The SBP Archives - Your less than frequent dose of SBP!

Not too many people can find much to talk about the NHL three weeks after the Cup final and a day after the conclusion of a boring draft with no blockbuster deals or moves. But lucky for you, dear reader, I find a way. Let's talk about Wade Redden.

No one wants him. At least the fans in Ottawa. And amidst all the rumours of him being traded to Edmonton, and even GM Bryan Murray admitting he has held talks about their highest-paid player, I bet Wade is wondering if anyone remember he has a no-trade clause in his contract.

I actually didn't know he had that clause until recently. I speculated that, regardless if Ottawa won the Stanley Cup or not, he would likely be moved for cap space reasons. Philips, Volchenkov earned raises for next year. Emery will get a big raise. And you have to consider this is the final year that Jason Spezza, Dany Heatley and Mike Fisher are under contract, and barring a disastrous 2007-08 season, they will all want hefty raises from their current salaries.

If you look at Ottawa's roster, it really doesn't make much sense Redden is the highest paid. He isn't their best player. And I don't think he's even the best defenceman (at least when it comes to the pure defensive side of the game). And while I have been a supporter of Wade Redden and feel he is a solid defenceman, his game hasn't been consistent all year and has struggled. He was awful in the Cup final. When Zdeno Chara left last year, he was supposed to the #1 guy. He isn't.

Despite the no-trade clause, you have to wonder if Wade wants to play for an organization that doesn't want him. It's purely speculative...maybe the Senators brass DO want to keep him. But if they don't, Redden will probably want to go where he's wanted and will get to play.

If Ottawa does trade him, they have a huge hole to fill. He logged anywhere between 20-30 minutes a night, and was key on the powerplay. And for some reason, Ottawa didn't win as much when he was out of the lineup. If they do make a trade, their blue line risks being worse off, so they have to be smart about it before they close a deal.