The Ottawa Senators have six pending unrestricted free agents heading into the offseason which means several roster spots are going to be open. That goes without mentioning the numerous restricted free agents like Alex DeBrincat.
According to Cap Friendly, the Ottawa Senators will have roughly $16 million to spend on signings. Factoring in any potential deal for DeBrincat. It leaves Ottawa with a decent amount of space to fill the roster. However, there are guys in their system that potentially have the ability to make an impact next year.
It is key to note, players who have already played more than 10 games for the Sens in a single season will not be considered.
Angus Crookshank – Ottawa selected the North Vancouver native in the fifth round of the 2018 NHL draft. The 23-year-old led the AHL’s Belleville Senators in goals with 26. Crookshank has yet to suit up for the Sens in the regular season, but he displayed a knack for getting in the right spots in his pre-season games. It is quite possible the former University of New Hampshire Wildcat could find himself in the bottom six next season.
Egor Sokolov – The Russian has played a few games in the last two seasons for Ottawa, but next year he could be a permanent fixture in the Sens lineup. His second stint with the club was much more impressive than his first. Sokolov managed to collect two points across five games, and his underlying numbers have improved too. The winger’s on-ice goals for per 60 went from 1.4 in 2021-22 to 6.8 this year additionally, his on-ice goals against per 60 was vastly better going from 5.8 to 3.4. The winger excelled in the AHL leading Belleville in points with 55.
Max Guenette – Drafted by the Ottawa Senators with the team’s last pick in the 2019 draft, Guenette made his NHL debut in the final game of the 2022-23 season. Guenette led all Belleville defensemen in points with 38. The seventh-rounder is a right-hand shot and with Travis Hamonic out of a contract, Guenette could fill that role if necessary.
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Tyler Kleven – The defenseman added to the abundance of former University of North Dakota players on Ottawa’s roster. Kleven played eight games so he fits the self-imposed criteria. In those games, he averaged almost 15 minutes of ice time per game. The UND product has a heavy shot and was utilized on the Senator’s second powerplay unit briefly during his short tenure.
It is important for Ottawa to consider these younger players because DeBrincat’s qualifying offer will eat nine of the 13 million mentioned above. That would leave Ottawa with not a lot of money to fill the remaining spots. Each player mentioned deserves an opportunity to capture an opening night spot.