The Senators Still Have Work To Do This Summer
Ottawa Senators general manager Steve Staios has publicly stated that he has no intention of letting the team take a step back this summer. A few weeks into the summer, he has chipped away at that notion but has yet to fully build a better lineup. Ottawa is currently a weaker team on paper than they were when it exited the ice after a first-round sweep at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes. It’s possible that Staios goes on a heater and nets the team a few pieces to add to the NHL lineup, making this summer a success, but at the moment, things don’t look rosy.
The Brady Tkachuk hole in the Senators’ lineup is very difficult to ignore right now. You can’t simply replace his presence, emotion, or production. Tkachuk was a tone-setter for the Senators, their most difficult player to play against, and perhaps the only difficult part of playing in Ottawa, other than the commute to the Canadian Tire Centre. Ottawa did receive solid compensation for the 27-year-old in the form of four draft picks, three of which were first-rounders, but the Senators have not adequately replaced his departure.
The addition of William Eklund is a nice start, but he didn’t come cheap and won’t fill in for much of what Tkachuk brought to the table. It’s possible he has better hockey ahead of him than Tkachuk, when you factor in age and the regression that will surely start sooner for Tkachuk than for Eklund. You could also make a case that Eklund is a more complete player than Tkachuk, and some analytics support that (goals above replacement in the last two seasons, for one). Eklund is probably the better defensive player of the two and is much more of a play driver than Tkachuk, who relies more on brute force and battle to get his work done.
On top of Eklund, the remaining draft picks are also solid long-term additions, but they won’t give Ottawa a boost next season unless they are flipped in the interim for significant NHL talent. That’s where Ottawa will struggle, as they are constrained by the salary cap and probably can’t add another top-six forward, which they need. That player would slide into an offensive role, a leadership role, and perhaps a special-teams role. There is a lot of Tkachuk that hasn’t been replaced, and it’s a significant challenge to replace it piecemeal.
A problem for Ottawa, or perhaps the problem, is that they entered this offseason needing to add depth to their top six, and even with the addition of Eklund, they’re effectively back at square one. It’s unlikely that Ottawa will add to their top two lines this offseason unless they send money out the door at the same time.
There is also the question of what to do with Drake Batherson, who is eligible for an extension and is less than a year away from unrestricted free agency. Batherson has been a terrific offensive producer for the Senators, but given his body of work, it’s not crazy to think he could be a $9MM player going forward. Is that a number Ottawa is comfortable paying for an offensive player who doesn’t necessarily pay attention to the finer details away from the puck? It’s a question that will be answered in time, but even if Ottawa is leaning towards moving him, they simply don’t have the leverage right now because they’ve already had to move Tkachuk, and losing two scoring wingers would be trouble for a team, especially when Batherson just had a career year.
One positive for Ottawa is that they brought back veteran Claude Giroux, who should provide leadership, stability, and, most importantly, depth for the Senators. The delicate balance of the Senators’ forward group means that one or two injuries could expose a massive problem with the team’s depth up front. Ottawa isn’t exactly rich with forward prospects, but they wisely tapped into the forward free agency market and signed some tweeners who should be good AHL players and decent call-ups if the Senators find themselves in injury trouble. Philip Tomasino and Sammy Blais are the likely players to get those call-ups, and while they aren’t exactly impact players at this stage of their careers, they can provide reasonable NHL minutes for a low cost. Tomasino has shown glimpses in the past of being on the verge of a breakout, but he has never been able to put it together on a long-term basis.
Overall, the Senators haven’t taken a major step back this summer, but they haven’t exactly improved either, which, in a way, is admirable given that they had to move on from their captain earlier than they’d hoped. At the same time, Ottawa can ill afford to sit around and hope that internal improvements will lead to them taking their next steps. Ottawa has some good young players, but make no mistake, the time to compete for Stanley Cups is now, and the Senators don’t feel like a club that is ready to do that. Some folks might look at their lineup and the salary structure and say they have plenty of runway to win a cup in this competitive window. However, these are the Ottawa Senators, and they do have a history of losing star players earlier than they’d like, so there are no guarantees that everybody sticks around to see their whole run through.
Ottawa Senators Re-Sign Claude Giroux
July 7th: The Senators confirmed Giroux’s new contract today. Additionally, the team confirmed he would earn a $2MM salary for the 2026-27 campaign, with an additional $3MM available in performance bonuses.
July 6th: Claude Giroux “will return” to the Ottawa Senators on a new contract that is currently being completed, reports Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
According to Puckpedia, Giroux will sign a one-year, $5MM AAV contract that maxes out at a $2MM cap hit on the Senators’ payroll. $3MM of that AAV can be earned through a series of Performance Bonuses, which are detailed in the table below. The contract takes up 1.92% of the Senators’ cap, and Giroux will carry a No-Movement Clause through the entire season.
Several teams, including the Philadelphia Flyers, where Giroux was once a superstar, have been reported to be after the veteran’s services over the past week. But in the end, it appears the former Hart Trophy finalist has elected to remain with his hometown team. Giroux has been a Senator since the summer of 2022.
The 38-year-old forward enters what could be the final season of his 19-year, 1,345-game NHL career. While he has been on numerous deep playoff runs, a Stanley Cup ring has thus far eluded him. There may have been some belief that Giroux would go “ring-chasing” during the twilight years of his NHL career, simply joining the teams with the strongest chances of winning a Stanley Cup, but Giroux has not operated in that way.
Instead, he’s devoted what are likely to be the final years of his career to his hometown team, helping the Senators emerge from a protracted rebuild and end an extended playoff drought. He brought exceptional offensive ability – he has 242 points in 327 career games in Ottawa – to the Canadian capital at a moment when the franchise desperately needed real on-ice credibility. His efforts were essential in lifting Ottawa out of the league’s basement and into the playoffs.
Now, at a moment when he could have departed and joined one of the league’s most favored contenders, Giroux has once again committed to the Senators at a crucially important time for the club. Ottawa lost the face of their franchise when captain Brady Tkachuk requested – and received – a trade away from the Senators, and will need to fill the void he leaves both on and off the ice. While Giroux certainly isn’t a new face, his return will undoubtedly help Ottawa as they look to continue their upwards trajectory in the wake of Tkachuk’s departure.
While he’s certainly not the player he once was, Giroux showed last season that he can still be a productive middle-six scorer. He totaled 14 goals and 49 points, staying healthy for all 82 games. It’s unknown at this time what Giroux’s newest contract will cost, but one has to assume it will contain performance bonuses.
Claude Giroux In No Rush Ahead Of Potential Final Season
While rumors have connected center Claude Giroux to numerous teams throughout the summer, it could be some time before the 38 year old makes his decision. That hesitation is motivated by the 2026-27 season potentially being the last of Giroux’s playing career per Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen.
A long haul is nearing its end for the 19-year pro. Giroux has continued to offer a special level of reliability through his late career. He appeared in all but one game over the course of his four years with the Ottawa Senators – a run that began in Giroux’s age-35 season. Over that span, Giroux has also led the Senators in faceoff percentage (59.9 percent) and averaged 21 goals and 61 points per season. He has been a golden lineup piece, capable of making an impact whether he’s deployed at his natural center position or on the wings.
Giroux has begun to show signs of age, though. He averaged just 16:18 this season, a new career-low down two minutes from his 18:12 last season. His role on both special teams – where Giroux has long found an extra gear – also continued a gradual decline that began in the 2024-25 season.
Despite the onset of retirement, Giroux should still provide tremendous value to his next club. He led all Senators in goal-differential (+14) and ranked fifth on the team’s offense in expected-goals percentage (56.8 percent) per HockeyStats. The veteran center also produced the best faceoff percentage of his career in the 2025-26 season, notching a 63.1 win rate on 799 faceoffs.
The Senators could certainly continue to benefit from Giroux’s presence. His ability to rotate through the top-six supported Dylan Cozens and Shane Pinto as they found their footing down the middle. But Ottawa could be priced out of returning the future Hall-of-Fame challenger, with just $5.045MM in projected cap space per PuckPedia. Giroux is expected to sign an inexpensive, $2.5MM contract per CapWages and AFP Analytics but could quickly see his price grow on an open market devoid of center talent.
Other teams interested in Giroux’s services include the Philadelphia Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs. Giroux spent the first 15 years of his NHL career in Philadelphia after being drafted by the club with the 22nd-overall pick in 2006. He was a franchise pillar who reached 900 points in 1,000 games before a move in 2022. Giroux could be enticed to close his career in the same place it began. He could also be motivated by Toronto’s recent roster shakeup and see upside in joining forces with Auston Matthews and John Tavares in a bona fide center role.
It seems Giroux will have plenty of options to decide how he wants to close out his career. He has won Gold Medals at the World Championship, World Cup, and World Junior Championship but hasn’t crested the heights of the NHL, despite leading Philadelphia to Game 6 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals. Even with a barren trophy cabinet, Giroux’s nine years captaining the Flyers and year-over-year reliability could be enough to pull together a thin case for Hall Of Fame recognition – especially if he can find one more gear before hanging up the skates.
Multiple Teams Pursuing Claude Giroux
Veteran Claude Giroux remains unsigned past the opening few days of the free agent period. However, it’s not from a lack of interest. Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reports that there are several teams that have shown interest in the forward while Giroux not having decided just yet on where to sign.
Among the teams believed to have registered interest in the 38-year-old are the Senators, Flyers, and Maple Leafs. Garrioch noted that the Oilers also made a pitch but Sportsnet’s Mark Spector relays (Twitter link) that Edmonton isn’t in the mix for Giroux’s services now.
Ottawa being interested shouldn’t come as any surprise. Giroux spent the past four seasons with them, putting up 242 points in 327 games over that stretch. His output last season was largely steady with the year before, as he tallied 14 goals and 35 assists in 82 games while winning more than 63% of his faceoffs. The Sens tried to re-sign him before he hit the open market but Giroux decided he wanted to see what was available on the open market. Ottawa GM Steve Staios indicated that a big reason why the team hasn’t done much so far in free agency is that they’re holding a spot if the veteran wants to return.
Philadelphia is another team that Giroux is plenty familiar with. He spent the first 15 seasons of his NHL career with them after being drafted in the first round back in 2006. Of course, the Flyers’ salary cap situation is now somewhat in flux as they await Anaheim’s decision on whether they will match Leo Carlsson’s five-year, $90MM offer sheet. If they don’t, the Flyers may have a hard time affording Giroux, especially knowing that Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale are among their remaining restricted free agents. Garrioch notes that the sense around the league is that the Flyers are Giroux’s likely landing spot but nothing is finalized at this point.
Toronto is an interesting fit if the money can work. New GM John Chayka has overhauled their bottom six but beyond Jack Roslovic (who replaces Nicholas Robertson), very little has been done in terms of adding offensive upside to his group. Giroux could give them some needed secondary scoring. However, they’re $2.75MM over the cap at the moment, per PuckPedia, and while Max Domi’s injury could land him on LTIR to start the season, it feels like another domino would need to fall before the Maple Leafs could make Giroux a competitive offer.
Garrioch suggests that part of the reason that Giroux is taking more time than usual is that this is likely to be his final season. In that case, he won’t be pursuing a multi-year contract which means a one-year agreement with bonuses could be on the table. Giroux played on that structure last season, taking a $2MM base salary with another $2.75MM in incentives, $1MM of which were reached. That structure allows for greater short-term cap flexibility which would be especially appealing to some cap-strapped franchises. It wouldn’t be surprising for Giroux to receive a deal like that, regardless of where he winds up signing over the coming days or weeks.
Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.
Metro Notes: Giroux, Laine, Gustafsson
Although they failed in their pursuit of John Carlson, the Philadelphia Flyers are still in the mix for one of the better remaining unrestricted free agents. According to Charlie O’Connor of PHLY Sports, General Manager Daniel Brière told the media yesterday that the Flyers have had discussions with Claude Giroux.
Obviously, Giroux’s connection to the Flyers organization needs no explanation. The former captain, Giroux, spent 15 years of his career in Philadelphia, scoring 291 goals and 900 points in 1,000 games, helping the franchise reach its most recent Stanley Cup Final in 2010.
Even at 38, Giroux remains one of the best centers in the game, nearly averaging a 60.0% faceoff rate throughout his time with the Ottawa Senators. If Trevor Zegras is willing to move back to the wing, Giroux could be a great addition, even outside of the nostalgia, for the Flyers’ middle six.
Additional notes from the Metro Division:
- According to Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News, the New York Islanders are one of several teams that have expressed interest in free agent winger Patrik Laine. Assuming he can remain healthy, which is a risky assumption, Laine to the Islanders makes a lot of sense. He wouldn’t cost too much, and as a powerplay specialist, could certainly help a New York powerplay that finished 30th in the league last season. Unfortunately, Laine doesn’t score too much at even strength, meaning he wouldn’t help the Islanders much in that regard.
- Sticking with the Islanders, Rosner also provided an update on New York’s first-round pick from the 2026 NHL Draft. According to Rosner, defenseman Malte Gustafsson, whom the Islanders selected with the 13th overall pick, plans to come to North America after the 2026-27 campaign. Gustafsson is lined up to play for the SHL’s HV71 next season, where he tallied three assists in 27 games with a -8 rating last year.
Free Agency Notes: Marchment, Giroux, Kane
After the Columbus Blue Jackets acquired Valeri Nichushkin from the Colorado Avalanche, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Mason Marchment would be hitting the market as an unrestricted free agent. Still the case as of this morning, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that Marchment should have a robust market once the market opens up at noon eastern, with the San Jose Sharks being a likely landing spot.
Additionally, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun shared that the Montreal Canadiens are another team with interest in Marchment, but are hesitant to sign him to a long-term deal to avoid blocking younger players on the roster. However, if the Canadiens are unwilling to offer Marchment a multi-year deal of any kind, it’s unlikely that he will take his talents to Quebec.
Regardless, it’s not surprising that Marchment will have a robust market. After middling out with the Seattle Kraken, Marchment went on a tear with the Blue Jackets, scoring 15 goals and 32 points in 39 games with a +21 rating, averaging 17:41 of ice time per game. It’s unlikely he could manage to keep up that scoring pace throughout a season, but Marchment remains one of the better options as a middle-six complement for many teams around the league.
Additional free agency notes:
- After failing to gain traction in negotiations with the Ottawa Senators, LeBrun confirmed that Claude Giroux would hit the open market this afternoon. Although his scoring has dissipated in each of the four years he has been with the Senators, Giroux remains a solid secondary contributor, scoring 14 goals and 49 points in 82 games with a +20 rating. Additionally, the 38-year-old Giroux remains arguably the best faceoff taker in the league, winning 504 of 799 draws (63.1%) this past season. He is keeping the door open for a return to Ottawa, but Giroux will have the opportunity to speak with 31 other teams this afternoon.
- Another veteran will join Giroux on the open market. After signing three consecutive one-year deals with the Detroit Red Wings, LeBrun indicated that Patrick Kane will become an unrestricted free agent this afternoon. Like Giroux, Kane is leaving the door open for a return to Detroit. However, with Dylan Larkin on the outs, Kane may look for an opportunity to get back into the playoffs with a different team. He has remained a strong offensive contributor, registering 16 goals and 57 points in 67 games for the Red Wings this past season. Like Giroux, Kane would be a strong fit on multiple different teams.
East Notes: Jenner, Kampf, Giroux
Columbus Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner may be headed to another team in the Metropolitan Division. On last night’s U.S. broadcast of the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft, Kevin Weekes of ESPN linked Jenner to sign as a free agent with the Washington Capitals, saying he has “been hearing [Jenner] linked to Washington for a while now.” Washington has been extremely aggressive in this offseason so far as they look to rebound after a disappointing 2025-26 season. They have already added Buffalo Sabres star Alex Tuch and St. Louis Blues scorer Jordan Kyrou, and could add even more to their forward group.
That Jenner is expected to depart the Blue Jackets does not come as a major surprise. It has been previously reported that Jenner and Columbus are likely headed for a divorce, in part because of Jenner’s decline in role last season and how that has made it more difficult for the team to reach an agreement with him on a contract extension. The 33-year-old has spent the entirety of his 808-game NHL career with the Blue Jackets, and is the franchise’s all-time leader in games played. While his role did decline somewhat under Rick Bowness, Jenner still finished the season with 13 goals and 38 points, and could be a valuable part of Washington’s bottom-six in the event he signs there.
Other notes from the Eastern Conference:
- The Capitals dealt pending UFA center David Kampf to the Buffalo Sabres as part of the Tuch trade, but that should not be seen as an indication that the veteran center will play for the Sabres next season. According to Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic, Kampf’s inclusion in the trade was only to balance the number of contracts going each way, and the Sabres do not “have any intent to sign [Kampf].” The 31-year-old pivot is set to hit free agency after a difficult 2025-26 season that saw him begin the season in the AHL, join the Canucks as part of a mutual contract termination, and then play in just two games after being traded to Washington.
- Ottawa Senators veteran forward Claude Giroux will test the waters of unrestricted free agency next week – though he is not closing the door to a return to Ottawa as well, reports Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. It has been generally believed that the 38-year-old veteran, who is a native of the Ottawa area, would likely want to remain with his hometown team for as long as his NHL career goes, so LeBrun’s report contradicts that line of thinking. The veteran of 1,345 games showed he could still be a capable middle-six scorer last season, finishing with 14 goals and 49 points. Seeing as Giroux has not reached the conference finals since 2010, he may be testing free agency in order to see if he can sign with one of the NHL’s top contending teams, a classification Ottawa has not yet earned.
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.
2026-27 Performance Bonus and 35+ Candidates
As NHL front offices gear up for free agency, managing the salary cap demands a delicate balance between risk and reward. While performance bonuses are often linked to elite rookies on entry-level contracts, the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) adds two additional avenues for performance-based incentives: injury comeback deals and contracts for 35-year-old or older veterans. These mechanisms enable teams to secure impactful players with low base salary cap hits, effectively deferring financial obligations until later.
If a team ends the fiscal year with earned bonuses exceeding their remaining cap space, the excess funds are carried over into the next league year as a direct salary cap penalty. This can significantly impact teams near the cap limit or heavily relying on LTIR. PuckPedia has detailed the upcoming free agents who qualify for these specialized incentive structures for the 2026-27 season.
To qualify for a performance-bonus-eligible contract via the injury route, a player must have 400 or more career games and have spent 100 or more days on Injured Reserve during the previous season. This structure allows franchises to take low-risk gambles on proven assets, while the financial incentives toward active roster availability and durability rather than pure scoring production.
Six players fit this criteria heading into free agency, including Derek Forbort (VAN), Alexander Kerfoot (UTA) Patrik Laine (MON), Petr Mrazek (ANA), Matt Murray (SEA), and Tomas Nosek (FLA).
For a team looking for top-six offensive upside, a player like Laine could be highly coveted on a bonus-laden deal, while teams seeking goaltending depth or penalty-killing options could turn to turn to Mrazek, Forbort, or Nosek under this low-risk umbrella.
Contracts signed by players who will be 35 or older by July 1 of the contract year are also eligible for performance bonuses on one-year deals. Front offices frequently use these to protect against sudden age-related decline, tying mid-six-figure bonuses to basic longevity milestones—such as reaching 10, 40, or 60 games played—or team-oriented postseason success.
The upcoming free agent class has an extensive group of veteran forwards eligible for this structure, including Jamie Benn (DAL), Evgenii Dadonov (NJD), Nicolas Deslauriers (CAR), Lars Eller (OTT), Nick Foligno (MIN), Claude Giroux (OTT), Luke Glendening (PHI), Erik Haula (NSH), Adam Henrique (EDM), Marcus Johansson (MIN), Patrick Kane (DET), Anders Lee (NYI), Gustav Nyquist (WPG), Alex Ovechkin (WSH), David Perron (OTT), Corey Perry (TBL), Ryan Reaves (SJ), Reilly Smith (VGS), Jonathan Toews (WPG), Garrett Wilson (PHI), James van Riemsdyk (DET), and Mats Zuccarello (MIN).
The blue line also features a robust market of eligible 35+ defensemen who can weaponize these flexible agreements. This group includes Zach Bogosian (MIN), Brent Burns (COL), John Carlson (ANA), Ian Cole (UTA), Radko Gudas (ANA), Travis Hamonic (DET), Nick Jensen (OTT), Nick Leddy (SJ), Jeff Petry (MIN), Luke Schenn (BUF), and Brendan Smith (CBJ).
Contending teams could use performance bonuses to maximize rosters with high-profile franchise icons like Ovechkin, Benn, Giroux, and Kane eligible for a flexible, low-base-salary structure. However, general managers must be cautious. A player hitting a games-played milestone in late March could trigger a cap overage, restricting cap space at the trade deadline or forcing a painful penalty on the 2027-28 books.
Claude Giroux To Continue Playing For 2026-27 Season
Veteran scorer Claude Giroux will not hang up his skates for at least one more season, reports Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. According to LeBrun, Giroux “needed some time after the season to mull over his future” as he was considering retirement, but now the 38-year-old “has decided he wants to come back and play another season.”
Giroux’s decision means a 1,345-game NHL career that began in 2007-08 will continue for at least one more campaign. Complicating Giroux’s situation is the fact that he is a pending unrestricted free agent. Giroux has been playing for his hometown Ottawa Senators since 2022, arriving there from the Florida Panthers. Giroux was on the Panthers as a rental trade addition. Before that, he was a top scorer and face-of-the-franchise player for the Philadelphia Flyers.
One of the greatest Flyers in the franchise’s modern history, Giroux is no longer the star scorer he once was. At 38 years old, that’s to be expected. But he has shown himself to still be a productive scoring winger for the Senators even as he’s aged. In 2025-26, he scored 14 goals and 49 points. That’s not quite at the level of his debut season in the Canadian capital (35 goals, 79 points in 2022-23) but still more than strong enough to make him worth his cap hit of $2MM. (Base cap hit, he also earned $1MM in performance bonuses)
Looking ahead to next season, it seems overwhelmingly likely that Giroux will remain in Ottawa. Another one-year contract with a relatively low base salary and stocked full of performance bonuses, similar to the contract he played last season on, seems most appropriate.
Playing at least one more year, Giroux will be able to help the Senators try to win their first playoff series since their run to the Eastern Conference Final in 2017. He’ll also be chasing some individual milestones, like 1,400 games played, 400 goals, and 1,200 points.