The Ottawa Senators are dealing with a decimated blue line, with the injuries to Jake Sanderson, Artem Zub, and now Nikolas Matinpalo. These are three of their six NHL defencemen that are out of the lineup, and while they've done a good job keeping things afloat with a hot start. The 7-2 loss against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night's NHL Frozen Frenzy brought some defensive issues to light.
Which is why the Senators may be wise to look externally at some available defenders and see if they can bring in someone to help calm things down until they get everyone back in their lineup. So, here are a few potential options that make sense for Ottawa to acquire for a cheap cost in the short term.
Ilya Lyubushkin, Nashville Predators
The first option is Ilya Lyubushkin, who is currently in the press box for the Nashville Predators. He has struggled to find his footing in Nashville, but before joining the organization, he was used as a reliable defensive defenceman for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars. That could be the same situation with the Senators. He isn't going to score more than 10 points a season, but he will average 100 hits and blocks if he plays regularly.
For the Senators, acquiring Lyubushkin for a sixth-round pick in 2028, with 50% salary retention on his contract, would be a huge addition. Especially for a team that is struggling at times to break up the cycle and clear in front of their crease, those are two things that Lyubushkin excels at.
Ben Hutton, Free Agent
If the Senators had just signed Ben Hutton to a PTO at the start of training camp, their blue line wouldn't be so bad off with all the injuries. That's not to say that he is the saviour; however, he is an NHL player who has experience and could have played up in the lineup. Unfortunately, they didn't; they opted to release him, and now, they could decide to sign him to a one-year deal to help hold down the fort.
Again, he isn't going to be the most dependable blue liner on the roster, but he would have provided another NHL defender that could dress in the lineup and take some pressure off of some of the younger defencemen who are playing bigger roles.
It is important to note that the Senators have done well so far this season. They've exceeded expectations so far with a 5-2 record and are tied with the Boston Bruins for first in the Atlantic Division. There is just some growing concern about the injuries that have hindered their blue line and if the Senators can keep collecting early-season points. Which is why Steve Staios may be smart to go out and address the need now and worry about roster management after when everyone is back healthy.
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