The Calgary Flames could be thinking bridge for Connor Zary
Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff: A source is saying the Calgary Flames could be looking to bridge pending RFA Connor Zary. Zary put up 27 points in 54 games last season. He has dealt with some injuries, and there is a bit of a concern. A source said they could be thinking of a three-year deal around $3 million. That is similar to what Alex Newhook got from the Montreal Canadiens.
The Flames also have pending RFAs in Kevin Bahl and Morgan Frost.
Adding scoring help is on the Ottawa Senators’ radar, what will happen with their forfeited pick, and Claude Giroux
Julian McKenzie of The Athletic: (mailbag) Due to the Ottawa Senators mishandling of the Evgenii Dadonov trade, they were forced to give up either their 2025 or 2026 first-round pick. Could the NHL end up forgiving them for the previous owner/GMs mistake, or give them the last pick of the first round, like what the NHL did for the New Jersey Devils in 2014.
PuckPedia: “It does not appear #GoSensGo elected to forfeit the ’25 1st round pick. Per the NHL punishment, they had 24 hours following the draft lottery to decide to forfeit the ’25 1st. Since ’25 1st not forfeited, they’ll either forfeit ’26 1st or punishment could possibly be reduced”
Some top-six free agent winger options for the Senators could include Nikolaj Ehlers, Mikael Granlund, Ryan Donato and Brock Boeser. Ehlers may be the best of the bunch, but he’ll draw plenty of interest from teams that miss out on Mitch Marner. Don’t see the Senators as a top destination for Marner if he goes to free agency.
If the Senators go the trade route for a top-six winger, the Penguins’ Rickard Rakell and the Kraken’s Jared McCann could be an option.
The Sens don’t have their 2026 second-round pick and may not have their 2026 first-round pick, so offer sheets may be off the table.
Think the Senators should try to get Claude Giroux signed for one year at $4.25 million. PuckPedia projects Giroux at two years and between $4.85 and $5 million.
Don’t see the Senators trading Drake Batherson unless they get a top defenseman or a scoring young player in return. He’s on a friendly $5 million deal through 2027 and is close to a 30-goal scorer. If they traded him, they’d need to replace his scoring.
The Senators may need to add a right-handed defenseman. Don’t think the Sens should rush prospect Carter Yakemchuk, and they should give him a year in the AHL. The Calgary Flames may decide that Rasmus Andersson won’t sign an extension with them, and they may have to explore a trade. RHD UFAs could include Aaron Ekblad and Dante Fabbro. They may go cheaper on the blue line upgrade and spend their money on scoring.
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