There's been quite a bit of dialogue over the past few days about Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson and potential trade talks around the league. According to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch, three NHL executives are out there telling people that Batherson is "a name to keep an eye on" as the NHL Draft approaches.

That kind of talk doesn't usually pop up for no reason, something might actually be going on. But other times it's because someone — like the player’s team, agent, or an interested club — has tossed out information, like a lit match, to spark interest or stir up activity. Think of the Brady Tkachuk rumours out of New York earlier this season.

No matter how we got here, people are now talking about Drake Batherson's future, whether it should be here or somewhere else, and make no mistake: if the right offer comes along, one that clearly makes the Ottawa Senators better, then no one on this team – or any team –  is untouchable.

As the old adage goes, "If Gretzky can be traded in his prime, anyone can."

But the current conversation around Batherson seems tinged with the idea that, because he didn’t have a great playoff showing, he’s now officially expendable.

No, Batherson didn’t have the best playoffs. He posted a goal and an assist in six games while making a couple of costly errors and taking some ill-advised penalties. But it's worth remembering that this was Batherson’s first playoff experience, and like many of his teammates, the over-the-moon excitement of finally reaching the postseason likely worked against him.

Should The Senators Kick The Tires On Three-Time Cup Winner Jonathan Toews? The Ottawa Senators have been building toward contention for years. The core is maturing, the expectations are rising, and the team is no longer seen as a rebuilding project. To help mold the young core, the Sens brought in Claude Giroux three years ago, but last summer, GM Steve Staios wanted to add even more experience on the roster.

Meanwhile, as GM Steve Staios looks to improve the team over the summer, part of his focus has to be on increasing offensive output, not reducing it. The Senators finished tied for 18th in goals scored, placing them in the bottom half of the league.

It's hard to see how trading Batherson, Ottawa’s second-highest scorer on a super team-friendly contract, would help that goal. Batherson finished second on the team in both goals with 26 and points with 68, numbers he's consistently posted over the past three seasons.

Any team acquiring Batherson is obviously trying to boost their offense, so they're not interested in sending the Sens the high-scoring forward they covet. And if they do, or the Sens get one in free agency, the investment in that player would far exceed the $4.9 million they’re currently paying Batherson.

In short, you're not even getting another Batherson for under $5 million, let alone an upgrade.

The 27-year-old's value to Ottawa also increases if the team can't or doesn’t re-sign Claude Giroux. Trading Batherson would leave the club without its top two right-wingers from this past season.

Is Fabian Zetterlund ready to backfill and provide high quality top-six minutes on a playoff-caliber team?

It's impossible to see him as an upgrade on either of the incumbents. Hell, Zetterlund still has a long way to go just to get back his former glory: his career-high 44 points from two seasons ago, which is still 24 fewer than Batherson's total this year.

And after arbitration this summer, or at least the threat of it, Zetterlund probably won't be miles behind Batherson in salary. 

If the right trade offer presents itself and it makes the Senators better, you take it. No one is untouchable. But once you get past the big three – Tkachuk, Stützle, and Sanderson – Batherson is as close to an untouchable as anyone in Ottawa.

Or at least he should be.

(Banner image Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images)

Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

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