- UFA Decisions Loom for Senators

With the start of free agency looming, Pierre Dorion and the Ottawa Senators have to make some important decisions and in fairly short order.

All of the team’s unrestricted free agents can test the open market as of July 1st and in a new expansion-related wrinkle, even earlier than that. The Las Vegas Golden Knights have their own 72 hour free agency window prior to the Expansion Draft that will begin as soon as protected lists are submitted on June 18th at 10:00 AM. During that time, George McPhee and the Golden Knights can negotiate with any UFAs or RFAs with the one caveat that any player signed counts as a selection from that particular team.

Dorion will want to have initial talks with all of his unrestricted guys and the word is those conversations are already well underway. A quick rundown of who is headed to unrestricted free agency this summer and a chance for you to say whether or not you think they’ll be back next season. Remember- Not what you want to happen but what you predict will happen.

We’ll start with the AHL guys which includes Max McCormick, Brandon Gormley, Marc Hagel, Casey Bailey, Chad Nehring and Phil Varone. Among that group, the most likely to return include McCormick, Bailey and Varone. All three of those guys played seven NHL games this season and were important players on the AHL team. McCormick in particular was mentioned by Dorion as someone who could push for a spot on the roster next year.

Gormley was acquired in a rare post-trade deadline move because the BSens were desperately in need of a defenceman. The former first round pick might be worth taking a flyer on if he has interest. Hagel and Nehring were both brought in to provide scoring depth in the AHL and neither really delivered.

Tommy Wingels was Dorion first depth-related move and he fit in reasonably well. He had four points in 36 regular season games and went without a point in his 9 post-season games. While his offensive contributions were fairly limited, Wingels was relatively useful in the post-season and his playoff experience was an asset for the team down the stretch. Wingels made $2.6 mil this past season but won’t get close to that on his next deal. A useful player and a quality pick up for the Senators this past season but it’s not clear whether or not there’s a spot for him in the future.

Chris Neil played in just 53 games during the regular season and only two in the playoffs. As the games increased in significance, Neil’s role was steadily diminished. Yet with his team in desperate need of a spark in the series vs. the Rangers, Neil demonstrated that he still holds an important place on this team not only as a “tough guy” but as an important leader in the room. During his post-season remarks, Neil made it clear he still wants to play but that he hasn’t really thought about the possibility of doing it anywhere other than Ottawa. 1026 games in an Ottawa uniform but is this the end of the line for Chris Neil?

Chris Kelly appeared in all 82 games during the regular season but like Neil, was bumped down the depth chart during the playoffs. Dorion’s late season additions showed the value of NHL-quality depth and in the process, forced Kelly out of the line up. He’s a valued presence in the locker room but it’s not clear exactly where he would fit in the line up heading into next season. There were some concerns about his health coming off a significant leg injury but the fact that he was able to play all 82 games a couple in the playoffs put that concern to rest. But at 36 going on 37, there are legitimate questions about whether or not he can still keep up.

Viktor Stalberg was acquired at the deadline and provided a much-needed element of speed in the bottom six. And he showed he can take a shift in the top six in a pinch too. He had just two assists in his 17 post-season games but was a reliable player at both ends of the rink and good on the penalty kill. Stalberg has signed one year deals the last couple summers at $1.1 mil and $1.5 mil and will probably be looking for a little security this time. A deal with a couple years and a raise on this year’s salary seems reasonable but whether or not that’s with Ottawa remains to be seen. The Senators have interest in bringing him back but he could have options on the open market.

Tom Pyatt signed with the team last summer and instantly became a favourite of Coach Boucher. A defensively responsible player that skates well, Pyatt played up and down the line up and on the penalty kill throughout the season. And while his offensive abilities are limited, he did pitch in 9 goals and 23 points. Pyatt regularly played a little bit more than you’d expect from a player of his talents but he was certainly a useful player. The Senators absolutely want to bring him back and of the UFAs, he is by far the most likely to stay.

Mike Condon was acquired in a mid-season deal and is one of the biggest reasons why this Senators team made the post-season. With Anderson away from the team, Condon stepped up in a big way and gave the team NHL-quality goaltending on a consistent basis. Condon has made it clear he wants to come back and Dorion has shown a mutual interest. Contract talks have been slow to this point. With Hammond still under contract, the Senators have to be careful in these negotiations. They really can’t afford to break the bank on a back up goalie. Of the six UFAs, Condon seems like the only one that might attract some interest from Vegas during that free agency window.