The Ottawa Senators may have largely settled into their summer plans, but there’s still a path to squeeze more value out of the open market. General manager Steve Staios has made it clear the club is comfortable with its current group, and the notable additions have already been made with William Eklund, Samuel Ersson, and Andre Burakovsky. Even so, if Ottawa wants to explore a professional tryout, there are a few unrestricted free agents who fit the conversation.
John Klingberg is one name that stands out because he checks a couple of boxes the Senators have reportedly been looking to fill: a top-six forward and a right-shot defenceman. Klingberg is the latter, an offence-first blue-liner who could work on the bottom pair.
That kind of move would make sense if Ottawa thinks Carter Yakemchuk isn’t ready for an NHL roster spot and Nik Matinpalo won’t bring much offence. Klingberg put up 27 points in 56 games last season with the San Jose Sharks, and a PTO would give the Senators a simple way to see whether he can click with Tyler Kleven.
Eeli Tolvanen is another intriguing option, and it’s fair to wonder why the 27-year-old is still sitting in free agency. He’s still young enough to matter, he produces consistently, and his defensive numbers are solid.
Last season, he scored 12 goals and finished with 36 points. He may not be a guaranteed top-six answer, but there’s enough upside there for Ottawa to take a look and give him a real shot in that role during a tryout.
Then there’s Vladimir Tarasenko, and a reunion wouldn’t be hard to imagine. He already spent 2023-24 with the Senators and finished with 41 points in 57 games.
Last season with the Minnesota Wild, he produced 47 points in 75 games, with 23 goals. His shot has always been his calling card, and he showed in Ottawa and again last year that it still plays.
If both sides are open to it, Tarasenko could be the kind of familiar fit the Senators consider bringing back.
In Other News...
Senators Downtown Arena Dream Comes With One Huge Wait
The Senators long-awaited downtown arena plan at LeBreton Flats has finally moved beyond the wish list, with the club and the National Capital Commission striking a deal to make the site the future home of the franchise. It is the kind of milestone Ottawa fans have been waiting on for years, a step that gives real shape to the idea of bringing the team closer to the city core and away from the uncertainty that has hung over the project for so long.
Still, the path from agreement to opening day is anything but short. The land comes with a major cleanup job before any real construction can begin, and Senators president and CEO Cyril Leeder said the club is still in the due-diligence phase while hoping to have a firmer timeline in the coming year. Even with momentum on their side, this is the sort of project that asks for patience, and plenty of it, before the first puck can ever drop in a new downtown home. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Prospect Adam Nemec Faces One Question Ottawa Cant Ignore
Adam Nemec has already given Ottawa something worth tracking after the Senators used the 72nd pick on him in the 2026 NHL draft. The Slovak forward arrived with a fairly uncommon path for a young prospect, having played in the Slovak league before jumping to the OHL, where his game with the Sudbury Wolves helped push him onto Ottawas radar.
The appeal is clear enough: he looks like a safe pick with some upside if his skill translates the way the Senators hope. The question is what kind of scorer he really is after producing at such a different level and in such a different role, because scouts are still trying to sort out how much of the offensive burst is sustainable and how much of it came from circumstances that may not carry over. [Read more 🡒]
Jake Sanderson Is Forcing A Bigger Debate About Ottawas Ceiling
Jake Sandersons rise has become impossible to ignore, and NHL Networks latest ranking only sharpened the conversation around where Ottawas blue line stands now and where it can go. Landing eighth among defensemen in the league, ahead of Moritz Seider, reflects how quickly Sanderson has gone from promising piece to one of the more respected young all-around defenders in hockey, with his steady defensive game and maturity already earning him a bigger profile.
For Ottawa, the larger question is what happens when his offense catches up to the rest of his toolkit. Sanderson was slowed by injuries last season, which kept the full picture from forming, but the sense around him is that there is another level available if his production climbs. If that comes together, the Senators would not just have a top defenseman, they would have a legitimate Norris Trophy candidate, and a sign that their ceiling may be higher than many have assumed. [Read more 🡒]