May 21, 2025 | 11:35am ET
TheFourthPeriod.com

SENS IN MARKET FOR RIGHT-SHOT DEFENCEMAN

Rasmus Andersson, defenceman

The Ottawa Senators are expected to go after a right-shot defenceman this summer, either via trade or free agency, to boost their blueline going into the 2025-26 season.

Senators defenceman Nick Jensen underwent surgery for an undisclosed lower-body injury and is expected to be ready for the start of next season, barring any setbacks.

As reported by Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, the Senators will be looking to strengthen their defensive corps, even with Jensen in the lineup, and could target Calgary Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson, Philadelphia Flyers rearguard Rasmus Ristolainen or Florida Panthers blueliner and pending unrestricted free agent Aaron Ekblad if he hits the open market.

But Senators GM Steve Staios will have competition, as several other clubs are trying to add the same type of defenceman this summer.

“Everybody is looking for that kind of defenceman,” a league executive told Postmedia on Tuesday. “If you have them, you want to keep them, and if you’re looking for one, they’re hard to find.”

Andersson, 28, is entering the final year of a six-year, $27.3 million contract and is eligible to sign an extension with the Flames as of July 1. However, according to Garrioch, Andersson may command “somewhere in the $8 million range (or more) on his next deal” and that might push the Flames away.

If the Flames can’t get Andersson to agree to an extension, they are expected to explore the trade market for him this summer.

Ristolainen has attracted plenty of interest recently, but the Flyers have held firm on their high asking price and declined multiple trade offers during the season.

The 30-year-old has two more seasons left on his contract and comes with a $5.1 million salary cap hit.

Ekblad, meanwhile, remains hopeful that he’ll ink an extension with the Panthers, who are currently battling the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final, but contract talks are believed to be on the backburner until Florida’s season wraps.