The Ottawa Senators will probably make a few additions and subtractions to their lineup in the coming days due to injury.
The Senators will play three games on road trip through the West Coast against Anaheim, Los Angeles, and San Jose. They should also be busy ahead of Friday’s NHL trade deadline.
Brady Tkachuk, who left a home game against Arizona (a 5-3 loss on Friday) late in the third period, did not participate in the Senators’ 4-2 loss in Philadelphia on Saturday. The club did not practise on Sunday.
After the morning skate, the team captain informed them he was prepared to go, but he wasn’t feeling good enough to go in the late afternoon. His string of 219 games played in a row—the eighth-longest in franchise history—was broken by the missed game.
The deadline for trades? Vladimir Tarasenko, who joined the Senators prior to this season on a one-year, $5 million contract, is one of the players who may be traded. With the Senators unlikely to make the playoffs, the 32-year-old winger will be available as an unrestricted free agent this summer. He should move this week, assuming he waives his no-trade clause.
Tarasenko, for his part, has played a very good game for Ottawa, tallying 17 goals and 24 assists. He expressed his desire to remain in Ottawa. However, it appears like the Senators will be able to fetch a high price for the former 40-goal scorer, who St. Louis sent to the New York Rangers prior to the trade deadline in 2017. Then, the deal was for forward Sammy Blais, prospect Hunter Skinner, a 2024 fourth-round pick, and a 2023 first-round pick.
Tarasenko may have played his final home game as a senator because Ottawa doesn’t have another one before the deadline.
“We’ll see what happens,” Tarasenko remarked after Ottawa’s Arizona defeat. “I’m just getting ready for every match. I enjoy hanging out with the guys in the group. Tomorrow is a fresh day, so we’ll see what transpires.
Winger Dominik Kubalik, who only has nine goals this season but was a 30-goal scorer in 2019–20 with Chicago, is another possible free agent and trade candidate.
The Senators may also decide to make changes to their core group well in advance of the upcoming campaign. That may seem improbable, but given the crazy season the Senators are having, general manager Steve Staios is probably amenable to almost anything.
Let’s return to the action on the rink.
After suffering a lower body injury during the opening session on Saturday, Winger Zack MacEwen did not play again. He went back to Ottawa for assessment.
Additionally, Joonas Korpisalo (illness) and Anton Forsberg (lower body injury) were not available for the Senators on Saturday.
From here, where do they go? What must occur in the course of the western swing?
Practice on the ice will resume on Monday.
After the game on Saturday, defenseman Thomas Chabot told Gord Wilson of TSN 1200, “We have a lot of bumps and bruises.” “To enjoy the remainder of the road trip, we’re going to make the most of it and adjust a few things.”
“It’s probably a good time to heal,” Jacques Martin, the acting head coach, stated. Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday are our back-to-back game days. We’ll get some practice time to concentrate on a few areas, and it’s a good break.
ICE CHIPS
Martin responded to a question regarding his team’s 0-for-5 power play performance on Saturday by saying, “We had really good puck control, but I’m not sure we shoot enough.” We spend too much time searching for the ideal play. Many times, goals consist only of tip-ins, pucks (shots) at the goal, and rebounds. .. On Saturday, Chilliwack Chiefs goalkeeper prospect Vladimir Nikitin, a prospect for the Senators, scored an uncommon goal. Even better, the goal was short-handed.
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