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Trade Deadline Primer: Ottawa Senators

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With the 4 Nations Face-Off break approaching, the trade deadline looms large and is about 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.

The Ottawa Senators limped into the 4 Nations Face-Off break on a three-game losing streak but remain positioned to buy at the NHL Trade Deadline as they currently occupy the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Senators haven’t made the playoffs since 2017 and will likely opt to be a buyer at the deadline as they try to break their playoff drought. The team will also look to show their core that they are serious about winning after years of negative headlines surrounding the franchise. Ottawa isn’t a lock to make the playoffs with four teams within four points of them. However, a few solid moves could propel them to the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade.

Record

29-23-4, 4th in the Atlantic Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$880K on deadline day, 1/3 retention spots used, 47/50 contract spots used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: OTT 1st*, OTT 2nd, FLA 3rd, OTT 5th, OTT 6th, OTT 7th
2026: OTT 1st*, OTT 3rd, FLA 3rd, WASH 3rd, OTT 5th, OTT 6th, COL 6th

*Ottawa must forfeit their first-round pick in either 2025 or 2026 for the Evgenii Dadonov penalty.

Trade Chips

As surprising as this may be, the Ottawa Senators may not get too many runs at the playoffs with their current core due to poor drafting and asset management. Ottawa has one of the worst prospect rankings in the NHL (27th in the NHL as per The Athletic) and will be without a first-round pick in one of the next two drafts due to Dadonov penalty. The positive for Ottawa is that they have their young core locked into long-term deals, and with new management in place, they can still rebuild the farm system. What this all means for the Senators is that they don’t have a ton of desirable trade assets if they want to hunt for an impact player at this year’s deadline, and they also lack cap space, which will limit their ability to make moves.

The Senators benefitted immensely from the Erik Karlsson trade with San Jose back in 2018, acquiring the third overall pick in 2020 that became Tim Stützle as well as center Josh Norris (and several other pieces, including Dylan DeMelo). While Stützle has become a star, Norris has carved out a solid career as well when he is healthy. Norris has averaged 31 goals per 82 games. However, he has only played more than 60 games once in his career (66 games in 2021-22) and missed a combined 106 games between 2022 and 2024. The 25-year-old Norris has had his name pop up in trade rumors earlier in the season, and given his contract and injury history, it could make sense for Ottawa to try and move on from his $7.95MM cap hit. Ottawa also has Shane Pinto, who could slide into Norris’s spot if the Senators feel that he is ready.

Another chip the Senators could dangle is backup goaltender Anton Forsberg. Forsberg is an expensive luxury at this point and has been considerably outplayed by youngster Leevi Merilainen this season. The 32-year-old is in the final season of a three-year contract and is counting $2.75MM against the salary cap. In 21 games this year, Forsberg has posted an 8-10-1 record with a 2.89 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage. While on the surface, those numbers look pedestrian, the NHL is a league starved for goaltending, and Forsberg has registered a goals saved above expected of 1 this season (as per Money Puck). Ottawa could look to flip out Forsberg for a small asset and then use the cap savings to fill out a hole in their roster and call up Merilainen for the remainder of the season.

Ottawa could opt to move on from other veterans who have underperformed, such as David Perron or Michael Amadio, but given the tight salary cap situation for most teams this year, it would be wise to wait until the summer for such a move.

If the Senators decided to move out draft picks or prospects, there would certainly be interest in a first-round pick, but that would leave Ottawa without a first-round pick in back-to-back drafts. Ottawa does hold three third-round picks next season and could move out one of those for a depth piece at the deadline. If Ottawa wanted to trade a prospect, Carter Yakemchuk would have a ton of trade value but would leave the Senators without their top prospect in an already-thin pool. Mads Søgaard is another name Ottawa could move on from, but at 24, he holds almost no trade value and would be viewed as a long shot by most teams.

With a shallow pool of prospects, limited roster pieces to move, and questions around their more desirable draft picks, Ottawa doesn’t have a ton of assets with much trade value, which will limit their ability to improve the team this season.

Team Needs

1) Depth Defensemen: Ottawa has been a good defensive team this season (10th in the NHL), but that doesn’t mean they don’t have holes in their defense core. One listen to any Ottawa-based radio program or podcast and you will hear a plethora of fans calling for the Senators to find a third pairing defenseman, preferably of the right shot variety. Veteran Travis Hamonic has played considerably better this year than last, but he still struggles on the possession front and probably plays too much for what he is at this point in his career. Ottawa has also used Tyler Kleven on the third pairing, and while the 23-year-old looks to have potential, his numbers have mirrored Hamonic’s.

The Senators don’t need to break the bank to acquire a defenseman, and there should be plenty available heading into the deadline. Rasmus Ristolainen is a name that has been kicked around in trade rumors (not involving the Senators), but Ottawa would be wise to steer clear of him and his $5.1MM cap hit. Another name is Carson Soucy out of Vancouver, but he too is expensive and has been among the worst defensemen in the NHL this season, as per Evolving-Hockey’s all-in-one goals above replacement stat (subscription required). A name that could make sense for Ottawa, if they can clear cap space, is Connor Murphy of the Chicago Blackhawks. Murphy was once considered a top-four defender but has been saddled with tough minutes on the rebuilding Blackhawks. Murphy carries a $4.4MM cap hit for this year and next season but would likely flourish in a depth role with the Senators.

2) Depth Forward: Ottawa has had to use several players in the top six this season who would benefit from playing in the bottom six. Some of them have posted elevated numbers (Adam Gaudette), but for the most part, there have been struggles. Ottawa appears to be conscious of this, as they have already been linked to Ryan Donato of Chicago, which makes sense for them, given his low cap hit for the rest of this season and his on-ice impact. Donato has 19 goals and 18 assists in 53 games this season and is also a physical presence, registering 89 hits. With some shuffling, Ottawa could fit his modest $2MM cap hit into their lineup. The issue that Ottawa might face with Donato is that his offensive production benefits greatly from playing in an elevated role with Connor Bedard on a less talented Blackhawks team.

The Senators have also been linked to Brandon Tanev of the Seattle Kraken, who would inject some energy and physicality into the bottom-six forward group but wouldn’t offer much more than depth offense. The 33-year-old has nine goals and eight assists in 55 games this season and has topped 30 points just once in his career. Tanev is the kind of player who could thrive in a physical playoff series, as evidenced by his 170 hits in 46 career NHL playoff games.

Ottawa will have some options for forward depth leading into the trade deadline, but it will all come down to whether or not they can free up cap space to add to their current lineup.

Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Thomas Harley To Serve As A Stand-By For Team Canada

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Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley will reportedly serve as a stand-by for Team Canada, meaning that he would be first up if there’s another injury to their defense core (as per Chris Johnston of The Athletic). Canada lost Shea Theodore to injury last night in the opener to the 4 Nations Face-Off and will not get him back as he has been ruled out week-to-week due to an upper-body injury.

Canada already has Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim in Montreal, getting ready for Canada’s game against Team USA. However, beyond him, they no longer had a safety net and needed to get another player in place to serve as insurance.

Harley will travel to Boston tomorrow to serve as a stand-by in case they suffer another injury on the backend. It could provide a good experience for the 23-year-old, who is likely on Canada’s radar for the 2026 Olympics and other tournaments in the future. Although the role of a stand-by in this tournament is a little unorthodox as Harley can’t take part in practice or formal meetings unless Canada loses another defenseman.

Harley is actually a dual citizen of Canada and the United States, but he has played for Canada in the past in both the World Under-18’s as well as the World Juniors and has built an impressive resume as a pro thus far. In his breakout campaign last season, Harley posted 15 goals and 32 assists in 79 games while playing a shade over 21 minutes a night. This year has been more of the same as Harley has dressed in 53 games, tallying nine goals and 20 assists.

Ryan Hartman To Have Appeal Heard On Friday

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Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman will meet with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on Friday in Montreal to have the appeal of his 10-game suspension heard (as per TSN’s Pierre LeBrun). Hartman was suspended for the fourth time since 2023 for an incident on February 1st when he was assessed a match penalty for intent to injure after he smashed Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stützle into the ice after taking a draw. The suspension was the fifth of Hartman’s career, which certainly played a role in the length of punishment. Hartman was deemed a repeat offender and assessed accordingly.

The NHLPA filed an appeal on behalf of Hartman last Wednesday, which gives the 30-year-old the first of two opportunities to get his penalty reduced.  If Bettman keeps his suspension in place or it remains longer than six games, Hartman can then appeal to a neutral arbitrator.

The Wild’s president of hockey operations and general manager, Bill Guerin, has expressed concerns before regarding Hartman’s on-ice discipline, telling Joe Smith of The Athletic that Hartman would need to clean up his game to avoid more severe discipline going forward. It’s been a tough line for Hartman to walk, given that he is effective when he plays on the edge but has gone over the line on too many occasions.

The financial impact of the appeal will be huge for Hartman as he is losing approximately $48,780 per game in the first season of the largest contract of his career.

Examining The Rangers’ Potential Trade Candidates

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Arthur Staple and Peter Baugh of The Athletic believe that the New York Rangers could potentially net a substantial trade package at this year’s NHL Trade Deadline should they move pending free-agent defenseman Ryan Lindgren. Rangers’ general manager Chris Drury has been remaking the Rangers on the fly for the past few months and likely isn’t done as we approach the deadline.

Lindgren turns 27 today and has endured a difficult season that began when he broke his jaw in the preseason, causing him to miss the first five games of the regular season. He’s been more of an offensive contributor this year but has been uncharacteristically careless with the puck, turning it over 53 times in just 50 games. Lindgren signed a one-year $4.5MM extension last summer, and it appears as though he will test the free-agent market. Despite the uneven year, Staple and Baugh believe that Lindgren will still be a valuable asset if the Rangers opt to sell in a few weeks. It’s hard to disagree, given that it appears to be a seller’s market, as both the Penguins and Sharks have been able to acquire first-round picks in trade packages involving defensemen.

Lindgren is not the only player the Rangers could move to acquire future assets. Reilly Smith and Jimmy Vesey are two other names that Staple and Baugh mention.

Smith would be looking at his third trade in two years if he is moved again, but with an expiring contract and a track record of decent depth scoring, there is a belief that he could nab the Rangers a mid-round pick. He has struggled to recapture his scoring touch since winning the Stanley Cup with Vegas back in 2023. This season, the 33-year-old has ten goals and 16 assists in 54 games.

Vesey, on the other hand, has publicly stated his desire to play more, so he would certainly welcome a move to a different organization. The 33-year-old is coming off back-to-back 25+ point seasons but has struggled to get anything going offensively this year, tallying just three goals and an assist in 30 games. Vesey could be another candidate to net the Rangers a mid-round draft pick.

When the Rangers return to action after the break, they will have seven games to decide on a direction heading into the NHL Trade Deadline, and given the way their campaign has unfolded, it’s fair to wonder what other headlines the team will make this season.

Examining Speculative Canucks Center Targets

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Thomas Drance and Harman Dayal of The Athletic took a look at potential trade targets for the Vancouver Canucks as they head into the NHL Trade Deadline. The Canucks have reportedly identified the center position as a spot to improve, which makes sense given that they just shipped out one of their top centers via trade. Vancouver entered the season with sky-high expectations but has had an uneven season, fueled mainly by internal issues between its top stars. However, with J.T. Miller now donning a New York Rangers jersey, the Canucks have heated up, collecting points in seven of their last eight games, despite missing star defenseman Quinn Hughes for an extended stretch.

Drance and Dayal identify Brayden Schenn of the St. Louis Blues as an ideal trade candidate for Vancouver. Darren Dreger of TSN relayed last week that the Blues are gauging the market for their captain. Schenn has significant term remaining on his contract (three years at $6.5MM), but with a rising cap, his contract is less of an issue than it would have been in years past. Schenn isn’t a high-end center but would would provide Vancouver with some offense and physical play. He’s posted 11 goals and 21 assists in 56 games this season and could be a good fit with a pass-first player like Conor Garland.

Another name that pops up is Sabres center Dylan Cozens. The 2019 seventh-overall pick has regressed this season and is on pace for just 41 points, marking a steep decline from the 68 points he posted two seasons ago. Cozens represents an interesting bounce-back candidate for Vancouver, but given that the Sabres will likely be looking for NHL-ready talent in return, Vancouver might not have the pieces to get a deal done.

One player who would carry a lower price tag is Nashville Predators center Tommy Novak. He’s spent most of his career playing sheltered minutes in a bottom-six role for Nashville. Novak could be a player who slides into the top six, but likely not for a team that considers itself a Stanley Cup contender. The 27-year-old has struggled to just 11 goals and eight assists in 45 games this season and probably doesn’t fit Vancouver’s needs.

Another intriguing player is Colorado center Casey Mittelstadt. Like Novak, Mittelstadt’s numbers are down considerably this season, and he does represent a buy-low candidate. Mittelstadt has plenty of skill, and his numbers have likely been affected by the rolling cast of characters that have been his wingers. However, he doesn’t offer much physicality or speed and may not be the best fit down the middle for the Canucks, given the style that their other centers play.

Last on the list is a skilled but injury-prone center, Josh Norris of the Ottawa Senators. Norris is not what you would call a two-way center, but he has been given challenging defensive assignments this season and has responded well while tallying 19 goals and 12 assists in 50 games. His $7.95MM cap hit could be problematic if injuries continue to take a toll on him. However, he is just 25 years old, and with a rising salary cap, it may be less of a deterrent than in previous years. The biggest issue with acquiring Norris might be his availability, as the Senators are still in the playoff picture and won’t be looking to throw in the towel as they try to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2017.

If the Canucks make a move, it will likely happen before the deadline as general manager Patrik Allvin and president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford typically like to get their business done early. However, if they can’t find what they are looking for, they will be aggressive and could take this hunt right to the deadline.

Loui Eriksson Officially Announces Retirement

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Former NHL forward Loui Eriksson has officially announced his retirement after 16 NHL seasons (via his agency on Instagram).

Eriksson last played in the NHL during the 2021-22 season with the Arizona Coyotes, posting three goals and 16 assists in 73 games. His final professional season came in 2022-23 when he suited up for Frölunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League.

At his best, Eriksson was a reliable 25+ goal and 70-point forward for the Dallas Stars. However, the Gothenburg, Sweden native fell on hard times after signing a massive free agent deal with the Vancouver Canucks in 2016 and was never able to get back to the numbers he posted in Dallas.

The 39-year-old was a staple of the Stars in the late 2000s and early 2010s before he was the central piece in the blockbuster trade that sent Tyler Seguin to Dallas and Eriksson to Boston. With the Bruins, Eriksson struggled in his first season but regained his form two years later when he posted 30 goals and 33 assists in 82 games and cashed in with the Canucks on a six-year $36MM deal.

In Vancouver, Eriksson became a beacon for criticism during the Jim Benning era, particularly in 2020 when the salary cap flattened out and the Canucks were forced to watch several talented players leave via free agency when they didn’t have cap space to sign them. Eriksson scored just 38 goals and 52 assists in 252 games with the Canucks before he was sent to Arizona as part of a package that was used to acquire Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland.

Eriksson finished his NHL career with 253 goals and 360 assists in 1,050 career NHL games. He was a six-time 20-goal scorer and had the best season of his career in 2010-11 with Dallas when he registered 27 goals and 46 assists in 79 games.

All of us at PHR extend our best wishes to Loui as he enters the next chapter of his life.

Latest On Rickard Rakell

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Josh Yohe of The Athletic writes about Pittsburgh Penguins forward Rickard Rakell and what the team might do with the 31-year-old as they approach the NHL Trade Deadline. Yohe believes that the Penguins would be open to trading Rakell if a team offers up a first-round pick and a prospect who is close to being NHL-ready. That being said, Pittsburgh is also open to holding onto him if they aren’t blown away by the trade offers they receive.

Rakell is generating trade interest thanks to a terrific bounce-back season that has seen him tally 25 goals and 23 assists in 56 games. The Sundbyberg, Sweden native was an afterthought earlier in the year when it came to Sweden’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster but played his way onto the team late as injuries and a strong season opened the door for him to join his countrymen.

It’s quite the story, given that a year ago, many people in the hockey community were looking at Rakell’s contract as a problem for the Penguins. He was limited to 15-22–37 in 70 contests in 2023-24, his lowest production in a full season in nearly a decade. A year later, his $5MM cap hit looks pretty good, even if it does carry him for another three seasons until he is 34.

Rakell has played almost exclusively with Crosby this season and has developed excellent chemistry with him and Bryan Rust. The trio has skated over 400 minutes together at 5v5 and has controlled a sparkling 56.3% of expected goals, per MoneyPuck. If the Penguins were to trade Rakell, it would mark the second consecutive season they have dealt Crosby’s preferred winger after the team traded Jake Guentzel last March.

While a Rakell trade is possible, Yohe believes that the Penguins will likely hold onto him and see if his value is higher in the summer when the salary cap increases. The Penguins have good reasons to keep the six-time 20-goal scorer, but with their eyes set on a quick roster retool, trading Rakell could go a long way to acquiring valuable assets to turn things around in a hurry.

Bruins Assign Matt Poitras And Michael Callahan To AHL

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The Boston Bruins announced that they’ve assigned forward Matt Poitras and defenseman Michael Callahan to the Providence Bruins of the AHL. The moves mirror what many other NHL teams have done leading into the 4 Nations Face-Off by assigning younger players to the AHL to give them an opportunity for more playing time. There is a possibility the moves could be paper transactions as well, but the next two weeks will flush that out.

Poitras has dressed in 26 games this season with the Bruins, posting a single goal and 10 assists with a -3 plus/minus rating. In the AHL, the 20-year-old has been nearly a point-per-game scorer, tallying eight goals and 12 assists in 23 games. The Ajax, Ontario native spent last season in Boston as well, suiting up in 33 games and registering five goals and 10 assists.

The 25-year-old Callahan saw the first NHL action of his career earlier in the season, dressing in eight games, while going scoreless with nine blocked shots, four hits and a -2 plus/minus rating. In the AHL, Callahan is having an All-Star campaign in his third season with Providence, posting a goal and five assists in 35 games. The Franklin, Massachusetts native has never posted much in the way of offense throughout his professional career but has provided elite defensive work for Providence this season, as evidenced by his All-Star nomination.

Boston returns to NHL action on February 22nd against Anaheim and is likely to make roster moves before their return from the break.

Penguins Recall Tristan Jarry, Assign Three To AHL

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The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that they’ve recalled veteran goaltender Tristan Jarry from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and assigned three players to the AHL. With the flurry of moves, forwards Emil Bemstrom and Vasiliy Ponomarev will report to the AHL Penguins, along with goaltender Joel Blomqvist.

The move to recall Jarry will surely raise eyebrows amongst Penguins fans, given how the last 18 months have played out for the 29-year-old goaltender. But, with the near two-week break in NHL action, the Penguins likely wanted to open up an opportunity for Blomqvist to get in some game action. The 23-year-old Blomqvist played sparsely during his most recent NHL recall, dressing in just three games since he was brought back up in mid-January.

Bemstrom returns to the AHL, where he has led Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in scoring this season with 19 goals and 22 assists in 37 games. The 25-year-old saw two games in his NHL recall, going scoreless while averaging 12:14 of ice time per game and posting very strong possession numbers in his small NHL sample. The Penguins acquired Bemstrom last February and gave him a 24-game audition at the end of last season. Bemstrom posted three goals and two assists to finish off last year in Pittsburgh and was then signed to a one-year deal. He has spent all of this season in the AHL, except for the aforementioned two-game recall.

Ponomarev was acquired in the Jake Guentzel trade last March and has had a solid first campaign in the Penguins organization, playing predominantly with the Baby Penguins, where he is fourth in team scoring with 11 goals and 16 assists in 31 games. He did receive a four-game NHL run earlier in the season and went scoreless while playing mostly in a fourth-line role.

The Penguins don’t play again until February 22nd, and they will likely make roster moves before they return to action.

Drew Doughty Named To Team Canada For 4 Nations Face-Off

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Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty has officially been named to Team Canada for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off (Twitter Link). The veteran defenseman will serve as the injury replacement for Vegas Golden Knights defender Alex Pietrangelo, who opted to withdraw from the tournament.

The 35-year-old has had a decorated international career, winning two Olympic gold medals with Team Canada in 2010 and 2014, and is also a two-time Stanley Cup Champion with the Kings having won titles in 2012 and 2014.

Doughty himself just returned from injury a few weeks ago after he suffered a broken left ankle in an exhibition game back in September. He missed 47 games due to the injury and was expected to miss most of the regular season. However, he returned to practice in mid-January ahead of schedule before returning to game action in late January. The injury likely kept Doughty’s name off the initial roster for Team Canada, but with Pietrangelo not playing Doughty will have an opportunity to add to his career accomplishments.

Since returning to the lineup, Doughty has suited up in six games for the Kings, posting a single assist, nine blocked shots and seven hits. While those numbers aren’t in line with his typical production, Doughty has slowly ramped up his play after struggling in his first two games back. Doughty was -4 in the two games after his return but has settled in the last three games, posting the nine blocked shots and a +3 plus/minus.

The Kings have leaned heavily on Doughty thus far as he has averaged 26:57 of ice time per game, including 31:09 in last night’s shootout loss to Anaheim.

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