The Ottawa Senators lastly made the playoffs in 2025 after coming shut in earlier seasons. Ottawa had a tough begin to the season, to be truthful. Nonetheless, they rebounded to win the highest Wild Card spot within the Japanese Convention. Sadly, they had been eradicated within the first spherical of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However NHL Free Company supplied an opportunity to bolster this roster and construct upon this efficiency.
The Senators actually might have justified a giant splash this summer time. Nonetheless, they elected to maintain issues a bit quiet. Their principal precedence was re-signing Claude Giroux to a one-year contract. They had been in a position to do that earlier than the market opened, making certain the veteran winger remained together with his hometown workforce for the upcoming season.
Outdoors of Giroux, the Senators made one different notable transfer. On the 2025 NHL Draft, Ottawa added to its protection. They swung a commerce with the Los Angeles Kings for defenseman Jordan Spence. In return for the 24-year-old, Ottawa despatched a third-round choose in 2025 and a sixth-round choose within the 2026 NHL Draft.
The Senators are doubtless heading into the 2024-25 season with this roster. Because of this, it is time to take a look at the areas they did not tackle. Right here is one transfer Ottawa ought to have made through the 2025 NHL offseason.
A top-six winger would bolster Senators’ playoff probabilities
The Senators have a very good top-six right now. Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk, and Drake Batherson are good scoring forwards. Stutzle and Tkachuk, specifically, are able to producing at elite ranges. Past these three, although, there’s a little bit of uncertainty.
The Senators have excessive hopes for Dylan Cozens shifting ahead. Giroux remains to be a very good winger who can play within the top-six. And there is a probability that Fabian Zetterlund bounces again from his post-trade deadline struggles. Past these names, although, it is laborious to see one other dependable scoring possibility up the lineup.
After all, including a top-six winger is just not simple. As one can think about, groups do not need to give these kinds of gamers away. Making issues worse is that a number of the potential choices by no means had any curiosity in becoming a member of Ottawa. Brock Boeser’s coronary heart was with the Vancouver Canucks. And Nikolaj Ehlers signing with the Senators felt like a protracted shot.
The Senators might pursue a restricted free agent in the event that they needed to take the supply sheet route. In saying this, there are few choices remaining on that facet of issues, as effectively. Luke Evangelista of the Nashville Predators might make some sense. However Ottawa would doubtless have to clear wage cap area with a purpose to make that work.
Ottawa can nonetheless make the playoffs with the roster as it’s. Nonetheless, they’ll want vital offensive enchancment from the likes of Stutzle, Batherson, and Tkachuk. Furthermore, they may want Zetterlund to enhance. And the extra veteran choices in David Perron and Michael Amadio might want to step up.
That is actually not an unattainable ask. Ottawa has an extremely gifted group. In saying this, it is nonetheless a tall ask for any squad. The Senators would do effectively so as to add one other physique to this group. This takes a little bit of stress off the present skaters whereas offering the top-six with one other constant and dependable scoring possibility.
Ottawa expects to make the playoffs as soon as once more. They need to be in rivalry all through the 2025-26 marketing campaign. Nonetheless, in the event that they need to really set up themselves as a playoff contender, they should add a top-six winger earlier than the season begins in October.