Who will play in the Ottawa Senators' top six this season?

It seems more and more likely that the Ottawa Senators are comfortable going into the season with their current roster, and general manager Steve Staios confirmed that Wednesday morning. The Senators have gone through a major shift this offseason, with Brady Tkachuk requesting a trade and being moved to the Florida Panthers. That move was followed by the acquisition of William Eklund from the San Jose Sharks. One top-six forward out, one top-six forward in.

The team, however, still finds itself missing that bonafide top-six forward it was looking for even before the Tkachuk trade. Staios, though, feels comfortable with the roster and believes newly acquired forward Andre Burakovsky can bounce back.

But with the players the Senators have available to them, who will find themselves in the top six? There are four guarantees: Tim Stützle, Drake Batherson, William Eklund, and Dylan Cozens, though Cozens could potentially be moved to the wing. So who else could be playing in the Senators' top six?

Shane Pinto

As mentioned above, there could be a scenario where Dylan Cozens is moved to the wing and center Shane Pinto moves into the second-line center role. Pinto took a major step last year with 23 goals and 23 assists. He also finished sixth in Selke Trophy voting for the league's best defensive forward.

Pinto has another offensive level to his game, but that is hindered by playing in a third-line role, where he gets less ice time and fewer opportunities. If Cozens shifted to the wing and Pinto became the 2C, the team would immediately be in a better position because of what he brings to the table.

Andre Burakovsky

Burakovsky was acquired before the draft in a deal that left many fans (and pundits) scratching their heads. The aging winger hasn't topped 40 points since leaving the Colorado Avalanche in 2022.

With that said, he started last season at a blistering pace alongside Connor Bedard on the Chicago Blackhawks, recording 22 points in 30 games. A concussion afterwards derailed his season, and he wasn't the same player.

When Burakovsky was in Colorado, he was a surefire top-six forward, with his best season producing 22 goals and 61 points. He's on the wrong side of 30 and coming off a down year, so it could be a big ask for the 31-year-old to return to that form. There's a reason the Senators acquired him, though, and they'll be hoping to get the version of Burakovsky who produced 22 points in 30 games.

Fabian Zetterlund

The Senators are entering their second full season with Zetterlund, and so far it hasn't looked like the perfect fit, despite him scoring 17 goals last season. Zetterlund was all over the lineup last season, with most of his time spent on the fourth line as he averaged just shy of 13 minutes a night.

The difference now is that the Senators have acquired Zetterlund's best friend, William Eklund. There is something to be said for a player getting to play with a close friend, and when Zetterlund has been able to do that, he has averaged 20 goals. Zetterlund is fast, responsible defensively, and he hits a lot. He hasn't quite found his groove yet, but if he gets the opportunity to play on a line with Tim Stützle and Eklund, he may be in for a career year.

Ridly Greig

Greig won't be starting the season in the top six, as he still needs to serve his two-game suspension, but that doesn't mean he won't find himself there early on. Greig's game has plateaued a bit, with back-to-back seasons of 34 and 35 points. It's hard to know exactly what the Senators have in Greig because it seems like his game is a "what you see is what you get" type of player. He's solid defensively, not particularly flashy, but he gets the job done.

If Pinto were to elevate into the top six, Greig would be the obvious choice to play third-line center. He would need to show more offensive upside to be a long-term fit in the top six, but they won't know unless they try.

Claude Giroux

The freshly re-signed 38-year-old is still in the mix to be a top-six forward for the Senators, and unless head coach Travis Green wants to experiment, Giroux likely will be.

Giroux posted 49 points last season, and his offensive awareness and ability to read the game remain elite. The issue is his foot speed. Giroux's skating has declined during his years in Ottawa, and it's hard to imagine him keeping up with Stützle all the time. A more realistic spot for him would be on the second line or, better yet, the third line.

Warren Foegele

Foegele was acquired at the trade deadline last season from the Los Angeles Kings. He was having an awful season, with only nine points in 47 games for Los Angeles. Foegele had six goals and eight points in the 21 games he played for the Senators, almost matching his previous output in less than half the games. All the while, he was stapled to the fourth line.

Foegele has scored 20-plus goals multiple times and was coming off a career-high 46-point season in 2024-25 with the Kings. Elevating Foegele and giving him the opportunity to play in the top six could pay major dividends.

Stephen Halliday

Halliday is the dark horse selection here, but his offensive upside is hard to ignore. He's very good at finding space and putting himself in good positions to score or set up scoring chances.

He's a young player with plenty of upside that the Senators could view as an internal option for the top six. His skating could still use some work, so keeping up with Stützle or Cozens could be difficult, but his hockey IQ is something that could separate him from the options listed above.

Finally, what should fans expect to see from Travis Green?

Line 1: Eklund – Stützle – Zetterlund

Line 2: Burakovsky – Cozens – Batherson

What would be the most fun?

Line 1: Eklund – Stützle – Zetterlund

Line 2: Cozens – Pinto – Batherson

It's only a matter of time before the preseason begins, and fans will get to see how Green lines up his forward group.

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