The Ottawa Senators enter Wednesday last in the Atlantic Division, but they sit just six points back of the second Wild-Card spot.

As TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported on Tuesday’s edition of Insider Trading, team president and general manager Steve Staios is using the next stretch of games to evaluate what his approach should be leading up to the March 6 trade deadline.

The Sens have struggled to follow an impressive 97-point season from a year ago in 2025-26, but remain a hot stretch away from getting back into the playoff picture with nearly half their regular-season schedule remaining.

“Yeah, I would say seven to 10 games. That’s the mark that I think Steve Staios, the general manager of the Ottawa Senators, is looking at. Now, there was a bit of news made on Monday night with Staios visiting Montreal to watch the Canadiens and the Vancouver Canucks. But really, that’s more about opportunity, right?” Dreger said.

“You know, Staios and most Eastern Division teams don’t have a ton of opportunity to scout the Western Conference teams, and in this case pre-scouting because Vancouver and Ottawa are playing.”

The Sens defeated the Canucks 2-1 Tuesday night, with goaltender Leevi Merilainen stopping 19 of 20 shots.

Dreger also detailed a name the Sens could be looking at if they decide to buy ahead of the deadline – a name that has out there recently in trade rumours.

“But Staios is going to use the next seven to 10 games to gauge how aggressive he can and should be. I mean, I look at Kiefer Sherwood, who’s a pending unrestricted free agent for the Vancouver Canucks. I see a fit with the Ottawa Senators, but first the Sens have to start climbing back into the playoff conversation before the GM gets that aggressive,” Dreger said.

Sherwood did not play Tuesday night due to an undisclosed injury and has missed Vancouver’s last two games. He has 17 goals and six assists for 23 points in 44 games this season while averaging 17:32 of ice time per game.

Sherwood is finishing up the final year of a two-year, $3 million deal that pays him $1.5 million annually.

In November, Canucks management sent a memo to other NHL general managers saying they were willing to deal their pending unrestricted free agents, which includes Sherwood, along with Evander Kane and Teddy Blueger.

Blueger has missed most of the season with a lower-body injury, while Kane has seven goals and 21 points in 45 games.