Sterling Off-Season Predictions: Top-6 Forward

Will Brian Murray have any success with his eternal quest for another top 6 forward? If so, free agency or trade?

Richard: I hope not? I don’t really see anyone in our top 9 currently who doesn’t deserve to be there. If we were to add anyone, it would have to be someone good enough to justify bumping one of those players down to the third or even fourth line. While I relish the idea of some of those guys playing against weaker competition, we’d need to bring in someone pretty special in order for any of those guys to be given reduced minutes, responsibilities line mates and opportunities. I think we’d be far, far better served by adding some effective depth pieces or a top 4 defenceman and retaining Erik Condra for that sweet third line.

Ross: No. I think it's smoke and mirrors at this point. There are no cost-effective top-six forwards available in free agency. He's not going to to dangle the pieces necessary to get a top-six forward via trade. I think the closest he'll get is maybe someone like Teddy Purcell via trade.

Amelia: Bryan Murray knows you can only dress six top-6 forwards in the top-6 right? He won't do better than the 2013 offseason when he acquired Ryan or last season when the Sens added two top-6 forwards internally (Stone and Hoffman). I don't think he's going to add an external top-6 forward because our best tradeable assets are goalies and the return for them is always less than other positions. We've got a lot of throw in options (spare defenseman, Lehner, Hammond's rights etc) but that's not worth much without marquee pieces like Andy or possibly RFA Mike Hoffman (who the team doesn't seem super impressed with). Moving Hoffman would at least create the need for a top-6 forward.

Michaela: I don't think Murray will bring in a top-six forward this off-season. I certainly think he'll bring in a forward at some point, either through trading one of the goalies or free agency, but it will be to fill a gap left by Erik Condra (if they let him go). I agree with everyone else, we have enough top-six forwards and there aren't really any available within reason.

Adnan: Well Mike Hoffman is a free agent so hopefully he doesn't trade him. Aside from that, no he will not.

Ary: Hopeful that he realizes that Mike Hoffman is Patty Wiercioch redux and thus, his top-six forward has been right in front of him the whole time. Is that too much to ask?

B_T: I don't think he will, but I'm worried about him spending assets on bringing in someone who is supposed to fit the bill and just ends up being bumped down a better asset (see David Legwand, but via a trade instead of free agency) or worse, ends up holding a spot in the top 6 in place of a better asset.

Will Bryan Murray bring in a top-6 forward?