Ottawa Senators GM Steve Staios’ ‘state-of-the-union’ speech to local reporters last week raised eyebrows as his club tries to stay in contention for a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.
Staios attempted to temper fan expectations, citing the club’s struggles, the parity around the league and their goaltending situation.
Meanwhile, reports from Postmedia say Staios continues to shop aggressively in the trade market seeking a right-shot defenseman and a depth forward, with the defense being the priority.
The Senators revisited their interest in Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson, per a report. They’re not the only club interested in the 29-year-old blueliner, as the Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars, Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings are believed to be among the suitors.
Some teams have asked Staios about prospect defensemen Carter Yakemchuk and Logan Hensler, but he doesn’t want to part with those promising youngsters. That’s understandable, as the Senators’ prospect pipeline is not as well-stocked as it once was.
Meanwhile, speculation persists over Kiefer Sherwood’s future with the Vancouver Canucks.
On Saturday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the Canucks made another contract offer to the30-year-old right winger. However, he said that a significant gap remains between the two sides, adding that there’s no timetable for a trade or an agreement on a contract.
According to Ben Kuzma and Patrick Johnston of The Province, the possibility of the Canucks retaining Sherwood is “highly unlikely.” There’s not much interest in tripling his $1.5-million cap hit, and his style of play could fetch a good return from contenders such as the Dallas Stars and Boston Bruins.
Friedman also provided an update on Edmonton Oilers winger Andrew Mangiapane after he was a healthy scratch on Saturday for the second time in three games.
The Oilers signed Mangiapane to a two-year contract last July, but the 29-year-old left winger struggled to produce despite seeing top-six minutes during the first two months of this season. Being scratched from a Dec. 29 game against the Winnipeg Jets stoked speculation that he could be traded.
Friedman believes there are some clubs interested in Mangiapane, mentioning the Anaheim Ducks had been poking around. Meanwhile, David Staples of the Edmonton Journal indicated that NHL insider Frank Seravalli suggested the Winnipeg Jets and New Jersey Devils as potential trade partners.
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