How Senators plan to take the next step
The Senators took a good “first step” by reaching the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season. This off-season, Senators GM Steve Staios has some work to do if the team wants to reach another level.
The Ottawa Senators took a good “first step” by reaching the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season.
“Now is the real hard part,” said general manager Steve Staios.
He’s right.
Transforming into a true contender is tough — just ask the Toronto Maple Leafs, who beat the Senators in six games in the first round.
On Monday, Staios and coach Travis Green laid out their vision for how they plan to make a deeper run next season.
Continued internal growth, with most of the Senators’ core under age 25, will be critical.
“I think a lot of our players are in that age group where they still have room to grow as players,” said Green.
If the majority of Ottawa’s young players improve, the Senators should be better. But that alone won’t be enough to take another step.
This off-season will be about adding more talent — and trying to retain at least one key piece, pending UFA Claude Giroux.
“We love (Giroux). We want to have him back,” said Staios.
With $18 million in cap space at Staios’ disposal, it will be fascinating to see how the negotiations go down between both sides. Giroux is from Ottawa, but is 37 years old. Perhaps the Senators will want Giroux to take a hometown discount, but what if that doesn’t go over well with the forward?
If he leaves, Ottawa will have another massive hole to fill for a team that finished 18th in goals for in the regular season.
“Everybody’s looking for a top-six scorer,” said Staios.
One player the Senators hope becomes a top-six forward is Fabian Zetterlund, 25, who was acquired at the trade deadline. A pending RFA, Zetterlund collected only two goals in 20 games in Ottawa.
“We think he’s a good fit for our group,” Staios said. “So we’re excited about his potential and the upside.”
You’d imagine the Senators want to sign Zetterlund to a long-term contract. Zetterlund has scored 43 goals in the last two seasons, but was pointless in the playoffs. It would be a big bet from Staios.
Another soon-to-be RFA that stood out in the playoffs was Tyler Kleven, who showcased physicality, poise and defensive acumen. Interestingly, both Staios and Green mentioned how Kleven wasn’t prepared to begin the season.
“Tyler Kleven showed kind of two sides,” said Green. “I didn’t think that he put the work in to come into camp to have the best camp that he could last year. You hope that he’s learned from it.”
The Senators could try to sign Kleven, 23, to a bridge deal or a long-term contract.
Speaking of defenceman, Staios wouldn’t rule out surgery as a possibility for Nick Jensen this off-season. If Jensen misses time to begin the season, it might be Carter Yakemchuk time.
“That’ll be up to him,” said Staios about how close the Calgary Hitmen blue-liner is to playing in the NHL.
“If he’s ready to play and pushes us, we’ll be open to that.”
Regardless, if Jensen’s injury is serious, it might put the onus on Staios to add a defenceman.
Unlike last summer when the priority for Staios was to acquire a No. 1 goaltender, which he did by bringing Linus Ullmark to Ottawa, this off-season is about figuring out the backup role. Anton Forsberg is a free agent and is a close friend of Ullmark, but youngster Leevi Merilainen stood out with the Senators in his short stint, earning three shutouts in 12 games.
“Took a big step this year,” said Staios about Merilainen. “He gave us some good games. And I think what impressed us most was that the moment wasn’t too big for him.”
But it doesn’t sound like Staios is rushing Forsberg out the door either.
One of the biggest problems for Staios will be the team’s draft situation. The NHL punished the Senators for a botched 2021 Evgeni Dadonov trade by forcing them to forfeit either their first-round pick in 2025 or 2026.
The Senators have the 21st-overall pick in 2025, and Staios said it’s “highly likely” the team will maintain that selection.
Whatever the case, the Senators are determined to bolster their NHL roster this off-season.
“It’ll be good to have some cap space,” said Staios. “That flexibility is important. How we use it, we’ll figure that out.”
Adams’ apples
Green addressed the two major areas where the Senators struggled this season — five-on-five scoring and the penalty kill.
Ottawa had trouble producing offence in the playoffs and finished second-last in five-on-five goals during the regular season.
Green said he wants to emphasize improving five-on-five play next season.
“It’s easier said than done just to score five on five, but I do think it’s an area that we can improve in,” said Green.
“Call it puck luck, call it whatever you want. The puck just didn’t go in the net for some of our players when they had looks to score as well.”
Meanwhile, Green acknowledged the penalty-kill issues that led to Ottawa finishing 19th in the statistic in the regular season while having a putrid 64.7 per-cent success rate in the playoffs.
“We’re going to do a deep dive in all parts of our game — penalty kill being one of them,” said Green.
