It’s time for another set of NHL rumours from the mill. The Senators are a team in disarray and looking for a shakeup, hence, all the trade talk. It seems every other day we hear another name or rumour pop up. Here we try to provide some insight and figure out what it all means for the Ottawa Senators.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL: Rumours Ottawa Senators
Rumours: TSN List of Top Available Trade Targets Lists Both Vladimir Tarasenko and Dominik Kubalik. Also, Elliotte Friedman tries to cut through the noise and provide clarity on the direction of his intentions.
Analysis: In terms of TSN’s list, both Tarasenko and Kubalik do make sense to trade. Tarasenko came to Ottawa on a one-year, $5 million deal. Therefore, his remaining cap hit for the season makes sense for a team to take on. Alternatively, Ottawa would like to get an asset for him before possibly losing him in the summer to free agency. Tarasenko is an interesting subject. He would provide a lot of the intangibles that Staios would indeed be searching for in a player. Tarasenko won a cup, can put the puck in the net consistently, and has performed well in a secondary scoring role thus far for the Sens. Sometimes it is better to look within, this might be a situation.Kubalik is also a viable trade option. Now, his performance is nothing like Tarasenko’s but he does make half the money. However, Kubalik can score at the NHL level. He could very well hit 20 this year and hit 30 in his rookie campaign in 2019-20.
Navigating the NHL Rumours Can be a Tricky Path
Monday morning 32 Thoughts news, information & interview podcast. Today’s guest is Nathan MacKinnon. Excellent answers to awful questions. Links to your preferred platform here, enjoy!https://t.co/io7Mr1QEpm
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 15, 2024
Now on to Friedman’s comments which try to provide clarity. The idea is that everyone, Staios and his trade partners, are trying to gauge the market. Furthermore, it is clear that the Senators have a group considered untouchables. For example, Friedman quickly named off Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, or Jake Sanderson, but added, there are others in this subset. He said there have been murmurs of someone like Jakob Chychrun, but Friedman does not believe Staios has the desire to rush into such a major move.
He goes on to remind listeners that Staios, and the rest of the management staff, are new to their respective roles. The Senators front office need to research who the other teams want. Likewise, all the general managers around the league want to know what they want to do. Friedman makes an interesting point as well regarding the life cycle of NHL managers. Did Pierre Dorion leave detailed notes for the incoming management regime, and if so, are they still relevant?
So, that is to say, there does not appear to be any reference to specific targets. The takeaway is that Staios is just talking. He wants to reach out to fellow general managers to have discussions. Additionally, and just as important, have internal discussions, to figure out targets and available pieces.
In Sens News, They Have a New Goaltender Coach
News Release: The #Sens have promoted Justin Peters from @BellevilleSens to the role of #Sens goaltending coach after re-assigning Zac Bierk to a scouting and development position: https://t.co/KFN74I0BKX pic.twitter.com/QoH3ZBHbvO
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) January 15, 2024
A quick news note, the Senators continue their off-ice re-alignment. The Ottawa Senators have a new goaltender coach. Justin Peters was promoted from his role with the Belleville Senators. Fortunately, no need to feel bad for the previous goalie coach. Zac Bierk has been given a new role in scouting and development.
Peters has been in that role with Belleville since February 2021. Moreover, he was a long-time professional goalie, before being hired by Belleville. His pro career spanned from 2006 in the AHL to wrapping up in 2020 in Czechia. He appeared in 83 NHL games along the way, 68 of those with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Main photo: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports
