The Ottawa Senators may not be the loudest team in the Chris Kreider sweepstakes, but they have a case to make.
With the Anaheim Ducks trying to clear room to get Cutter Gauthier signed, Kreider has been placed on unconditional waivers. That move opens up $6.5 million in cap space for Anaheim and sends the 35-year-old winger looking for a new home, with his preference being a return to the East to be closer to his family.
That immediately puts a veteran scorer on the market. Kreider put up 22 goals and 50 points in 75 games for the Ducks last season, production that should draw attention from plenty of teams. Ottawa, at the very least, fits the profile of a club that should be checking in.
The Senators can make the money work
Cap space is the first reason Ottawa belongs in the conversation. The Senators currently have a little more than $4 million available, but that number could climb to about $7.2 million if players like Stephen Halliday, Nikolas Matinpalo, and even goalie Leevi Merilainen are sent down to Belleville.
That would give Ottawa enough flexibility to bring Kreider in, especially since he has already received his bonus from the Ducks this summer. A contract in the $4 million to $5 million range would make sense for him at this stage, and it would still leave the Senators room to handle call-ups or add more help if needed.
He also wouldn’t be a cap headache. He’d fit under the ceiling cleanly and give the team a veteran body without forcing them into financial gymnastics.
He would fit the role, too
The fit on the ice is just as straightforward. A 50-point winger is exactly the kind of piece that can help a team trying to get over the hump in the postseason. Kreider could slide into a second-line job right away, which would push Ridly Greig down to the third line, though the two could rotate depending on performance and need.
Kreider has built his career around a physical, power-forward style, though that edge has softened a bit in recent years as the miles have piled up. Even so, he still offers the kind of durability that lets a team count on him for close to a full season.
He’d also bring a useful blend of scoring and playmaking. One appealing option would be placing him with Shane Pinto and Claude Giroux, giving Ottawa a pair of wingers who could help drive more consistency from Pinto, who is now earning $7.5 million a season and is expected to produce like it.
The size factor matters, too. Kreider stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 232 pounds, which lines up well with Ottawa’s roster profile.
The Senators average just over 6-foot-1 in height and around 204 pounds in weight, and head coach Travis Green clearly has a type. Kreider checks that box physically while also bringing the production the team would want.
For Ottawa, the appeal is obvious: a top-six role, a workable contract, and a chance to join a team still trending upward. If Kreider is open to a move north of the border, the Senators should absolutely be on the list.
In Other News...
Oilers Get An Early Sign Of How Babcock May Change The Room
The early stretch of a new coaching era in Edmonton has already offered a glimpse of how Mike Babcock wants to operate, with Leon Draisaitl saying he has appreciated the coachs direct communication style. For a team trying to reset its standards quickly, that kind of clarity can matter just as much as any systems tweak, and it is the sort of detail players tend to notice before the results start to sort themselves out.
Around the league, the ripple effects of roster maneuvering are still being felt, from Columbus' reported push for a roster player in any Kirill Marchenko deal to Ottawas quiet place in the mix on the winger front. With Chris Kreider suddenly available after Anaheim moved him onto unconditional waivers, the Senators are among the clubs watching closely if he is open to heading north, which could make the next phase of this market a lot more interesting. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Fans Finally Get An Early Look At Intriguing New Prospects
Jaxon Cover is about to give Senators fans an early look at one of the organizations more intriguing new additions, with the 32nd overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft slated to appear in upcoming games against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. The London Knights Mark Hunter has already pointed to Covers potential, which adds another layer of curiosity around a player Ottawa is bringing along with real long-term upside.
Cover is part of a wider batch of fresh names drawing attention around the Senators, too. Ottawa also signed forward Bakke Olsen to a one-year entry-level contract and added Halttunen in a trade with the San Jose Sharks, giving the fan base a few new prospects to track as the season moves forward and the organization starts to show more of its next wave. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Camp Suddenly Centers On One Huge Post Tkachuk Decision
Brady Tkachuks departure in June left a significant void in Ottawa, and now that training camp is approaching, the Senators are facing one of the first big questions of their new era: who steps into the leadership role that came with him? The club brought in William Eklund from San Jose and still believes it can push into the playoff conversation, but the loss of a franchise centerpiece has made the captaincy decision one of the most closely watched items on the agenda.
Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot and Tim Stutzle are among the names being considered as Ottawa sorts through its next step, a choice that carries more weight than a simple title. The Senators want to establish a new identity quickly, and with camp set to open, the organization is still working through how best to replace not just Tkachuks production, but the presence he brought every night. [Read more 🡒]