Signing nick Leddy would be a terrible move - he’s cooked

Ottawa says "Thank you, Come again."

Idk I don't see how Bailey fits here, and 5mil til 2024 is too much for too long imo. He doesn't mesh in the top 6, and it's hard to see how 5mil on the 3rd line is worthwhile.

Ottawa is getting a 2nd round pick and that's what Chicago got for having Tyler Johnson dumped on them.

Also, it's only for two years because the trade for Bailey would take place no earlier than the 2022 offseason.

I'm very firmly I'm the camp that Ottawa's got no business taking picks to add players that don't pull their own weight. That's not how you build this team into a winner.

Building a team into a winner would mean spending to the cap.

That involves opening up Uncle Euge's wallet and handing out money to quality NHL players that want to be a part of our team.



There's just one issue.

Ottawa's not exactly a popular destination for UFAs.

Bobby Ryan and Marc Methot touched on this on the December 6th episode of the Wally and Methot show.

The conversation on this topic starts at the 38 minute point of the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cnd7nLDqho




How do you spend to the cap and build a team into a winner if nobody wants to come play for you?

It's tough.

But a step in the right direction would be to ...



1. Draft well

2. Sign your core group of players to long-term extensions

3. Acquire high picks for quality cap dumps like Josh Bailey at the right price, as long as Ottawa is nowhere near the salary cap.



That's how I see it anyway.

Like @sensonfire says, we absolutely should have been weaponizing our cap space the entire rebuild. Rich teams would have had a field day with our cap situation. Look at the Arizona Coyotes... lol even them do it.

AND, it beats the HELL OUT OF having :

Zaitsev at 4.5 AAV
Murray at 6.25 AAV
Tierney at 3.5 AAV
Sanford at 2.0 AAV
Del Zotto at 2.0 AAV

I would add White at 4.75 AAV but I like him and think he brings some positive even if overpaid.

If Dorion was managing our assets and money carefully, you might have a point but...

He looks like a new rich young lad going to Las Vegas and spending like a moron