In a press release by the Ottawa Senators released tonight by the team announced that they have acquired centre Derek Stepan from the Arizona Coyotes. Last season for the Coyotes, the veteran centre notched 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points in 70 games. The Coyotes receive a second-round draft pick in return.
Senators Acquire Derek Stepan
Stepan had himself a below-average season in relation to his career. Two seasons ago he was on pace to reach 39 points, a career-low. This past season he was on pace to have fewer points than that, with an 82 game point pace of 32. At the dot, he was consistent with his previous seasons at 47% win rate, just under half. The former New York Rangers second-round pick in the 2008 NHL entry draft has played three seasons for the Coyotes. Over the course of his 224 games in the desert, he has scored 39 goals and 80 assists for 119 points. Interring his 11th season in the league, he has appeared in 739 games. In that time period, he’s scored 167 goals and 312 assists for 479 career points.
How This Affects the Future
This season for the Senators is slated to be a turn for the better in their rebuilding process. They have plenty of young talent that needs the NHL minutes and reps to jump to the next level in their career development. It is a little weird for the team to bring in a depth, veteran forward to the team. They were expected to use a variety of their younger talent that they have drafted for this season. However, this doesn’t seem to be the case. Taking a look at their forwards there seems to be a different picture.
During the offseason, they acquired former Florida Panthers forward Evgenii Dadonov, a 31-year-old winger. They also acquired Austin Watson, another veteran winger. Neither player are particularly bad. It’s quite the opposite, both are great forwards in their own regard. But for a team who wants to develop their younger players, bringing in that many depth forwards is a strange move. Perhaps the team thinks, considering the division realignment for this season, they can make a push for a playoff spot.
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