The Ottawa Senators are trying to lock up newly acquired goaltender Samuel Ersson after passing on his qualifying offer, according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia.
Ottawa picked up Ersson’s rights in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs last week, sending a fifth-round pick the other way. Garrioch said he would be surprised if the Senators and Ersson don’t reach a deal, but the sense is Ottawa wants to come in below the $1.6 million qualifying offer he was set to receive. Because he wasn’t qualified, Ersson would also have been eligible for arbitration.
Ersson, 26, was originally acquired by Toronto on June 16 in a deal with the Philadelphia Flyers that also brought in defenceman Emil Andrae and a draft pick in exchange for goalie Joseph Woll and defenceman Simon Benoit.
If Ottawa gets this done, Ersson should be in the mix to back up Linus Ullmark next season. Last year, Leevi Merilainen and James Reimer shared that job for most of the campaign. Reimer is now a pending unrestricted free agent at 38, while Merilainen was qualified as a restricted free agent.
The 6-foot-3 Ersson played to a 14-11-5 record last season with Philadelphia, posting a 3.12 goals-against average and an .860 save percentage. He’s coming off a two-year, $2.9 million contract with a $1.45 million cap hit.
Minnesota is dealing with a similar situation with Bobby Brink. Michael Russo of The Athletic reports the Wild also chose not to issue a qualifying offer to the forward, even though he was due $1.5 million, because of the possibility he could have been awarded $4 million in arbitration.
Russo says the Wild and Brink’s agent, Ben Hankinson, are still talking about a new contract, but if nothing gets done before Wednesday, Brink could hit the open market.
Cap space is part of the equation in Minnesota. The Wild have $9.4 million available and still need to fill four roster spots, so Brink could end up being the odd man out.
Brink, 24, joined Minnesota at the trade deadline from the Philadelphia Flyers in a deal for prospect David Jiricek. He finished with two goals and four points in 13 games for the Wild, giving him 15 goals and 30 points in 68 games overall. He also added one assist in four playoff games.
A second-round pick by Philadelphia in 2019, Brink has 38 goals and 98 points in 214 career NHL games.
In Other News...
Flyers Suddenly Face A Claude Giroux Decision That Feels Bigger Than Nostalgia
Claude Girouxs next move is starting to matter again in Philadelphia, not because the Flyers have forgotten what he meant to the franchise, but because his career has reached the kind of offseason that forces old questions back into the room. Since being traded in 2022, Giroux has played for Florida and Ottawa, and the possibility that he could be available down the line has naturally revived the thought of a reunion with the only NHL team many fans still associate him with.
For the Flyers, the appeal goes beyond sentiment. A return would be judged against roster fit, role and timing, not just nostalgia, and that makes the conversation more complicated than a simple homecoming pitch. Giroux has remained productive into his late 30s, and if free agency opens the door, Philadelphia would at least have to decide whether this is the right moment to revisit a familiar face or let the past stay where it is. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Suddenly Have A Bobby Brink Question Nobody Saw Coming
Bobby Brinks move to Minnesota has already turned into one of those NHL stories that could boomerang quickly, and the Flyers are suddenly in a position where patience might matter as much as the original trade. Philadelphia dealt Brink for David Jiricek, but Brink is now nearing free agency, and the Flyers still have the kind of cap flexibility that keeps them in the conversation if the Wild cannot lock him up first.
From the Flyers side, the fit is more interesting than it looked at the time of the trade. They are also chasing other roster upgrades, which means the summer could still reshape the depth chart in ways that leave room for familiar names to come back into the picture. Brinks value, meanwhile, is tied to what he might command elsewhere and whether Minnesota can get its own business done before the market opens. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers May Have Another Blue Jackets Difference Maker In Sight
The Flyers have been linked to another look at Columbus as they try to add a difference-maker on the back end, with Zach Werenski a name that keeps surfacing in trade conversations. For a Philadelphia roster still searching for more impact and more finish from the blue line, the appeal is obvious: a defenseman who can help tilt the ice and give the power play a needed jolt is exactly the sort of swing this front office has been weighing.
There is also a broader sense that the Flyers are not limiting their attention to one avenue as they explore ways to sharpen the lineup. Columbus has the kind of talent that can change the conversation around a rebuilding or retooling club, and Philadelphias interest reflects how urgent the need remains after a power play that sputtered badly in the playoffs. Whether those talks lead anywhere is still unclear, but the Flyers are clearly looking for more than just depth pieces as they map out the next step. [Read more 🡒]