While there was a lot of turnover with the Senators’ roster, all of the core pieces have stayed intact during the 2024 offseason, at least for now. There aren’t any big moves that people are expecting at this point, but now that the draft, the first week of free agency, and the development camp are all over, we have a better look at what the roster is going to look like when the regular season rolls around.
In this first piece of a five-part series, we will have a look at the left-wing depth the Senators have, followed by the right-wing, center, defense, and goaltending in the coming days. When looking at the depth, the players aren’t necessarily listed as they will be in the full lineup, rather just a list starting with the best and working down towards prospects and American Hockey League (AHL) players who could be called up and given a chance. Not every AHL player will be listed, but the ones with a legitimate shot of playing even a few games in 2024-25 are. Some players are listed at multiple positions, but will only be included once, and it will be the position they played most of last season or their preferred side.
Left Wing Depth Chart
The Senators’ depth on the left side is relatively weak and is missing a player for the second and fourth line, but there are a few options for what they could do.
Brady Tkachuk
Brady Tkachuk‘s impact on the Senators has been unmatched over the last number of years. He is the captain, role model, and one of the top producers. What makes Tkachuk’s game so impactful is that he has the ability to score 35+ goals and 75+ points, be among the top of the league in shots and hits, plays with more passion than most, and so much more.
Tkachuk is almost a unicorn, meaning that there are no others like him in the league. Even his brother has turned his focus more toward offense, and while there are some players who play similarly, none to do Tkachuk’s level.
David Perron
There is a chance that David Perron will play on the right side, which he told head coach Travis Green he prefers, but it is almost certain that one of Perron or Michael Amadio, who will be included with the right-wingers, will play the left side and Perron is more likely after playing all of last season on the left side with the Detroit Red Wings in 2023-24.
Related: Senators’ David Perron Was an Ideal Free Agency Signing
Perron, while 36 years old, is still very effective. He is a physical, gritty player with good offensive output. He regressed a bit last season, but before that has been consistently scoring around 25 goals and 60 points. One minor step back last year could be a sign of regression, but given the situation with young players elevating late in the season, he could bounce right back this season with Ottawa.
Noah Gregor
The Senators just signed the speedy winger to a one-year deal to add depth to the lineup, and with him being third on this list, it is apparent that their depth isn’t excellent in this position. Gregor is a great depth option. He isn’t a game-changer, but he is someone who plays with speed, and versatility, and with those two, he is a great option to fill in anywhere in the lineup.
With the Toronto Maple Leafs last season, he wasn’t as efficient offensively as he had been in the past, but in the early parts of the season when they were still toying with lines, he spent some time in top top-six and created the ability to have options throughout the lineup. He isn’t a top-six player, but if Green wants to go after strong balance throughout the lineup and have better players deeper in the lineup, Gregor is an option to find a fit for somewhere higher.
Angus Crookshank
Angus Crookshank is a 24-year-old winger who is on the verge of bursting into the NHL as a bottom-six player, and this could be his chance to do so. He missed the entire 2021-22 season, which set back his development, but in the past two year in the AHL, his production has taken another jump, especially last season with 46 points in 50 games. His play led to a call-up and 13 games in the NHL, and he played very well as a depth option and had three points in that span.
It isn’t the offense that makes Crookshank effective, though. He plays with a ton of passion and is fighting for position and puck control every shift. He does have offensive skills to balance that, but in the NHL he is likely better suited for a fourth-line role with minimal scoring opportunities. Even still, there is a good chance that he is a great role player who still posts 25 points. Crookshank’s energy and tenacity along with a scoring touch could make the fourth-line much better than it has been previously.
Cole Reinhardt
Cole Reinhardt is the kind of player that could earn a call-up if the Senators are dealing with injuries on the NHL roster. He isn’t likely a player to contend for a spot on the opening-night roster. Like Crookshank, Perron, and Tkachuk, Reinhardt is a tough-to-play-against winger and would be a solid option on the fourth line.
Reinhardt isn’t a high-scoring player, even in the AHL, but if you are among the people who believe that the Senators should have kept Parker Kelly around, Reinhardt would fill a role like that well.
This list is pretty weak in terms of organizational depth. When we get to the center depth, there are multiple options there, including Ridly Greig and Josh Norris, who could play on the left wing, and one of them likely will.
