2023-06-30 16:27:33
Follow our special program on the opening of the free agent market on Saturday with RDS.ca and on our various platforms. We will be on the air at 11 a.m. on RDS Info and on RDS following the F1 sprint race around 11:15 a.m.
Over the past year, the Ottawa Senators have shown that they clearly believe they are out of their rebuilding. With the acquisitions of Claude Giroux and Alex DeBrincat during the summer, then the transaction for Jakob Chychrun at the trade deadline, Pierre Dorion showed that these were not empty words. Still, Ottawa failed to qualify for the spring tournament, finishing six points behind the Panthers for the final playoff spot. It was still their best season since 2016-17, when they made it to the Eastern Finals, losing to Pittsburgh, showing the team is moving in the right direction.
With a talented young core, Ottawa is looking to build on its momentum and try to become a force in an Atlantic Division that is more competitive than ever. Dorion should be very busy over the next few weeks as, despite the team’s positive “momentum”, there is still a lot of work to be done between now and the 2023-24 season opener once morest the Hurricanes, the October 11. Besides the usual transactions to add depth, something you see every year, two files in particular should be at the top of the list of priorities for the organization.
Neither situation Alex DeBrincat
Alex Debrincat’s future is obviously the number one priority in the nation’s capital this summer. Acquired at a high price last summer, including the 7th choice of the 2022 draft (Kevin Korchinski), he posted only 27 goals, the second worst mark of his career. His contract is now up, and the restricted free agent has indicated he would like to play elsewhere next year.
DeBrincat submitted a list of teams he would like to play with and would be willing to sign a long-term contract extension, similar to the situations of Matthew Tkachuk and Pierre-Luc Dubois.
Letting go of a player of DeBrincat’s caliber obviously leaves a huge hole in the Senators’ top 6. Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, Claude Giroux, and Josh Norris should all be in the top 6 when everyone is healthy. It leaves a gap on the left wing behind Tkachuk. The DeBrincat trade might provide a solution if Dorion focuses on players who can help him in the immediate future. If the exchange is rather centered on future assets (hopes and draft picks), the Sens will have to look elsewhere to fill the void.
Unfortunately, the free agent class is one of the weakest we’ve seen in a long time. Alex Killorn and Vladimir Tarasenko might provide an offensive punch, but given the lack of quality options, it might be very expensive to win the bidding to convince them to come to Ottawa. On the trade market, would a player like Travis Konecny be of interest to Ottawa? Either way, they need another name in their top 6 by the start of the season.
Find a solution in net
The Senators saw seven different goaltenders get at least one start last year and three of them played at least 17 games: Cam Talbot, Anton Forsberg, and Mads Søgaard. Among that group of regulars, Forsberg led the charge with a .902 save percentage and -0.06 goals saved per 60 minutes. That’s just not good enough if Ottawa hopes to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Trouble in goal for the Senators
With Talbot an unrestricted free agent at 35, he’s obviously not the long-term answer. Søgaard might be, but given his results so far, a little more time marinating in the American League wouldn’t hurt him. And with Forsberg probably better equipped to be a good backup or 1B option, Ottawa should look to outside options to find their next starter.
And it’s not the options that are missing.
Connor Hellebuyck, Linus Ullmark, Jeremy Swayman, Carter Hart, Juuse Saros, and John Gibson have all had their names swirled around the rumor mill and several of them may change addresses over the next few months. The free agent market also contains several quality options like Tristan Jarry, Frederik Andersen, and Joonas Korpisalo. Either option would be a huge step forward for the Senators in the playoff race in an Atlantic Division that once once more promises to be very competitive.
1688150643
#Senators #DeBrincat #goalies #prioritize
