In October, the Ottawa Senators will celebrate 30 years of hockey since returning to the NHL in 1992.
Fans of a certain vintage will recall the challenging expansion years, the drafting of future stars and the first playoff experience of 1997, which started a run of 11 consecutive years of playoff contention.
Are the Sens on the verge of another extended run of playoff appearances?
The similarities are apparent. In those glory days, there was a developing core of Daniel Alfredsson, Alexei Yashin, Marian Hossa, Chris Phillips, Wade Redden and Martin Havlat et al. … and today the Sens have Brady Tkachuk, Josh Norris, Tim Stützle, Drake Batherson, Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, the Senators augmented their young core via trades and free agency to bring in Shawn McEachern, Igor Kravchuk, Zdeno Chara, Jason Spezza (a second-overall pick acquired from the New York Islanders), Patrick Lalime, Dany Heatley (although it cost them Hossa), and many others.
At his year-end media availability Sunday, Pierre Dorion sounded like a GM ready to add some key support pieces, “quality players,” as he phrased it, and not just the journeyman-type of off-season additions over the past few seasons.
That seems like a good starting point for Ottawa’s summer checklist, items on the to-do board of a team that doesn’t want to be thought of as rebuilding anymore, but something closer to built.
A top winger for Stützle
Dorion quipped that he would pay money for a ticket to watch Stützle play. Oh, he will pay, all right, but for a contract, not a ticket. That will likely be next off-season, when this exciting young centre would be a pending RFA. In the meantime, Stützle’s more immediate need is a scoring winger. The chemistry on the Sens’ top line of Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson is irrefutable. There is simply no need to tinker with it. Stützle has not had the same luxury of continuity with linemates. And while Alex Formenton showed tremendous growth as a possible second-line left wing and penalty killer, and Connor Brown is a true pro on the right side, when the Sens are ready to contend, Brown becomes the prototypical third-line winger. Ottawa needs an elite winger on that right side, someone of Claude Giroux’s calibre. Giroux, who will be a UFA in July, is a natural centre, but can play right wing, and is lining up there with the Florida Panthers (next to Sam Bennett and Jonathan Huberdeau). Giroux makes his home in Ottawa and could be persuaded to sign here, especially if he happened to win a Stanley Cup with the Panthers this spring (lots of work to do there). If not Giroux, specifically, the Sens need a player of this ilk.
Trade draft picks, if necessary
Ottawa has five picks in the first three rounds of the upcoming NHL draft. Two of those picks originally belonged to Tampa Bay (a second-rounder) and Boston (third-rounder). Feeling lucky? The Senators hold a 6.5 per cent chance of landing the first-overall pick in the May 10 draft lottery. They are currently slotted at seventh. Dorion said he is willing to trade any pick other than first overall, and seems open to the possibility of moving picks and prospects to get a good established player.
“Our cupboard is full of prospects,” Dorion said. “At times we’ve done things in the past to just bring in depth, character guys. Now, we definitely have the resources to add quality, at a certain price.”
The Sens have talked in the past about possibly trading one of their higher picks for immediate help. I wonder if this is the year it actually happens.
Take advantage of the cap-issue teams
The Senators have said they aren’t ready to spend right to the cap immediately, and until they do, they have a lot of flexibility with their payroll. Several of their rivals could be in need of cap relief this summer and might have to move some very good players to free up room. Dorion will be keeping an eye on those situations to see if he might be able to pick up an established forward or defenceman in exchange for a prospect and/or picks. The Sens were already able to acquire useful winger Mathieu Joseph at the trade deadline, in part because the Lightning did not want to get into salary arbitration with Joseph. Combine the salary-cap pressures of certain teams with the usual summer turnover as teams tweak their rosters, and there will be lots of opportunity for the Sens to acquire a player or two of substance.
Sign Norris to a lengthy deal
Happily, Dorion related the story of having an exit meeting with Norris and hearing from the player that he wants to get his new contract done ASAP. Music to a GM’s ears, especially after spending all of last summer and all of training camp trying to get Tkachuk signed in 2021 (that deal was done on the day of the season opener). Avoiding this kind of distraction is important for a team that wants to avoid a third straight season of poor starts. With a team-leading 35 goals this season and huge upside at age 22, Norris is going to get paid. Likely something in the $8-million-plus range, like his good pal Tkachuk (six years x $8.14 million). Dorion is expected to get down to business soon with Norris’ agent Scott Oster, with whom he has already had preliminary talks.
Joseph, Brannstrom and other RFA contracts
Interestingly, Dorion said he has also started contract talks with Erik Brannstrom’s camp, so that probably rules out the thought that Ottawa could move on from the defenceman acquired from Vegas as part of the 2019 Mark Stone trade. Brannstrom, who turns 23 in September, has had a tough time getting established as an NHL regular, but played a lot more than expected this season due to injuries and illness on Ottawa’s roster. In 53 games, Brannstrom failed to score but chipped in 14 assists and played 19:46 per night on average. That’s up from 16:21 a year earlier, when he saw action in just 30 games. Both head coach D.J. Smith and Dorion spoke highly of Brannstrom’s development this season. In fact, Dorion went so far as to say he was the team’s most improved defenceman. One way to quantify that development? A year ago, it was hard to tell Brannstrom and Victor Mete apart, as players or as value. Now, Mete is looking for work and Brannstrom is about to get extended. The Sens will also sign speedy wingers Joseph and Formenton to new deals. Both are restricted free agents. Joseph fit in nicely after coming over at the deadline for pending UFA Nick Paul.
Decide on role players to keep or trade
Speaking of RFA players, forwards Adam Gaudette and Dylan Gambrell – both 25 – are also up for deals this summer. Dorion must decide whether to keep them. Gambrell had the better finish to his season, combining to form a highly effective fourth line with Parker Kelly and Austin Watson. Gaudette, meanwhile, didn’t record a point after March 5, despite getting ample opportunity to play alongside Stützle when Brown got hurt. Between Ottawa and AHL Belleville, the Sens are deep in role players. Joseph, who can play up and down the lineup, Mark Kastelic, Ridley Greig and Tyler Boucher probably fit into that role-player category. Watson and Kelly appear to be locks to return. So, there is lots of flexibility for Dorion in this area to hold or to deal.
Get out the lucky charm
Asked on Ottawa sports radio this week if he had any lucky trinkets or clothing to wear for the draft lottery, Dorion replied that the only thing he could think of was the $5 he won in golf while playing local golf pro Brad Fritsch. Fritsch is a huge Sens fan and Dorion pal.
