The Ottawa Senators have a 6-5-2 overall record after Saturday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens. The Eastern Conference standings are getting tighter with each game played.
All 16 teams in the Eastern Conference have a record above .500, and have 13 points on the season. The Senators currently sit in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with 14 points.
Trade rumors in November can happen during a season. Already, rumors of Steven Stamkos being traded away by the Nashville Predators have been talked about. However, Stamkos is one player the Senators don't need to waste their time trading for.
Stamkos is nowhere near of what he used to be
Earlier today, Bleacher Report's Joe Yerdon wrote an article titled "7 Trade Landing Spots for Steven Stamkos Amid NHL Rumors." While Yerdon didn't name the Senators as a landing spot, he did mention four Eastern Conference teams in his article that could land Stamkos:
Carolina Hurricanes
Toronto Maple Leafs
Montreal Canadiens
Florida Panthers
Even if one of the four teams named or another Eastern Conference team gets Stamkos, the Senators shouldn't worry at all due to how bad Stamkos' career has dropped, and he's one player the Senators may not need to think about trading for.
Stamkos is arguably the best player in Tampa Bay Lightning history. During his Lightning tenure, Stamkos recorded 1,137 points in 1,082 games. Stamkos captained the Lightning to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.
Stamkos made seven All-Star Games, won the Richard Trophy two times, won one Messier Trophy and was a consistent scorer. However, since leaving Tampa Bay in 2024 to sign with Nashville, Stamkos' career has dropped that not many would've predicted.
In his first full season with the Predators last season, high expectations were on Stamkos and the team. However, Nashville missed the playoffs after making it in 2024, and Stamkos recorded a disappointing 53-point season, which also included a -36 rating.
This season, Stamkos' play has been worse at 35 years old. Through 14 games, Stamkos has recorded just two points. A struggling season that is just unheard of given the player Stamkos used to be.
Along with his struggling play, Stamkos' contract isn't a friendly one either for the Senators to take on. Stamkos has an $8 million cap hit until 2028, which is the same year Brady Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot each have their contracts run out.
Stamkos' name will continue to be mentioned in trade rumors with teams, but the Senators are a team that don't need to waste their time in trading for.