Trade Deadline Preview: Ottawa Senators
As the trade deadline approaches, we’ll be doing a team-by-team look at who should be buying and selling and which players might be on the move. Today, we have the Seattle Kraken.
The Situation
This season hasn’t gone according to plan for the young Ottawa Senators.
Despite starting the 2021 season as the All-Canadian Division’s punching bag, the Sens gradually improved along the way and became a respectable team. They dropped 13 of their first 15 games last season but turned things around ultimately finished with a 23-28-5 record, indicating that better things were on the horizon.
So far, that hasn’t been the case.
The Sens currently own a 13-21-4 record, which, ironically, is exactly what their record was after 38 games last season. Things could turn around in the second half of the season and the Sens could show internal progression, but being out of the mix by the end of October means 2021-22 has ultimately been a letdown in Ottawa.
Next up, the Sens will head into the trade deadline with decisions to make on a few solid veterans.
Over the past few seasons, Ottawa was all-in on their rebuild and the focus was on moving older players for prospects and draft picks. The goal now is to start winning games, so the Sens might be best to sign some of these players to new contracts rather than looking years down the road.
Players to Watch
We’ve already seen the Sens ink an impending free agent to a contract extension as shutdown defender Nick Holden was given a one-year deal worth $1.3 million.
Ottawa’s other players who could receive interest on the rental trade market are forwards Chris Tierney, Zach Sanford, and Nick Paul, and goaltender Anton Forsberg.
Both Tierney and Sanford are having disappointing seasons with only 10 points each through 38 games. That said, both players are only 27 years old, so they’re certainly still young enough to stick around and be a part of Ottawa’s turnaround.
Paul is the last player the Sens have from the 2014 trade that sent Jason Spezza to the Dallas Stars. It took quite a bit of time, but Paul has established himself as a quality middle-six forward who can kill penalties.
And then there’s Forsberg, who’s been Ottawa’s best goaltender this season. Forsberg was grabbed off of waivers three times last season and finally found a home with the Sens. Through 17 games this year, Forsberg has a .911 save percentage, well above the .902 figure he had for his career coming into the season.
All four of these players would have value to a team looking to go on a playoff run. But, if you’re the Sens, you have to ask yourself if it’s more worthwhile to keep veterans around in order to maintain some internal stability than it is to acquire some second- and third-round draft picks.
Previously…
Trade Deadline Preview: Arizona Coyotes