Three players the Ottawa Senators should offer PTOs to this summer

The Ottawa Senators roster looks fairly set ahead of training camp, but it would be sensible for head coach D.J. Smith to take a look at some players still available in free agency.

Training camp is only a few weeks away for the Ottawa Senators and a number of free agents could be offered Professional Try-Outs (PTOs) to determine if they could improve the team currently available.

Head coach D.J. Smith will likely experiment greatly over the next couple of seasons, with the team not expected to be in the playoffs conversation for quite some time.

Taking a gamble on a veteran or two in free agency could help the team tick over until their top young prospects are truly ready to make the step up and these three players, in particular, could be worth taking a look at in training camp.

Derick Brassard

The Senators know what Derick Brassard can bring to the table, despite him having an exceptionally poor season by his standards in 2018/19.

The 31-year-old centre spent time with three different teams last season, registering 14 goals and just 23 total points in 70 regular-season games.

Just one season earlier, Brassard had earned 18 goals and 38 total points in 58 regular-season games with the Senators, before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Now in the latter stages of his career, Brassard appears to be struggling to find a new team in free agency and will unlikely earn a big-money contract from any team unless he proves himself in the short-term again.

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Since leaving the Canadian capital, Brassard has averaged around 15 minutes of ice time a night – a full three minutes less than what he was averaging with the Senators.

Giving him a bigger role on a rebuilding team could see Brassard get back to a decent scoring pace, potentially putting him in the window for the trade deadline – helping the Senators to acquire more assets in exchange.

The Senators’ forward lines are not so good that Brassard couldn’t at least be considered and he would be a sensible choice to give a PTO to ahead of training camp.

Dion Phaneuf

While looking more stable than the team’s offence, the Ottawa Senators could still look at ways to improve along the blueline and bringing in Dion Phaneuf on a PTO could be the way to do it.

Phaneuf is not the player he once was, but he is still a strong leader on and off the ice and would be a very serviceable bottom pair player on the left side.

The 34-year-old is no longer the offensive threat he was early in his career, but he is a decent, physical, defensive asset that would be an excellent mentor for the team’s young defensive prospects.

With how he performed for the Kings, averaging just 15 minutes on the ice, Phaneuf isn’t likely to command a high price and the market appears to be very limited for him.

His belief that he can still play in the NHL for a few more years could benefit the Senators if he is willing to take a cheap deal for a year, just to help the team as they begin their rebuilding phase.

His familiarity with Ottawa and the Senators organisation would make the transition back much easier than most players and if he doesn’t impress in training camp, he can be let go from his PTO without any concerns.

Pat Maroon

One other player that could be worth offering a PTO surprisingly hasn’t previously played for the Ottawa Senators.

Pat Maroon had a similar season to Brassard, seeing his points total drop to just 28 (ten goals, 18 assists) in 74 regular-season games with the St. Louis Blues.

The biggest difference is that Maroon earned significantly less than Brassard but also helped the Blues earn their first-ever Stanley Cup.

Maroon is another veteran forward that could help the team as they move through the early stage of the rebuild, while also potentially seeing his value increase with a higher workload if the team opts to sign him to a deal.

If the Senators are determined to keep acquiring assets to further strengthen their rebuild, having a player such as Maroon in the line-up could make sense ahead of the trade deadline.

If Maroon can get back to being the 40+ points producer that he was just a season earlier, he could be worth a decent package at the deadline and could help the Ottawa Senators progress their rebuild.

The Senators should look to acquire players that they could then flip to a contender at the deadline, taking a long-term approach with any players they decide to take a look at.

If they can turn some guys, that other teams seemingly aren’t interested in right now, into assets that can help them rebuild, then these three may be the best ones to do it with.

What do you think Sens fans? Would you be happy to see these three players given PTOs ahead of training camp? If the team decides to sign them, could they be moved at the trade deadline? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!