Free agency is now under a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Senators.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Fabian Zetterlund – The 25-year-old Swedish winger is coming off his second consecutive season with over 40 points, but managed just five points in 20 games with the Senators after being acquired from the Sharks. He added zero points in the team’s first-round matchup against the Maple Leafs. Zetterlund, however, does provide more than just an offensive element, and established career highs in hits (154) and blocked shots (81) during the 2024-25 season. Originally a third-round pick by the New Jersey Devils in the 2017 draft, Zetterlund has 20-goal potential that could draw interest from other teams. That, coupled with his offensive struggles with the Senators, might push him down Ottawa’s list of priorities this offseason.
D Donovan Sebrango – Sebrango made his NHL debut last season but appeared in just two games. The 23-year-old, who was selected in the third round (63rd overall) by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2020 NHL draft, has shown flashes of offensive upside at the AHL level, recording 20 points in 50 games last season with the Belleville Senators. At 6’2, 220, he also possesses the physical traits that can make him a solid two-way player. Although the Senators have seven defensemen under contract for next season, bringing Sebrango back to provide organizational depth could be a sensible move.
G Leevi Merilainen – At just 22 years old, Merilainen may have done enough last season to earn a shot at the team’s backup role. While Linus Ullmark has a firm hold on the starting job for the foreseeable future, Merilainen made a strong impression during his first taste of NHL action, signaling a potential breakthrough. The team’s third-round selection in 2020, Merilainen posted an 8-3-1 record for the Senators this past season, with a .925 save percentage and 1.99 GAA. He added three shutouts, meaning he stopped every shot he faced in 25 percent of his starts. With Anton Forsberg set to hit free agency, the door is open for a Merilainen-Ullmark tandem in goal. The question now is what kind of raise Merilainen will command on his next deal.
Other RFAs: F Vitaly Abramov, F Alex Formenton, F Jan Jenik, F Jamieson Rees, F Tristen Robins, F Philippe Daoust, F Xavier Bourgault, D Lassi Thomson, D Maxence Guenette
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Claude Giroux – At 37 years old, Giroux is still getting it done. While his production has dipped over the last few seasons, Giroux still put up 50 points in 2024-25 and added five points in six playoff contests. His veteran experience and steady production are clearly valued by the Senators, as the two sides have reportedly been in contract negotiations for several weeks. Giroux recently completed a three-year, $19.5MM contract he signed with the Senators in which he has scored 71 goals and 193 points in 245 games. After spending 15 years with the Flyers, Giroux has found a new home in Ottawa, and it appears that partnership is poised to continue. The remaining questions are how long the new deal will be and what the annual cap hit will look like.
F Adam Gaudette – In his second stint with Ottawa, Gaudette enjoyed a breakout campaign, posting a career-high 19 goals over 81 games. Despite averaging just 10:25 of ice time per night, he came close to hitting the 20-goal mark and chipped in with a goal and two assists during the playoffs. While his career-best season will undoubtedly earn him a raise on the open market — even if it was boosted by an unsustainably high 21 percent shooting percentage — Gaudette may prefer to remain in Ottawa, where head coach Travis Green’s system clearly suits his style of play.
D Travis Hamonic – A veteran of 900 NHL games, Hamonic is coming off of a disappointing season where he posted just seven points and a minus-16 rating in 59 games. Hamonic battled a lower-body injury that kept him out of the lineup for multiple weeks, and he also struggled in the playoffs, recording zero points and a minus-4 rating in five games. In his prime, Hamonic routinely skated 20-plus minutes a night and provided stout two-way play. Now, he’s coming off two injury-shortened seasons and has struggled to make an impact when in the lineup, posting a minus-26 rating over that span. A change of scenery will probably serve both parties well.
G Anton Forsberg – In his fifth season with Ottawa, Forsberg posted solid numbers and reestablished himself as a reliable backup after a disappointing 2023-24 campaign. In 30 appearances on the year, Forsberg posted a 11-12-3 record to go along with a .901 save percentage and 2.72 GAA. His production was in line with his career averages, and his three shutouts marked a new personal best. However, the organization may have to put Forsberg’s potential return to Ottawa in question, as Merilainen’s youth and upside will likely take precedence. If Forsberg hits the open market, he’ll likely have no trouble finding a new home, as many teams would welcome a reliable veteran presence between the pipes.
Other UFAs: F Nick Cousins, F Matthew Highmore, F Hayden Hodgson, D Dennis Gilbert, F Angus Crookshank (Group6), F Cole Reinhardt (Group6), F Wyatt Bongiovanni (Group6), D Jeremy Davies, D Filip Roos (Group6)
Projected Cap Space
The Senators will enter free agency with just north of $15MM with a projected cap space, per PuckPedia. It’s a solid amount to work with on the surface, but if deals with Giroux and the team’s restricted free agents come together, they will take up a significant portion of that cap space, which could limit Ottawa’s ability to pursue some of the bigger names on the open market.
Given the lack of goalie depth on the market, someone will overpay Forsberg.
And weird: the last NHL game I saw in person was Hamonic’s first. Guy’s been in decline for a few years now, though, and he just looks tired and done.
Prior to stating that some team will overpay Forsberg, you provided an example of why there really is no such thing as an overpay, as you added the lack of market goalie depth as a variable. Players want as much as they can get and teams want to pay as little as possible so no team overpays but simply pays what the market determines based on variables like lack of market depth, whether that teams market is less desirable than others, etc……. Simple economics playing out in the real world.
G deserves to play for a team with real cup chances.