The official offseason is just a few weeks away, but for the Ottawa Senators, the work began a while ago. The latest rumour surrounding the Senators indicates Mathieu Joseph could be on his way out of town sooner rather than later.
In a recent post by Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, he included a short tidbit that the Senators will be looking to move on from Joseph ahead of the draft.
A league executive said Tuesday the club is trying to move winger Mathieu Joseph before the draft.
Bruce Garrioch, Ottawa Sun (from “Senators want to help captain Brady Tkachuk right the ship, not trade him away”, June 5, 2024, Ottawa Sun)
It is no secret that one year ago, Joseph was at the forefront of trade rumours after a disappointing season in 2022-23. He underperformed his $2.95 million cap hit, and the Senators desperately needed the space. They ultimately went into the season with him in the lineup as it likely would have cost the club assets to move him out, but that decision looks like it may have paid off.
Now, the summer of 2024 has arrived. While the Senators can still use that cap space more than a player like Joseph, they may be able to get a fair return on him rather than paying assets to move him as they did with Nikita Zaitsev and Matt Murray not long ago.
Mathieu Joseph’s Improved Season Still Isn’t Enough
As mentioned, this past season went much better for the speedy winger. He played a lot closer to his value than the season prior, but still isn’t necessarily the best use of nearly $3 million against the cap. His production jumped significantly — to 35 points from 18 — but his defensive play suffered with that increase in points. The Senators have a strong core of top forwards, and while they do need additional support, the role Joseph played was not sufficient in terms of the offense they need to add.
The Senators have a few holes in the forward group — including a second-line left-winger, a third-line winger, and potentially a fourth-line player or two — even with a fully healthy lineup.
Related: Senators Should Target Tyler Myers in Free Agency
Joseph doesn’t fit into the second line due to his lack of offensive pop, nor does he fit the fourth line with his current contract. That leaves the third-line winger spot, in which he is a fine player, but for the price, the Senators could do better.
Ranking Similar Players to Mathieu Joseph
There are 11 players in the NHL that I would deem comparable to Mathieu Joseph.
The parameters set for comparing these players are as follows:
- Forward
- 24-29 years old
- $2-$3.25 million cap hit
- 15-18 Minutes of ice time per game
1. Yegor Sharangovich, CGY
A huge breakout season will see Yegor Sharangovich outside of the constraints soon enough. With one year left on his contract, he is due for a pretty significant raise. It doesn’t feel like he belongs in this conversation and should already be paid higher, but the Calgary Flames got quite the deal on his contract.
2. Nicolas Roy, VGK
A very solid middle-six center, Nicolas Roy has developed into a consistent two-way player for the Vegas Golden Knights. He is a key piece of the depth the Golden Knights have done well with and brings a lot of valuable assets to the team.
3. Morgan Frost, PHI
Morgan Frost has had a pretty interesting development path. He has a lot of offensive talents, and to be truthful, he would be a good candidate for a trade involving Joseph, and he would be more suited for a second-line opportunity if the Senators’ management sees the fit.
4. Nick Paul, TB
This one hurts. The one that Joseph was traded for, Nick Paul, has done very well for himself in Tampa Bay. He is an extremely versatile player who has been highly valued and utilized on a team with high aspirations. Senators general manager Steve Staios is likely looking back at this Pierre Dorion trade and feeling pretty frustrated.
5. Eetu Luostarainen, FLA
Eetu Luostarainen has become a good depth option for the Florida Panthers. He is trusted with defensive responsibilities and does well when feeling the pressure, but also chips in offensively.
6. Morgan Geekie, BOS
A breakout season for Morgan Geekie sees him climbing this list. His offense climbed, he was valuable in the playoffs, he plays a physical and in-your-face kind of game, and can be trusted in important minutes.
7. Michael Rasmussen, DET
The Detroit Red Wings picked Michael Rasmussen ninth overall in 2017. It has been a slow, but steady development path for him. He has a huge frame which he uses well, he is fairly responsible defensively, and his offense is getting stronger each year. He is the youngest player on this list, and keeps getting better.
8. Jordan Greenway, BUF
Jordan Greenway was an underrated addition to the Buffalo Sabres this season. He is a physical third-liner who plays with bite and can chip in a bit offensively.
9. Mason Appleton, WPG
Mason Appleton is the definition of hot and cold. He will go on a great stretch scoring a bunch of points, but then disappear. He can play some great bottom-six hockey, but when he is quiet, he is practically invisible.
10. Pierre Engvall, NYI
Pierre Engvall has a ton of great skills, but just can’t put them all together. He has a big frame to play physically, he has great speed, great hands, and a great shot. His problem is that he just can’t put more than one on display at a time.
11. Mathieu Joseph, OTT
Is there anyone on this list that would be a downgrade for the Senators in a one-for-one swap? I don’t think so. When it comes to the bottom three options, a trade wouldn’t be a needle-mover, but it is hard to argue any of them would be a lost trade.
Moving On Makes Sense
Finding a player similar to Joseph isn’t necessarily hard to do, but looking at the most comparable players based on age, role, and salary, Joseph is at the bottom of that list. The $3 million could be used better than what Joseph has to offer. Would it be the end of the world if Joseph returns next season? Absolutely no; he does provide some value, just not necessarily what the Senators need.
