When the Senators signed veteran centre Lars Eller last summer, he was viewed as a ready-made replacement for their outgoing fourth-line centre, Adam Gaudette.
At 36 years old, Eller arrived with a reputation as a reliable two-way player, a strong defensive presence and a Stanley Cup pedigree that clearly appealed to Senators GM Steve Staios. The previous year, he had brought in Cup-winning veterans Michael Amadio, Nick Cousins, and David Perron.
Eller checked a lot of boxes. He skates and defends better than Gaudette, but it always felt like a tall order to expect him to replace the secondary offence Gaudette provided in 2024-25, when he scored 19 goals for Ottawa.
Eller actually got off to a solid start in that area, posting six points in October. But his offensive production slowed dramatically after that. He finished the season with just 15 points in 68 games. In fairness, part of that dip was injury-related. Eller missed 14 games after breaking his foot blocking a shot against the Columbus Blue Jackets in December.
Now, with his one-year, $1.25 million contract set to expire on July 1, Staios has another veteran decision to make.
Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch recently reported that the expectation is that the Senators will move on from Eller this summer.
It’s understandable why head coach Travis Green appreciated having Eller in the lineup. He still skates well and remains one of Ottawa’s most trustworthy defensive forwards. Coaches love the guys they can trust, and Eller rarely hurt the Senators structurally.
But the Senators would probably like to see more impact from the position, whether it’s more edge and physicality or more offence.
And that’s where Stephen Halliday may enter the fray as a plan B.
In Staios’ first act in what’s sure to be a busy offseason (spoiler: they all are), Halliday recently signed a two-year extension for almost half the money (including bonuses) that Eller made this season.
While the 23-year-old still has work to do defensively, he already looks capable of providing significantly more offence than Eller can at this stage of his career.
For a Senators team that doesn’t really have that 100+ point superstar carrying the attack, the offence has to continue as it has, by committee, and the Sens can’t afford to ice too many low-event forwards.
As a sidebar, the Senators would love to see one of their drafted players come up and establish themselves as a full-time NHLer. The prospect cupboard needs restocking, as there are very few players who are slam-dunk NHL prospects, let alone future stars.
That can partially be blamed on poor drafting, but also on the organization’s pre-Andlauer era misread that it was ready to contend and time to sacrifice some of their future to make splashy, go-for-it deals.
Ottawa’s 2020 draft class produced several NHLers, but since then, Halliday is the only drafted prospect to appear in more than four NHL games with the club.
That doesn’t automatically mean Halliday is ready for a full-time NHL role. But internally, it’s Halliday or bust, because there’s no other obvious forward in Belleville ready to make the jump to Ottawa this fall.
Whether it’s Halliday or a more impactful forward brought in through free agency, it feels like the Senators need a different look in Eller's spot.
Prediction: Eller is a respected teammate and a good soldier, but after his year in Ottawa, it feels like Staios is more likely to try something new this fall rather than run it back.
By Steve Warne
The Hockey News
This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:
Batherson Wide Open To Signing Extension: 'Ottawa Feels Like Home'
Dylan Cozens Will Represent Canada At World Championships Next Week
Will The Senators Re-Sign 38-Year-old UFA Claude Giroux?
Halliday Reacts To New Deal With Ottawa: 'Super Excited I Got A Chance'
Another NHL Chance For Former Senators GM Pierre Dorion?
