It might sound shocking to some people, but the Ottawa Senators are 16-13-2 this season. As of the morning of Dec. 18, the Senators currently sit in the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference with 34 points.
The Senators earned a huge 3-0 win last night against the Seattle Kraken to win their fourth consecutive game for the first time this season. A big reason the Senators are 6-1-1 in December is due to Linus Ullmark's outstanding goaltending.
However, even with being hot in December, the Senators are still missing something to make them a deeper team. That something is a big offense threat presence to play with players like Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk and Drake Batherson.
With the status of the Detroit Red Wings this season, the Senators need to be aggressive and start acting more like a true threat to the Eastern Conference by making an aggressive trade. One veteran on the Red Wings roster could be on the Senators' mind to help them become a stronger playoff threat.
Patrick Kane could be on Senators' mind as a potential trade target
The Red Wings are struggling this season with a 12-14-4 record. One player on their roster that will be in trade rumors is Patrick Kane. If the Senators want to be aggressive with where they currently are in the standings, trading for Kane could be a name they might want.
Kane is struggling this season at 36 years old with having 11 points for the Red Wings, but the whole Red Wings team is struggling as a whole. However, an advantage that makes Kane a trade target is his deep playoff experience and his contract.
According to StatMuse, Kane has recorded 138 points in 143 playoff games. Of his 138 playoff points, Kane has scored 53 playoff goals. According to PuckPedia, Kane is on an expiring contract at $4 million.
If the Senators want to be taken more serious by the rest of the NHL, trading for a big named player would send a message. With the experience Kane has in his career and his reasonable contract, it can help a young team like the Senators that are eager to sniff a playoff spot.
Some might forget, but the Senators and Red Wings do have some deal fever. In 2023, the Senators made a blockbuster trade that sent Alex DeBrincat to the Red Wings.
When the Senators received their recent "report card" from Bleacher Report's Adam Gretz on Dec. 13, Gretz was critical of the Senators in one area.
"The Senators are not scoring enough goals due to a lack of depth after their front-line players," Gretz said.
Although he has only scored three goals this season, Kane's NHL career speaks for itself with having 474 career goals. Kane would be a player that would add depth, be able to play on the powerplay, and also be a good veteran voice to have in the locker room. With his playoff experience and being on an expiring contract, Kane is a piece that can contribute to a playoff team.