After a rough first couple of months, the Ottawa Senators have had a resurgence heading into the Olympic break. On Jan. 30, they had just a 29% chance to make the playoffs, but less than a week later, that had jumped up to a 41.4%, according to MoneyPuck.com. With big wins over the Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, and Pittsburgh Penguins, they are looking more like the team they were expected to be this season.
The Senators recent hot streak has them looking much more like buyers ahead of the March 6 trade deadline, and, with $7.1 million in projected cap space and $12.3 million available at the deadline, they might have the space to attract some of the top targets.
But, as the old adage goes, you have to give something to get something, and that could make things difficult on the trade market for a Senators’ team that doesn’t have an excess of picks or prospects to move. But there are a few pieces they could move to make some things happen at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline.
Fabian Zetterlund
There’s no questioning Fabian Zetterlund’s speed and work ethic, nor can you discount the 44 points he put up in 2023-24 as a member of the San Jose Sharks. When he was acquired by the Senators, there was hope that he’d gel with Tim Stutzle on the top line. Unfortunately, after 10 months, it’s clear that was never going to happen. He had the speed, but just didn’t work well on Ottawa’s top line, and after several failed experiments, he was relegated to the fourth line.
Although Zetterlund has been doing fine alongside Lars Eller and a rotating cast of rookies and call-ups, his $4.275 million contract makes his five points in the last 15 games a bit harder to swallow. That could make him a cap casualty if the Senators are serious about adding a top-four defenceman or a better top-line option. With Stephen Halliday returning from injury and Arthur Kaliyev lighting up the American Hockey League (AHL), that money could be better spent on younger players who could have just as much if not more of an impact.
While it might be premature to sell Zetterlund at a loss just one year into his three-year, $12.83 million deal, the Senators may not have a choice if they want to get more competitive, either now or in the future. He hasn’t been great this season, but there’s a chance he could fetch more this season than a year from now when he’s further removed from his 24-goal, 44-point season.
Logan Hensler
If the Senators are going to be a playoff threat, they need another top-four defenceman, and have been attached to Ottawa-born Mackenzie Weegar, who seems like the perfect fit on the Senators’ right side. But the Calgary Flames won’t let him go for nothing, and Ottawa will need to make a substantial offer to entice Flames’ general manager Craig Conroy. That will likely mean a first round pick and a top prospect. There’s no way that the Senators would part with Carter Yakemchuk right now, but they may be open to moving their next best defensive prospect, Logan Hensler.
Related: Ottawa Senators’ Top 3 Trade Deadline Targets
The Senators’ first-round pick didn’t have the strongest showing at the 2026 World Junior Championship, posting zero points in five games as the Americans were eliminated in the quarterfinal. However, Hensler’s usage was primarily why he wasn’t as effective as he was in 2025, playing a shutdown role while still showing a strong two-way possession game. Back home with the University of Wisconsin, he’s been much more productive, recording 12 points in 23 games, whereas it took him 32 games to hit the same total last season. He’s also already doubled his goal total with roughly 10 games remaining.
Hensler is a talented defender and not someone the Senators should part with without a significant return. However, a player like Weegar can help the team right now and is signed long-term; Hensler isn’t making the trip to Ottawa for at least another couple of seasons, then won’t make an impact for another couple after that. He’s the perfect trade chip to encourage a rebuilding team to part with their top talent.
Mads Sogaard
For a team having goaltending issue, trading one of their young goalies doesn’t really make sense, but it’s hard to imagine Mads Sogaard sticking around Ottawa for another season. The 2019 second-round pick still has a lot of potential as an NHL goaltender, but injuries and inconsistency has derailed his development. Now 25 years old and on an expiring deal, he hasn’t really done enough to warrant yet another chance to prove himself. In 18 games in the AHL, he has a .889 save percentage (SV%): an upgrade from last season, but still nowhere near where his 2023-24 totals were.
However, there’s no ignoring Sogaard’s performance against the Golden Knights, where he stopped 19 of 20 shots and was named the game’s first star. He’s also been much more consistent in the AHL in the second half of the season, posting a .915 SV% in six games since returning from the Christmas break.
While that might be too little too late for the Senators, there are other teams that could be interested in a goalie upgrade. Eight teams have a higher goals allowed per game average than Ottawa, including the Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and St. Louis Blues, none of which have great goaltending depth. Sogaard won’t fetch a high return on the trade market, but this might be the perfect time to give him a change of scenery and get a mid-round pick back rather than see a former top prospect walk for nothing.
Senators Have Options At the Deadline
It wasn’t long ago that the Senators were looking like they were on the verge of a collapse, but after this last week, the team is once again looking like a playoff competitor. They’ve scored 19 goals on their four-game win streak, which is the best they’ve looked all season. Adding one or two players for a playoff push might be all they need to do some real damage this season and beyond.
