Ottawa Senators: Trade Rumors Swirl Following Bobby Ryan Injury

Injuries continue to take their toll on the Senators roster less than four weeks into the regular season. Bobby Ryan was sidelined with a broken finger last week versus Toronto, which has led to trade speculation in Ottawa.

Rumors have been circulating that Pierre Dorion may trade for a winger ever since preseason. As injuries force the Senators to rely on prospects, however, Ottawa’s general manager may finally pull the trigger.

Much has been said about Chris Wideman potentially being the centerpiece of a trade, along with prospects or picks. The Senators have found themselves with a crowded blue line since last year. Defensive prospects Thomas Chabot, Ben Harpur, and Christian Jaros have a realistic chance to play their way into the lineup.

Perhaps the biggest name currently on the trade block is Matt Duchene. The Senators, though, will need to part with much more than Wideman if they truly want to acquire him.

The general consensus has been that Colorado’s asking price for the 26-year-old forward is more than what Dorion is willing to give up.  And considering Ottawa is already steeped in contract issues with Kyle Turris, the Senators cannot afford Duchene unless they can shed some cap.

Depth Scoring

Despite the injuries up front, the Senators have found success through an impressive amount of offensive depth. While Derick Brassard and Mark Stone have been on fire lately, three of Ottawa’s top ten scorers are defensemen. And none of them are named Erik Karlsson.

The Senators have even benefited from the recent offensive contributions of Mark Borowiecki and Chris DiDomenico.

Scoring depth is largely responsible for Ottawa’s 5-1-5 record. It appears that Guy Boucher has made getting the puck to the net a top priority. On average, the team is registering 32 shots per game.

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Even though the Senators have struggled with injuries right out of the gate, they have managed to earn points in all but one matchup.

It would not be surprising then, if Dorion passes up a trade for the time being. As long as the Senators can maintain their offensive output, a move appears unlikely.