The Ottawa Senators started the process last night of selling off high salary players in making an in-game trade.

The Senators traded Dion Phaneuf, forward Nate Thompson to the Los Angeles Kings for winger Marian Gaborik and center Nick Shore.

Even with the Senators retaining 25% of Phaneuf’s cap hit, this was a cash driven deal as the Senators will save around $5 million in actual cash and there’s a chance Marian Gaborik goes off in the sunset to retire/or to Europe before his deal is up that spans three more seasons.

Phaneuf gets to stay in Pittsburgh for a few more days to hang with his pal Phil Kessel as Phaneuf’s new team the Kings play the Penguins Thursday night.

What would have been something if the Senators also left Derick Brassard in town.

As the Senators are trying to take advantage of a sellers market and get a high return for the 30 year Brassard, a player executives now view as the best ‘available’ center on the market, Brassard made quite an impression in front of the Penguins brass Tuesday night.

Brassard scored a goal scorers goal down the left side early in the second period and he was one of the best players on the ice in all facets.

At 5-on-5, Brassard was at 63% (21-11) in possession, +8 in Scoring Chances (14-6, 70%) and +5 in High Danger Chances (6-1). He played the tough matchups too in facing Sidney Crosby for over 9 minutes and over 4 minutes against Malkin.

This was a glimpse against top tier talent of what Brassard could bring to the table, especially in a third line center role where the matchups would be much more favorable.

The Penguins intend to stay To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”! another team looking hard at Brassard is Winnipeg whose top decision makers made a scouting trip to specifically scout Brassard last night, per a league source.

It was a good night for the Senators in how well Brassard is playing less than two weeks out from the deadline.

— The biggest surprise from the Penguins last February in the days leading up to the deadline was how close they got to acquiring Martin Hanzal. Few expected the Penguins to be in the Hanzal market because they had Nick Bonino and Matt Cullen in their bottom-6, yet, Jim Rutherford who is always willing to upgrade the roster no matter what, To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!

— Buzz among a couple Eastern Conference Scouts has Michael Grabner connected to the To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!

To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!

A ton of comparables is going on in regards to the Penguins trade list.

One situation that stands out was the 2016 trade deadline when the Penguins went back and forth on Kris Russell and To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!

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