With the All-Star break now behind us, the trade deadline looms large and is now less than a month away. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Ottawa Senators.
Things haven’t gone completely according to plan for Ottawa this season. This was supposed to be the end of the rebuilding phase with GM Pierre Dorion going as far as saying before training camp that “The rebuild is done. Now we’re stepping into another zone”. As it turns out, the rebuild isn’t done and they’re in the same zone they have been as they’re set to miss the playoffs for the fifth straight season. While brighter days are certainly on the horizon with the depth of their prospect pool, they will be doing what they’ve been accustomed to in recent years at the deadline.
Record
19-26-5, 6th in the Atlantic
Deadline Status
Short-Term Seller, Long-Term Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$33.94MM today, $55.15MM in full-season space, 0/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used per CapFriendly
Upcoming Draft Picks
2022: OTT 1st, OTT 2nd, TB 2nd, BOS 3rd, OTT 3rd, VAN 3rd, OTT 5th, OTT 6th, NYR 7th, OTT 7th
2023: OTT 1st, OTT 2nd, OTT 3rd, OTT 4th, OTT 5th, OTT 6th, OTT 7th, NSH 7th
Trade Chips
Ottawa’s biggest trade chip is one they’re hoping not to trade at all in forward Nick Paul. The 26-year-old has gone from the wing to playing down the middle in recent years while being a capable depth scorer. He has improved on that front a bit this season, matching his previous career high in goals with nine while playing a sound defensive game with a bit of physicality. This is the type of profile that many playoff-bound teams would want to add to their bottom six. The Senators would also like to retain the pending unrestricted free agent and Paul recently expressed some confidence that they’ll be able to reach an agreement. He’s heading for a sizable raise from his current $1.35MM AAV and we’ll find out over the next few weeks if it’ll be Ottawa giving it to him or if he’ll be on the move.
Anton Forsberg has done a nice job of re-establishing some value since joining Ottawa last season. He bounced around on waivers for the first half of 2020-21 but has basically been the starter for the Sens this year with Matt Murray struggling early on. His .917 SV% is certainly appealing to contenders but his $900K cap hit will be even more attractive. He could fit on some playoff-bound squads as a backup and others as third-string insurance and both of those options could apply to the Senators as well. If they can’t work out an extension, the pending UFA could be one of the goalies on the move.
Center depth is always something that’s in demand at this time of year and Chris Tierney fits the definition of a depth center. In the past, he has been capable of playing in the top six although that’s not the most ideal role for him now. He can still kill penalties and while he has been a bit below average on faceoffs this season, he’s not too far removed from being a little above the league average on that front. He could fit on the third line for some teams but he’d certainly boost the fourth line for many playoff-bound squads. The pending UFA has a $3.5MM AAV that Ottawa will need to pay down but assuming they’re willing to do so, they should be able to add to their stable of draft picks.
Another element that playoff-bound teams like to add is grit and that’s where Zach Sanford should draw some interest. Included as a cap dump in the Logan Brown trade, the 27-year-old has had a decent season for Ottawa with 15 points in 50 games but it’s the 104 hits that he has that will catch the eye of contenders. Again, some retention may be necessary here with a $2MM AAV before he hits the open market in the summer but Sanford would fit on the fourth line for quite a few playoff teams.
Others To Watch For: D Josh Brown ($1.2MM, UFA), D Michael Del Zotto ($2MM through 2022-23), F Tyler Ennis ($900K, UFA), D Victor Mete ($1.2MM, RFA)
Team Needs
1) Draft Picks: While none of the above names are going to yield significant draft picks, Ottawa has several players that could fetch a mid-round selection. With ten selections already for the 2022 draft, this may be an opportunity for Dorion to add picks in future years.
2) Center Help: This isn’t as big of a need for this season since they’re not in the playoff hunt but this year has exposed some holes in their depth down the middle. Josh Norris and Shane Pinto will be part of the future plans and oft-injured Colin White is still signed for three more years but most of their remaining options are pending free agents (RFA or UFA). A capable middle-six center would go a long way towards shoring up their depth, especially as they hope to be in the playoff mix next season.
3) Bridge Veterans: This is something that Dorion could look to in free agency but Ottawa’s cap space could make them a buyer for assets signed beyond this season. Every young team needs quality veterans to help them take that next step forward and right now, there simply aren’t that many in the organization. If there’s a chance to get one or two in the next few weeks by helping to facilitate a trade for a cap-strapped contender, it’d be one worth looking into.