OTTAWA – The potential of a prospect like big wing Nicholas Paul is one of the reasons Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray chose not to re-sign unrestricted free agent Erik Condra.
Condra signed a three-year contract worth $1.25 million per season with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday. Murray said he liked Condra and what he contributed on the Senators third line last season, but balked at the length of the contract, fearing it would get in the way of the development of a prospect like Paul.
"This is my point with some of these players: if you sign beyond a year or two it shuts the door on these kids for a long period," Murray said.