The Ottawa Senators may not have much patience if the 2026-27 season starts going sideways.
Life after Brady Tkachuk is supposed to bring better results, but if the club stumbles early, the front office could get aggressive about changing the supporting cast. That means a couple of forwards could find themselves under a fast-moving spotlight.
Andre Burakovsky is one of the names to watch. He arrives in Ottawa carrying expectations, plus a pair of Stanley Cup rings, but his place with the Senators will come down to what he does offensively.
Burakovsky has real top-six skill when he’s healthy, along with a strong shot, but if he doesn’t put up numbers quickly or can’t stay consistent in the top nine, Ottawa could decide to move on. His 10-team no-trade clause gives the Senators some limitations, but not enough to rule out a deal if things turn sour.
Warren Foegele is in a similar spot, though for different reasons. His speed, energy and straight-line style fit Travis Green’s aggressive forecheck, at least on paper.
The problem is that players in that mold usually need to bring some scoring to justify their role, and if that part isn’t there, the value drops fast. In that case, the Senators could explore a trade or even place him on waivers.
Foegele has a five-team no-trade clause, but that still leaves Ottawa room to find another landing spot if he doesn’t settle into the bottom six.
The bigger picture for Ottawa is simple: there are more questions than answers right now. That kind of uncertainty can lead to panic moves, and the Senators will need to avoid that trap. If they want to steady the ship, a roster shakeup could be the quickest way to do it.
In Other News...
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The backdrop makes the urgency even sharper for Canadian teams, with a growing trend of American players asking out and other clubs, like Montreal, weighing their own roster and trade decisions carefully. For Ottawa, the Batherson talks are not just about keeping a useful forward in place. They are also about avoiding a situation where the club is forced to consider a trade path if the sides cannot find common ground in time. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Core Is Running Out Of Time To Prove Itself
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What makes this moment feel more urgent is that the organization is still sorting out what comes next around that core. Batherson is entering the final year of his deal, so his future has become an obvious focal point as the Senators try to keep their main pieces aligned for a push. Off the ice, there is also the longer-running question of the proposed downtown arena, with the club saying fans should get an update in the new year. [Read more 🡒]