Now that Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk has had to watch his brother, Matthew, hoist the Stanley Cup in the Sunshine State for the second year in a row, it’s time to assess what GM Steve Staios had done over the past week to get Brady out of the backseat of that Hyundai Palisade.
1) Familiarity Breeds Growth
Coming out of the draft and the free agent frenzy, the Senators bid adieu to former regulars, Anton Forsberg, Travis Hamonic and Adam Gaudette. They extended Leevi Merilainen, traded for Jordan Spence and signed Lars Eller to be their replacements. GM Steve Staios also described deadline acquisitions Dylan Cozens and Fabian Zetterlund as being part of the team's overall roster improvements for this fall.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss the Senators acquiring Jordan Spence from the LA Kings.
Depth pieces continue to be added, like former LA Kings forward Arthur Kaliyev and Washington Capitals minor league goalie Hunter Shepard.
It would seem, at first glance, that Staios believes that the roster that bowed out in six to the Toronto Maple Leafs in round one is closer to making a push than Sens Nation might have thought.
By leaving nearly $4.3 million in unspent cap heading into the season, fans might also conclude that Staios believes the Senators will be buyers at the trade deadline and wants to be able to take on salary without sacrificing draft capital.
Looking around the Atlantic, the Senators may now be able to challenge the Leafs in a playoff matchup. But with the Florida Panthers retaining almost all of their key personnel, it remains to be seen if the Senators can challenge the two-time defending champs.
2) Right Side Defense Depth
In addition to being a former right shot defenseman in the NHL, Staios seems to have put a premium on stocking that side of the cupboard with several moves in recent weeks.
The first move was to bring back 2019 first-rounder Lassi Thomson on a one-year, two-way contract at the league minimum. Thomson led the Malmo RedHawks in scoring last year in the Swedish Elite League, and perhaps he found his mojo in Europe.
The move at the draft to trade down and acquire Logan Hensler out of Wisconsin is Staios’ second year in a row investing a first-round pick in an RHD. Coincidence? Perhaps. However, when you throw Jordan Spence into the mix, a player who is ready to play now, it does give pause for thought.
What is Staios preparing for?
Clearly, Staios values being deep on the right side – both now and in the future. This side of the aisle has been a vulnerability in the past.
But Staios may also be worried about the viability of Nick Jensen for next season. Jensen is non-committal about his timeline for return after a reported hip surgery in May. This stockpiling of right-shot defensemen may be more than just depth. Staios may be preparing for the LTIR eventuality should Jensen’s recovery drift into the season, or worse, not go as planned.
Will this bridge the gap between the Senators and the elites of the East? This seems unlikely, but it appears that Staios is banking on his existing core taking a huge step forward this coming season.
3) Wiser, Not Older
By retaining the services of Claude Giroux, beloved assistant captain and mentor to Brady Tkachuk, this may be the strongest message that Staios could send to his dressing room and his fan base.
When you add Lars Eller to the mix, the Senators will now boast three players 36 years of age or older. Two of them are former Cup winners in Perron and Eller. So Staios obviously believes that experience makes a huge difference in the room and on the ice.
Giroux believes it as well. Financially, he could have done better elsewhere had he wanted to, and he seems prepared to negotiate one year at a time to earn his keep. He may love Ottawa, but he's not staying if he doesn't believe in the group.
But is this enough to get Brady out of the backseat? Will he just be a spectator at another Cup celebration in Sunrise, or does he believe, as Staios and Giroux do, that the Senators are ready to be contenders, not pretenders?
Again, this remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: The Senators and their core will have to take a huge step forward, because the Panthers may be a dynasty in the making.
By Pat Maguire
The Hockey News/Ottawa
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