The Senators obviously have a big cap dilemma with Shane Pinto, but there's one possible solution that isn't getting a lot of play.
From the moment that Vladimir Tarasenko signed his one-year, $5 million dollar contract on July 27th, the first question on the minds of most Ottawa Senators' fans was:
“How is Pierre Dorion going to make it work with Shane Pinto?”
Pinto was Dorion’s only piece of outstanding business with restricted free agents from last year’s roster. And it didn’t take a degree in advanced mathematics to see there now wasn’t enough money left in the kitty to get something done.
Amidst the “We want Pinto!” chants that emanated from the crowd during the home opening victory against the Philadelphia Flyers and again the next night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, there was an uneasy feeling setting in.
This could take more time to solve than anyone originally thought.
Pinto had been in town while his representatives worked with Dorion, who was trying to create the necessary cap space. Pinto has since packed up and gone home to get away from the constant distraction.
That reasoning does seem plausible. New York isn’t far away, and he certainly won’t be bothered there like he would at the Sensplex. That said, if a deal were imminent, it’s hard to imagine that Pinto would have left.
The primary options for solutions being bandied about have been:
1) Trade Erik Brannstrom
2) Trade Mathieu Joseph
3) LTIR for Josh Norris
Options one and two aren’t as easily executed as they sound. This is especially true when you are coming to the negotiations with your hat in hand as Dorion would be doing.
Brannstrom’s salary would have to be replaced and, on its own, it’s hard to imagine that being enough.
As for Joseph, with the start to the season that he's had, it begs the question:
“Do they really want to get rid of this guy?”
But there is another option that not many people are talking about that might just be the only way out, if LTIR is not in the cards.
Tim Stutzle is on an eight-year deal. Norris, assuming he can recover, has seven years left on his. Ridly Greig has two years left on his ELC and is backfilling admirably for Norris at the moment.
It’s a given that none of those centres is viewed as a fourth liner. The Senators are running out of chairs and the music is about to stop. The Senators will need to decide whom they value more when Norris is back in the lineup.
One could infer that they already have made that decision, just by virtue of the fact that signing Tarasenko to a one-year deal took priority over locking up Pinto on a multi-year agreement.
So, could the Senators be forced to trade Shane Pinto? Dorion is on the record, saying the Senators don’t want to move Pinto. And it's been reported that Pinto’s camp hasn’t requested a trade.
Nonetheless, the return on Pinto in the form of a prospect and/or pick solves the cap space dilemma. Then again, who has $2.5 million in available cap space? That eliminates 75% of the league.
Each passing game that Norris doesn’t play gives us pause for thought about his future. Obviously, no decision could be made about moving anyone at centre ice without clarity on that subject.
LTIR can be used retroactively if Norris’ absence continues. That would still mean no Norris or Pinto until at least November 8th.
Right now, the Senators are getting by with Ridly Greig as the number two centre and Rourke Chartier in the three hole. Is that a sustainable, winning model?
Each victory during this homestand buys Dorion some time. Eventually, he will need to decide if there is room for Stutzle, Norris, Greig AND Pinto, regardless of the cap.