Senators Notebook: How aggressive will Staios be during draft, free agency?

OTTAWA — It’s the time of the year when every hockey fan is refreshing X to see what their team’s general manager is cooking up. In Ottawa, where "Steady" Steve Staios holds the reins for a Senators’ organization that seems poised to blossom if the team is managed well this summer, the question is how aggressive will he be? 

With the draft on Friday and free agency less than a week away, Staios and head scout Don Boyd spoke to the media on Wednesday morning.

Here is a summary of the storylines, updates and information from Ottawa as the Senators prepare to tackle the challenges of a busy summer in the NHL.

Giroux’s uncertain future

The hottest topic in Sens-land revolves around the future of aging hometown star, forward Claude Giroux. 

“We continue to talk. That’s really all I have, nothing to report on,” said Staios.

“We want Claude back.” 

Is no update an update? 

The gap between the sides has been over the bonus structures of a contract, according to our Elliotte Friedman. If Giroux returns, there won’t be a top-six role for him unless he grabs it. 

"I'll give you Travis (Green’s) line: (He)'ll dictate where he plays,” said Staios on where Giroux will fit in the Sens lineup if he re-signs. 

You wonder, if Giroux doesn’t return, how they can replace his leadership and 50-point output from last season. Well, Staios currently has over $10 million in cap space to play with if Giroux does end up elsewhere.

Free agency and draft approach

Many fans want the Senators to be aggressive, whether that be at the draft or via free agency. That might not be Staios’ plan: He hinted at a quieter summer in Ottawa.

“I don’t feel like we need to force anything at this point in time. I like our group. But we’re working hard to see where we can upgrade,” he said. 

“If I get aggressive to try and add, where do I add? And who is it? This is the question, and if I can, and it makes sense, I would. Everybody gets eager at this time of the year to make a big splash or get a big player in. But my approach has always been that it has to be the right fit at the right time.”

“Was it more pressing last year (to add)? Was there a more clear direction? Probably”, Staios added.

Don’t forget it was supposed to be quiet at this year’s trade deadline until Ottawa pulled off the Dylan Cozens and Fabian Zetterlund moves. Staios has the ultimate poker face. The Senators are rumoured to be trying to acquire high-impact players, so we should take Staios’ words with a grain of smelling salts.

As for the 21^st pick in the draft, Staios says he’s open to moving down but not trading up because of the Senators' lack of draft capital. His head scout, Boyd, has gone over different tiers of the 2025 class, so if Staios does move down, he’d understand what type of player they’d be getting lower in the draft. 

The fascinating storyline is that the Senators decided to hold onto their pick, meaning they won’t have their first-round pick in 2026 as it stands because of the botched Evgenii Dadonov trade in 2021. 

The 2025 class is generally not thought to be as strong as the 2026 class. 

“There's places in the draft that might be a little softer than it has been in the past,” said Boyd about the current crop

Staios explained his rationale for keeping Ottawa's 2025 first-round pick.  

“We know where the ruling lies right now,” he said. 

“Speaking (with owner) Michael Andlauer about it, (we’re) hoping for some leniency at some point in time, but we're comfortable that if we do have to give up the pick, that's where we're at.” 

In last year’s draft, all of Ottawa’s picks were six-foot-two or above. The Senators love size but say it’s not the only redeemable quality they look for.

“I think size is a factor, as we see in our league. But there's certainly some players that aren't all that big that are hugely effective as well,” said Staios.

“If it's a tie between a smaller or bigger player and a lot of the other qualities check off, (we) probably look at the bigger player.”

Meanwhile, Boyd said the team just happened to draft taller players last year.

Interestingly, this year, Boyd said he asked 79 prospects in the interview process to make a joke. Only three could. Hockey needs more personality. 

The goal for Boyd was to get players to loosen up.

Two Russian prospects told the same joke. 

“The joke was, I won't play in the NHL. We said, well, that's not a joke. And they said, ‘Yes, it is a joke. The joke is we won't play in the NHL,’” said Boyd. 

“If they didn’t tell a joke, they all failed the combine,” Boyd said with a wry laugh.

More seriously, Boyd said, “I think there's four, five, or six guys in our area that'll be still available (at 21).”

“Everybody's going to get a player (they love). Everybody's winning a Stanley Cup on that (draft) day,” said Boyd.

Hopefully for the Senators, in the 2025 draft, they select the next cornerstone of the franchise that will help propel them to that Stanley Cup. 

One player from last year’s draft they hope helps them to the promised land is Carter Yakemchuk, whom Boyd was quick to defend after a less-than-stellar season for the Calgary Hitmen (WHL). 

“(Carter) did some things that we asked him to do,” said Boyd. “I know that his numbers weren't as good last year, but he paid a lot more attention to detail in this game. Contrary to some people's beliefs, he played a better defensive game.”

“He's got so many avenues and so many ways that he can play. He’s big, he can handle the puck, he’s got deception, he can shoot the puck (and) thinks the game offensively.”

How close is Yakemchuk to playing in the NHL?

“Well, I don't know,” said Boyd. “You saw him in exhibition games last year. (He was) pretty good.”

“His job is to make (the Senators) make the decision, force their hands.”

Jensen update 

Nick Jensen battled a hip injury all season, which forced him to undergo surgery earlier this month.

“I wouldn't be surprised if he's ready sooner (than expected). But as far as a specific date, I'd be cautious on doing that right now,” said Staios about Jensen's status. 

You have to wonder if a healthier-than-expected Jensen changes the Senators' calculus in acquiring another defenceman, whether in free agency or via trade.

Zetterlund extension

The Senators signed Fabian Zetterlund to a three-year, $4.275 million (AAV) contract last week. Despite scoring only two goals in 20 games with Ottawa and being held pointless in the playoffs, Staios believes in Zetterlund. 

“We feel like Zetterlund can grow into that type of player that creates five-on-five,” said Staios. “He's a good shooter, something that I thought we lacked a little bit up front. He gets to those tough areas of the rink.” 

Backup goaltender resolution?

It doesn’t seem like Anton Forsberg is returning to Ottawa as he hits free agency in a very weak goaltender class. 

“I enjoy Anton, I think he’s a great pro and a real good person,” said Staios when asked about bringing back Forsberg. 

Not exactly a vote of confidence, though Staios did say he was continuing dialogue with Forsberg’s camp.

That leaves Leevi Merilainen — who needs a contract but is a restricted free agent this summer —  as the likely backup goaltender next season.

“We’re comfortable with Leevi,” said Staios, while also expressing confidence in the team’s current third goaltender, Mads Sogaard. 

It was a small sample size, but Merilainen had a .925 save percentage in 12 games last season with three shutouts, which was better than Linus Ullmark’s numbers with the Senators, while also playing stellar last season when in the minors in Belleville.

One could argue he was Ottawa’s best goaltender last season. If he maintains that level, we could have a goalie controversy in Ottawa by the end of next year. Nevertheless, the Senators would be prudent to sign another goaltender as insurance for the unproven 22-year-old.