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Senators Linked to 2 Pending Free Agents in Deadline Trade: Report

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Feb 5, 2025 7:15 AM ET

The Ottawa Senators are exploring ways to bolster their lineup ahead of the March 7 trade deadline while firmly in contention for a postseason berth as the third-best team in the Atlantic Division.

According to The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch , reporting on Saturday, the team is eyeing two forwards: Chicago Blackhawks's Ryan Donato and Seattle Kraken's Brandon Tanev.

"Steve Staios, the Senators’ president of hockey operations and general manager, has scoured the league for another forward and depth on defense, but hasn’t been able to find the right fit or isn’t willing to pay that price," Garrioch reported. "The belief in league circles is that the Senators have some level of interest in the likes of Chicago Blackhawks winger Ryan Donato and Seattle Kraken winger Brandon Tanev."

Donato, 28, is enjoying a career-best season with 15 goals and 30 points in 50 games. He has played top-line minutes on the right wing for the struggling Blackhawks, averaging just under 15 minutes per game.

The Hawks winger is in the final season of a two-year contract worth $4 million, carrying a cap hit of $2 million.

"Donato is the kind of player the Senators would be interested in," a league executive told Garrioch. "He could help them."

Meanwhile, Tanev, a 33-year-old winger known for his physical and strong play along the boards, is viewed as more of a depth addition.

Tanev has nine goals and 17 points in 53 games this season while racking up 1011 hits. He is in the final year of a six-year, $21 million contract carrying a $3.5 million cap hit.

Ottawa has surged back into playoff contention after failing to make the postseason for the last seven years. This season, under new coach Travis Green, the Senators (29-21-4) have already won 29 games and are just eight games away from matching last year's tally with 28 games left on their schedule.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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