After a rough stretch that knocked him off the ice, Otto Hensler is back in the mix at Sens dev camp this week.
Hensler’s season went sideways after he represented the United States at the Christmas-time tournament and came away pointless in five games, with several underwhelming showings along the way. Things only got worse when Wisconsin hit a six-game losing streak and Hensler suffered a nasty injury on the final day of January.
While trying to deliver a hit along the wall, he got tangled with an opposing player and twisted his left knee. A few days later, the team shut him down for the rest of the year and announced he had torn his ACL.
Now, after a lengthy rehab, he’s back on the ice.
Among the players in Ottawa’s system who should be in the NHL picture over the next few years is Kasper Halttunen, listed as a right wing and left wing. He came to Ottawa as part of the deal that sent William Eklund the other way, and he’s a prospect worth watching.
Halttunen brings size at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, and his shot is a weapon. He scored 17 goals in 18 games during London’s run to the OHL championship in 2023-24, then followed that up with 17 goals in 22 games as the Knights went one step further and won the Memorial Cup the next season.
The question now is how long it takes these kinds of players to turn potential into a permanent NHL role.
In Other News...
Senators Could Lose An RFA Forward For Almost Nothing
The Senators may have another roster issue simmering before the next round of contract business even gets fully underway. Elliotte Friedman reported that a restricted free agent forward is looking for a way out of Ottawa because the path to meaningful NHL minutes is not clear, and the club would still hold his rights if he decides to press the issue. For a team trying to manage its forward depth carefully, it is the kind of situation that can turn into a trade conversation quickly, especially when the player in question is still trying to translate strong minor-league production into a more stable NHL role.
There is also the wrinkle of an offer sheet, which would put Ottawa in a different kind of bind depending on how another club structures the deal. The compensation would hinge on the contract value, with the return changing significantly above or below the relevant threshold, so the Senators could be forced to decide whether to match, negotiate a trade, or risk losing the asset for very little. For a front office that already has to balance opportunity, depth and cap planning, it is one more negotiation thread worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Claude Giroux Suddenly Puts Ottawa In A Position Fans Feared
Claude Girouxs future in Ottawa has quietly become one of the more delicate roster questions of the summer. After four seasons with the Senators, he has given them the kind of reliable two-way presence they value, producing at both ends of the ice while fitting into a lineup that still leans on veteran poise. The problem is that what the Senators want from Giroux and what they can realistically fit into the roster are not quite the same thing right now.
Pierre LeBruns report only sharpened the uncertainty around a player Ottawa would clearly like to keep. The Senators remain interested in bringing him back, but depth on the forward group and salary-cap pressure are pushing the conversation into difficult territory. For a team that has already spent years trying to build the right supporting cast, Girouxs situation is a reminder that sometimes the hardest decisions are the ones involving the players who have helped stabilize the room. [Read more 🡒]