In this series, Heavy Sports is looking at what every NHL team has done over the offseason. Next up is the Ottawa Senators. The Senators had a decent season last year as they posted a 44-27-11 record, which gave them 99 points in the league standings. They made the postseason for the second consecutive year, in which they were eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in a round one sweep. It has been a dramatic summer thus far in Ottawa as they said goodbye to their former captain, Brady Tkachuk.
Who are Ottawa’s Additions?
Key additions: Sammy Blais, Andre Burakovsky, William Eklund, Samuel Ersson, Kasper Halttunen, Christian Kyrou, Ryan Suzuki, Brandon Svoboda, Philip Tomasino
The biggest add for this team is forward William Eklund from the San Jose Sharks. The Senators used the ninth overall pick they received in the Tkachuk trade with the Florida Panthers in order to acquire Eklund. He recorded 15 goals and 38 assists for 53 points in 78 games last season. Andre Burakovsky comes over from the Chicago Blackhawks as the veteran journeyman embarks on another change in scenery. Samuel Ersson will backup Linus Ullmark in net. Claude Giroux extended with the club for one year after speculation he could return to the Philadelphia Flyers. Depth players Jordan Spence and Nick Cousins are also among those who resigned with the team.
Who are Ottawa’s Subtractions?
Key subtractions: Lars Eller, Dennis Gilbert, Nick Jensen, Arthur Kaliyev, Olle Lycksell, James Reimer, Mads Sogaard, Lassi Thomson, Brady Tkachuk
The biggest loss is Tkachuk as he joins his brother Matthew in Florida. Tkachuk was traded after requesting a trade from the team heading into the offseason. This was a surprise development as while there had been speculation about Tkachuk being unhappy in Ottawa following another early playoff exit, he had previously been on record stating his desire to win with the Senators. This leaves a captaincy void that will have to be filled. Otherwise, the Senators have not parted with much this summer.
Overall, it has been a complicated offseason for this Senators squad. There has been more drama than necessary as a result of the blockbuster Tkachuk departure. It will be interesting to see how this team performs without their captain; much of the identity of this team ran through him. With that said, this is now a distraction that has been removed from the room and gives new figures a chance to step up and become leaders. Giroux deciding to stick around and mentor this group was an important development for the morale of this club. The Senators chances of remaining in the postseason mix will depend on getting more production from their core players. The Atlantic division looks to be ultra competitive next year as many teams have gotten better, such as Florida and the Toronto Maple Leafs. It will be tough for Ottawa to keep their place in the big dance, especially after the loss of Tkachuk. We’ll see how the team fares without him.
All transactions are available via Puck Pedia.
Ottawa Senators Offseason Recap