The Ottawa Senators are not likely to be done wheeling and dealing. After two massive trades, there could be another on the horizon in the Nation’s Capital.
A recent report in RG Media posits that the Senators are the frontrunners to land Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks. According to veteran NHL reporter James Murphy, the conversation between Ottawa and Anaheim involving McTavish is nothing new.
“They were already talking to the Ducks before they traded Brady Tkachuk, and then they got [William] Eklund. Now, that’s picked up again.”
The comments, as made by an anonymous source, point towards trade talk involving the 23-year-old in a major move.
McTavish and the Ducks had a bit of a falling out last summer. The former third-overall pick from 2021 was an RFA. The two sides hit a stalemate with McTavish eventually inking a six-year, $42 million deal.
However, McTavish failed to come through on the deal. His production dipped from 22 goals and 52 points in 2024-25 to 7 tallies and 41 points. The decline, while not precisely alarming, has led to questions about McTavish truly being the sort of player the Ducks want.
The speculation ramped up when he scored just one goal in 10 playoff games this spring.
But that’s not something overly concerning to the Senators. If anything, Murphy’s source stated that Ottawa believes it can help McTavish get back on track.
Look, I don’t know what went wrong with McTavish in Anaheim, but I do know that Staios and the Senators think they can help him fulfill his potential and become the player so many believed he could be,” the source said.
If that’s the case, the Senators could land the sort of player they’re looking for to replace Brady Tkachuk, as they look to continue their path forward.
What could Senators give up for McTavish?
So, the biggest question here would be, what could the Senators send to Anaheim for McTavish? Murphy suggested that defenseman Jordan Spence would be part of the return. Spence’s name has been out there in rumors this offseason.
It would be somewhat surprising, however, since the chatter has been that the Sens want to upgrade the right side of their blue line. That’s why Darnell Nurse’s name briefly came up in discussions.
That said, Spence and the 25th-overall pick wouldn’t be a bad start. While the Ducks wouldn’t necessarily draft an immediate replacement for McTavish at that slot, it would at least help add another piece to the puzzle.
Perhaps a piece like Blake Montgomery, whom the Sens just signed to an entry-level deal, might move the needle, in addition to Spence and the 25th pick.
Ultimately, it’s tough to see this trade happening at this juncture. The best bet the Senators had was the ninth-overall pick, the one sent to San Jose for William Eklund. That would have been the best piece the Sens had to land McTavish.
It’s worth noting that the Senators made a smarter deal by targeting Eklund instead of McTavish.
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