The Ottawa Senators have five new faces projected to be inserted into the NHL lineup. Having missed the playoffs for their seventh straight season, general manager Steve Staios had his work cut out for him in the first offseason of his tenure, and he was quite busy. Bringing in more veteran players and letting some younger, less impactful players go to free agency or being traded helped shape this team, but the performances from the newcomers are what will help dictate how the 2024-25 season will go for the Senators.
Note: Jan Jenik, Xavier Bourgault, and Adam Gaudette are not included as they are projected to play with the Belleville Senators in the American Hockey League (AHL).
David Perron
The biggest free agency signing that Staios had was David Perron. He adds some much-needed depth on the wing, and while he prefers the right side, it makes the most sense to have him slotted on the left. Whether it will be on the second or third line will depend on the health of Josh Norris, but regardless, he will have some quality linemates to play with.
Perron has regularly been a 20+ goal and 50+ point player and took a bit of a step back last season. Part of that is due to his age as he is 36 years old, but he also fell out of favour in the lineup and was bumped down by some other players with the Detroit Red Wings. He will be a more important player for the Senators than he has been in the past, as they desperately needed to get more leaders and veterans on the team.
Prediction: 19 goals and 51 points rotating between the second and third line, while remaining to be a physical presence with 100+ hits.
Michael Amadio
After a brief five-game stint with the Senators, Michael Amadio signed in free agency to create depth in the lineup, but also bring in another player with playoff experience. The Senators need to get to the playoffs before worrying about what happens then, but having a depth player who can chip in offensively and be sound defensively is what will help shape the bottom-six into a stronger unit.
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Amadio was in a third-line role on the Vegas Golden Knights for the past three seasons and has established himself as a player who can score 25 points and be a strong penalty-killer. Amadio is a pretty effective shooter as well. He isn’t going to light the lamp, and he takes low-danger shots for the…
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