The Ottawa Senators a day before the deadline
Hailey Salvian of The Athletic: The Ottawa Senators could move out some pending UFAs, but there isn’t the same amount of pressure to do so this year as there has been in previous years.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau is one of the top trade targets. Chris Tierney could get some interest. Artem Anisimov has a year left on his deal at $4.55 million and there may not be much of market for him.
The Senators have been holding Vladislav Namestnikov out of the lineup for “asset management” reasons. There have been no contract talks with him and a trade is likely. Teams have been calling the Senators.
“I’m told that Dorion is considering multiple options on Vladislav Namestnikov,” Dreger said on TSN’s “Insider Trading” on Thursday. “I can tell you that at least four teams of interest have inquired about him. (I’m) not saying that one of those teams is the team that ends up with Namestnikov, but we’re talking about the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Winnipeg Jets … the Colorado Avalanche consider Namestnikov, perhaps, as a Plan B if they don’t land New York’s Chris Kreider, and you’ve got the Columbus Blue Jackets in that mix as well. Pierre Dorion, obviously, has something that he feels really close on with Namestnikov.”
There have been some reports of the Edmonton Oilers interest in Tyler Ennis. He’s on a cheap $800,000 deal.
Pierre LeBrun reported the Senators have some interest in re-signing defenseman Ron Hainsey. He has a 10-team no-movement clause.
Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman on his 31 Thought Podcast on the Ottawa Senators leading up to the trade deadline.
“I think early on the market for (Pageau) was soft. It wasn’t as high as Ottawa wanted. That’s not to say it won’t change, because he’s a centre and it’s hard to find centres and he’s probably the top centre available. I think they’d want a first if not a conditional first-rounder…Pageau, I think he wants term and Ottawa is scared of term.
“I think it’s more likely than not he gets traded.”