Welcome to another edition of NHL Rumours, as we feature the Ottawa Senators. Maybe it was a show of collective group solidarity, as they handed the Pacific Division leading Vegas Golden Knights a 7-1 drubbing last night. This coincided with a, in some ways, season-defining rumour edition from Bruce Garrioch at the first intermission of play on the TSN5 feed. So, let’s dive in and unpack all the juicy details.
NHL Rumours and The Ottawa Senators ’26 Trade Deadline Agenda
Rumour: The main Ottawa Senator insider, Bruce Garrioch, suggested that the Sens have to stick to the status quo, or tow that invisible line.
Analysis: It has been painfully obvious to watch the Sens that their organizational plan has not worked in 2025-26, thus far. Conversely, being this far into the plan, the club doesn’t exactly have a ton of alternatives (to the plan). Moreover, they have even fewer paths that could potentially bring the club the ultimate of successes.
That really is the problem with franchise development in general, you don’t know when your group has hit its peak, until it is in the past, essentially. It happens to everyone. As one example, the Detroit Red Wings franchise. This is a franchise that has existed back to the mid-1920s, when they went by the nickname of the Cougars. Furthermore, between 1991 and 2016, the club made an incredible 25 trips to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in a row. That was quickly followed up by nine years in a row of…misses. Interestingly enough, it does seem like the current Atlantic Division leaders will break that streak this year, but it certainly is not a foregone conclusion.
The point we are trying to make is, that the ultimate club success is not about being Stanley Cup champions in 2027, although that would be cool. The point is, like for any group, that every year they hit a new peak, and just try to improve on the past. That was Ottawa’s goal coming into 2025-26, and really, why would it change?
Credit Image: © Alex Cave/ZUMA Press Wire
The Sens Wants and Needs
In any case, the plan for the Senators in the foreseeable future, is to be buyers. You know, to stick to the plan. They would like either a top-four defenceman or a top-six forward. Well, join the club. Apparently, as Garrioch expressed, the club did kick tires on each of Kiefer Sherwood and Rasmus Andersson before each of them were recently dealt.
Garrioch didn’t go into great detail in terms of options, but you get the idea. Players like Dougie Hamilton and Brock Boeser might fit the description, but the Sens also need to consider the salary cap situation.
They would also love to add a first-round pick based on the depth of this year’s draft class. In contrast, the asking price is likely a roster piece. That is something, at this point specifically, that they are unwilling to sacrifice. On the flip side of the coin, just like the Joshua Norris for Dylan Cozens trade, and as in life, anything can, and likely will happen. As a note, Garrioch doesn’t anticipate the league goes back on its ruling to take a first-round draft pick from the Sens. Of course, this goes back to the Evgenii Dadonov trade under the Pierre Dorion regime, where the club failed to reveal contractual obligations, but here we are.
Just How Can They Make it Happen
Whatever the Sens end up doing, we can also explore who they might potentially look at shipping out. If they are going to try to add assets, or even if they just decide on selling, some pieces have to go out. As Garrioch spun it, it would be mostly the guys that are on expiring contracts, in other words, the anticipated unrestricted free agents. The names Garrioch mentions specifically include Claude Giroux, Lars Eller, David Perron, Nick Cousins, Nick Jensen, or even Mads Sogaard. Maybe not packing the collective eye-popping factor they may have at one stage of their respective careers, but still, reasonable to expect solid return.
Many close observers of the Sens are aware how much blame the goaltenders have received in for this season’s failures. But big picture, there isn’t really any significant to do in this regard. With Linus Ullmark close to a return, and recently signed James Reimer providing veteran leadership, the position should be fine. That is why the main message of today’s rumours, and that is the Sens will stick to the plan.
Main Photo Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports
