Senators Should Take Advantage of Canucks’ Chaos – The Hockey Writers Ottawa Senators Latest News, Analysis & More

The Ottawa Senators are flirting with a playoff spot for the first time in a long time, and as the season reaches the halfway point, there are a few things that the Senators have identified as needs for their roster. In a perfect world, a healthy Senators team would be in a bit better of a position they are in now, but as always, injuries get in the way. The Vancouver Canucks, who have some chaos building around their team with the rumors of J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson, could be a perfect team and opportunity for the Senators to take advantage of.

The Senators could use a good bit of help everywhere on the roster outside of the center and left defense positions. They could use the help of a scoring winger on either the left or right, certainly some support on the right side of their defense, and with the goaltending injuries, a backup goalie. Outside of the positional needs, it would make sense for the Senators to bring in a center, even though it isn’t a dire need at this point, because teams always want centers and if they make the team better, it is always worth considering.

Pettersson has been one of the best players in the league for a number of years. While the past year hasn’t gone as well as planned, there is no question that Pettersson is a dominant player and is sure to return to his true form. Part of the reason that Pettersson is even available is the drama being reported between he and Miller. With a few reports stating that Pettersson is a more sensitive player than many, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just not meshing well with what the Canucks have established around him.

So, does it make sense for the Senators to acquire him? Well, yes, for the right price.

Pettersson has excellent two-way skills. He can be a high-end point producer while still being a great defensive presence. There aren’t too many players who can play at the level of Pettersson, which is why having his name on the trade market is a unique opportunity. Pettersson is without a doubt the top center on most teams in the NHL, and while the Senators already have their top center in Tim Stutzle, it sure wouldn’t hurt to have Pettersson playing in the top-six with him.

So it makes sense to acquire Pettersson on paper, but how much would it cost? It’s too much for the Senators right now.

The asking price for Pettersson almost certainly starts with a first-round draft pick, which isn’t something the Senators will be thrilled to give up considering they are already down a pick from the Evgenii Dadonov situation. For the right deal, it could make sense, but we will come back to that.

On top of the pick, Josh Norris would need to be part of the deal. Pettersson makes $11.6 million per season, so Norris’ contract is the only one that makes sense to send back, and with his play this season, the Canucks would likely welcome him back. On top of that, it has been public that the Canucks are looking for a defenseman, and Artem Zub would fit the bill pretty well. It would be tough for the Senators to move on from Zub, but with his recent injuries and sub-par play this season, it isn’t the worst idea. So a first-round pick, Norris, Zub, and probably a high-end prospect, which the Senators don’t have outside of Carter Yakemchuk.

The price is just too much for the Senators to be making a move like this. If they have a well-stocked prospect pool it could make a lot more sense, but with where the Senators currently stand, acquiring Pettersson just isn’t on the table.

J.T. Miller Makes a Lot More Sense

Miller has a lot of the attributes that Pettersson has, with high-octane offense, and good defense when he is buying into it, but where Miller stands out even more is that he is a true power forward. While Pettersson has more value to the team and trade value, Miller could be a much better addition to the Senators than Pettersson would.

Of course, with the alleged drama, Miller has been reported as being too tough on Pettersson, and odds are, one of them is traded. It hurts to have to trade either one, but the Canucks are building around Pettersson, and could very well opt to move Miller.

Related: Evaluating 2 Canucks Mock Trades Involving Pettersson & Miller

The package would have a similar shape as the Pettersson deal, which would be Norris, a first-round pick, and another asset. It could be Zub, or something else, but it wouldn’t be as much as Pettersson.

Miller plays a style of hockey that fits the Senators better with his physicality and gritty play. If the Senators were to target one of the two centers, it should be Miller.

Brock Boeser is a Wildcard on Trade Market

Does it make sense to move Brock Boeser? Probably not right now, but he is set to become a pending unrestricted free agent at the end of this season and doesn’t have an extension with the Canucks yet. While Boeser has missed some time, when healthy, he is on pace to push another 40-goal season for the second season in a row. Boeser is a great winger, who the Canucks would also like a first-round pick for, but the Senators could use his services more than they could use Miller or Pettersson.

With Michael Amadio, David Perron, and the depth either injured, lacking contributions, or just not offensively-minded, there is certainly a need for a scoring winger. While Adam Gaudette has been one of the best surprises in the league this year, he likely slow down, as he already has started to, and they will need someone to support Norris and Stutzle on the wings.

So a first-round pick is a good starting place for Boeser. The Canucks have some good center depth, but if the Senators could acquire Boeser, contingent on an extension, for Shane Pinto or Ridly Greig and a first-round pick, that makes a lot of sense.

Desharnais, Hoglander Among Options

If the Senators are going shopping in Vancouver, they will likely look at some of the bigger names available as mentioned above. If they are going through the wringer to try and get a deal done, they might as well look to add one of Vincent Desharnais or Nils Hoglander.

It was recently announced that Senators defenseman Travis Hamonic is set to miss a few weeks of play, so adding a defenseman like Desharnais makes sense. He plays a similar way to Hamonic, being a big body who plays physically and has little offense. Desharnais is an upgrade on Hamonic, so it should be a target either way, but the absence of Hamonic gives the Senators even more of an opportunity to do it.

For Hoglander, he likely isn’t going to be a primary target of a trade either, but his offensive struggles in Vancouver this season have led to some speculation. After scoring 24 goals last season, Hoglander has just seven total points in 36 games. A change of scenery is certainly something that can help, and he would be a low-cost, low-risk addition that could work well with the Senators.

Great Options for Ottawa

Trading a first-round pick only makes sense if it is a player with term, and impactful, is being acquired. With the Senators likely opting to forfeit their 2026 pick, making a big move this year makes sense as they will not be able to next season.

There is a great opportunity for the Senators and Canucks to come out looking good after a potential trade. Whether it be Miller, Boeser, Desharnais, Hoglander, Pettersson, a mix of them, or a player nobody expects, there is a good chance for these teams to help each other.