While DeBrincat situation persists, Senators look to free agency to address needs

In Ottawa, the Alex DeBrincat situation lingers in the air like smoke from northern fires. 

After failing to trade the reluctant Senators winger at the draft, the question becomes: Can the Senators move him for a player that could fit into their top six right away?

There had been some hope DeBrincat could be traded in time to secure a first-round draft pick at the draft, but that went up in, er, smoke, when teams were reluctant to part with their first-round picks. 

Then there is the issue of cap room. With an arbitration salary of $9 million next season, or slightly less in a team-elected arbitration, DeBrincat has hopes of a big, long-term deal somewhere. Not many clubs can accommodate that salary without moving a big ticket of their own. That limits the number of potential suitors for DeBrincat, which Senators general manager Pierre Dorion has lamented publicly. 

As free agency opens on Saturday, perhaps something will spring up. Dorion might even find a scorer to lessen the blow of moving DeBrincat, a two-time 41-goal scorer. 

After that gets settled, the priority is to acquire an established goaltender to pair with incumbent Anton Forsberg in the Ottawa net. Nothing makes a general manager or head coach get smarter overnight than improved goaltending. 

For that reason and more, the Ottawa Senators hope to shore up a suspect area of their roster when the NHL free-agent period launches on Saturday. 

Forsberg was stellar for the Senators a couple of years ago but last season suffered from inconsistent play and then a devastating injury in February – MCL tears in both knees. 

With Cam Talbot not invited back, Senators GM Pierre Dorion has a few targets in mind, either via trade or free agency. 

Could he swing a deal that would bring a goaltender in return for DeBrincat? It’s possible, although it seems more likely they become separate transactions. 

Beyond goaltending and sorting out a DeBrincat trade, look for Ottawa to target forwards to strengthen its back six and possibly a free agent defenceman. 

Don’t discount the possibility of the Senators re-signing veteran Travis Hamonic. Dorion said he has been in constant communication with Hamonic and his agent this week, but that Hamonic would have to be willing to take less than the $3-million cap hit of last season. 

At this point, it makes sense for Hamonic to test the market, with Ottawa as a possible fallback position. 

The Senators themselves don’t have a ton of cap room – $17 million to work with and just 11 players under contract. Notable among the restricted free agents who need deals are centre Shane Pinto and defenceman Erik Brannstrom. 

A look at a few of the goalies and forwards that might be of interest to Ottawa:

G Joonas Korpisalo, Los Angeles Kings

There was a time when it seemed Korpisalo would be a slam dunk to re-up with the Kings. But is anything predictable in the NHL when it comes to goalies? Korpisalo, 29, was the longtime Columbus Blue Jackets backstop picked up by LA at the deadline. 

In 11 games with the Kings, he went 7-3-1 with a 9.21 save percentage and 2.13 goals-against average. He played so well that in the playoffs, he usurped Kings starter Pheonix Copley, who played 37 games for L.A. in the regular season. 

Korpisalo was given a lot of rope during the Kings playoff series against Edmonton and it did not work out well. The Oilers lit him up to the tune of a 3.77 goals-against and .892 save percentage in six games, with Korpisalo the goalie of record in all four Kings losses. 

That appears to have been enough to give L.A. pause about re-signing Korpisalo, who earned just $1.3 million last season. A great starting point for the Senators, as long as the competition for Korpisalo doesn’t run up the price. 

G Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes 

Andersen, the former Maple Leafs goaltender, will turn 34 before the season opens and has a history of injuries, so there are caution flags surrounding this potential signing. He earned $5 million with the ‘Canes last season with an AAV of $4.5M. Can’t see Ottawa paying that freight, so Andersen would have to be willing to take a pay cut. 

Andersen won 21 games, though his underlying numbers were not great considering the tight systems play of Carolina. He had a save percentage of .903 and 2.48 goals-against average. 

As the playoffs began, Andersen was out of the lineup due to illness and lower body injury but ultimately won the starter’s job back from Antti Raanta and posted a 5-3 record, 1.83 GAA and .927 save percentage.

G Antti Raanta, Carolina Hurricanes 

Here’s the other veteran goalie who benefited from Carolina’s strict two-way game. Raanta, 34, didn’t get as many starts as Andersen but had a stellar season at 19-3-3 and was the go-to guy when the playoffs began. With a .910 save percentage and 2.13 goals-against, Raanta takes some good numbers to market. 

Raanta had a cap hit of $2 million last season. 

He could be a fit. 

And how about a forward addition? 

I had Corey Perry on my list but had to scratch him off when the pending UFA was traded by Tampa Bay to Chicago at the draft. The Blackhawks have since signed the ageless winger to a one-year $4 million deal to keep him from free agency. 

Perry’s experience would have been a great fit in Ottawa and he grew up just down Highway 7 in Peterborough. 

LW Tyler Bertuzzi, Boston Bruins 

Bertuzzi is very familiar with Ottawa, having played for two Atlantic Division rivals in the past several years. 

A 30-goal scorer in 2021-22, Bertuzzi was with the Detroit Red Wings for six seasons before moving to Boston at the deadline. In regular season play, Bertuzzi had a modest 30-point campaign, with eight goals and 22 assists between the teams. But in the playoffs, Bertuzzi was one of Boston’s most consistent producers with five goals and five assists. He was tied with Brad Marchand for the team lead in points with 10. 

Now 28, Bertuzzi would be a great addition as a second-line left winger. 

Had a $4.75M AAV last season and might get expensive on the market. 

C/RW Nick Bjugstad, Edmonton Oilers 

The Oilers have a lot of moving parts right now. After dealing Kailer Yamamoto and Klim Kostin to Detroit for future considerations, there is some talk they may be able to bring Bjugstad back. If not, the big forward would be an excellent addition to the Senators lineup. 

With a salary of just $900,000 last season, Bjugstad, 30, is looking for a raise. And he earned one. He was extremely useful for the top-heavy Oilers scoring 17 goals in 78 games with Edmonton and Arizona while playing more than 16 minutes per game. 

The only thing preventing Edmonton from bringing him back is cap room. That could be to the advantage of a team like Ottawa if the price is right. 

Max Domi, Dallas Stars

It was nice to see Domi have a bounce-back season, putting up 20 goals for the first time since his 2018-19 season with Montreal when he had 28 goals and 72 points. 

On a talent-strapped Blackhawks team, Domi had 18 goals and 31 assists before moving to Dallas at the trade deadline. Domi didn’t let up, chipping in three goals and 10 assists in 19 playoff games for the Stars. 

Domi is 28 and plays a feisty style of game for a smaller player. His AAV was $3 million last season.