The Ottawa Senators have studied Jacob Markstrom as an option for troubled goaltending

Published Jun 09, 2024 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 4 minute read

Calgary Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom battles Anaheim Ducks Frank Vatrano in first period NHL action at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. Photo by Darren Makowichuk /POSTMEDIA

Steve Staios has been working the phones.

League sources told Postmedia Sunday that the Ottawa Senators’ president of hockey operations and general manager has been working the phones to try to make upgrades and has been in heavy pursuit of a goalie.

We’re led to believe that not only has Staios held talks with the Boston Bruins about Linus Ullmark, a league executive told this newspaper the Senators have been “one of the most aggressive teams” chasing Calgary Flames’ netminder Jacob Markstrom.

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An an executive said the Senators may have also kicked tires on Nashville’s Jusse Saros.

While the New Jersey Devils are considered the frontrunner in trying to acquire Markstrom, a league executive stated that Staios and the Senators have held several discussions with Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy to see if they can find a fit to make a deal.

Making $6 million U.S. on a contract that last two more seasons, teams have stepped up their efforts to acquire Markstrom with the National Hockey League draft set for June 28-29 at The Sphere in Vegas.

Elliotte Friedman stated on his 32 Thoughts Podcast with Jeff Marek Sunday that the Devils are pushing hard to get Markstrom, but also linked the Toronto Maple Leafs and Senators to talks with the Flames.

The belief is Devils’ general manager Tom Fitzgerald is willing to offer up his No. 10 overall selection in the draft as part of a deal to acquire a goalie.

“If we feel it helps us now and in the foreseeable future, then, yes, I’m listening,” Fitzgerald told NHL.com’s Mike Morreale last Monday. “I haven’t gotten anything yet but the more I talk to teams, I say ‘Listen, I’m open to moving No. 10, but it’s going to have to be something (significant).’”

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A league executive said they believe the Flames would likely be looking for a package that would include a first-round pick and high-end young prospect from the Senators in exchange Markstrom.

The Senators have the No. 7 and No. 25 overall selections in the draft so they’ll have no issue moving that portion of the ask. The issue is they don’t have a lot of young players in their system and don’t want to part with any that are currently on the roster.

“They want a lot in return,” a league executive said.

The difficulty for the Senators is Markstrom wants to go somewhere he can win a Stanley Cup and Ottawa doesn’t appear close to being in that position. A lot of the pieces are in place, and he’d be a nice part of the puzzle, but getting a new goalie is just one part of Staios’ ‘To do’ list.

To take on Markstrom’s salary, the Senators would have to get a goaltender off the books.

Ottawa’s Joonas Korpisalo and Anton Forsberg were ranked among the worst goalies in the league last season. That’s saying something because Korpisalo was supposed to help stabilize the club’s net and it never materialized.

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Signed to a five-year, $20-million US deal last July, Korpisalo finished ranked No. 50 in the league with an .890 save-percentage and Forsberg was at No. 48. Forsberg has one year left at $2.75 million.

That won’t be easy for the club to upgrade its troubled goaltending position, but Steve Staios, the club’s president of hockey operations and general manager, is studying his options.

After failing in a bid to acquire goaltender Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins at the National Hockey League trade deadline in March, Staios and the club’s hockey operations department are expected to make another pitch before the draft set for June 28-29 in Las Vegas.

The Senators, Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils were among several teams that made a push for the 30-year-old Ullmark before the deadline. The indications are Ullmark refused to change his 15-team no trade list, which meant a possible deal to the Devils was scuttled.

Making $5 million heading into the final year of his deal, Ullmark split the duties with Jeremy Swayman during the season, but made only one start in the playoffs.

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A restricted free agent, the Bruins want to sign Swayman to a long-term extension, which means Ullmark will be available.

There is talk the Senators offered Korpisalo to the Bruins as part of a package for Ullmark at the deadline and Sweeney politely declined. Boston can’t afford to take on the $16 million in salary and the four years remaining on Korpisalo’s contract.

A league executive believes the Senators would likely have to offer defenceman Jakob Chychrun along with a first-round pick and another selection to acquire Ullmark. Even then, he has a modified no-trade clause that has 15 teams on it.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

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