Andre Burakovsky Isn’t as Bad a Pickup as Senators Fans Think

Other than the Brady Tkachuk trade and the acquisition of William Eklund in a quick pivot, it’s been a quiet start to the Ottawa Senators’ offseason. They did retain Claude Giroux and Nick Cousins, as well as extend Jordan Spence, but have only come away with Samuel Ersson, Sammy Blais, Philip Tomasino, and Andre Burakovsky as their other relevant new additions.

Sens fans have the right to be disappointed in their team’s lack of moves since free agency opened up, as nearly everyone in their division looks to have improved, but their frustrations seem to be more directed towards the Burakovsky pickup. The 31-year-old winger was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks for a 2027 sixth-round pick.

So, why be upset about this particular move? Ottawa paid next to no major assets to get him – even though they took back his full $5.5 million cap hit – and Burakovsky brings a nice background of veteranosity and offensive prowess to the Senators’ lineup. Maybe those outside of the organization, such as the fanbase, don’t see the role he’s meant to play as general manager (GM) Steve Staios does. 

Under-Appreciated Career

Burakovsky has never been known as a top-tier point-producer, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be effective in a lesser offensive role. His skillful hands, playmaking abilities and quick release are what make him a solid secondary-scoring option, and he still has highly explosive straight-line speed that helps him in transition and puck protection.

Some might also forget he’s a two-time Stanley Cup champion, winning with the Washington Capitals in 2017-18 and again four years later with the Colorado Avalanche. That whole 2021-22 season was the best in Burakovsky’s career in terms of goals (22), points (61) and games played (80), and he topped it off with eight points in Colorado’s 12 games in that postseason run.

While the 420 points in 771 career games are nice, past winners are great to have on a team eager to reach that next level. Burakovsky might not be a Mark Messier or Ray Bourque kind of leader, but he has seen the work that was put in to win a championship, or at the very least, get a locker room to commit.

What Role Burakovsky Should Play

Outside of his winning experience, Burakovsky fits more into the Senators’ system than some realize. Slot a veteran winger with a solid possession game and puck patience onto a team mastering that same mould, and you have a perfect match, especially for a bottom-six that needed bolstering. As great as Ottawa’s depth has been for the past couple of seasons, nobody on their fourth line averaged 25-plus points last season, even though Cousins had 23.

His defence might not make him a great full-time fourth liner, but Burakovsky’s playmaking and shot do allow more offence to complement Cousins, Stephen Halliday or whoever coach Travis Green chooses to put with him. Besides, that little bit of offence could complete their transition on both sides of the puck. 

What about the top-nine? The only problem with placing Burakovsky on any of the middle-six lines is that he doesn’t carry the playing style to match their identities. Meaning he doesn’t have a good enough defensive game to play on a shutdown third line with Michael Amadio or Shane Pinto, and he isn’t known for throwing the body either, so he wouldn’t match with Ridly Greig or Dylan Cozens on the second. 

Maybe Burakovsky takes some stints with Eklund and Tim Stutzle on the top line, but they are both plenty capable of supplying offence for themselves and could use a power forward like Warren Foegle to get to the net instead. Drake Batherson could also slot in from time to time, and his spot in the top six would be limited if Burakovsky gets into the mix.

So, the fourth line seems like his best bet on where to fit in. In fact, it can be argued that each member can help the others. Not only can both Burakovsky and Cousins help grow Halliday and bring his game along, but Halliday and Cousins can both get to the gritty areas or free up the puck for Burakovsky, as well as cover for him defensively.

Sens Shouldn’t Be Done Yet

Though the addition of Burakovsky might not be as bad as Sens fans are making it out to be, Ottawa’s front office shouldn’t be patting themselves on the back – there’s still plenty of work to be done. Between Burakovsky and Eklund, they might at least help with scoring and are more disciplined than Tkachuk, but neither of them carries the same physical presence as the former Sens’ captain. 

What the Senators need now is a top-line power forward-type player to fit with Stutzle and Eklund so they can go about creating their offence with someone to dig the puck free and cause chaos in front. Preferably, the candidate is someone both affordable and a right winger – or someone who can play that position – but there are few of those available right now. 

For instance, a trade for Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs would require moving heaven and earth to bring him to Ottawa. Still, someone like Jake DeBrusk from the Vancouver Canucks, who the Senators have formally been linked to, would cost fewer assets to acquire, even though he would be a pure experiment and has five years left, making $5.5 million.

It should also be noted that Fabian Zetterlund’s $4.275 million average annual value (AAV) would have to go in any trade for the Sens to stay cap-compliant. Free agents are now limited, but what about Michael Bunting? He isn’t that big, but he’ll give you 30-40 points a season and still plays as gritty and aggressively as a power forward.

All in all, there are still moves to be made if the Senators wish to keep up with their Atlantic Division rivals, but fans and analysts shouldn’t go that hard on them for one move, especially when speculating where Burakovsky will play. They have just under $4.2 million in cap space, plus a few trade assets, to add another weapon before training camps start in September.