This offseason is important for the Ottawa Senators as they regroup and hope to make the playoffs in 2023-24. Management found ways to improve the roster throughout the year, but it wasn’t enough to propel them into the postseason, which they had missed since last time in 2017. Compared to many other teams, general manager (GM) Pierre Dorion had a busy year in the trade department. In a recent article, I analyzed the various signings Dorion has made in the past year. Now, I’m going to look at the different trades he made and how they affected the team.
Address the first six
Dorion’s first big move last year was the acquisition of Alex DeBrincat from the Chicago Blackhawks for a 7th pick in 2022, a 39th pick, and a 3rd round pick in 2024. The move was intended to strengthen the team’s top six and give them extra help to make a playoff push .
In general, this step was logical for the Sens administration at that time. The price to pay for the 24-year-old seemed fair given he was already a two-time top scorer with 40 goals. This season, DeBrinkat has scored 27 goals and 66 points in 82 games. The totals themselves aren’t bad, but they fell short of the expectations set for him given that he was surrounded by a better, more dynamic offense than the previous year in Chicago.
Adding to the Senators’ pain is the contract extension situation. Chose the team DeBrincat brought to arbitration Since he owes $9 million on his qualifying offer as a restricted free agent (RFA). So after only a year out of the trade, he’s likely already on his way to another location, as he doesn’t seem to see himself in Ottawa long-term. It is very likely that Dorion received less than he gave up to get it. Not the best move in the end, but I think the blame is not entirely on the management here because they tried to give their team a boost with the start of the season.
Goalkeeper swap
Just days after free agency began 2022, Dorion sent young goaltender Philip Gustafson to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for veteran Cam Talbot. The move came as a surprise to many, but the goal of the trade is to get a solid veteran goalie for the breakaway starting with Anton Forsberg, who has just had a career year and has proven he can take on a bigger role.
Related: Revisiting the Senators’ Trade for Cam Talbot
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Overall, despite the good intentions, the move was arguably the worst deal Dorion has made in the past year. In his first season at Minnesota, Gustafson had a breakout season while being mentored by veteran Marc-Andre Fleury. He put up a 0.931 save percentage (SV%) and 2.33 goals against average (GAA) in 39 games for which he was a good fit. On top of that, he started the most games in the Wild Playoffs and put up an amazing 2.33 GAA and 0.921 SV% despite losing to the Dallas Stars in the first round.
When it comes to Talbot, the results have been disappointing. While injuries likely played a role in his performance, he’s put up an average of 898 SV% with a 2.93 GAA in 36 games this season. The Senators had a tough year in the net, whether due to injuries or performance, as seven different goaltenders fit the team. Look for Dorion to make a goaltending move in the offseason.
dumps cap
Last year, Dorion made two notable initiatives by tackling goalkeeper Matt Murray and defender Nikita Zaitsev. The first trade came when the Senators offloaded Murray to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Along with the two-time Stanley Cup-winning goaltender, he gave up a 2023 third-round pick and a seventh-round pick in 2024. That ended up being a big deal for the Senators, as the Maple Leafs’ gamble on Murray was cut short by injuries. In the process, they charged the last two years of his four-year $25 million contract while having to keep just under $1.6 million each season. Nice cover management move here.
The second cap trade came at the start of 2023 when Dorion again dealt to the Blackhawks for disposal of $4.5 million in cap space. Zaitsev was bundled along with a 2023 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick in a deal that worked well for both teams. Zaitsev helped Chicago reach the salary cap while the money freed up for Sens helped them land another big name soon after.
Help in defense
On March 1, Dorion made his biggest move of the past year by acquiring Jacob Cicciron from the Arizona Coyotes. In return, he gave up the 12th overall pick in the 2023 draft, a conditional 2024 second-round pick, and a 2026 second-round pick. While the payout may seem great, it is definitely worth it for a player of Chychrun’s caliber.
Overall, there hasn’t been much time to judge this trade, but so far it looks like a good deal. The Wolves acquired assets to rebuild their team for a player they had been holding on to for a long time. In turn, the Sens have the best defensive duo that gives them a killer fourth in Chychrun, Thomas Chabot, Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub. On top of that, not only is Chychrun happy to be in Ottawa, but he also has a cheap contract worth just $4.6 million a season over the next two years (from ‘Family Ties: Chychruns couldn’t be happier that Jacob was dealt with the Senators , Ottawa Sun, 3/1/23). This is a move that shows fans GM believes in their team and what they have built.
I look forward
Dorion’s deals mirror last season perfectly – he’s had his ups and downs. But overall, he did the best he could and deserves to stay for at least another season to watch the team he built press for the playoffs.
Looking ahead, Dorion has some big decisions to make when it comes to addressing DeBrincat’s situation and their needs in goalkeeping and the bottom six forwards. He’s shown he’s not afraid to take risks, which could make the next few weeks very exciting.