Équipe: 2024-25 Sénateurs d'Ottawa

Date de création initiale: 18 mars 2024

Publié: 18 mars 2024

Mode - plafond salarial: Basique

IMHO the Sens core group is generally fine and doesn't need a major shakeup. What *does* need to change is the overall culture of the group, the appallingly thin RD side, and bringing in some more dynamic well-rounded players to flesh out the roster further.

In that vein it's time to part ways with Chychrun (who struggles defensively) and JBD (who no longer fits the timeline for this rebuild). The trades to send both out are likely optimistic given how the latest deadline was a buyer's market and I'll be the first person to admit it, but the overarching mindset of "move them out for some useful assets the Sens can use now" is probably sound.

It's also clear the Sens' current goaltending tandem isn't working. I highly doubt moving Korpi is realistic, so the better option is to dump Forsberg (who just hasn't been the same since his double MCL tear) and keep the much younger Sogaard, then hope the RD overhaul and a new head coach will help return the GSAA to vaguely respectable numbers. Mandolese either walks or gets traded off for an AHL centreman (which I honestly can't be bothered to do here) then Kazakhstani tour-de-force Vladimir Nikitin gets promoted from the BCHL.

There's a number of excellent UFA D-men available this off-season including Tanev, Roy, Dillon, and "****ing rights" DeMelo. I think it's highly likely LAK keep Roy around and the Jets keep DeMelo, so I've opted for Tanev and the incredibly underrated Hakanpaa from the Stars. Rounding out the D corps is Branny who's taken some big steps forward this season and now has the burly Hakanpaa to help out physically on the bottom pair. Harmonic is an obvious buyout target (seriously WTF was Dorion thinking with that NMC?), and Lassi Thompson walks without anyone wanting to trade for him since he passed through waivers twice recently.

Signing Toffoli is likely the least-realistic move here since I doubt he'd be willing to play in Ottawa even with an M-NTC on his contract. Fact of the matter is the Sens will need a top 6 forward to replace Norris (who is likely to spend the entire year on IR) even with Pinto emerging as a 2C option and Greig looking like a legitimate core piece.

Crookshank gets promoted due to his outstanding AHL campaign, then we bring in Noesen for a solid veteran presence in the bottom-6. There's also an argument to be made for trading Kastelic for a more reliable 4C but there's no UFA that really jumps out to me and the Sens frankly don't have the assets to part with at this time - even with the trades listed here.


The spare cap wiggle room can be used to make any of the signings more realistic and bridge Greig in the off-season.

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