The Ottawa Senators have been a surprise this season. After their 3-0 shutout win last night against the Seattle Kraken, the Senators have a 16-13-2 record to hold the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference with 34 points.
Unlike the Senators, the Buffalo Sabres have been a disaster yet again. This season, the Sabres are in last place in the Atlantic Division with an 11-17-4 record. The Sabres' 6-1 loss last night's against the Montreal Canadiens was the Sabres' 11th consecutive loss.
Some might not find it shocking the Sabres are struggling this season. With a poor record, teams will be interested in making a trade with the Sabres for a potential trade to add a key depth piece to their roster. One player would be a solid fit on the Senators if the Senators were to make a trade with the Sabres.
Jason Zucker is key name for potential trade target for Senators
If the Senators want to make a trade with the Sabres, one name the Senators should have in mind is Jason Zucker. This season with the Sabres, Zucker has been one of the few bright spots on the roster. Zucker has 21 points, with being tied for third on the team with eight goals.
According to PuckPedia, Zucker is on an expiring contract at $5 million. For a player that will turn 33 years old on Jan. 16, and is producing quality offense on a bad team with a reasonable expiring contract, Zucker will have interest from other teams for a potential trade. The Senators should be one of the teams interested in Zucker.
When looking at the Senators roster, the Senators are lacking a depth forward with the ability to produce points. Outside of Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk and Drake Batherson, the only two other 20-point scorers on the Senators are Claude Giroux and Josh Norris, who both have 20 points. Zucker has more points this season than both Giroux and Norris.
Zucker would be a solid addition to add on the powerplay. Seven of Zucker's 21 points this season have come on the powerplay.
Zucker would also be able to bring veteran leadership as a player who has playoff experience, and with most of the Senators roster having little playoff experience, and are a team that is trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017, Zucker would be a solid addition.
Zucker has playoff expeirence as a member of the Minnesota Wild, Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators. According to StatMuse, Zucker has 18 playoff points in 52 career playoff games.
With losing 11 consecutive games, the Sabres season might get worse with their current record. The Senators still might be looked at as an afterthought by most people this season. If the Senators want to earn more respect around the NHL and be taken more serious, trading for a player like Zucker would not only help them get more respect, but make them a stronger team as well.