Earlier today, the Ottawa Senators got a head start on their Summer by extending defenseman Tyler Kleven for two years. The extension of Kleven now has the Senators at over $15 million in cap space.
The Senators making the playoffs for the first time in eight years can help attract free agents this Summer to play alongside Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Thomas Chabot, Jake Sanderson and many more exciting players.
Trading for a superstar player could also potentially be in the works for the Senators and their general manager Steve Staios. Rumors of being linked to a superstar player have already taken place for the Senators surrounding one for the Dallas Stars.
Senators linked to Dallas' Robertson
Jeff Marek of the Daily Faceoff wrote an article earlier today titled "The Sheet Blog: Could the Stars trade Jason Robertson this summer?" One of the two teams Marek named that could land a trade for Robertson were the Senators.
Robertson first got recognition in the NHL when he finished second in Calder Trophy voting in the 2020-21 season. Robertson then followed it up with recording 41 goals in the 2021-22 season.
It was the 2022-23 season where Robertson took off with making the All-Star Game for the first time. Robertson recorded 109 points to not only set a career-high, but also set a new Stars record for most points in a single season.
Robertson has recorded 80 points in a season over the past two seasons in Dallas. However, Dallas' future could look shaky with losing in the Western Conference Finals for the third consecutive season. Along with that, the Stars currently have under $5 million in cap space this Summer, the lowest among all 32 teams.
Dallas will have free agents to decide whether to keep or not. Two of Dallas' biggest free agents include ex-Senator Matt Duchene and long time Star and captain Jamie Benn. With not much cap space to work with at the moment, it could be possible the Stars could seek a trade involving Robertson to free up some cap space to re-sign some of their free agents.
Robertson has one year remaining on his contract at $7.75 million and will be a restricted free agent. Robertson will turn 26 years old on July 25. With recording 394 points in 374 games in his career, Robertson could have high value for a trade.
The Senators' 2025 first-round draft pick (21st overall) can be something to keep an eye on if the Senators want to land a trade for Robertson. Along with the first-round draft pick, the Stars can demand some offensive depth at the forward position.
Players like Shane Pinto, Drake Batherson and Michael Amadio could be used in a trade for Robertson. Some prospects and other draft picks can also be used in a trade involving Robertson.
Stars general manager Jim Nill has done a big trade before with the Senators. In 2014, the Stars and Senators made a blockbuster trade involving Jason Spezza, so deal fever can still be there for Nill.
Some might think that the Senators need a superstar forward to potentially put them in conservation of making a deep playoff push with the core that they got for years to come, and Robertson can be a player to do that with his success in Dallas.