On the Ottawa Senators …
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: The Tampa Bay Lightning are looking add before the trade deadline, and they are looking at the Ottawa Senators.
Lightning assistant GM Julien Brisebois was at the Senators game on Sunday. The Lightning also had someone watching the Senators-Flyers on Saturday.
The Lightning are believed to be looking for help on the blue line, and they could be among the teams interested in Erik Karlsson and Cody Ceci.
Karlsson won’t be traded at the deadline though.
The Lightning would like to add a right-handed defenseman; the two teams have discussed Ceci before.
Other teams have shown interest in forwards Mike Hoffman, Zack Smith or Jean-Gabriel Pageau.
The asking price for Hoffman is high – a first-round pick and young NHL player or a top prospect with a high upside.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are believed to have shown interest in Hoffman and Pageau.
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: Senators owner Eugene Melnyk will be meeting with GM Pierre Dorion this week for two days of meetings to lay out their future plans.
The Senators were 14 points out a playoff spot heading into last night’s play.
If they do a full rebuild, they move out players for a draft picks, prospects or both.
Hoffman, Smith, and Pageau are getting the most interest. It would take a really good offer for the Senators to move Pageau. The Senators don’t have to move any of them if they don’t get a good enough offer.
The Flames have been watching the Senators the past two weeks, and there is some speculation that they like Smith or Pageau.
It’s believed the LA Kings have shown mild interest in defenseman Dion Phaneuf and Johnny Oduya.
Phaneuf has a 12-team no-trade list and carries a $7 million salary cap hit through 2020-21. The Kings and Senators discussed Phaneuf at the draft last year.
The Senators will meet with Erik Karlsson after July 1st to talk about a potential contract extension.