Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer began his media availability at the team’s alumni charity golf tournament on Friday morning by crossing the putting green and literally clicking his heels together to greet reporters.

The gesture felt symbolic — a light moment reflecting the strides the organization believes it has made in Andlauer’s second season at the helm.

“I think we’re in a better position than we were last year at off-season from a hockey front,” he told reporters.

But before any questions were asked, Andlauer began his availability with a staunch denial that Senators forward Drake Batherson may be on the trade block.

“It’s not right,” he said.

“There’s no truth to that,” general manager Steve Staios later added, saying he’d spoken to Batherson to reassure him.

It was one of many updates that Andlauer and Staios gave at the Canadian Golf & Country Club just outside of Stittsville. 

Among them was the status of negotiations with pending free agents Claude Giroux and Fabian Zetterlund. The former is a UFA, while the latter is an RFA.

“We continue to talk. I think the dialogue is ongoing,” Staios said. “You speak to the representative, you want to find what’s fair and it takes two sides.”

The general manager was asked if he could say definitively if any UFAs wouldn’t be returning, but he said the team is still working through negotiations. 

However, he did offer a glimpse into the team’s salary cap strategy, saying the team most likely won’t be spending to the cap ceiling ahead of next season.

“It’s probably not going to be up there and we’ll leave ourselves a little bit,” Staios said. “You got to remember, when I first got here, we had no room and it’s nice to be able to create some flexibility, lengthen the roster, lengthen the lineup and give ourselves some options.”

As for defenceman Nick Jensen, who underwent hip surgery in May, Staios said he is “doing very well.”

He didn’t have a specific timeline for his return, but said the 34-year-old could likely “expedite his return” with his rehabilitation.

“I don’t really have a timeline on it, but it certainly is something that I think we were hoping that he could get through.”

Jensen played through injury for much of the 2024-25 season, performing effectively in a top-four role. Tyler Kleven’s recent signing of a two-year, $3.2-million deal helps solidify the team’s depth on the back end.

With the draft approaching and the NHL scouting combine in the rearview mirror, both Andlauer and Staios spoke to the importance of player development and their American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville. Staios said recently hired general manager Matt Turek will also be performing duties typical of the associate general manager role, formerly held by Ryan Bowness, who was relieved of his position last month.

“We’ve spoken a lot about the importance of the American Hockey League in Belleville and I do think there’s room for improvement there,” Staios said. “And so Matt’s going to lead that. He’s managed in the Ontario Hockey League, had success as a manager, and his full focus is there, among some other things.”

Andlauer said being a small-market team, Ottawa is at a disadvantage when it comes to revenues and therefore competing for talent, but Belleville can help even the scales.

“We did well in the playoffs with our gate, but some teams did two-and-a-half times more revenue than we did. So it gives you a perspective of where we fit in. I’m OK with that, I think we’ll be competitive,” he said. “I think that’s why Belleville is such an important piece of ensuring that we we we draft well and we develop properly — so we have the advantage of having great players at an entry level salary. But that’s a process, and it takes time.”

With the Senators holding the 21st-overall selection in this year’s draft and (likely) lacking a first-round selection for next year, Staios said the club is “pretty much open to anything,” including moving this year’s pick. 

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Even so, Andlauer still is protesting for next year’s choice, which the Senators were forced to surrender for their role in the July 2021 trade of Evgenii Dadonov to the Vegas Golden Knights.

“I said I was gonna go on my knees and plead for forgiveness … even though it was never on my watch,” the owner said. “And I’ll keep on reiterating that.

“At the end of day, just be a good citizen and do right for our club, but also do what’s right for the NHL.”

Andlauer also spoke about the Senators’ intentions to build a new downtown arena at LeBreton Flats. 

“It’s moving forward,” he said. “I don’t know at what pace … but we’re not moving back with this.”

Andlauer didn’t have any specifics to give on the club’s talks with the National Capital Commission. In March, Senators president Cyril Leeder said the team is prepared to stay at Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata for at least five more years.