting a mess that has nothing to do with him. Don’t worry, Bettman understands this, which is why the commissioner is not — as some have suggested — going to get even and punish the Senators even more. If anything, Bettman owes Andlauer an apology for not being more forthcoming about the ongoing investigations during the sale of the team.
About that forfeited draft pick, in my opinion, it was far too severe. The Senators should have lost a pick but not a first-rounder. People keep bringing up the Blackhawks, who in 2021 were fined $2 million as a result of an alleged sexual assault cover-up but didn’t lose a pick. Two years later, they selected Connor Bedard. The two cases are obviously different, but it still doesn’t make sense.
The Senators must choose whether to forfeit their first-round pick in 2024, 2025 or 2026. According to Ryan Kennedy, the 2026 draft year is the most likely scenario. The longer Ottawa can wait, the better. With the way that Boston is playing, the Atlantic Division is still one of the toughest in the NHL. Making the playoffs this year is not going to be easy. Next year, that might not change.
Peter Chiarelli apparently leads the list of GMs who could succeed Dorion. If I were betting man, I’d put my money on interim GM Steve Staios staying on permanently.
The 50-year-old has proven himself at every level — and at every position. As a player, he finished with 1,001 games. As an executive, he won the GM of the year award with the OHL's Hamilton Bulldogs. His career is a lesson in perseverance, rolling with the punches and hard work. He played for six teams in 16 seasons. He was traded three times, claimed off waivers once and selected by the Atlanta Thrashers in the expansion draft. While playing for the Vancouver Canucks, coach Mike Keenan turned the defenseman into a forward because he didn’t think Staios was big enough to play D.
Auston Matthews is the new spokesperson for Logan Paul’s Prime Energy drink, which is a huge boost for the NHL. Most people know who the Paul brothers are. Not everyone knows who Matthews is. For the sake of Leafs fans, I just hope Matthews doesn't actually drink it.
The Admirals marketing team deserves a raise.
More and more NHL players are advocating for neck protection following the tragic death of former Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Adam Johnson in a game in England last week.
Several Penguins, including Lars Eller, Marcus Pettersson, Ryan Graves, and Erik Kraals’ were wearing neck guards at practice on Thursday. Four Winnipeg Jets wore neck guards at practice. Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour and San Jose Sharks coach David Quinn are encouraging added protection for their players, while T.J. Oshie of the Washington Capitals, who is the founder of Warroad Hockey Co., has ordered neck protection for several teammates.
Meanwhile, the WHL made neck protection mandatory — a move that the NHL is likely to follow when the GMs meet in Toronto later this month.
The Seattle Kraken have entered the debate on when it is appropriate to put up your Christmas tree. For me, nothing begins until after the Santa Claus parade.
Nicklas Backstrom's career might not be done yet as he steps away indefinitely. But if so, congratulations to him on a great career, although it’s sad that it had to come to an end so soon. Which brings up the following question: Is Backstrom, who ranks 44th overall on the all-time assists list with 762, a Hall of Famer? Maybe a better question is, how many assists would he have if he never played with Alex Ovechkin?
Anaheim Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal was named the rookie of the month for October, beating out Toronto’s goalie Joseph Woll and Ottawa’s center Ridly Greig. Finishing fourth was Chicago’s Connor Bedard, who leads all rookies with four goals in nine games.
With nine goals in 10 games, Detroit’s Alex DeBrincat is looking like the best off-season acquisition. As for the worst, Blake Wheeler of the New York Rangers is still searching for his first point in nine games.
Logan Cooley, who went third overall in the 2022 draft, scored his first NHL goal this week, and it was a beauty. With seven points in nine career games, he’s trailing No. 1 overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky by just four points — despite having played in 39 fewer games.
The Bruins and Avalanche and Golden Knights continue to win games. Meanwhile, the Flyers have lost three straight — and now Carter Hart — and fallen back down to earth.
Things I learned from reading back issues in The Hockey News Archive: As a rookie, Sidney Crosby said the two loudest buildings in the NHL were Philadelphia and … Carolina? Interesting. And his favorite practical joke was when teammates would put the “atomic bomb” in another player’s equipment.
Excuse me?
“You know, the heating cream trainers use,” Crosby said. “The atomic bomb is the highest degree of heating cream there is. It’s hot. You have some good laughs watching guys deal with that.”