Rasmus Ristolainen

Ottawa has a few plates spinning here, and none of them are exactly light. The Senators are working through free-agent contract projections while also kicking around the idea of a Rasmus Ristolainen trade, which tells you the roster-build conversation is very much alive. On top of that, the draft rankings add another layer of decision-making, because every front office wants value, but not every front office agrees on where it lives.

The Senators keep circling back to Philadelphia's Rasmus Ristolainen, a defenseman who's been a lightning rod in trade talks for years now. Ottawa's blue line needs that rugged, right-shot presence, and with Philly potentially shopping him again, the dots connect in a way that has front offices buzzing. This isn't just rumor mill chatter; it's the kind of move that could shore up their playoff push if Staios pulls the trigger before summer.

Ottawa circles high-end centers and a power-play anchor this summer, with cap space burning a hole in their pocket after missing on Ristolainen. Meanwhile, whispers grow louder on Cale Makar's monster extension with Colorado - the 27-year-old stud defenseman enters his walk year as the Avs plot their next big splash. Front offices know these moves could redefine both franchises before training camps open.