Latest On Flyers’ Off-Season Plans
The Philadelphia Flyers still have ground to gain after breaking into the post-season for the first time in the last six seasons. General manager Daniel Briere sat down with Jackie Spiegel of the Philadelphia Inquirer to build on that achievement next season. He broke down the Flyers’ plans facing multiple in-season additions and pending contracts – but Philadelphia’s top item will be adding a top-six center.
The forward market is slim this season but Philadelphia could find a meaningful addition in a former star. Claude Giroux has yet to re-sign with the Ottawa Senators despite sharing his hopes to play a 20th season. A return to Philadelphia would reasonably be Giroux’s top option if he’s seeking a move. Giroux was the core of the Flyers lineup through the 2010s. He routinely received votes for the Hart and Selke Trophies while leading Philadelphia through their most recent stretch of consistent playoff appearances. Once a century scorer, Giroux potted a career-low scoring pace with 49 points in 82 games with Ottawa this season. Philadelphia will have to take that dip into account, though they could also find a bit of potential by returning the 39 year old to a daily center-role, rather than the rotating role he has filled with Ottawa since 2022.
Philadelphia could also entertain offer sheets – though Briere made sure to point out the relationship consequences that offer sheets bring. Multiple top, young centers are set to become restricted free agents if not signed by July 1st, including Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson, and Adam Fantilli. The Flyers could find more realistic – and cheaper – options to fill center minutes in Connor McMichael, Mavrik Bourque, or Cole Sillinger. The compensation for a signed offer sheet between $4.68MM and $7MM is one first-round pick and one third-round pick.
Also on the list of pending RFAs is breakout Flyers forward Trevor Zegras. Briere praised the versatility that Zegras brought to Philadelphia en route to a career-high 26 goals and 67 points in 81 games. In fact, the desire to add another center is designed to shoulder the load asked of Zegras and Noah Cates. Briere said that he is not worried about negotiations with Zegras, and that Philadelphia plans to bring both he and defenseman Jamie Drysdale back into the fold. They should have more than enough cap space to fit both back in, with a projected $37.5MM per PuckPedia.
Briere was also confident about Daniel Vladar‘s spot with the team, calling him their MVP and leader through the 2025-26 season. He wasn’t as confident in speaking to negotiations with Samuel Ersson, who posted a save percentage below .900 for the fourth NHL season in a row. The Flyers would be left with prospects Carson Bjarnason and Alexei Kolosov in competition for the NHL backup role if Ersson was left on the wire, unless they sought out veteran experience on the free agent market. While the skater market is thin, there would be plenty of options for goaltending, with Frederik Andersen, Connor Ingram, Kaapo Kahkonen, and Cam Talbot all currently set to hit free agency.
Philadelphia has wind behind their sails thanks to confident steps up from Zegras, Drysdale, Matvei Michkov, and Cam York. Still, the Flyers will need a little more certainty to repeat the 98-point season that landed them in the top-three of the Metropolitan Division. Properly weaponizing their cap space this season could land Philadelphia with that certainty. That challenge will now sit with Briere and his front office, as they look to achieve a checklist of items this summer.
Multiple Teams Showing Interest In Jake DeBrusk
Jake DeBrusk’s time with Vancouver hasn’t quite gone as planned. He hasn’t been quite as impactful as they were hoping for and the Canucks haven’t been as competitive as he was hoping for. With that in mind, he has been a speculative trade candidate going back to before the trade deadline in March.
It appears that there is some interest in him if Vancouver looks to pursue a trade this summer. Two league sources told Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch that there are a group of teams believed to be interested in DeBrusk, with the Senators believed to be among them.
DeBrusk is just two years into a seven-year, $38.5MM contract, so interested teams must have confidence that he will be able to bounce back after a tough year. This season, he had 23 goals and 19 assists in 81 games. Notably, 19 of his tallies came on the man advantage. While it’s nice to have a strong power play producer, four even-strength goals from a forward making $5.5MM could raise some red flags.
That said, it’s not as if this has been a pattern in DeBrusk’s career. In his time with Boston, he never had more than eight power play markers in a single season with nearly 77% of his goals coming at even strength. In two years with Vancouver, it’s just 35%. That should provide some cause for optimism that he can get back to being a reasonable producer at five-on-five with a new team and a fresh start.
If the Sens were to provide that opportunity, he’d already be joining a power play that was above league average this season, checking in at eighth overall with a success rate just under 24%. That’s also where they finished in overall goals scored, meaning he’d be in an environment where he might not be counted on quite as much as he has been with the Canucks. They also have ample cap flexibility to add him as they enter the summer with more than $16MM in cap room, per PuckPedia.
With things going sideways this season in the standings, it appears as if Vancouver is set to undergo at least a partial rebuild, if not a full one. The 29-year-old probably wasn’t expecting to be in this spot given that when he signed with them, they were coming off a Pacific Division title and a second-round playoff appearance despite being down to their third-string goalie. He was hoping to join a contender and they’re not going to be that for a while.
It’s worth noting that DeBrusk has a full no-move clause through next season so he holds a lot of the cards. But if he feels that a change of scenery would be beneficial, this might be the summer to try to pursue it in a trade market that feels like it is going to be more robust than it has been in recent years. Accordingly, he’s a player to keep an eye on over the coming weeks.
Free Agent Focus: Ottawa Senators
Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans 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
D Jordan Spence – Spence will be one of Ottawa’s key free agents this season. The Senators gambled on the puck-mover by trading one third-round and one sixth-round pick to the Los Angeles Kings last year. Spence paid off the test, reaching a new career-high in scoring with 31 points in 73 games. More than that, he often filled the moment, stepping up as Ottawa’s driver amid injuries to Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson. But what Spence brought on offense wasn’t backed by shutdown defense. He was reliable in stints but may not have filled shoes big enough to stay ahead of top prospect Carter Yakemchuk. A new deal could give Ottawa a versatile, third-pair option – though it could also block Ottawa from a potential free-agent addition or re-signing one of their right-shot unrestricted free agents.
F Arthur Kaliyev – The Senators will have another head-scratcher as they considered Kaliyev’s free agency. He failed to break camp with the team and, despite a two-game call-up in October, couldn’t earn footing with the Senators through the year. That left Kaliyev in a full-time, AHL role for the first time since the 2020-21 season. He dominated the minors, scoring a league-leading 40 goals and finishing ranked third with 68 points through 70 games. But the hot scoring couldn’t distract from a bumpy season on and off the ice. If Ottawa still feels Kaliyev can’t earn an NHL role, this summer could be the chance for a timely change of scenery.
G Leevi Merilainen – Existing in the space between the majors and minors was Merilainen, who had a near perfect split between NHL and AHL lineups. He had ups-and-downs in both leagues – notching eight wins in each to go with a .860 Sv% in the NHL and .909 Sv% in the minors. Merilainen failed to back up what seemed to be a breakout performance in the 2024-25 season – when he recorded a .925 Sv% in 12 NHL games and a .913 Sv% in 37 AHL games. While he is prone to letting up big games, Merilainen has never quite seemed out of place at the top level. At only 23 years old, he seems to be a worthwhile project with the backup role open.
Other RFAs: F Xavier Bourgault, F Riley Kidney, F Tyler Boucher, D Djibril Toure
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Claude Giroux – Giroux has confirmed his willingness to return for a 20th NHL season per TSN’s Pierre LeBrun. His chances of returning to the Senators seem high, even despite posting his lowest per-game scoring rate since the 2009-10 season. Giroux rotated between the middle-six center and wing positions – offering the flexibility to support Dylan Cozens and Ridly Greig as they gathered their footing in the lineup. But Giroux’s talents as a puck-moving center weren’t fully appreciated in that role. He has posted a 59.9 faceoff percentage in 327 games with Ottawa and could earn a final payday by seeking to fill a second-line center role elsewhere in the league. With nearly $17MM in cap space, Ottawa should have enough money to keep that from happening – but potentially not enough short-term upside.
F Nick Cousins – In a year of lineup decisions, Cousins’ return seems like the strongest certainty. Ottawa is working on deals for both he and Giroux per Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen. Cousin’s deal should be considerably cheaper, after he filled an important-but-minimal lineup role. He finished the season with 23 points and a career-high 92 penalty minutes – while also playing through more than 80 games for just the second time in his 12-year carer. His hard-working, physical presence was integral to Ottawa’s bottom lines this season and should remain a key card in the Senators’ deck. At 32, Cousins is likely to earn a few more years, and a raise back to a seven-figure salary, to stick around.
Other UFAs: F Lars Eller, D Nick Jensen, D Lassi Thomson, D Dennis Gilbert, G James Reimer, F Garrett Pilon, F Olle Lycksell, F Graeme Clarke, D Samuel Bolduc, G Mads Sogaard
Projected Cap Space
Ottawa wields $16.98MM in projected cap space per PuckPedia. They intend to push that figure as far as they can in the name of building a playoff roster. Ottawa has shown interest in adding a top-six forward and an impactful defender, even showing explicit interest in Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish. They will face interesting lineup questions as they entertain the open market, namely how to fit emerging prospects Yakemchuk, Greig, and Stephen Halliday – but shouldn’t be held back from aiming for big fish.
Max McCormick Announces Retirement
According to an announcement from the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds, captain Max McCormick has retired from professional hockey. McCormick lost the entire 2025-26 campaign due to a hip injury, and that likely influenced him to hang up his skates.
McCormick, 34, was drafted with the 171st overall pick of the 2011 NHL Draft by the Ottawa Senators. Before turning pro, McCormick spent his collegiate days at The Ohio State University, scoring 36 goals and 88 points in 104 games from 2011 to 2014. He eventually signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Senators, but spent his entire first season with the AHL’s Binghamton Senators.
Although he would never lead the team in scoring throughout his tenure, McCormick became a relatively solid secondary contributor with the AHL Senators. Across four and a half seasons, McCormick registered 61 goals and 125 points in 254 contests. Additionally, Ottawa is where McCormick earned the most NHL opportunities throughout his professional career, scoring six goals and 10 points in 71 games from 2015 to 2019.
The Senators eventually traded McCormick to the Colorado Avalanche halfway through the 2018-19 campaign. He finished the campaign with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles before departing for the Carolina Hurricanes the next offseason. He spent two years with the Hurricanes organization, again primarily playing for their AHL affiliate. They mildly used him in the NHL during the 2020-21 season, finishing with two goals and three points in 12 games, averaging 7:49 of ice time.
Again looking for a new home, McCormick signed with the new Seattle Kraken franchise, where he would ultimately finish his career. He had an impressive two-year run with the Firebirds, the best of his professional career, scoring 60 goals and 127 points in 139 games, which helped the team reach back-to-back Calder Cup Finals, losing both times to the Hershey Bears. Unfortunately, over the past two years, McCormick’s career was derailed due to his chronic hip injury.
The De Pere, WI native concludes his career with 159 goals and 337 points in 540 AHL games, along with 26 additional goals and 45 points in 53 postseason contests. Additionally, McCormick tallied eight goals and 13 points in 94 NHL appearances. We at PHR congratulate McCormick on his 12-year professional career and wish him the best in his next chapter.
Senators To Be Active In Trade And Free Agency Front During Offseason
The Ottawa Senators are wasting little time addressing areas of need following their first-round playoff sweep at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes. With the NHL Draft approaching on June 26-27, president of hockey operations and GM Steve Staios was active at last week’s Combine in Buffalo. According to Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun, Staios met with league executives and player agents amid a thin free-agent market that is pushing more clubs toward trades. The push includes additions at all areas of the roster.
A league executive indicated Ottawa is in the market for a top-six winger capable of lining up with Tim Stützle and captain Brady Tkachuk. While the Senators lack significant assets for a major splash, Garrioch’s sources noted Anaheim’s Mason McTavish as a realistic target given existing organizational ties. Jordan Kyrou was previously mentioned in early deadline chatter, though Garrioch noted that scenario “doesn’t make sense” for Ottawa at this stage.
On the blue line, adding a top-four right-shot defenseman remains a priority with veteran Nick Jensen expected to test unrestricted free agency following knee surgery. RFA Jordan Spence averaged 25 minutes of ice time during his four postseason games and holds arbitration rights, which could set up potentially tricky negotiations.
In an effort to boost the blue line and offer any veteran help, the Senators also checked in on St. Louis veterans Colton Parayko and Justin Faulk at the March trade deadline. However, neither was willing to waive their new move clauses to come to Ottawa. Faulk was ultimately dealt to Detroit, while Parayko declined to waive his no-move clause despite a strong offer from Buffalo that included a high-end prospect and first-round pick.
In net, the Senators are expected to focus on backup goaltending, and should qualify Leevi Meriläinen, while monitoring UFAs options like Connor Ingram and Stuart Skinner, among others.
Veteran UFA forwards Claude Giroux and Nick Cousins have noted strong desires to stay in Ottawa. Staios is reportedly high on retaining both, with Giroux likely returning on another bonus-heavy structure.
Trade talks will be a little more challenging without the draft capital of their No. 32 overall draft selection. Expect trade discussions to intensify in the coming weeks as clubs position themselves ahead of July 1 free agency.
Senators Hoping To Re-Sign Nick Cousins
Nick Cousins had a more impactful second season with the Senators in 2025-26 compared to his first year with the team. As a result, it appears GM Steve Staios would like to keep him in the fold a little longer. Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reports that the team has informed Cousins’ representatives that they’d like to re-sign him for next season.
Back in the 2024 offseason, it took until the end of August for Cousins to sign, allowing Ottawa to get him for $800K, only a little above the minimum salary. Given how things went the following year when he had 15 points in 50 games, he ultimately settled for a nominal raise this season, inking a one-year, $825K just before free agency opened up to ensure there wouldn’t be a repeat of the year before.
It wouldn’t be shocking if Cousins has a bit more leverage this time around. The 32-year-old played in all but one game this season, while chipping in with 169 hits and 92 penalty minutes in 11:25 per night of playing time. He remained a regular on the fourth line in the playoffs against Carolina, chipping in with an assist and 16 hits in their four-game series.
Cousins has had success in a bottom-six role for a while now, allowing him to carve out a 723-game career thus far across parts of a dozen seasons. However, he hasn’t stayed in the same place for very long as he has seen action with seven different organizations already.
However, in a UFA market that isn’t the deepest, Cousins should be able to secure a much better contract this time out. AFP Analytics projects that the veteran could land a two-year deal worth a little more than $2MM per season. Even if the Sens aren’t comfortable going that high to a fourth liner, he could still plausibly at least double the AAV of his deal this season and perhaps get more than one season. Given how he has bounced around, a multi-year commitment from Ottawa would certainly have to be appealing.
It took until June 30th last year for a deal between the two sides to get done. We’ll find out soon enough if it will be another prolonged negotiation this time around or if they’ll be able to get something worked out a little earlier this time around.
Offseason Checklist: Ottawa Senators
The offseason has arrived for half of the league’s teams that aren’t taking part in the playoffs plus those who have already been eliminated. Accordingly, it’s now time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months. Next up is a look at Ottawa.
It was a particularly rocky first half of the season for the Senators, who dealt with some troublesome goaltending that had them well out of the playoffs at one point. However, they were able to work their way into the final Wild Card spot before being ousted quickly in the first round by Carolina. Now, with two straight playoff appearances under their belt, GM Steve Staios has some work to do this summer if they want to take the next step in a very tight Atlantic Division.
Add A Proven Backup Goalie
Last season, Leevi Merilainen came in and did an excellent job when Linus Ullmark was sidelined, helping to stabilize the team midseason to keep them in the playoff hunt. While he ultimately returned to the minors when Ullmark returned, he received a big vote of confidence from Ottawa’s front office when they didn’t re-sign Anton Forsberg, instead giving him a one-way contract worth $1.05MM to be the undisputed backup netminder heading into this season.
You probably already know what comes next. Merilainen struggled mightily, resulting in multiple demotions to the minors. They attempted other internal options in Mads Sogaard and Hunter Shepard to little improvement. The end result was signing veteran James Reimer after the Spengler Cup in the hopes that he could at least stabilize things. While his .886 SV% wasn’t anything special, that was still higher than Ottawa’s team save percentage so mission accomplished on that front.
But Reimer is 38 years old now and not necessarily an ideal full-time backup candidate. Merilainen is a restricted free agent and might be worthy of keeping in the organization but as a third-string option with AHL Belleville, pending waiver clearance. Shepard was traded after the trade deadline and Sogaard is a Group Six unrestricted free agent who probably won’t be back.
Accordingly, Staios is going to need to look outside the organization for help on this front. In terms of pending unrestricted free agents, it’s not a great group of options. Among the backup options are Stuart Skinner, Frederik Andersen (who seems likely to stay in Carolina at this point), and Cam Talbot, veterans whose performances have been hit-or-miss recently. They could try to trade for a younger option – they’ve been linked as a possible suitor for Devon Levi already – but as they saw this season, going with an unproven option certainly carries its risks.
While Ullmark is Ottawa’s full-fledged starter, he has yet to play 50 games in an NHL regular season. It’s hard to think the Sens will want to push him more toward the 60-game mark if healthy in 2026-27 so they’re going to need someone capable of making 30-plus starts. They don’t have that option in the organization at the moment so they will have to bring in a new backup from elsewhere in the coming weeks.
Work On Batherson Extension
While the Senators still have several core players signed long-term, some of the older ones who signed a little earlier are starting to approach the expiration of their respective contracts. Once of those is winger Drake Batherson. On what has become an incredibly team-friendly deal in recent years at $4.975MM, that contract is nearing its conclusion as he’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency for the first time in 2027. Accordingly, Batherson will be eligible to sign a contract extension as soon as July 1st.
The 28-year-old has set new career highs in points every season so far. This year, he surpassed the 30-goal mark for the first time with 33 while he chipped in with 38 helpers to pass the 70-point threshold for the first time. It’s the fourth straight year he has picked up more than 60 points as he has become a steady top-line performer. He also brings above-average physicality to the table, an element we don’t always see from a lot of top-six pieces.
Basically, Batherson has lined himself up for a substantial raise on his next contract. Frankly, doubling his current price tag is very much a possibility. While that would put him considerably ahead of Tim Stutzle ($8.35MM) as Ottawa’s highest-paid player, the deals aren’t directly comparable. The state of the cap now is much different moving forward and Stutzle’s deal covered four RFA-eligible years while Batherson’s next agreement will only cover UFA-eligible seasons. And, in a market that makes it easier financially for teams to keep their top talents, losing him would certainly be a significant blow.
This doesn’t have to be something that gets finalized this summer but if they could work something out early, it would certainly send a positive message to potential additions in free agency this year. It also would give them the ability to try to do an eight-year pact, something that won’t be an option after September 15th. On top of that, it would provide them some momentum heading into a pair of potentially big extension talks next summer when Brady Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot become eligible to sign. Knowing that, expect this to be on Staios’ to-do list this offseason.
Bring In A Proven Top-Four Defender
When the Senators traded Jakob Chychrun to Washington two offseasons ago, they opened up a spot in their top four defensively. The intention was for Nick Jensen to fill that role. He did in 2024-25 but struggled while dealing with injuries this season. Meanwhile, that role was never filled with a proven defender after that. Jordan Spence (who fits better on a third pairing at five-on-five), Nikolas Matinpalo, and Tyler Kleven all had opportunities with varying degrees of success.
They’re undoubtedly hoping that Carter Yakemchuk will eventually be able to fill that role. Injuries forced them to give him a look down the stretch and he held his own in limited minutes. Meanwhile, he had a solid showing offensively in Belleville although his defensive play is still very much a work in progress. Yakemchuk could fill that spot in a few years but if they want help now, they’re going to have to turn outside the organization.
In an ideal world, that player has a right-handed shot. Artem Zub is their top player on that side with Spence, Matinpalo, and Yakemchuk the supporting cast behind him. As noted, those are all better fits on a third pairing. There is some supply of top-four right-shot rearguards on the open market this summer, including John Carlson, Jacob Trouba, Rasmus Andersson (who Staios has had interest in before), and Darren Raddysh. They would all come at a significant price tag, likely more than half of their nearly $17MM in cap space, per PuckPedia. But it would certainly represent a bigger swing at solving that roster spot.
With Jake Sanderson and Chabot, Ottawa has a solid top two. Zub is a strong second-pairing player. Now, they need to find a proven piece to fill that other spot to give the back end a needed boost in a very tight division. They’ll have plenty of competition but landing a top-four upgrade would be a big victory for Ottawa this summer.
Look To Leverage Center Depth
There are many teams across the NHL who are looking to add center help this summer. Beyond trying to re-sign pending unrestricted Claude Giroux, the Senators won’t be one of them.
Instead, the team already boasts above-average depth down the middle. Tim Stutzle and Dylan Cozens are their top options, with Shane Pinto, Ridly Greig, and youngster Stephen Halliday behind them. If they get Giroux back – a realistic possibility – they’ll be back to have six middlemen. That’s a great spot to be in compared to many teams would be envious of having that type of depth.
That puts Staios and the Senators in a great spot. With quality centers in short supply and high demand, they could be in a spot to try to capitalize on that on the trade front. If they can’t land a core blueliner in free agency, they might be able to trade a pivot (not Halliday, who is more of a fourth-line option) to try to fill that spot.
There is definitely a case to be made to simply put one (or two, if Giroux re-signs) on the wing knowing that injuries can creep up at any time. On the other hand, if you can get a core defender or a top-six winger (another position of some need) that’s a net upgrade over playing a center out of position, it’s something they should at least be considering.
If Giroux doesn’t re-sign, the Sens likely look at the center group they have and think that they’re set. But if he does return, Staios should be receiving plenty of phone calls to see if one could be pried loose. If that happens, he might receive an offer that’s simply too close to pass up.
Photo courtesy of Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images.
Jay Leach A Strong Candidate For Two AHL Head Coaching Jobs
It wasn’t that long ago that Jay Leach was receiving interviews for some NHL head coaching vacancies. He ultimately didn’t land a job and made the decision to go for a second stint with the Bruins, this time as an NHL assistant after previously coaching AHL Providence for four seasons.
However, after two seasons with Boston, they decided not to renew his contract. Inherited on this year’s coaching staff, it appears that Marco Sturm wants to bring someone else in to work with the defense moving forward.
While Leach isn’t believed to be in the mix for any of the current NHL head coach openings, it looks like he’ll be running a bench for the 2026-27 season. In the latest 32 Thoughts podcast (audio link), Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Leach is a strong contender to take over the Rangers’ affiliate in Hartford. Meanwhile, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period adds that some believe that Leach is in the mix to take over the affiliate of the Senators in Belleville.
Following the season, the Rangers dismissed their entire AHL coaching staff, headlined by head coach Grant Potulny, after two years in that role. As New York embarks on a retooling of some sort after they issued the second version of ‘the letter’ back in January, there will be a greater emphasis being placed on player development. Someone like Leach, who has had some success running Providence in the past, is a logical target.
As for Belleville, that spot isn’t necessarily vacant at the moment. After the Sens dismissed David Bell back in December, Andrew Campbell took over the role on an interim basis for the remainder of the season. At this time, Campbell could be in consideration for the full-time spot but after the team slid from fifth place in the North Division at the time of Bell’s firing to seventh, there’s a case to make a change with Leach being a viable candidate for the spot.
Whether it’s with Hartford, Belleville, or somewhere else altogether as an NHL assistant, it appears that Leach won’t be out of work for much longer.
Senators Interested In Mason McTavish
The Ottawa Senators will have a busy summer ahead, one way or another. After expressing interest in building out the blue-line, and padding their goalie depth, general manager Steve Staios has also made it clear that Ottawa needs another top-six forward per Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen. Garrioch names Anaheim Ducks youngster Mason McTavish as the current name on Ottawa’s radar, though Seattle Kraken center Jared McCann and St. Louis Blues’ winger Jordan Kyrou could also fit the bill.
Staios has the rare experience of having traded for McTavish once before. He acquired the burly forward for the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs in a 2022 trade with the Peterborough Petes. McTavish had put together a season of dominance in the year leading up to the trade – earning a top-three selection in the 2021 NHL Draft on the back of a Covid-shortened season, but strong performance, in Switzerland’s second-tier pro league. He made his NHL and AHL debuts at the very start of the 2021-22 season, then closed the year as the star of Staios’ OHL championship-winning Bulldogs.
Since then, McTavish has put up four consecutive seasons of at least 40 points in the NHL. He hit a career-high 22 goals and 52 points – the most goals and second-most points on the Ducks – in the 2024-25 season, but fell back to 41 points in 75 games this year. Even with up-and-down success, and a fluctuating lineup role, McTavish has still shined as a young professional. He earned Anaheim’s alternate captaincy in 2023 and has carried the letter through two more seasons since. McTavish was also the captain of Team Canada at his sole appearances in the 2021 U18 Men’s World Championship and 2022 World Junior Championship.
There seems to be some certainty that McTavish can hold down a middle-six role in the lineup. His upside could be far higher, having broken the 20-goal ceiling once before his 23rd birthday. Garrioch also points out McTavish’s career-long 48.6 faceoff percentage, which peaked with a 51.7 percent in the 2023-24 season. That added tool could give Ottawa some interesting flexibility with Dylan Cozens‘ role as second-line center – while also padding the forward depth chart as a whole.
The cost of that certainty could be high, especially if Ottawa hopes to find it in a recent, top-three draft pick. The Senators’ don’t have a wealth of talent, or assets, to work with – but they do have two first-round picks and four third-round picks over the next two classes. That includes the 32nd-overall pick this season – a spot that’s locked in after Ottawa’s pick was revoked, then regranted, following a trade scandal. Ottawa could build an impressive package if they send that selection, additional draft capital, and a rising prospect like Blake Montgomery the other way.
Senators Hire Maciej Szwoch To Goalie Development Role
The Ottawa Senators have hired goalie coach Maciej Szwoch to serve as coordinator of goalie scouting and development. Szwoch spent 10 seasons working with Farjestad BK of Sweden’s SHL from 2015 to 2025. He also served as a consultant for the Detroit Red Wings from 2015 to 2022.
Szwoch most notably oversaw the rise of Team Italy’s Olympic starter and Anaheim Ducks prospect Damian Clara during his time in Farjestad. Clara served as Farjestad’s backup in the 2024-25 season and finished the year with nine wins and a .879 save percentage in 21 games. He also led NHL prospects Mans Goos, Carl Lindbom, and Melker Thelin on recent Farjestad rosters.
Szwoch began his coaching career with the Vaxjo Lakers’ youth teams in 2007. He climbed to Vaxjo’s men’s squad two years later, while also intermittently working with Norway’s Frisk Asker. With pro footing under him, Szwoch moved to MoDo Hockey in 2011 – taking reign over a goalie room that featured Linus Ullmark and Anton Forsberg. He continued to oversee their growth until his move to Farjestad.
Ottawa will now reconnect Ullmark with his former goalie coach after the former Vezina Trophy winner posted the first sub-.900 save percentage of his NHL career. A fresh face in the Senators goalie room could help Ullmark get back on track while also seeking out some upside to work into the Senators’ backup role.