The Hockey News is reporting that the Senators are shopping Andre Burakovsky, just eight games into his time with the club.
It's a surprising piece of business for a team in good shape. Ottawa sits 13-6-2, third in the Atlantic Division, and won 4-1 at Pittsburgh on Saturday night.
The Hockey News noted that the Senators are reportedly putting the left winger on the trade block after eight games with the club.
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Burakovsky is 31 and was the 23rd overall pick by the Washington Capitals in 2013. He arrives on the block with 779 NHL games and 420 points behind him, plus 93 playoff games.
His time in Ottawa has not gone the way anyone would have drawn it up. He has no goals and no assists in eight games, with a -2 rating.
He is also on injured reserve. He is listed with a lower-body injury and, according to the latest injury report, is expected to be out until at least Nov. 27, which is an estimate.
That timeline hurts him on the market. Contenders rarely pay for a winger who has no points this season and can't play for at least another twelve days, and Ottawa has to know it.
What would a Burakovsky trade mean for Ottawa?
Money is the obvious piece. His cap hit is $5.5 million, and the deal expires after this season, when he is set to become an unrestricted free agent. Any team calling would be taking a rental.
No reason has been attached to the report, so the motive is open. A roster spot, cap flexibility and a simple fit problem are all possible, but none of them has been reported.
The Senators are not in a desperate spot, which makes this more interesting. A team in the top eight of the NHL looking to move a winger usually has something specific in mind, and general manager Steve Staios is the one who has to find it.
Coach Andrew Campbell's group doesn't need a distraction either. Ottawa has won two straight and is 6-2-2 over its last 10.
If this is the first domino, the next one may fall soon. Ottawa plays at Winnipeg on Tuesday, Nov. 17, and Burakovsky won't be part of it.
This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
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