Ottawa Senators GM Steve Staios recently scouted the Vancouver Canucks, prompting speculation that he could be looking for trade targets. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Flyers could be looking for more experienced backup goalie depth.
Entering this season, the Ottawa Senators were hoping to build on the performance that ended their seven-year playoff drought last spring.
However, they have slid toward the bottom of the standings, sitting five points out of a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.
The Hockey News' Jack Richardson believes Senators GM Steve Staios is starting to feel the heat for the club's disappointing performance thus far.
Staios isn't responsible for captain Brady Tkachuk's lengthy absence with an injured thumb, or starting goalie Linus Ullmark's on-ice struggles and leave of absence. Nevertheless, it's on the Senators' GM to find a way to improve his club before they fall further out of contention.
TSN's Darren Dreger said Tuesday that the next seven to 10 games would determine if the Senators become buyers or sellers in the trade market. He reported that Staios was in Montreal on Monday scouting the Vancouver Canucks, but indicated that he could have been pre-scouting for the Senators' game against the Canucks on Tuesday, a 2-1 win for Ottawa.
Reports from Postmedia claim Staios continues to search the trade market for a right-shot defenseman and a top-six forward. Regarding possible trade targets on the Canucks, defenseman Filip Hronek and forwards Conor Garland, Kiefer Sherwood and Jake DeBrusk could be players of interest for the Senators GM.
Dreger suggested Sherwood would be a good addition to the Senators. However, they'll have to rise in the standings before Staios would make such an aggressive move.
The Senators could also use help in the crease. Ullmark doesn't resemble the solid goalie he was last season, and there's no suitable backup within their system. They signed free agent James Reimer recently, but it could be asking too much of the 37-year-old netminder to save their season.
Speaking of teams in need of goaltending depth, the Philadelphia Flyers could be in the market for a suitable backup for starter Dan Vladar, who left Wednesday's game with an injury.
Daily Faceoff's Anthony Di Marco cited a team source claiming the Flyers are considering "alternative options" to Samuel Ersson if his struggles persist. The 26-year-old Swede has a 6-7-4 record, a 3.32 goals-against average and an .855 save percentage.
Di Marco noted the Buffalo Sabres are carrying three goaltenders. His source said the Flyers would prefer Alex Lyon for the right price.
The Sabres have been surging in the standings with their three-goalie system. They're unlikely to trade one of them unless it's for a return that can help them end their NHL-record 14-season playoff drought.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.