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Trade Deadline Primer: Ottawa Senators

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With the All-Star break now behind us, the trade deadline looms large and is now less than 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.

Things haven’t gone completely according to plan for Ottawa this season.  This was supposed to be the end of the rebuilding phase with GM Pierre Dorion going as far as saying before training camp that “The rebuild is done. Now we’re stepping into another zone”.  As it turns out, the rebuild isn’t done and they’re in the same zone they have been as they’re set to miss the playoffs for the fifth straight season.  While brighter days are certainly on the horizon with the depth of their prospect pool, they will be doing what they’ve been accustomed to in recent years at the deadline.

Record

19-26-5, 6th in the Atlantic

Deadline Status

Short-Term Seller, Long-Term Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$33.94MM today, $55.15MM in full-season space, 0/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2022: OTT 1st, OTT 2nd, TB 2nd, BOS 3rd, OTT 3rd, VAN 3rd, OTT 5th, OTT 6th, NYR 7th, OTT 7th
2023: OTT 1st, OTT 2nd, OTT 3rd, OTT 4th, OTT 5th, OTT 6th, OTT 7th, NSH 7th

Trade Chips

Ottawa’s biggest trade chip is one they’re hoping not to trade at all in forward Nick Paul.  The 26-year-old has gone from the wing to playing down the middle in recent years while being a capable depth scorer.  He has improved on that front a bit this season, matching his previous career high in goals with nine while playing a sound defensive game with a bit of physicality.  This is the type of profile that many playoff-bound teams would want to add to their bottom six.  The Senators would also like to retain the pending unrestricted free agent and Paul recently expressed some confidence that they’ll be able to reach an agreement.  He’s heading for a sizable raise from his current $1.35MM AAV and we’ll find out over the next few weeks if it’ll be Ottawa giving it to him or if he’ll be on the move.

Anton Forsberg has done a nice job of re-establishing some value since joining Ottawa last season.  He bounced around on waivers for the first half of 2020-21 but has basically been the starter for the Sens this year with Matt Murray struggling early on.  His .917 SV% is certainly appealing to contenders but his $900K cap hit will be even more attractive.  He could fit on some playoff-bound squads as a backup and others as third-string insurance and both of those options could apply to the Senators as well.  If they can’t work out an extension, the pending UFA could be one of the goalies on the move.

Center depth is always something that’s in demand at this time of year and Chris Tierney fits the definition of a depth center.  In the past, he has been capable of playing in the top six although that’s not the most ideal role for him now.  He can still kill penalties and while he has been a bit below average on faceoffs this season, he’s not too far removed from being a little above the league average on that front.  He could fit on the third line for some teams but he’d certainly boost the fourth line for many playoff-bound squads.  The pending UFA has a $3.5MM AAV that Ottawa will need to pay down but assuming they’re willing to do so, they should be able to add to their stable of draft picks.

Another element that playoff-bound teams like to add is grit and that’s where Zach Sanford should draw some interest.  Included as a cap dump in the Logan Brown trade, the 27-year-old has had a decent season for Ottawa with 15 points in 50 games but it’s the 104 hits that he has that will catch the eye of contenders.  Again, some retention may be necessary here with a $2MM AAV before he hits the open market in the summer but Sanford would fit on the fourth line for quite a few playoff teams.

Others To Watch For: D Josh Brown ($1.2MM, UFA), D Michael Del Zotto ($2MM through 2022-23), F Tyler Ennis ($900K, UFA), D Victor Mete ($1.2MM, RFA)

Team Needs

1) Draft Picks: While none of the above names are going to yield significant draft picks, Ottawa has several players that could fetch a mid-round selection.  With ten selections already for the 2022 draft, this may be an opportunity for Dorion to add picks in future years.

2) Center Help: This isn’t as big of a need for this season since they’re not in the playoff hunt but this year has exposed some holes in their depth down the middle.  Josh Norris and Shane Pinto will be part of the future plans and oft-injured Colin White is still signed for three more years but most of their remaining options are pending free agents (RFA or UFA).  A capable middle-six center would go a long way towards shoring up their depth, especially as they hope to be in the playoff mix next season.

3) Bridge Veterans: This is something that Dorion could look to in free agency but Ottawa’s cap space could make them a buyer for assets signed beyond this season.  Every young team needs quality veterans to help them take that next step forward and right now, there simply aren’t that many in the organization.  If there’s a chance to get one or two in the next few weeks by helping to facilitate a trade for a cap-strapped contender, it’d be one worth looking into.

Jake Sanderson's Injury Not As Bad As Originally Thought

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  • The injury that Senators prospect defenseman Jake Sanderson sustained at the Olympics is not as bad as initially feared, relays Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald. He has returned to practice with North Dakota although he won’t be in their lineup for their upcoming two-game set against Western Michigan.  It’s widely expected that the 19-year-old will turn pro after his season with the Fighting Hawks comes to an end.

Anton Forsberg Called"Perfect Trade Fodder" For Ottawa

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Two of the four new names on Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff’s trade targets ranking are goaltenders, namely Braden Holtby of the Dallas Stars and Anton Forsberg of the Ottawa Senators. Holtby has had a nice bounce-back campaign in Dallas after being bought out by the Canucks last summer. In his 21 starts this season Holtby has a .912 save percentage and a 2.78 goals against average, strong improvement from his .889/3.67 marks in Vancouver. But his future in Dallas is clouded by the emergence of 23-year-old first-round-pick Jake Oettinger. (As well as the looming presence of Anton Khudobin, the goalie who led the Stars to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, in the AHL.) In an interview with Pierre LeBrun of the Athletic, Stars General Manager Jim Nill noted that Oettinger has “settled in” with the Stars, and LeBrun also ponders the possibility of Dallas dealing a goaltender.

The Senators’ Forsberg joins Holtby on the list, in large part thanks to the resurgence of Matt Murray. As Murray has shined, Forsberg and his .916 save percentage in 21 starts for the club have become more expendable. Given the Senators’ status as a likely seller come the trade deadline, Seravalli calls Forsberg “perfect trade fodder” for GM Pierre Dorion. Like Holtby, Forsberg is also a pending unrestricted free agent.

Clark Bishop, Carter Hutton Clear Waivers

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Feb 21: While Dzingel was claimed by the San Jose Sharks, both Bishop and Hutton have cleared waivers and can be assigned to the minor leagues.

Feb 20: TSN’s Chris Johnston reports that Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Dzingel, Ottawa Senators forward Clark Bishop, and Arizona Coyotes goaltender Carter Hutton were all placed on waivers today.

Dzingel’s placement is certainly somewhat unexpected, considering the team acquired him last night via trade from the Arizona Coyotes. However, as a casualty of the salary cap, the team was forced to send Rasmus Sandin down to the minors as a paper transaction today. In order for the team to keep both skilled young defensemen Sandin and Timothy Liljegren in the NHL, the team needed to clear additional salary. Dzingel’s cap hit of $1.1M is fully buriable in the AHL.

Bishop is a 25-year-old who’s seen a lot of time up and down between the NHL and AHL over the past few seasons. He’s gotten into nine games with Ottawa this year, but has averaged just 8:21 of ice time per game and has notched one assist.

With Hutton on waivers today, it’s an indication that the veteran goalie is finally healthy. Hutton suffered a lower-body injury just weeks into the season and has been out of the lineup for nearly four months. Seeing as Karel Vejmelka and Scott Wedgewood have both decisively outperformed Hutton’s early-season numbers, it’s the logical choice here for the Coyotes.

Snapshots: Niemelainen, Goloubef, Debunked Rumors

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The wallet of Edmonton Oilers defenseman Markus Niemelainen is a little lighter today. The NHL Department of Player Safety announced today that Niemelainen has been fined $2043.75 for cross-checking, the maximum fine allowed under the terms of the CBA. The incident in question occurred during the Oilers’ match-up with the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. Niemelainen cross-checked Jets forward and fellow Finn Kristian Vesalainen in the third period as he cut toward the net on a scoring chance. Despite what in retrospect was an obvious and vicious cross-check to Vesalainen’s face, no penalty was called on the play. Niemelainen is somewhat fortunate to have escaped with only a fine in this situation.

  • Following multiple PTO’s with the AHL’s Belleville Senators this season, including suiting up for 11 games, veteran defenseman Cody Goloubef finally has a contract – except it isn’t with Belleville nor with Ottawa. Instead, the 32-year-old has signed a contract with SC Bern of the Swiss National League for the remainder of the season. Goloubef undoubtedly had his sights set on a return to Ottawa, having played in 29 games with the club over the last three seasons, but for whatever reason that did not come to fruition. An alternate captain for Belleville last season, Goloubef clearly still has strong ties to the Senators organization but it is unknown if he was offered a contract with the AHL Sens and opted to go to Switzerland instead. Bern gains a two-way defender with 160 NHL games to his credit as they fight to earn a playoff berth.
  • The nearer to the trade deadline, the more rumors begin to emerge and, of course, not all rumors are grounded in truth. Two such whispers that were put to rest this weekend revolved around Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub and Chicago Blackhawks forward Brandon Hagel. While both the Sens and the Hawks are struggling again this season expect to be sellers at the deadline, they aren’t eager to move cost-controlled assets that are actually contributing on a regular basis. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports rather definitively that Zub will not be moved this season, which makes perfect sense. The 26-year-old is signed through next season at $2.5MM and while he will be an unrestricted free agent at that time, possibly making him a deadline target next season, the Senators don’t want to move on too quickly from a blue liner playing top pair minutes while also leading the team in plus/minus. In Chicago, the Blackhawks have even less reason to trade young winger Hagel, signed on for just $1.5MM AAV for two more years and still a restricted free agent after that. The 23-year-old is fourth on the team in scoring and second in goals, shooting percentage, and Corsi. While Chicago is understandably receiving interest in Hagel, The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus reports that they have zero interest in moving him.

Matt Murray Won't Play This Weekend

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  • The Senators aren’t expected to have goaltender Matt Murray available this weekend, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. He was injured late in Tuesday’s game against St. Louis and while the injury isn’t believed to be serious, it should keep him out for a few more days at least.  Murray has quietly played a lot better lately, posting a 2.38 GAA with a .938 SV% in his last 11 games.

Senators Hope To Be Sellers For The Last Time

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The Ottawa Senators don’t want to be sellers anymore. General manager Pierre Dorion spoke with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, explaining that he hopes this is the last deadline for his club to move pieces out, instead of bringing them in. Nick Paul is the player who sticks out as a featured trade candidate, given his expiring, inexpensive contract, though there are certainly others.

Ottawa’s Austin Watson Suspended Two Games

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The NHL Department of Player Safety worked swiftly to hold a hearing with Ottawa Senators forward Austin Watson this morning and have acted just as quickly to hand down a suspension. Following a late, high hit on Boston Bruins’ defenseman Jack Ahcan in the Senators’ Saturday matinee match-up, Watson has received a two-game suspension for interference, Player Safety announced. The league summarized the situation as follows:

Well after the puck is gone and outside the window where a check may be legally finished, Watson delivers a late, high hit that makes significant contact with the head of Ahcan, knocking him to the ice. This is interference… Watson begins his hitting motion well after Ahcan moves the puck… Ahcan has no reason to expect to be hit at this time or in this manner, leaving him particularly vulnerable. In addition to the lateness, what causes this hit to rise to the level of supplemental discipline is the significant head contact on this play, combined with the force of the blow.

When it comes to the length of Watson’s suspension, he certainly did not receive any in-game help from the referees. The officials in Saturday’s game misread the incident completely, giving Watson just a minor penalty for interference for what should have been at least a major penalty. Especially given that the hit occurred in the first period, had Watson suffered a more severe penalty during the game, he may have avoided a second game in his suspension. To add insult to injury, the officials also handed Bruins forward Anton Blidh a roughing penalty for coming to the defense of Ahcan, which canceled out any Boston power play on what should have been an obvious man-up situation.

Conversely, Watson is saved by the fact that Ahcan was not injured on the play. The rookie defenseman returned to the game as the Bruins held on for a shutout win. The severity of an injury plays into suspension determinations and length and – especially in the case of head injuries – the optics can be a powerful contributor.

Watson will feel the impact of the suspension immediately, as he was preparing to suit up for the second of a weekend back-to-back on Sunday with the Senators on the road in Washington. He will also miss a difficult match-up with St. Louis on Tuesday. Watson is not exactly a key contributor for the Senators though; he has just three points and -8 rating in 31 games. His physicality will be missed however.

Austin Watson To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

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Senators winger Austin Watson will have a disciplinary hearing on Sunday, the Department of Player Safety announced (Twitter link).  The play in question is an interference penalty he had on Bruins defenseman Jack Ahcan in Saturday’s game, one that saw him receive a two-minute minor.  Conor Ryan of the Boston Sports Journal has the clip of the hit here.

Watson has one prior suspension for an on-ice incident when he was suspended for two games back in 2017 for boarding.  While that won’t factor into how much money he’d forfeit if he was to be suspended (the repeat offender tag for that lasts 24 months), it could be taken into consideration for any discipline here.

Ottawa wraps up what has been a very busy week for them on Sunday when they host Washington Sunday afternoon for their fifth game in seven days.  Accordingly, a decision on any further penalty to Watson will need to be made quickly following the hearing.

Drake Batherson Targeting Late March Or Early April Return

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  • Senators winger Drake Batherson is targeting a return of either late March or early April from his ankle injury, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. Batherson was injured on a hit from Buffalo goaltender Aaron Dell late last month.  While normally, a return in early April would only bring a player back for a couple of games, the late finish to the regular season would still allow the 23-year-old to get into the final 15-20 games even with Ottawa extremely unlikely to make the playoffs.

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