2023 NHL trade deadline primer for the Ottawa Senators

The trade deadline looms and is now just a week away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should it be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Ottawa Senators.

After a flurry of high-profile acquisitions in the summer of 2022, expectations were that the Ottawa Senators would compete for a playoff spot. That didn’t look very likely as the calendar flipped to 2023, but a 7-2-1 run in their last 10 games has brought them back to life. The Senators haven’t made the playoffs since their miracle run in 2017 but now sit within six points of the final wild-card spot in the jam-packed Eastern Conference.

While the fans in Ottawa have reason to be excited about the future, the team’s recent success has put GM Pierre Dorion in a precarious position as he enters the final week before the NHL trade deadline.

Record

27-25-4, 7^th in the Atlantic

Deadline Status

Unclear

Deadline Cap Space

Current cap space $17.89M, Deadline cap space $20.87M, 1/3 retention slots used, 44/50 Contracts used, per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2023: OTT 1st, OTT 4th, OTT 5th, OTT 6th, OTT 7th, NSH 7th, NYR 7th

2024: OTT 1st, OTT 2nd, WSH 2nd, OTT 4th, TB 4th, OTT 5th, OTT 6th

Trade Chips

The biggest asset the Senators have at the trade deadline is cap space. Ottawa is one of the few teams that can add significant salary this season. This opens up endless possibilities for Dorion to get creative to facilitate a blockbuster trade, take on bad contracts, or act as a middleman and retain salary to acquire more assets.

In terms of on-ice assets, the Senators do have a few UFA veterans who could be of interest to teams that are looking to shore up their depth.

Cam Talbot has had a forgettable first season in Ottawa. Between injuries and poor play, he has significantly hurt his stock as he heads to free agency this summer. He was acquired last July from the Minnesota Wild in a goalie swap for Filip Gustavsson. Since the trade, Gustavsson has flourished in the Twin Cities, while Talbot has failed to find his game. This has led to Talbot being mentioned on trade rumor boards for over a month. Talbot may not fetch the Senators much more than a late-round pick but could be of interest to teams looking to add a veteran backup.

On the back end, Travis Hamonic could interest teams looking for a depth defenseman who can kill penalties. Hamonic has averaged over 19 minutes of ice time per game this season, and while he won’t chip in much offensively, he can be a steadying force for a young defenseman. Hamonic is a pending UFA and could likely be had for a mid-round pick should Dorion opt to sell in the final days before the trade deadline.

One last piece that could be of interest to teams looking to add toughness is Austin Watson. The former Nashville Predator has just six points this season in 52 games, but any acquiring team wouldn’t be adding the former first-round pick for his offensive game. Watson has 63 PIMs this season and has been one of a handful of veterans tasked with mentoring a young Ottawa forward group. Watson could likely be had for a late-round pick should a team look to add toughness.

Other potential trade chips: D Nick Holden, F Derick Brassard

Team Needs

1) Top-Four Defenseman: Ottawa has long sought a right-shot top-four defenseman to pair with Thomas Chabot or Jake Sanderson. It was rumored last summer that Dorion inquired about Pittsburgh defenseman John Marino before he was dealt to New Jersey. Although he is not a right-shot defender, Jakob Chychrun is a name that has long been rumored to be on Dorion’s radar, but a move has yet to be made as Arizona has held on to the player in hopes of having its high price tag met.

2) Starting Goaltender: Ottawa hasn’t had stability between the pipes since Craig Anderson took them to within a goal of the Stanley Cup Final in 2017. While Anton Forsberg had a career year last year, his numbers fell off a cliff this season, leading to another year of instability in the Ottawa crease. The Senators do see 22-year-old Mads Sogaard as their goaltender of the future, however injuries and uneven play have stunted his young career. The 6-foot-7 netminder has shown promise in limited NHL action, but with the Senators moving out of the rebuilding phase, it may be time to acquire a stable NHL-ready starting goaltender.