Fear the Five: 5 trades with the Ottawa Senators

Throughout the Sharks and the Ottawa Senators histories, these two have not been common trade partners. However over the past two years, three trades have gone down between Doug Wilson and Pierre Dorion. Some of these trades have been really good, and some have been, well… not so bad, at least.

A Pick Swap

Trade: Sharks acquire 1999 eighth round pick (#241, Douglas Murray); Senators acquire 1998 eighth round pick (#223, Sergei Verenkin)

This was a simple draft day trade the Sharks made in during the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. Though at the time there was not much too it, as they were just swapping eighth round picks, the Sharks were able to draft an NHL player in the eighth round. Murray was a fan favorite with the Sharks, while Verenkin never played a game in the NHL and only play a few seasons in Russia.

Dany Heatley Trade

Trade: Sharks acquire Dany Heatley and 2010 fifth round pick (#136, Issac Macleod); Senators acquire Jonathan Cheechoo, Milan Michalek, and 2010 second round pick (#58, Kent Simpson)

Oddly enough, this trade is similar to a more recent one made between these two teams, in that it feels very lopsided. Heatley came into camp with the Senators in the being of the 2009-10 season, and then he was traded to the Sharks. The Sharks got some immediate success from Heatley, as he had 146 points over two seasons, before he was traded to the Minnesota Wild.

Cheechoo did not spend much more time in the NHL, as after he was traded he bounced different American Hockey League teams. However, Michalek stayed in the NHL, producing some on the Senators, before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2016.

Neither sides gained anything long term, however there was some immediate help for the teams.

Tommy Wingels Trade

Trade: Sharks acquire Zack Stortini, Buddy Robinson, 2017 seventh round pick; Senators acquire Tommy Wingels

When the Sharks traded away Tommy Wingels, they cleared up a roster spot for Tomas Hertl, who was coming off the Injured Reserve. In exchange for Wingels, the Sharks received two AHL forwards and a 2017 draft pick that the Sharks used to trade up to draft Sasha Chmelevski. Ultimately, there was no long term effects from this trade for either team — Wingels left the Senators organization for the Chicago Blackhawks that summer. Stortini and Robinson also headed to free agency, with Stortini signing an AHL deal with the Charlotte Checkers and Robinson signing with the Winnipeg Jets.

The saddest part of this trade is that Hertl’s best friend was given up so he could have a roster space.

Mike Hoffman Trade

Trade: Sharks acquire Mike Hoffman, Cody Donaghey, 2020 fifth round pick; Senators acquire Mikkel Boedker, Julius Bergman, 2020 sixth round pick

Um, this was an interesting one. When the Sharks first traded with the Senators for Hoffman, they got rid of the under-performing Boedker and his $4 million contract. Initially for Sharks fans, there was some worry — Hoffman had been tied up in off-ice drama and while he’s good, he’s not exactly the difference-maker we were hoping for this off-season. Then about three hours later, the Sharks traded Hoffman and a 2018 seventh round pick for a trio of picks, 2018 fourth and fifth and 2019 second, to the Florida Panthers.

This trade was a way to get some cap space, when they were trying to go after John Tavares. This a productive trade as it was a big part of the off-season that lead the moves they later made like the re-signings of Joe Thornton, Tomas Hertl, Chris Tierney and Dylan Demelo — and eventually, the —

Erik Karlsson Trade

Trade: Sharks acquire Erik Karlsson and Francis Perron; Senators acquire Josh Norris, Chris Tierney, Rudolfs Balcers, Dylan Demelo, 2019 second round pick which is the higher of the two the Sharks own, 2019 or 2020 conditional first round pick, that becomes a 2019 first round pick if the Sharks miss the playoffs and if they make the playoffs it is a 2020 first, 2021 conditional second round pick if Karlsson resigns, and can upgrade to a first if the Sharks make the Stanley Cup Final, first conditional round pick that is no later than 2022 if Karlsson ends up on a Eastern Conference Roster during the 2018-19 season.

The biggest part of this trade, the Sharks got two-time Norris winner Erik Karlsson. The Sharks were able to get an all star defenseman for a depth players and picks, and this has instantly become one of this biggest trades in Sharks history. With the magic that Doug Wilson pull off by not getting rid of their top young players and prospects, and it put all of the hockey world in shock when the trade was finished. Though the impact is too early to tell, from what we have seen in the past from Karlsson, it is looking to be good.

That’s not to say the Senators got nothing, but when a generational defenseman is on the table, just about any return is going to be underwhelming.

The effects of this trade will be seen this season on the Sharks, but the Senators are now tasked with making those draft picks count and developing Norris to make this trade count.