The Ottawa Senators are one point out of a playoff spot in a very tight race from top to bottom in the Eastern Conference. They got over the hump and finally got into the playoffs last season, so this is a season where they feel like they have to build off of that. The team is pretty strong, having to deal with injuries to Brady Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot, most notably, but they are set for a stronger second half.
With that being said, additions are needed to bolster the team. David Pagnotta said, “This is another team that would like to add. Second line caliber player is kind of what the Senators are looking for. Kiefer Sherwood, Brayden Schenn, these are a couple of the players they’ve been kind of eyeing.”
The Senators have $4.7 million in cap space this season, so whether it’s a pending UFA that the team looks to bring in or someone with a little bit of term left, both should help them more than a couple of depth pieces that have been playing for them.
Sherwood emerged onto the scene in 2023-24 for the Nashville Predators, but then left as a free agent to the Vancouver Canucks where he broke out, scoring 19 goals and 40 points last season. He has increased his ice time per game by 2.5 minutes and has already put up 16 goals for the Canucks, along with 164 hits in just 36 games. Sherwood set the NHL record for the most hits in a season in 2024-25 with 462. He still hits everything he can, but he is a little more focused on producing offense as well this season as the Canucks really need it. With a $1.5 million AAV cap hit and being a UFA after the season, plenty of teams want Sherwood, not just the Senators.As for Schenn, less teams want and can afford him, but they would be getting term and a leader if a team were to trade for the St. Louis Blues captain. His offense isn’t as prominent as it was last season, but everybody on the Blues is struggling, so we have to take his worse season more lightly than normal. Schenn has two more years left on his deal at $6.5 million AAV, so the Senators would have to get the Blues to retain some salary or take money back in a deal. He is great in the faceoff circle this season and is physical as well, plus he can play center. At a lower cap hit, Schenn would be a strong fit on the Senators with less of a price tag and with less teams also vying for him.
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