Qualifying offers for restricted free agents were due on June 30, and there were a lot of players the Ottawa Senators had to make decisions on. Restricted free agents (RFA) who don’t receive a qualifying offer will become unrestricted free agents (UFA) on July 1. The Senators’ restricted free agents that received their qualifying offer were Shane Pinto, Egor Sokolov, Lassi Thomson, Mads Sogaard, and Kevin Mandolese. Erik Brannstrom, Boris Katchouk, and Parker Kelly did not receive one and will become UFAs.
Brannstrom Saga Comes to an End
After more than five years in the Senators’ organization, the Brannstrom saga in Ottawa is over. Whether you want to point fingers at the player’s personal development, the organization mishandling his development path, coaching issues, and utilization, or management blocking his path to success, it all adds up to one of the worst trades in NHL history. Brannstrom’s name was always going to be attached to the Mark Stone trade, and he did everything he could, but it wasn’t enough for the new regime in Ottawa to offer him his qualifying offer.
There is certainly still a path to a successful NHL career. Brannstrom not being qualified isn’t so much a testament to his abilities, but rather the lack of a fit with the Senators and the team’s need for cap space. Brannstrom was due a $2.2 million offer, and that money could be used much better elsewhere in the lineup.
The transition from a mobile, star offensive defenseman as a prospect to doing well as a third-pair shut-down defender for the Senators was impressive. A small defenseman playing that role isn’t ideal, and with Tyler Kleven knocking on the door, he may be a better option. Brannstrom wasn’t going to get more minutes down the road in Ottawa, and they needed size. This is a tough decision to make, but the correct one.
Katchouk & Kelly are Moving On
Kelly is a rather replaceable player in the lineup. He is a hard-working winger with physicality but doesn’t offer much more than that. After the Senators transitioned from DJ Smith to Jacques Martin as the head coach, Kelly’s game got better, but not drastically. He is certainly going to get a contract elsewhere and would be better suited as a 13th forward on a contending team than an NHL regular seeing third- and fourth-line minutes.
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Internally, Angus Crookshank is a player who could take that job and has more offensive upside, is quicker, and more versatile. The Senators may miss the physical game from Kelly and Mark Kastelic, who was traded to the Boston Bruins, but if the plan is to inject more skill into the lineup, it makes sense.
As for Katchouk, it isn’t surprising that there wasn’t an offer. He was a late-season waiver claim and while he played fine in Ottawa, he didn’t show enough to earn a contract to come back with the team. As mentioned with Crookshank, there are internal options that are close to NHL-ready, and Katchouk just wasn’t a needle-mover.
Surprising Offers
The only offers that came as a surprise were Sokolov and Thomson.
There have been reports from Bruce Garrioch that the Senators have qualified Sokolov, but will still be looking to move him. There doesn’t seem to be a path to the NHL for him in the Senators’ organization, and even after a solid year in the American Hockey League (AHL), he didn’t earn a call-up at all.
Another one was Thomson, who was waived twice this season, and signed a contract in the Swedish Hockey League for this upcoming season, was a toss-up to receive one.
As free agency is set to begin, the Senators are being sure to make the best use of every dollar they have available, because they don’t have much.
