The Ottawa Senators are starting to firm up their offseason plans, and a report from Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen has added more detail on where the front office is leaning with roster decisions.
Who’s in & Who’s out
Top of the list is the crease behind Linus Ullmark. After a postseason exit, general manager Steve Staios is weighing internal options while also looking at external upgrades. According to Garrioch, the Senators haven’t closed the door on a return for veteran backup James Reimer, who is still deciding his future.
At the same time, Ottawa is active in the goaltending market and remains in the mix for Edmonton Oilers pending unrestricted free agent Connor Ingram. With a thin class of available goalies, Staios sees Ingram as a possible way to stabilize the tandem, which keeps Ottawa closely tied to him heading into July 1.
Elsewhere, change is coming in the veteran group. The Senators are expected to move in a younger direction, with Nick Jensen and Lars Eller both viewed as likely departures. That’s part cap management, part roster direction, but it does open up space for more impactful additions.
Nick Cousins is still in the mix on the other side of that. He came in on a one-year deal last summer, and there’s interest on both sides in keeping it going. He’s not a major piece, but he fits what they want in the bottom six, so a return remains on the table.
So overall, it’s not a dramatic overhaul, but there is a clear reshaping happening. Goaltending sits at the centre of it, and everything else flows from there. With the NHL Draft and free agency coming up, Staios has a fairly clear framework to work with as he looks to build out a more competitive roster around the core.
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