The Ottawa Senators have made it clear they’re looking for upside, and Shane Wright looks like the kind of swing that fits the plan.
Last week, it was reported that the Seattle Kraken forward has requested a trade. That alone puts him on the radar, but the bigger reason he stands out is the profile that still follows him. Wright was the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, and Hockey Canada granted him exceptional status at 15, allowing him to play in the OHL.
The production hasn’t matched the billing yet. Wright managed just 27 points last season, and that kind of output has likely dragged down his trade value.
For Seattle, which appears to be heading toward a full rebuild and trying to collect future assets, that makes the negotiation landscape tricky. For another team, though, it creates a classic buy-low opening.
That’s where Ottawa comes in.
When Wright is on his game, he brings speed, skill and a knack for finding the right spots on the ice. He can set up a dangerous pass or beat a goalie with a shot that’s described as highly accurate. He also uses his edges well to get to the net and generate chances.
The Senators have done this before. Kyle Turris is the obvious example of a player Ottawa identified as needing a different setting. The club paid a fair price, and Turris went on to become an excellent two-way, point-producing centre.
Wright carries some of that same appeal, even if he’s listed as a centre. Ottawa could ease him in on the wing and still let him take faceoffs from time to time while he keeps developing that part of his game.
For general manager Steve Staios, it would be another bet on a young player with upside. He has already added several high-upside names recently, including Samuel Ersson and Andre Burakovsky, even though both have had recent struggles.
And because Wright’s value is still tied more to his draft status and the flashes he’s shown than to the numbers he’s put up, the price may not be steep. A second- or third-round pick, plus a prospect such as Blake Montgomery or the more NHL-ready Jorian Donovan, could be enough to get something done.
In Other News...
Senators Still Have One Major Problem Up Front This Summer
Ottawa entered the summer with Steve Staios making it clear he did not want the roster to take a step back, but the early look at the lineup suggests that is exactly the concern hanging over the Senators. The Brady Tkachuk departure left a hole that has not been fully filled, even after the club added William Eklund and a package of draft picks in the trade, and the front office has at least tried to steady things by bringing Claude Giroux back for leadership and depth.
Still, the bigger issue is up front, where Ottawa looks short on the kind of top-six help that can keep the group from feeling thinner than it did a year ago. Cap constraints are part of the problem, and the Senators also have a major decision looming with Drake Batherson as he moves toward unrestricted free agency, leaving the club with one more pressing question than answers as the offseason moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Just Took An Intriguing Step With Xavier Bourgault
The Senators have locked in another young forward for the coming season, agreeing to a one-year, two-way deal with Xavier Bourgault that carries an NHL salary of $850,000 and a minor-league salary of $265,000. The move gives Ottawa a bit more clarity around a player who has been on the organizations radar for his development path, and it comes after Bourgaults camp had already filed for arbitration.
Bourgault, a 2021 first-round pick by the Edmonton Oilers, also got a brief look in the NHL this season while continuing to turn heads in the AHL. For Ottawa, the contract keeps a promising forward in the fold on manageable terms, but it also leaves the bigger question of how quickly he can turn that momentum into a more permanent role at the top level. [Read more 🡒]