It’s been several years since the Ottawa Senators last made the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and with new ownership and management, talks of a shift in their current roster are on the rise.
Senators general manager Steve Staios recognizes the need for the organization to shift its course and regain its position as a formidable team. With the NHL Draft just around the corner, set for June 28th-29th in Las Vegas, Staois has confirmed that trade discussions are in full swing.
“There’s lots of dialogue right now,” Staios told Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch on Friday.
Staios added that it is more than just a few players he wants to move. It’s going to be an improvement to all ends of his roster.
“Yeah, there are some areas where you have to look at. You have to look at that, at the time, if the opportunity presents itself, but I think, in general, we’re looking to improve in all areas,” Staios said.
One of the Senators greatest need for improvement is their goaltending. This past season, the club’s netminders combined for a .881 save percentage, ranking them 31st in the NHL. However, Staios and the Senators are one of the most aggressive teams in pursuing Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom, but they have also set their eyes on Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark and Nashville Predators netminder Juuse Saros. 
The organization is also gauging the level of interest in defenceman Jakob Chychrun, who is one year away from unrestricted free agency and was previously involved in trade rumours throughout the season. Mathieu Joseph is another player the organization is rumoured to be seeking to move with two years remaining on a contract paying him $2.95-million a year. 
“This is an important time leading into the draft,” said Senators owner Michael Andlauer. “There’s a lot of kicking tires, and the team is working really hard. That’s all I can tell you.”

Assistant coach Guy Boucher won’t return to the Maple Leafs for the 2024-25 season

On Saturday, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that assistant coach Guy Boucher will not return to the organization for the 2024-25 campaign.
Boucher led the Maple Leafs power play during his only season with the club. Although the team finished the regular season with the seventh-ranked power play in the league, they scored one goal throughout 21 power play opportunities during their first-round series against the Bruins.
Before his time in Toronto, Boucher spent six seasons split between the Ottawa Senators and Tampa Bay Lightning as head coach. His tenure with both teams saw the organizations reach the Eastern Conference Finals.
It’s shaping up to be a summer of change for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The club fired head coach Sheldon Keefe in May following the first-round exit after losing to the Boston Bruins in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. A few weeks later, they hired Craig Berube as their new bench boss, who coached the St. Louis Blues to their lone Stanley Cup victory in 2018-19.
Berube’s time in St. Louis saw him compile a record of 206-132-44 and a .597 points percentage. Before his time with the Blues, he spent two years coaching the Philadelphia Flyers.
On June 5th, Berube announced another key addition to the coaching staff, Lane Lambert. Lambert, who will be replacing Dean Chynoweth as an assistant coach, brings a wealth of experience to the role. Having previously served as head coach for parts of two seasons with the New York Islanders, he led the club to an impressive 61-46-20 record, a testament to his coaching abilities.