Senators return work as clock ticks towards NHL trade deadline

Article content

It’s exactly one month to the National Hockey League trade deadline and Steve Staios has been doing a lot of talking, but hasn’t been able to find the right fit to take any action.

Article content

The Ottawa Senators president of hockey operations and general manager has spent a lot of time during the club’s break working the phones to see if he can find the right fit for the roster with the deadline set for March 8 at 3 p.m. ET.

Article content

The Senators will return to practice Thursday at 4 p.m. at the Canadian Tire Centre to prepare for the final 35 games of the season. That stretch will begin with Saturday’s visit by the Toronto Maple Leafs and the club will play 14 games before the deadline, so this is an important run.

Though Staios has declared he’d like to bring in some veteran leadership before this deadline, trying to go that route has proven difficult.

The Senators have shown significant interest in Calgary Flames’ Chris Tanev, however, the ball is in the defenceman’s court with the talk ticking towards the deadline. He has a “10 team” no trade clause (NTC) and it’s not known if Ottawa is one of the teams on his list.

Article content

If the Senators were to make this move, the belief is they’d like to get him signed to a contract extension. A unrestricted free agent on July 1, Tanev, 34, is in the final year of a contract that’s paying him $4.5 million this season and there has been significant interest in his services.

If the Senators were a contender, the decision might be easier for Tanev to come to Ottawa. The club is 16 points out of the final wild-card spot in the East and he has to be willing to throw in the towel on this year with a strong belief the Senators will make the playoffs next season.

“At his age, (Tanev) probably wants to win a Cup and he could probably sign with the Senators in the summer,” a league executive said Tuesday.

Right now, there are about 10 teams — including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Boston Bruins and Los Angeles Kings — looking for help on the back end.

Article content

There aren’t many defencemen available, however, a league executive said teams looking at Tanev are also looking at Brett Pesce of the Carolina Hurricanes and Matt Dumba of the Arizona Coyotes.

While there was a lot of buzz Monday when Staios showed up in the press box at Scotiabank Arena to take in the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs, it should be noted he spent the break at his place in the suburbs of the city and took the opportunity to see both teams first-hand.

Along with trying to get help, Staios is also trying to weigh the market because the club also is trying to sell off assets.

A player who looks like he’s getting ready to be moved is winger Vladimir Tarasenko. After switching agents last July and signing a one-year, $5-million deal with the Senators, he made another move on his representation on the weekend by hiring agent Craig Oster of Newport Sports.

Article content

Though Oster now represents seven players in the organization — including captain Brady Tkachuk, Josh Norris, Erik Brannstrom, Tyler Kleven, Lassi Thomson and Jiri Smejkal — Tarasenko likely isn’t making this move so he can work out an extension with the Senators.

He demanded a full NTC when he signed the one-year, $5-million deal with the Senators last summer and the expectation is there will be plenty of interest at the deadline.

This is Tarasenko’s fourth agent in the past three years.

A league insider told Postmedia on Tuesday that the 32-year-old Tarasenko may be making this move so that if he’s going to waive his NTC to get moved, then he might be able to get a contract in place before a trade is finalized.

“He’s likely thinking he can get a trade and extension at the same time with a new agent,” the insider said.

Article content

Tarasenko has 13 goals and 33 points in 45 games with the Senators and it makes sense for the club to sell high.

Tarasenko has fit in just fine with Ottawa but, at this juncture, it would be surprising if he got an extension and the Senators should be able to get an asset or two in return — especially if the club is willing to retain salary in any trade they make.

You have to think the market will shake loose soon after the Flames sent forward Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks last Thursday and the Montreal Canadiens reacted the next day by selling off centre Sean Monahan to the Winnipeg Jets.

Monahan was dealt for a first-round pick in 2024 and a conditional third-round pick in 2027. Flames general manager Craig Conroy acquired winger Andrei Kuzmenko along with prospects Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo, a 2024 first-round pick and a conditional fourth-round pick.

Those two trades should help set the price for the sellers as the deadline draws closer.

It would be no surprise if the Senators move defenceman Erik Brannstrom, along with forwards Dominik Kubalik and Mark Kastelic, before the deadline.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

Article content