For the first time in nearly seven years, the Ottawa Senators are entering the trade deadline as buyers instead of sellers. They’re just four points out of a wildcard spot after spending a good chunk of the season in third place in the Atlantic Division. The playoffs aren’t just a dream this season; they’re an expectation, and general manager Steve Staios has been scouring the NHL for forwards to give his team that last little push to lock down a playoff spot.
However, making moves won’t be easy, as the Senators are once again up against the cap ceiling. With less than a week remaining until the deadline, Ottawa has just $1.66 million available, $1.32 million of which is coming from long-term injured reserve (LTIR) relief. The Senators are also set to lose their 2025 or 2026 first-round draft pick following the Evgeny Dadonov debacle, so moving a top pick for a player isn’t an option, either. Still, it’s been reported that the Senators are interested in Ryan Donato and Brandon Tanev, and if either is coming to Ottawa, someone will have to come off the books. Here are three of the top candidates to get moved at the deadline.
Anton Forsberg
Anton Forsberg has been a fairly reliable backup for the Senators since the team claimed him off waivers in 2020-21, playing 134 games and posting a .905 save percentage (SV%). But with his contract set to expire at the end of the season, he could be on the move. According to NHL.com’s Derek Van Diest, “If a playoff-contending team is looking to add goaltending depth, the 32-year-old could be an option. Ottawa could also use him to try and upgrade its blue line or bottom-six forwards for the stretch drive and into the playoffs.”
Moving Forsberg’s $2.75 million cap hit would free up some room to add a skilled depth forward or two, and is practically a necessity if they want to add Donato’s $2 million cap hit. It would also afford Ottawa the ability to pry away one of Trent Frederic or Justin Brazeau from the Boston Bruins.
But the biggest benefit of moving Forsberg for the Senators would be giving them some flexibility with their goaltending situation. Leevi Merilainen has proven that he’s ready for an NHL job, outplaying Forsberg in almost every regard during his 12-game stint this season. Having him in the NHL could give some breathing room for Linus Ullmark, who struggled with some injuries, likely due to the heavy workload. Then, with Merilainen out of Belleville, Mads Sogaard could take the title as number one goalie for the American Hockey League (AHL) Senators and hopefully regain some confidence and get back on track developmentally. Since it’s unlikely Forsberg will be re-signed for next season, now is the time to cash in.
Jacob Bernard-Docker
The Senators have a logjam on the right side of their blue line. Five players are competing for three spots. Artem Zub and Nick Jensen have locked down the first two pairings and aren’t going anywhere, and Travis Hamonic is virtually unmoveable until his contract expires this offseason, although the Senators would likely be more comfortable if he was the team’s seventh defenceman. That leaves a battle for the final spot between Jacob Bernard-Docker and Nikolas Matinpalo, and it looks like Bernard-Docker has drawn the short straw, especially after Matinpalo’s 4 Nations Face-Off appearance.
Related: NHL Trade Bait List for 2025 Trade Deadline
Although Bernard-Docker went unclaimed through waivers last season, some teams could be interested in his services if he were made available. “He might be able to help a team that’s retooling and looking for something a little different,” a league executive told the Ottawa Citizen’s Bruce Garrioch (from “Time is of the essence for Senators GM Steve Staios as NHL trade deadline nears,” Ottawa Citizen – 24/02/2025). It’s not like the 24-year-old has been playing badly, either; on the bottom pair, he averages 2.8 goals for per 60 minutes and has been a positive possession player. But when it comes to defensive skills, Matinpalo has just been more consistent in the same role.
Garrioch mentions that the Nashville Predators might be interested and that the Senators want a prospect in return, maybe someone like Ozzy Wiesblatt, Reid Schaefer, or Kalan Lind. But Staios isn’t in a rush to mess with his defensive unit, as Alex Adams reported that the Senators are comfortable with having too many defencemen on the roster. Bernard-Docker’s $0.805 million salary also doesn’t give the team much more cap room. Unless they get what they’re looking for, Ottawa may wait and see with JBD.
Josh Norris
Of all the potential moves the Senators could make, trading Josh Norris is almost certainly the least appealing in Ottawa. In 51 games, he has 19 goals and 31 points and, when healthy, plays a very effective two-way game. The only problem is that he can’t stay healthy, and with his cap hit at nearly $8 million per season until 2029-30, it would make sense for the Senators to explore moving him for some cap relief.
It’s not the first time Norris has popped up in trade rumours. Garrioch wrote over a month ago that “league executives say the Senators would like to get centre Josh Norris and his $7.95-million salary cap hit off the books,” (from “Ottawa Senators are in NHL playoff mix, but challenge is staying there,” Ottawa Citizen – 11/01/2025) and The Hockey News’ Adam Kierszenblat suggested that the Vancouver Canucks may be interested given Norris’ history with Quinn Hughes. The money is a big hurdle to get over, but if another team jumped in to retain salary like with the Mikko Rantanen deal, there could be something there.
However, unlike with a Forsberg or Bernard-Docker move, there isn’t a player waiting on the wings ready to jump into Norris’ spot. The next best option is Shane Pinto, who has a similar ceiling as a 60-point, two-way forward and has had success as a second-line centre before, but that leaves a gap on the third line. Ridly Greig could take over there, freeing up the wing for Michael Amadio when he returns from injury, but it’s hard to see the roster as better without Norris. Ottawa would need a player who brings a similar on-ice value at a cheaper contract to move Norris, but if they can find it, it may be best to pull the trigger.
The Senators remain in a tricky situation. They need to make a move to stay in the playoff hunt, but they don’t have a lot of pieces worth moving at this time. Still, the Senators have the talent to become a dominant team, they just need a bit more support. Staios will have to be creative in who he targets and who he moves, but he’s proven that he can find value in minor moves. The only question is whether that will come now or if he will wait until the offseason.
