The Ottawa Senators have already had a busy offseason, but their work may not be finished.
After dealing former captain Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers and adding William Eklund, Andre Burakovsky, and Samuel Ersson, the roster still has one obvious hole: another winger who can score.
That is why Patrik Laine makes sense as a name to watch. He is still sitting in unrestricted free agency after an injury-shortened run with the Montreal Canadiens, and that situation points toward a one-year, prove-it contract rather than anything longer or richer. For a Senators team looking for more finishing ability up front, he looks like a worthwhile swing.
Laine’s recent numbers still carry weight. In 2024-25 with Montreal, he scored 20 goals and finished with 33 points in 52 games.
Before that, he put up 52 points in 55 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022-23, and the season before that he had 26 goals and 56 points in 56 games. When a player has shown that kind of scoring touch, it is easy to see why a team in need of another sniper would at least consider the gamble.
If Ottawa were to make the move, there are a couple of ways Laine could fit into the lineup. He could slide onto the second line alongside Dylan Cozens and Drake Batherson, or he could land on the third line with Shane Pinto and Michael Amadio. Either way, the Senators would be adding another offensive threat to the middle six, assuming he stays healthy.
He would also bring immediate power-play value. Laine, the 2016 second-overall pick, has always been dangerous with the extra man, and that was on display again in Montreal last season, when 15 of his 20 goals came on the power play.
Whether Ottawa actually takes the plunge remains to be seen, but the fit is there.
In Other News...
Senators May Have Found The Top Six Scorer Fans Want Beside Stutzle
The Senators have been searching for another legitimate top-six scorer to pair with Tim Stutzle, and a fresh trade idea has put Seattle in the conversation. Jared McCann is entering the final year of his contract, and his situation is the kind that can draw attention quickly when a team is weighing whether to stay competitive or start reshaping the roster.
Seattle is reportedly evaluating its direction and could be open to moving established pieces if it means adding prospects and retooling for the future. McCann also carries a modified no-trade clause, which adds another layer to any potential deal, but Ottawas interest suggests the market could get interesting if the Kraken decide to listen more seriously. [Read more 🡒]
Brady Tkachuk Is Headed For One Brutal Panthers Road Game
Brady Tkachuks next trip through Ottawa is already shaping up as one of those nights that will hang over the Senators schedule long before puck drop. The former captain, now with Florida, has plenty of history with the fan base, and the backdrop to his departure still makes this a far more charged return than a routine road game.
Tkachuks trade request last June left a sour taste in Ottawa, especially the way the situation played out publicly, and that tension figures to be front and center when he comes back. Senators fans are expected to make their feelings known, turning the matchup into a loud, emotional test for a player who once represented the franchises future. [Read more 🡒]