The Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers made the biggest trade of the off-season thus far, but both clubs still have work to do to address other roster issues.
The NHL world is still abuzz over the Florida Panthers acquiring Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators.
It's the biggest move thus far in what could be a summer of blockbuster trades.
It also leaves fans and pundits wondering what's next for these two clubs.
Regardless of the reasons why the Senators traded Tkachuk, the move leaves them without a skilled top-six left winger. That's on top of their existing needs for a winger for center Tim Stutzle's line, a top-four, right-shot defenseman, and a backup goaltender.
Little wonder, then, that The Hockey News' Ken Campbell believes the Tkachuk trade is not the only move that the Senators will make this summer.
Steve Warne suggested that GM Steve Staios could use the three first-round picks and the second-rounder he received from the Panthers as trade chips to address one or two of his roster needs.
Postmedia reported the Senators could step up efforts to acquire Mason McTavish from the Anaheim Ducks. The 23-year-old forward, who can play center or left wing, has five years left on his contract with an average annual value of $7 million.
The report also speculated on whether Staios might revisit his interest in Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell. Rust lacks no-trade protection, while Rakell has an eight-team no-trade list. The Senators were also said to be interested in St. Louis Blues right winger Jordan Kyrou, but he reportedly won't waive his no-trade clause to go to Ottawa.
Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period believes the Senators could make a big push for Jason Robertson. The Dallas Stars left winger is an RFA with arbitration rights on July 1 after completing a four-year contract with an average annual value of $7.75 million. He's also a year away from UFA eligibility.
Pagnotta thinks the Senators could attempt to sign Robertson to an offer sheet if a trade isn't worked out by July 1.
Assuming the high-scoring winger isn't interested, they'll have to find other options.
As for the Panthers, GM Bill Zito won't be resting on his laurels following the Tkachuk acquisition.
Goaltenders Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov are due to become UFAs on July 1. The Panthers have just over $7 million in cap space for next season. Bobrovsky reportedly seeks a six- or seven-year contract worth $42 million, which could price him out of Florida.
David Dwork of The Hockey News indicated that Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets recently surfaced in the rumor mill. Given what the Panthers gave up for Tkachuk, Dwork considers it unlikely they have sufficient assets to acquire Hellebuyck. A more affordable trade option could be Jordan Binnington of the Blues.
Dwork also mentioned Devin Cooley of the Calgary Flames, but he's unlikely to be available. The Flames signed him to a two-year extension last December to back up Dustin Wolf. A free-agent option could be Penguins netminder Stuart Skinner.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. 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.
