Zaitsev and Brown traded to Ottawa

[CarltonTheBear]

There is belief that Cody Ceci could be heading back in return. Would make sense if it was processed after Zaitsev's $3M bonus is paid July 1. https://t.co/AJ31P49MGh

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 29, 2019

This would be weird, very weird. But hey why not.

Full official trade:

Leafs to send Zaitsev, Brown to Sens in multi-player deal: https://t.co/77MQqas7lo pic.twitter.com/kGRZA8xBni

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) July 1, 2019

[Zee]

There is belief that Cody Ceci could be heading back in return. Would make sense if it was processed after Zaitsev's $3M bonus is paid July 1. https://t.co/AJ31P49MGh

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 29, 2019

This would be weird, very weird. But hey why not.

Ceci is an unsigned RFA. He probably remains that way with the Leafs.

[Deebo]

There is belief that Cody Ceci could be heading back in return. Would make sense if it was processed after Zaitsev's $3M bonus is paid July 1. https://t.co/AJ31P49MGh

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 29, 2019

This would be weird, very weird. But hey why not.

Ceci is an RFA, qualified at 4.3M, what would his contract actually look like though?

We know the term will definitley be shorter and if the AAV is significantly lower than Zaitsev, then it makes sense for us I think.

[CarltonTheBear]

Ceci is an unsigned RFA. He probably remains that way with the Leafs.

He's already been given a qualifying offer. The Leafs wouldn't just let him walk anyway. He's not a top pair guy, probably not even a top-4 guy, but I'd wouldn't mind seeing what he can do outside of Ottawa. If they can't flip him for something valuable, I'd give him a 1-year deal.

[Zee]

Ceci is an unsigned RFA. He probably remains that way with the Leafs.

He's already been given a qualifying offer. The Leafs wouldn't just let him walk anyway. He's not a top pair guy, probably not even a top-4 guy, but I'd wouldn't mind seeing what he can do outside of Ottawa. If they can't flip him for something valuable, I'd give him a 1-year deal.

If he walks away from his QO and goes to arbitration Leafs can walk away from the contract if he's awarded too much

[Deebo]

From his perspective, accepting his QO is probably the way to go.

If he goes to arbitration and awaraded more, then the Leafs walk and he goes to unrestricted free agency and I doubt anyone is offering him 4.3M.

[CarltonTheBear]

If he walks away from his QO and goes to arbitration Leafs can walk away from the contract if he's awarded too much

Yeah, that's fair. I'd imagine at most he'd get $5mil through arbitration because of his minutes. He got $4.3mil in last years arbitration and his stats seem pretty much the same (very slightly better offensive numbers). I gotta think as long as he doesn't have big term there's somebody out there that would give up a 2nd rounder or something for Ceci.

[CarltonTheBear]

McKenzie saying it's essentially done, just waiting for Toronto to pay the July 1st signing bonus:

TOR and OTT appear to have a tentative trade in place that would send Nikita Zaitsev to OTT in exchange for Cody Ceci. There may be another part or parts to it but the deal can’t be finalized until July 1, when TOR pays Zaitsev’s $3M signing bonus.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 30, 2019

Final word on this tentative transaction: It’s tentative. LOL. Can’t happen until July 1, which in my world means there’s plenty of time where for one reason or another it could go south. But intent is there for TOR and OTT to trade Zaitsev and something for Ceci. Now we wait.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 30, 2019

[Nik]

Obviously we'll have to see what the sweetener is for the Leafs but this is fine.

[Zee]

How shocked will we be if the sweetner is Marner

[Bates]

How shocked will we be if the sweetner is Marner

No chance Melnyk takes on that salary!!!

[louisstamos]

I have a feeling the Leafs are hoping he goes to arbitration and they can walk away.  His underlying numbers are a bit weird...he's better offensively, but worse defensively, than Zaitsev.  I don't think he's exactly what the Leafs want/need.

[Crake]

I'm trying to remember who was the big name player rumored to be traded a few years back that Ottawa supposedly refused to trade Ceci for?

[Significantly Insignificant]

I'm trying to remember who was the big name player rumored to be traded a few years back that Ottawa supposedly refused to trade Ceci for?

Taylor Hall.

[CarltonTheBear]

I'm trying to remember who was the big name player rumored to be traded a few years back that Ottawa supposedly refused to trade Ceci for?

Taylor Hall.

There were also rumours about Drouin.