The Ottawa Senators play their final game before the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline in their first meeting of two with the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2024-2025 regular season. It is March 5, and these teams finally meet. Sure, on the schedule, it looks like an easy carcass for the Senators to pluck the puck at, but this young team is looking to make changes for youngster Connor Bedard as soon as they possibly can.
Over the weekend, the Blackhawks dealt defender Seth Jones, who was linked to Ottawa previously, at $2M salary retained for goaltender Spencer Knight and a conditional 2026 1st round draft selection that could go to 2027.
Earlier in the season, defender Isaak Phillips was shipped to Winnipeg for F Dmitri Kuzmin. F Ryder Rolston was also dealt to Nashville for future considerations.
Out
F Sam Lafferty signed with Buffalo after his rights were acquired from Vancouver.
F Taylor Raddysh and Luke Philp joined the juggernaut Capitals.
F Resse Johnson signed with Minnesota.
F Mike Hartman joined New Jersey.
F Colin Blackwell inked with Dallas.
D Filip Roos joined Ottawa.
D Nikita Zatisev (former Senator) headed back to Russia
G Jaxon Stauber signed with Utah.
D Jaycob Megna headed to Florida.
D Jared Tinordi joined Calgary.
Keys to Victory
1. Goalie Confidence — both goalies need the confidence back
2. Ryan Donato — scout him and he may be our way
3. Connor Bedard — the franchise; shut out him down and it shuts the team down
Projected Lineups
Chicago Blackhawks
Colton Dach -- Connor Bedard -- Frank Nazar
Teuvo Teravainen -- Ryan Donato -- Ilya Mikheyev
Landon Slaggert -- Andreas Athanasiou -- Tyler Bertuzzi
Patrick Maroon -- Lukas Reichel -- Craig Smith
Alex Vlasic -- Louis Crevier
Ethan Del Mastro -- Connor Murphy
Wyatt Kaiser -- Alec Martinez
Arvid Soderblom
Spencer Knight
Scratched: Petr Mrazek, TJ Brodie
Injured: Laurent Brossoit (knee), Jason Dickinson (high ankle sprain), Nick Foligno (back), Philipp Kurashev (hand)
Jake Sanderson—Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot—Nick Jensen
Travis Hamonic—Nikolas Matinpalo
Linus Ullmark
Anton Forsberg
Scratched — Jacob Bernard-Docker
Injured — Tyler Kleven, Nick Cousins,
Players to Watch
Chicago — Ryan Donato — could be his final game in a Hawks’ sweater.
Ottawa — Drake Batherson — the Indiana native has 47 points in 60 games this season
Predicted Final Score
OTT — 3
CHI — 2
More to come…
Rumors
D Ivan Provorov (CBJ)
OTT, VAN, DAL, FLA
Mario Ferraro (SJS)
COL, TBL, OTT, WPG
Erik Karlsson (PIT)
OTT
F Ryan Donato (CHI)
WPG, LAK, OTT, TOR, NJD, CAR
Scott Laughton (PHI)
TOR, LAK, TBL, OTT
Oliver Bjorkstrand (SEA) per DeRosa
OTT, BOS, CGY,
Connor Garland (VAN)
OTT
Filip Chytil (VAN)
OTT
Josh Norris (OTT)
VAN - Hughes friendship
Jacob Bernard-Docker (OTT)
Anton Forsberg, Ottawa Senators
Goalie Forsberg is in the last of a three-year contract with an AAV of $2.75 million and will likely not be back in Ottawa with Linus Ullmark as the undisputed starter and both Leevi Merilainen and Mads Sogaard waiting in the wings. G Forsberg has been a reliable backup for the Senators, who are looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016-17. If a playoff-contending team is looking to add goaltending depth, the 32-year-old could be an option. Ottawa could also use him to try and upgrade its blue line or bottom six forwards for the stretch drive and into the playoffs.
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