Navigating The Cap Is Paramount For Senators’ GM Steve Staios

With only five weeks remaining until the NHL Entry Draft and the Free Agency period, the dial on the Hot Stove is set to low, but it’ll be heating up before we know it, and Ottawa Senators GM Steve Staios will be busy.

The Ottawa Senators currently have $12.165 million of available cap space they’re willing to spend. However, upwards of $5.5-6M is expected to be allotted to pending restricted free agents Shane Pinto and Parker Kelly, with the bulk going towards Pinto.

Pinto continued his upward trajectory this past season despite playing only 41 games. The 23-year-old registered nine goals and 18 assists. Still, he can play a solid two-way game, and his seamless versatility allows him to slot at the centre of any trio throughout the lineup, which makes Pinto extremely valuable.

 So, if the Senators want to add several positions, as they’ve clearly stated on multiple occasions, including at season’s end, general manager Steve Staios and his staff must get creative.

That being said, Steve Staios added a fresh voice to his hockey operations team Tuesday in Rob DiMaio, naming the long-time NHL veteran player the Senators’ Director of Player Personnel and Professional Scouting.

For the past two seasons, DiMaio served as assistant GM of the Anaheim Ducks and GM of their American League affiliate, San Diego Gulls, while also continuing his pro scouting duties, and was a familiar face on the scouting beat in the Senators’ press box.

Before joining the Ducks, the 56-year-old spent 13 seasons with the St. Louis Blues, most recently serving as Director of Player Personnel for seven campaigns between 2015 and 2022. DiMaio joined the Blues as a pro scout in 2008 before becoming Director of Pro Scouting in 2012.

But all eyes will be on Staios’ next steps, especially from Senators’ fans who haven’t celebrated a postseason appearance since 2017.

There are several options to gain more cap flexibility – the simplest being a pure buyout.

Using defenseman Travis Hamonic and forward Zack MacEwen for example purposes, a quick check on Cap Friendly and Puckpedia displays a total savings of $1.25M for the 2024-25 season if their contracts are bought out.

MacEwen cap hit savings = $516,667 in 2024-25, 2025-26. A total of $258,333 will be on the Senators’ cap for four seasons.

Hamonic cap hit savings = $733,333 in 2024-25. A total of $366,667 will be on the Senators’ cap for two seasons.

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Trading a player(s) for draft collateral nets instant savings against the cap due to return.

Then there’s moving a player out in a hockey deal, which nets a player(s) in return. There was plenty of chatter at the trade deadline. While no moves, albeit for a waiver claim of Boris Katchouk from Chicago, were consummated, it’s believed some of these tone-setting conversations will be revisited.

It’s no secret the club is seeking to upgrade the goaltending position. They want to add a right-shot d-man, preferably a dependable blue-liner capable of bringing a physical, hard-nosed presence and veteran forward help.

With as many as fourteen pending restricted free agents, nine of whom are unrestricted, the Senators’ management team will undoubtedly stamp their stamp on the organization in what is their first offseason together as a group.

Several RFAs listed below may be non-tendered, meaning they’ll be permitted to leave as UFAs.

Forwards

Wyatt Bongiovanni – with arbitration rights

Angus Crookshank

Boris Katchouk – with arbitration rights

Shane Pinto

Parker Kelly – with arbitration rights

Jamieson Rees

Cole Reinhardt – with arbitration rights

Egor Sokolov – with arbitration rights

Defensemen

Erik Brannstrom – with arbitration rights

Maxence Guenette

Nikolas Matinpalo – with arbitration rights

Lassi Thomson – signed with Malmo SHL

Goalies

Kevin Mandolese – with arbitration rights

Mads Sogaard

UFA’s include:

Forwards

Rourke Chartier

Josh Currie

Matthew Highmore

Boko Imama

Dominik Kubalik

Garrett Pilon

Jiri Smejkal

Defensemen

Dillon Heatherington

Jacob Larsson

Several players, including Chartier, Imama, Pilon, and Larsson, may receive two-way contract offers to remain within the Senators’ organization.

This column will dive more into trade/free agent targets in upcoming posts.

But for now, prep continues for this scribe and, more importantly, for Steve Staios and his staff.