-As expected Erik Karlsson re-signed with Ottawa yesterday. It’s a seven year contract with a cap hit of 6.5, which is reasonable for both sides.
–Pierre Dorion was interviewed and had a lot to say. When asked about Mika Zibanejad he said, “I think we’re okay with his development. I think when we’re realistic about things, I always tell people that it’s not a 100-metre race when you’re developing prospects or putting prospects into your lineup. I think it’s a marathon. Only certain special players can step in at 18 years old and have an impact. We knew with Mika, he played 10 games – he was good for us some games and some games he struggled. We just felt for his development, the best thing would be to go back home. He had a good World Junior. (He) scored the winning goal for Sweden for them to win the gold medal which was something that they hadn’t done in a while. And right now, he’s coming over for our development camp next week. I think he had a much better second half this year for his team and I think we’re going to see him try and play for us next year. Whether he plays or not, whether he goes to the American (Hockey) League, which is an option, is something we’ll look at but I think he’s a prospect that down the road, will contribute again to our team’s success.” For some reasons Nichols (who transcribed the interview) believes these comments mean he might be traded. I don’t see it. Dorion gave the usual speech on Mark Stone, with the most significant part being “I see Mark as a big part of our future.” He also made a point of bringing up Mark Borowiecki and Zack Smith as players who exceeding expectations based on where they were drafted. There was nothing new in his comments on Jakob Silfverberg (echoing what’s been said before). When asked about Ottawa’s draft strategy he said, “We have mentioned to our media and we have mentioned to our people that there are fourteen guys that we like so if Calgary seems to like the same fourteen as us, they’re in a good position. We feel that we’re going to get one of those fourteen guys that we really like. I think there is a certain drop off in the draft. As far as our needs, I know it’s a cliché and our fans don’t really like to hear it, our media don’t really like to hear it, but we’re just going to take the best player available. I know we took three forwards in the first round and our first five picks last year were forwards but you need to fill twelve spots or thirteen spots for your NHL team. Some of our forwards quite a bit older and on defence, we obviously we don’t have the depth in younger prospects. We’d like to add a defenceman but if we feel that a forward is the best possible player, we’d do that. And it could be a goalie also. We have three goalies in our organization and we feel that we have one of the best goalies outside the NHL in Robin Lehner. He won a Calder Cup last year and was the MVP of the Calder Cup at 20 years old, so it might not be a position but he’s the youngest goalie in our organization at 21 years old, so we might feel the need to draft one at a certain point in time in this draft.” The latter comment should help put to bed Darren Dreger’s rumour that Lehner could be traded. It seems absurd to give up on a young goalie like that (conversely, I could see the Sens shopping Ben Bishop if the price is high enough).
–Bryan Murray told Renaud P. Lavoie that the Sens are out of the Rich Nash sweepstakes. I don’t think they were ever really in them, but we can hope that puts an end to the space wasted on speculating about it.
–worsteverything has a meandering article that makes two points (one I agree with, one I don’t): the Sens are better off waiting for their forward prospects to develop than spending on the free agent market. I agree with him and the comments from the organisation suggests they agree too. His other suggestion is keeping Matt Carkner (the man with no knees) on the roster, which seems pointless in doing [Correction: worsteverything has reminded me that he thinks the organisation will re-sign them, not offering his opinion on if they should or shouldn’t].
-The NHL has banned players using their hands to win faceoffs, which (as Nichols points out in the above link) takes one of Zenon Konopka‘s two bullets out of his gun. Staged fighting remains, which is still good enough for Don Brennan.
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eyeonthesens 
*talking with mouthful of both steak AND lobster* Actually I meanderingly said in all my manderocity that the Sens WILL sign Matt Carkner not that they should. I’m glad you agree with the other thing. I agree with me too.
That’s a good point, I was assuming you agreed with the signing. The better question from me would be *why* they want to keep him–I assume for his enforcing capacity, but almost no one will fight him anymore so I’m not sure how effective he is in that role.