Zak MacMillan: Overview - Prominent Unsigned Free Agents For the fans that have read and commented my articles, thank you for speaking out. While I believed in sharing the pending RFA class separately as some of the class was from the previous regime compared to the current Staios era, let us accelerate this process and just throw what is left out there. Why the sudden pivot and additional analytics?

Interesting offseason for the Sens. I think they will retain Giroux. The fit works well for each side. They will find a middle ground for cap and term.

As for goalies I think like you, they should let Meriläinen ride shotgun with Ulmark. Forsberg unfortunately will be odd duck out.

To summarize:

Forsberg> Out. Too costly. And Leevi does it better and probably cheaper. And you also have to give him NHL time to see what he is long term. Sign Leevi to 2 years, 1.4 each.

Hamonic? Out. Even at a vet min. Even on a two way deal. Has to be better, cheaper options out there for the 7th guy. No?

Cousins? Sure. League min or about $1million. Everything a 4th liner should be.

Gaudette? Out. Almost scored 20 goals. Was found money. But someone else will have to be the one to pay him more (and offer more term) than us.

Highmore? Sure. Two way deal. Maybe.

Gilbert? I honestly don't know. Didn't see enough of him. But seems like a tough guy and better than MacEwen than fighting. Might make a good 8th d. League min or two way deal.

Giroux? Sure. But I've said it before...has to accept 3rd line money and 3rd line roll. One year deal with bonuses. But that contract could be anywhere between $3.5 to 5 million. I like the deal a lower lever. So maybe offer him 2 x 3.5?

Truth be told, not many of these are 'must' signs. Only Giroux not coming back would be shocking. Forsberg and/or Hamonic coming back would be shocking.

I doubt Giroux signs for one year only. I think you will be looking at 3 years at 4.5 - 5.5 per season. He still produces too much for a lower contract.

I am sure there are many teams that would offer him the term above. It's the same thing with Tavares in T.O.

Might be a bit controversial, but here goes ....

Giroux ... he and his wife gave birth to their 3rd child recently so he is incentivised to stay in Ottawa. I would look to give him longer term but a lower AAV. Maybe 3 years at $3 to 3.5 million per year with a no trade clause. If he wants more $$, then 4-5 million for 2 years with a limited no trade clause (10 team no-trade list).

Zetterlund .... an RFA so maybe a short term deal. I could see a 1 or 2 or 3 year deal at $2-4 million per year. He is a hard one to pin down. But he has to play on one of the top 2 lines. Playing him on the 4rth line is a failure.

Cousins .... 2 year $1-1.5 million per year.

Highmore ..... 2 year deal for $900,000. 2 way contract.

Hamonic ... good bye

Gaudette ... good-bye. Too expensive and we really aren't sure what he can be. He won't really produce the goals if he does not get much top 2 line minutes.

Hodgson .... league minimum with 2 way contract. Fighting is his specialty apparently.

Forsberg .... Now this gets interesting. I would bring him back on a 1 year $2.5 million deal. We don't really know if Merilainen is the real deal yet. Goalies can be streaky. Plus, Sogaard is on a one way deal and would need to clear waivers if we send him back to Belleville. The nightmare is if Sogaard is claimed and Merilainen slumps. Then we have no back-up to an injury prone Ullmark. If Forsberg gets a multi-year deal with another team then he is gone. But I'm not sure teams line up for his services. We could keep Forsberg and if Merilainen is not a flash in the pan in Belleville (remember, he is only 22 years old) then bring him up after Christmas and trade Forsberg.

Dennis Gilbert .... no idea how good he can be. Regardless, he is a depth 7th or 8th d-man at best. Could Guenette serve this role instead?

Questions from the minor leagues ..... Does Guenette, Halliday, Crookshank serve in the long term plans or are they potential trade fodor. Not really that much in Belleville though that stand any hope of making the team .

The answer is going to be finding some bits Free Agency or via a trade.

Left Wing depth .... Tkachuk and Perron.
Right wing depth is Batherson and Amadio and Giroux (?)

Centre depth .... Stutzle, Cozens, Pinto (and Giroux for some important faceoffs).

I am assuming the Sens don't go big game hunting here as we don't really have the cap space. So say no to Ehlers, Bennett and Marner. Although Marner would be intriguing on several fronts .... first, Ottawa could be a good place to resettle his family, and it would drive Leaf fans apoplectic. However, I don't believe that Marner wants anything to do with another Canadian city and ... he is too expensive for Ottawa.
So let's look at a few potential guys .... Granlund from Dallas might be interesting for the right price (under $5 million on a short deal). Mason McTavish is an RFA and may be had for a trade with Anaheim. But what would we give up? If he doesn't re-sign with the Habs, how about Armia on a short term deal. Mason Appleton from Winnipeg.
Just a few forward names that probably wouldn't be too costly.

On defence maybe swing for the fences with Eckblad. I think he will leave Florida (especially if the Panthers re-sign a few guys). Eckblad is a righty as well. I doubt that Jensen will be ready to start the season so Eckblad could fill in there. Maybe 7 years at 7.5 AAV. Also, Noah Dobson would be an interesting one to pursue.

Left Wing depth .... Tkachuk and Perron.
Right wing depth is Batherson and Amadio and Giroux (?)

Centre depth .... Stutzle, Cozens, Pinto (and Giroux for some important faceoffs).

I am assuming the Sens don't go big game hunting here as we don't really have the cap space. So say no to Ehlers, Bennett and Marner. Although Marner would be intriguing on several fronts .... first, Ottawa could be a good place to resettle his family, and it would drive Leaf fans apoplectic. However, I don't believe that Marner wants anything to do with another Canadian city and ... he is too expensive for Ottawa.
So let's look at a few potential guys .... Granlund from Dallas might be interesting for the right price (under $5 million on a short deal). Mason McTavish is an RFA and may be had for a trade with Anaheim. But what would we give up? If he doesn't re-sign with the Habs, how about Armia on a short term deal. Mason Appleton from Winnipeg.
Just a few forward names that probably wouldn't be too costly.

On defence maybe swing for the fences with Eckblad. I think he will leave Florida (especially if the Panthers re-sign a few guys). Eckblad is a righty as well. I doubt that Jensen will be ready to start the season so Eckblad could fill in there. Maybe 7 years at 7.5 AAV. Also, Noah Dobson would be an interesting one to pursue.
- OttawaB

I'm on board with the no big game hunting. I'm also on board with finding someone under $6million to fill top line winger role. Or taking a chance on someone another team wants to get rid of.

But mathematically, the Sens will only have one move to make this off season if everyone (Zetterlund, Giroux, Cousins, Leevi) all resign at reasonable contracts. So its one player only to bring in, and hope someone from the Baby Sens fills that 4th line. I think the scoring winger/forward is more important than D at this point, as much as I think Eckblad would be a great signing and is a BAD MAN.

What is worrying is that ownership seems to be already trying to temper expectations by saying they won't spend to the cap. I can easily see the Sens resigning their 4 key RFA/UFA players and not doing much else, other than another 4th liner.