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The Ottawa Senators took a big step up the ladder last season and finally made it back to the playoffs after a 7-year absence. The Senators pushed the Toronto Maple Leafs hard in the playoffs, losing two of the games in overtime and extending the series to six games.
Despite the loss, the Senators are clearly moving in the right direction. They have one of the most dynamic players in the league in Brady Tkachuk, and need to make a few moves before they will be able to compete with the elite teams in the league on a consistent basis.
The Senators are likely to be quite active in the offseason. They saw the Montreal Canadiens make a huge trade on Draft Day as they acquired Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders. The Senators will want to make a move that at least compares to the Montreal trade.
They have re-signed veteran center Claude Giroux after lengthy back-and-forth negotiations and they also have completed a trade for defenseman Jordan Spence of the Los Angeles Kings. Spence has four years of experience, but he is not at the level of Dobson. The Senators have to do more.
Senators could use Boeser's scoring
While the Sens clearly could use more blue line help, they also need more scoring. They have been associated with Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks as a potential free agent acquisition, but they know that Boeser will attract a lot of attention.
In addition to the Senators, the Boston Bruins also need more scoring and they are expected to make a run at the Vancouver winger.
It might be worth it to acquire Boeser in the final hours before free agency begins July 1 in a trade. That way they could get a head start on signing him before he hits the market.
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Boeser has demonstrated that he can put the puck in the net on a regular basis. He is coming off a season in which he scored 25 goals and 25 assists in 75 games for the Canucks.
Boeser scored a career-high 40 goals for Vancouver in 2023-24 in addition to 33 assists. He has proven to be a dynamic power play contributor as he had 16 man-advantage goals two years ago and 9 more power play goals last year.
The 6-1, 208-pound Boeser has the size and strength to position himself near the net and score goals by using his size and strength to win the battle for the puck. He also has an excellent snap shot that can easily befuddle opposing goaltenders.
The Senators have a core of solid young players that should allow them to contend in the near future. Tim Stutzle has speed, savvy and an excellent shot, and he scored 24 goals and 79 points to lead the team last season.
Drake Batherson had 26 goals and 42 assists while Brady Tkachuk is the team's best player and leader. He scored 29 goals and 26 assists, but he was not at his best after the 4-Nations Face Off because he sustained a hip injury while playing for Team USA.
The Senators have a top line of Tkachuk, Stutzle and Fabian Zetterlund. If the Senator acquire Boeser, he could fit in on the second line and the first power play unit.
Dylan Cozens centers the second line with Batherson and David Perron. Inserting Boeser into that unit could be a huge move for Ottawa head coach Travis Green.
