It'd be nice as an Islanders fan, but Ottawa isn't that stupid to do this trade (especially with the Ladd contract). It's gonna take a lot more than what's proposed here.

Andrew Ladd is just not going to Ottawa, just can't make it work. It's too many years (3), with too much (two x $3MM) in signing bonus money, for a guy that's very often healthy scratched now. Ladd is a dead roster spot and at $5.5MM against the cap when they will need it down the road in three years.

It's not going to be that easy for the Isles to get the cap space to sign Barzal. To get the cap space to sign Barzal, it's going to hurt a little. Remember, this is just speculation.

Ottawa would prefer a one year contract, but could take a two year contract, maybe, with the right incentive. It's not optimal, but they could probably work through that. Boychuk helps the Isles the most, signing bonus isn't great, but it's just one year.

Boychuk
Dobson

for

Gudbranson
Gaborik

At first glance, there doesn't seem to be a huge relief going from the $6MM for RD Boychuk to the $4MM for RD Gudbranson, but I'll explain how it makes sense. Pairing Gudbranson with Gaborik versus a two year contract offers a hidden benefit.

20/21 Gaborik LTIR can extend the cap by $4.875MM. So if we take the current Isles cap space of $3.9MM, add the $2MM difference between Boychuk and Gudbranson, making it 5.9MM, and using the LTIR to extend the cap, creates $10.775MM in cap space for this season, enough for Barzal.

21/22 the Isles lose Gaborik's LTIR, but Gudbranson also comes off the books (hidden benefit) freeing up $4MM a year earlier than Boychuk would have, clearing the remaining portion of the $6MM.

In essence, the Sens give the Isles $6.85MM relief in year one, and $6MM relief in year two.

The Sens lose $2.875MM in cap the first year, because Gaborik is on IR and not LTIR, and gain $6MM in cap the second year. That is not good for Ottawa, just like the signing bonus, but Ottawa can do it because they are receiving Dobson. It's all about signing Barzal, and acquiring Dobson.

To put it another way, the Sens give Gaborik $4.875MM LTIR to allow them to give Gudbranson $4MM, and take Dobson for taking (two x $6MM for $12MM) Boychuk.

The actual dollars for Ottawa?

OUT
Gaborik $975K owed
Gudbranson $4MM owed

IN
Boychuk $5.25MM owed

They pay $275K more than before the trade, plus Dobson

Ottawa D after the trade

Chabot
Zaitsev
Reilly
Brown
Wolanin
Boychuk
Dobson