Trade Involving Recent Top-10 Pick in the Works

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David Macintyre
September 25, 2023 (7:03 PM)

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Young Power Forward Already Heading Out of Ottawa?

With the Ottawa Senators still trying to re-sign forward Shane Pinto, GM Pierre Dorion has some tough decisions to make as the 2023-24 campaign is about to begin.

Rumour has it that the Sens and Philadelphia Flyers are in talks over a possible trade for about a week now, possibly for the Sens to get rid of some salary since they only have a little over $100,000 in cap space.

According to The Fourth Period, a theoretical trade between the two Eastern Conference teams is now speculated to include Tyler Boucher, the 10th overall pick in the 2021 entry draft, as a sweetener in order to take on the contract of Mathieu Joseph, who has struggled in Ottawa.

"The Philadelphia Flyers have spoken with the Senators about Joseph and are believed to be one of the teams asking for a high-priced asset to accommodate a trade. Multiple sources have told TFP's David Pagnotta the Flyers are interested in forward�Tyler Boucher, whom the Senators drafted 10th overall in 2021, but Ottawa has been reluctant to consider such a move."

Is It Worth the Risk to Give Up on Boucher?

Considering how off the board of a selection he was at 10th overall, and that he'd been playing junior hockey with the OHL's Ottawa 67s, Boucher � also known as the son of former NHL goalie/present-day TV pundit Brian Boucher � isn't the kind of player you'd expect the Sens to give up on so easily. If anything, you'd expect Dorion to want to keep him so he can prove the management group right in selecting him.

However, with rumours swirling that taking on a bad contract could necessitate giving up as much as a first-round pick, and with Pinto still a restricted free agent despite being earmarked as part of the Sens' forward core going forward, heart-wrenching calls may have to be made.

Pinto also cannot play until a deal has been signed, with only two weeks before the new season starts. Boucher also spent most of last season sidelined with a shoulder injury, which could be a sticking point for Flyers GM Daniel Brière. Regardless, it'll be fascinating to see if anything becomes of this rumour in the coming days, with the Sens looking to compete again as soon as possible.

As seen on Blade of Steel