On a day where just about every NHL team is making moves, some big, some small. The Ottawa Senators waited until closer to the end of the day to announce a few depth signings.
Although they weren't overly active in terms of signings throughout the day, they did agree to terms with five players, some of whom could push for a roster spot in training camp. They have signed Christian Kyrou, Phillip Tomasino, Ryan Suzuki, Sammy Blais and Philipee Daoust to two-way contracts.
Tomasino & Blais could push for a depth role in training camp
Of the five signings that they announced late in the day, Tomasino and Blais stand out the most. They are both players that could push for a depth role in training camp and potentially earn a spot once the regular season starts.
Tomasino, 24, has struggled to find his footing in the NHL since his time ended with the Nashville Predators. He has bounced around a little bit spending time within the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers' organizations.
If he can impress out of camp, he could be a low-risk, high-reward signing. There was a time in his NHL career that he scored 32 points, which is perfect for a depth add. The Senatots need that in a big way. Even if he starts the year with the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League. If he earns a call-up and plays well enough, he may not get sent back down.
The other player that stands out is the aforementioned Blais. He spent time in the NHL with both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens last season. The reason why it feels like he could earn a spot is because of his physical edge. He is the type of player that will hit anything that moves and get in your face after the whistle to get you to draw a penalty. He plays a "rat-like" style of game, and it could be useful for the Senators on their fourth line.
At 30-years-old, he has shown that he can be a reliable depth forward at the NHL level. He started his career with the St. Louis Blues, where he went on to win a Stanley Cup. After that, he was moved to the New York Rangers and then went back to the Blues before joining Toronto and Montreal. He's not going to be a player that moves up into the top-six, but he would be a good option to help replace some of the physical play that was lost when they traded Brady Tkachuk.
Outside of that, Suzuki is the brother of Canadiens' captain Nick Suzuki and will likely be an AHLer. As well as Kyrou, who is the brother of newly acquired Washington Capitals forward Jordan Kyrou and will be an AHL mainstay. Lastly, Daoust is the traditional French-Canadian add within the Senators' organization that most likely won't get a sniff of the NHL.
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