The Senators have already made one move with the Maple Leafs this summer, and that alone should keep Toronto on Ottawa’s radar.
Last week, Ottawa landed goalie Samuel Ersson from Toronto in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round pick. The Senators opted not to tender Ersson a qualifying offer, though Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reported that it "would be surprising" if Ersson does not sign with the Senators.
With that deal done, Ottawa should keep poking around in Toronto’s player pool. Two names stand out as possible fits: forward Nick Robertson and defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
Robertson’s future in Toronto has been a question for a while, and the pending restricted free agent did receive a qualifying offer from the Maple Leafs. Still, it remains possible that this is the summer Toronto decides to move him. If he becomes available, Ottawa ought to be in the conversation.
There’s a clear case for why. Robertson is 24, skilled, and coming off a season that pushed his production to new highs.
In 78 games with Toronto, he finished with 16 goals, 16 assists, and 32 points. Those are the kind of numbers that could make him a useful middle-six piece for the Senators.
Ekman-Larsson brings a different kind of value, but the appeal is just as obvious. The 34-year-old defenseman turned in a strong year for Toronto, scoring eight goals and adding 31 assists for 39 points. For a Senators blue line looking for more offense, that kind of production would matter.
He also has the flexibility that coaches love. Ekman-Larsson can play both sides, which gives him a path to top-four minutes if Ottawa used him on the right side. Even if he settled into a third-pair role, he would still give the Senators’ defense a boost as they try to become a real threat next season.
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Maccellis value for the Senators would come less from star power than from versatility, since he can slide into the middle six and give a coach another option to mix into the second or third line. He also brings the kind of puck-moving skill that tends to travel well in a top-nine role, which is exactly why he is the sort of player Ottawa may have to decide whether to chase before the market gets busy. [Read more 🡒]
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The Sabres, for their part, are said to be open to moving him if the return helps them address another need, and that is where the talks get more interesting for Ottawa. Buffalo may be looking for a prospect such as Logan Hensler, a right-shot defenceman from its 2025 draft class, as it tries to strengthen a thin defensive pipeline. It is the kind of framework that can make sense on paper, even if the real challenge is finding the exact price that works for both sides. [Read more 🡒]