What Happened
The Ottawa Senators are moving forward without captain Brady Tkachuk, who has joined the rival Florida Panthers after five seasons in Ottawa. Two days after the trade, the Senators acquired forward William Eklund from the San Jose Sharks. Coach Travis Green said the roster has improved over the past two seasons and expects the group to keep developing. Ottawa opens its season Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Key Details
- Tkachuk spent five seasons as Senators captain before joining the Florida Panthers.
- Ottawa acquired Eklund from San Jose two days after dealing Tkachuk.
- Eklund's expected goal total last season was 22.7, well above his 15 actual goals.
- Eklund is skating with Dylan Cozens and Fabian Zetterlund on a potential second line.
- Eklund scored in Ottawa's pre-season opener against Montreal, finishing a Cozens pass.
- Ottawa opens the regular season Saturday against Toronto.
What It Means
Tkachuk's physical, agitating style leaves a hole in Ottawa's top six, and Eklund is not a direct replacement. However, his expected-goal gap and his work in the inner slot and on puck battles suggest his scoring could rise. Placing him with Cozens and Zetterlund gives the Senators a second line with size and possession ability as they pursue a third consecutive playoff appearance.
What's Next
Ottawa opens the regular season Saturday against Toronto, giving an early look at how Green deploys Eklund and the rest of the forward group without Tkachuk.