Basic supervisor Steve Staios has carried out a very good job enhancing the Ottawa Senators this offseason, and with simply shy of $2 million in cap area, they’ll need to preserve some flexibility in order that they don’t run into mid-season cap and roster administration points. With that being mentioned, they do have the area to signal one participant to a sub-$1 million contract, and so they may look to offer out some skilled tryouts (PTOs) to let a participant earn a contract. Listed here are three gamers who may very well be on the Senators’ radar for PTOs.
Kevin Shattenkirk
There’s a little bit of uncertainty with the fitting aspect of the third pair. With Travis Hamonic’s no-move clause, he’s a lock to be on the roster, however the Senators would ideally prefer to have a greater participant within the lineup than him. Jacob Bernard-Docker is the one to fill the position now, and whereas he was a positive participant final season, they might afford an improve on him too. It was reported that Bernard-Docker was being shopped, however wasn’t traded, so they might have their eye on that place as a necessity for enchancment.
Kevin Shattenkirk was a robust depth defenseman for the Boston Bruins final season, and along with his veteran presence, he may very well be an important asset alongside Tyler Kleven on the third pair. He brings all the issues that make Hamonic valued by way of the expertise within the league and the management, however at this level of their careers, Shattenkirk is extra serviceable. If the Senators may signal him to an affordable deal and have him as an possibility, they’d be in a significantly better place than they’re presently in.
Shattenkirk isn’t a needle-mover at this level, however he can block a variety of pictures and play with a little bit of physicality, his defensive play has been stable, and he can nonetheless contribute offensively as he scored 24 factors in 61 video games final season.
Ryan Carpenter
After a 62-game season with the San Jose Sharks with a while missed as a result of harm, Ryan Carpenter performed some good hockey for the membership. He isn’t a ahead with a lot offensive upside, with a career-high of 18 factors, however he could be a bodily, defensively accountable fourth-line participant for the Senators. Because it stands right now, the fourth line in Ottawa consists of Zack Ostapchuk, Zack MacEwen, and Noah Gregor. Carpenter would definitely be within the combine with these gamers, and certain bump no less than certainly one of them out if he have been underneath contract with the crew.
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He has frolicked as a middle and winger within the league, and with Ostapchuk being a younger rookie and MacEwen being a preventing specialist, having somebody who has confirmed to be a very good defensive heart may very well be engaging for the Senators. In the event that they have been to convey him in on a PTO, he would problem for a kind of spots and on the very least, create some inner competitors.
Sam Gagner
Whereas he is probably not an NHL common on the Senators, having a participant like Sam Gagner can be an important rotational possibility for the membership. He is a good veteran who has carried out a little bit of the whole lot within the league and has been round lengthy sufficient that he is aware of how issues work. With solely 11 playoff video games in his 1043-game profession, he may look to signal with a crew with a greater likelihood at a Stanley Cup, but when he joined the Senators on a PTO, he may add worth to the roster in coaching camp.
Gagner is a good two-way participant to have within the bottom-six. He’s a high-energy participant, and whereas he doesn’t play the position of a depth scorer or a shut-down ahead, he does a little bit of each and brings a dependable recreation. With 10 factors in 28 video games final season, Gagner confirmed that he nonetheless has some left to offer. The Edmonton Oilers had a deep crew, and Gagner fell out of favor with them, however for lots of the identical causes as Carpenter, if the Senators may signal him to an affordable deal, the competitors can be a lot stronger within the bottom-six.
Senators Aren’t Afraid of PTOs
Now, that is the primary offseason with Staios operating issues, however over the previous few seasons, the Senators have given PTOs to gamers like Tyler Ennis, Derrick Brassard, Michael Dal Colle, and Josh Bailey. Two of those turned out nicely, whereas the opposite two didn’t earn a contract. Brassard and Ennis each had good stints in Ottawa after their PTO, and so they may look to copy one thing like that this season.
