How do Ottawa Senators navigate the ‘Summer of Steve (Staios)’?

OTTAWA — The phrase has become cringe-worthy now, but was big in the off-season of 2022. 

The ‘Summer of Pierre’ was how fans of the Ottawa Senators came to describe then-general manager Pierre Dorion’s work in the 2022 off-season. 

What a solstice. Local star forward Claude Giroux was brought in as a free agent signing and two-time 40-goal scorer Alex DeBrincat was acquired via trade from Chicago. Veteran goaltender Cam Talbot came to Ottawa for goalie prospect Filip Gustavsson. 

Now, fast forward two years and consider what has changed. Dorion himself is long gone, fired after the Senators were penalized a first-round draft choice over an invalidated trade involving Evgeni Dadonov in 2022. DeBrincat and Talbot are also out and Giroux remains, looking psychologically stung after his two Ottawa seasons. 

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Steve Staios is the GM now, with so much on his plate we have to wonder if this will go down as the ‘Summer of Steve.’

Here’s a few items on the Staios to-do list. 

Hire a head coach

The early book on Staios is that he doesn’t rush into anything. Certainly the Sens are taking their time on the coach file, the most important decision upcoming. It’s been four months since former head coach D.J. Smith was fired, with interim coach Jacques Martin finishing the season before moving on to a consultant’s role. A leading candidate like Craig Berube, a Stanley Cup winner with St. Louis, has been out there for a while. But with each passing day, as teams get eliminated from the playoffs, more coaches are springing free, providing more candidates, but also more teams in the hunt for new coaches. 

How this shakes out will be fascinating. Ottawa has never really spent big money on a coach before. First-time NHL head coaches like Smith or Dave Cameron have been the usual MO in the Senators organization. Will they spend the $3 million to $4 million it might take to acquire a Berube or Todd McLellan? Dean Evason is another candidate. They could go the route of a strong AHL coach or NHL assistant. John Gruden, the AHL Toronto Marlies coach, has ties to Senators owner Michael Andlauer and Staios from their OHL Hamilton Bulldogs days together.  But if Gruden lands in Ottawa it seems more likely as an assistant, not a head coach. Current assistants like Brad Shaw, a former Senators defenceman, and Chris Kelly, now with the Bruins but also an ex-Senators centre, would be smart choices. It feels, though, the Senators want someone with NHL experience. 

Look for a decision in the month of May, after the organization and the coaching candidates sort out their options. 

“We have a longer list,” Staios told us in the Senators’ media wrap-up session. “We’re making sure we take the appropriate amount of time to be able to look at everybody. If we feel like we have a perfect candidate, we would move on it.”

Sort out the defence; the Chabot, Chychrun chronicles

Not only has Staios made it known he wants to bring in an experienced right-shot defenceman for his blueline, he has to figure out the left side, where Thomas Chabot and Jakob Chychrun are very much alike and will command a lot of money for years to come. There is little chance Chabot is getting moved. He is not only tied to an $8M cap hit through 2027-28, Chabot will be paid $10M in salary for each of the next three seasons, 2024-25, 2025-26 and 2026-27. That’s a lot of coin. Chabot’s 10-team no-trade list kicks in this year. On top of that, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reported this week that Chabot is likely going to opt for wrist surgery to repair an injury that has bothered him for ages. For all these reasons, Chabot is probably not going anywhere. Chychrun, on the other hand, will need a new contract after next season. While he has a 10-team no trade list, Chychrun didn’t sound committed to staying when he hemmed and hawed after being asked about his future in Ottawa during his exit media session. Chychrun has a lot of tools as a defenceman, but may not be a fit for Staios and company as they seek to tweak this roster. He is a prime candidate to be dealt, perhaps around the draft. 

Shore up goaltending

Every summer the Senators seem to take a shot at improving their goaltending, from Matt Murray through to Joonas Korpisalo. Now, Staios inherits the tandem of Korpisalo and Anton Forsberg, with Korpisalo tied to a contract for another four years. Forsberg has just one year left at $2.75M. Staios was very diplomatic when he talked about his goalies, suggesting they were unfairly exposed by inconsistent play in front of them. “Both are better than their numbers showed,” Staios said. True. But I get the sense the new management group wants to firm up this area, so expect some change here. Possibly a trade. But at least some more veteran insurance while prospect Mads Søgaard continues to develop in AHL Belleville. 

Sign Shane Pinto 

Centre Shane Pinto had a wild season, missing the first 41 games over a bizarre gambling-related incident, and then returning to be a fixture down the middle for the Senators. His presence became especially vital when No. 2 centre Josh Norris went out with another shoulder issue. A quick-fix,  $775,000 contract got Pinto through the rest of the season, but he remains a restricted free agent. So the question for Pinto and the Senators is: a bridge deal or something longer term?

Pinto plays the sort of two-way game Staios admires and so it will be interesting to see how this plays out. A bridge deal might work out well for both parties. Pinto, meanwhile, will suit up for Team USA at the world championship — another opportunity for him to shine. 

What to do with Travis Hamonic

Hamonic has been a good soldier for the Senators. When rookie Jake Sanderson was breaking into the league, Hamonic was the perfect partner. He kept Sanderson calm and kept him safe. Now that Sanderson has blossomed into a star, Hamonic has a less defined role. And his playing skills have eroded to the point that he was a healthy scratch late in the season. He is the proverbial ‘good-in-the-room’ guy, but if he can’t be a seventh defenceman, what about the idea of Hamonic taking on more of a consultant’s role with the final year of his deal (cap hit $1.1M)?

I asked Staios about the potential of using a buyout for any of his current players. He said he was not considering any buyouts at this time, but that could change. 

Other business: a goal scorer and the role guys

The downside to letting goal scorers like DeBrincat and Vladimir Taresenko go over the past while, you wind up needing scoring help — players somewhat like … DeBrincat and Tarasenko. Moving Tarasenko at the deadline when he had an expiring contract made sense. But the Senators could use another proven goal scorer, especially with Norris having to prove himself yet again following another shoulder surgery. A scoring winger would be ideal. 

Staios also wants to add some veteran experience in the bottom six of his lineup, where the Sens are full of young players in those checking roles. Look for him to add some depth here. 

There is also the question of young defenceman Erik Brännström. He needs a new contract and is an RFA. Brännström played pretty well this season, but he was acquired by Dorion, not Staios, and it will be intriguing to see if the Senators move on from him. While he is a quick puck-mover, Brännström doesn’t provide the offence associated with small D-men and Staios wants to get tougher and bigger on the back end. Another storyline to watch during the Summer of Steve. 

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