The Ottawa Senators are red-hot right now, as they have won each of their last three games. With this, they have a three-point lead over the Detroit Red Wings for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Senators' playoff hopes are promising right now, but they must finish off the season on a strong note to officially make the postseason. Yet, even if the Senators sneak into the playoffs this year, it is clear that Ottawa GM Steve Staios should be looking to boost their roster during the offseason.
It would not be surprising if the Senators looked to add another goalie and top-nine forward during the summer. However, their biggest roster need is regarding their blueline.
Senators Must Make Big Move for Top-Four Right-Shot Defenseman This Summer
When taking a look at the Senators' current roster, there is no question that they must make a big move for a top-four right-shot defenseman during the offseason. The right side of their blueline needs a serious boost, so it would not be surprising in the slightest if they worked hard to bring in a right-shot defenseman for either their first or second pairing.
The Senators currently have Artem Zub, Jordan Spence, and Nikolas Matinpalo forming their right side. They also have pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) Nick Jensen, but the 35-year-old defenseman is still recovering from meniscus surgery, which he had in March. Due to this, there is no question that the Senators should be aiming to bring in another righty to their blueline this offseason.
This year's top pending UFA right-shot defenseman include Rasmus Andersson (Vegas Golden Knights), Darren Raddysh (Tampa Bay Lightning), John Carlson (Anaheim Ducks), Jacob Trouba (Ducks), and Connor Murphy (Edmonton Oilers). With this, the Senators could have some solid options to consider if they all hit the market.
The trade market could also offer some interesting options for Ottawa. A handful of potential offseason candidates who could make sense for the Senators include Colton Parayko (St. Louis Blues), Brandon Carlo (Toronto Maple Leafs), Dougie Hamilton (New Jersey Devils), Rasmus Ristolainen (Philadelphia Flyers), Braden Schneider (New York Rangers), and Zach Whitecloud (Calgary Flames). All of these defensemen were in the rumour mill leading up to this year's deadline.
Ultimately, the Senators need to aggressively look to improve their blueline this offseason. It will be interesting to see if they bring in a top-four right-shot defenseman during the summer, but it truly should be their top objective.