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Blake Coleman, Calgary Flames (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Ottawa Senators’ Top 3 Trade Deadline Targets

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Dayton Reimer | Last updated Jan 29, 2026 8:45 AM ET

The Ottawa Senators have not lived up to expectations this season. After finally returning to the playoffs last season, breaking a seven-season-long drought, they stumbled out of the gate and have fallen to second-last in the Eastern Conference. Making matters worse is that it looks like they will be forced to give up their first-round pick in June to satisfy the NHL’s punishment over the botched Evgenii Dadonov trade.

But the season isn’t over yet. Despite their low standing, they are only 10 points out of a playoff spot and sit in the top half of the league for goals scored, shots per game, and faceoff win percentage. With so much going right, it doesn’t make any sense to sell at this season’s trade deadline, but a well-placed trade could make a huge difference. Here are three good targets that could turn the Senators’ season around.

Blake Coleman, Calgary Flames

While goaltending has been the biggest story in Ottawa this season, the Senators’ penalty kill isn’t far behind as a major reason why the team has struggled to find wins. When they are down a man, the Senators have a .791 save percentage, which isn’t just the worst this season, but the worst since the NHL began recording the stat in 1999-00. Travis Green shifted the responsibilities from Nolan Baumgartner to Mike Yeo, which is a good first step, but a trade could potentially have a greater impact.

One player worth considering is Calgary Flames centre Blake Coleman, who has had a strong season despite the Flames’ poor record. In 44 games, he’s put up 13 goals and 21 points while primarily playing with Mikael Backlund, Connor Zary, and Samuel Honzek. He’s also played in every situation, racking up an average of 1:08 minutes on the power play and 2:02 minutes on the penalty kill per game, the second-highest average among all Flames’ forwards on the third-best unit in the NHL.

After the Rasmus Andersson trade, the Flames are heading towards a rebuild, or at the very least, a retool. That means everyone has a price tag, and Coleman makes the most sense for the Senators to pursue. He’s not only incredibly effective wherever he plays, but he also adds another level of grit, which works well with the Senators’ style under captain Brady Tkachuk. Coleman also has another season left on his $4.9 million contract, which works well for Ottawa’s timeline. The only concern is that he is currently on the injured reserve, but is reportedly nearing a return.

Brandon Carlo, Toronto Maple Leafs

Last season, Nick Jensen was one of the Senators’ most reliable defensemen, excelling on the penalty kill, blocking a ton of shots, and with 21 points, was the third-most productive defenseman. This season, though, he’s been far less effective and has been outplayed by Jordan Spence, Tyler Kleven, and Nikolas Matinpalo. While he still brings a valuable veteran presence, he’s no longer a top-four option.

If the Senators want a replacement, they could look at the Toronto Maple Leafs’ big right-shot defender, Brandon Carlo. The Maple Leafs paid a high price for him from the Boston Bruins last season, but in 50 games since the move, he has yet to score a goal and has registered just seven assists. With Toronto floundering in the standings and facing mounting pressure to sell at the deadline, Carlo could be on the move yet again.

Like Coleman, Carlo brings a high level of grit to the roster and was one of the Bruins’ best shot blockers and biggest hitters. Injuries have played a significant role in his ability to replicate that in Toronto, but a change of scenery could help him rediscover his game. He also only makes $4.1 million, which isn’t too high for a solid second-pairing defenceman and could fit under the Senators’ salary cap with minimal impact to the team’s core.

Lukas Reichel, Vancouver Canucks

The Senators desperately need a top-line winger. Tim Stutzle has had a revolving door of candidates vying for the spot on his left side, and although he’s been doing well without that consistency, imagine how much better he’d be if he had someone who could match his speed, work ethic, and skill. The Senators have reportedly been considering options for months now, but with just under $3 million in cap space, they can’t afford many of the biggest names available.

One creative option is Lukas Reichel, who’s played most of 2025-26 in the American Hockey League (AHL). His 19 games in the NHL were split between the Vancouver Canucks and the Chicago Blackhawks, and he had just two goals and five points. That’s not top-line production.

However, just a few seasons ago, Reichel looked like a potential breakout candidate, and at just 23 years old, he has plenty of runway left to find the game that made him the 17th overall selection in 2020. He couldn’t find his rhythm in Chicago or Vancouver, but he was also relegated to the bottom six. At the 2020 World Junior Championship, however, he looked very good with Stutzle at his side. Maybe Reichel just needs a German reunion to rediscover his game, and at a $1.2 million cap hit, it’s a gamble worth making.

Why Not a Goalie?

The Senators have received some of the worst goaltending in the NHL this season. They currently sit in last place with 25.7 goals against above expected and a .887 team save percentage. Linus Ullmark hasn’t been the answer the Senators were hoping for, and rookies Leevi Merilainen and Mads Sogaard have looked completely unready to handle the pressures of the NHL.

However, adding another goalie to that mess won’t improve anything. The Senators have been trying to find a starting goalie for years, and somehow, every goalie underperforms while in Ottawa. It’s been such a consistent issue that the only logical conclusion is that either the team is cursed or there are other off-issues that the Senators need to address before turning their attention to yet another goalie.

Even though this season hasn’t gone as they hoped, the Senators need to stay the course. Finding some low-cost, high-impact additions could be just what they need to become a playoff contender.