The Olympic trade freeze is about to lift at midnight on Feb. 22, and the Ottawa Senators are officially on the hunt. General Manager Steve Staios has made it abundantly clear: Ottawa needs a right-shot defenseman to balance their blueline and make a legitimate playoff push. But with a notoriously thin trade market and sky-high asking prices for reliable defenders, finding the perfect fit without mortgaging the future is a monumental challenge. Enter the Calgary Flames and a name that has quickly surged to the top of Ottawa’s radar: Zach Whitecloud.
According to Senators insider Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, Ottawa initially had their sights set on MacKenzie Weegar. However, the asking price—a first-round pick that the Sens simply don’t have this year—was a massive roadblock. Add in the fact that Ottawa is firmly refusing to part with top-tier prospects Carter Yakemchuk and Logan Hensler, and a Weegar deal is essentially dead in the water. This pivot brings us to Whitecloud. The 29-year-old was only just acquired by Calgary from the Vegas Golden Knights in the Rasmus Andersson blockbuster last month, but he might not unpack his bags in Alberta just yet.
Why Zach Whitecloud is the Missing Piece for the Senators
Let’s look at this from a pure roster-construction standpoint. I’ve watched Whitecloud closely since his early days in Vegas, and what he brings to the table isn’t flashy, but it flat-out wins hockey games. He’s a steady, defensively responsible right-shot blueliner with a Stanley Cup ring and serious playoff pedigree.
When you look at the Senators’ current roster, they have high-flying offensive talent, but they frequently get exposed in their own zone when the game gets heavy. Whitecloud clears the crease, makes a crisp first pass, and brings a veteran calmness that a younger Ottawa core desperately requires.
The Calgary Flames are in an interesting spot. They absorbed Whitecloud primarily to make the money work in the Andersson deal, but with Craig Conroy’s eyes set on a rebuild and accumulating future assets, the Flames are absolutely open for business. And the Senators have exactly what Calgary wants: draft capital.
Analyzing Ottawa’s Trade Assets and Draft Capital
The beauty of this potential trade lies in the assets Ottawa actually has available to spend. While Staios wisely won’t budge on Yakemchuk or Hensler, the Sens are heavily armed in the middle rounds, specifically possessing three 3rd-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft. They hold their own pick, alongside the Florida Panthers’ and Washington Capitals’ 3rd-rounders.
From my perspective, packaging two of those 3rd-round picks might just be enough to get a deal done. It gives the Flames more darts to throw at the draft board, and it gives Staios the immediate roster upgrade he needs without sacrificing the crown jewels of Ottawa’s prospect pool. Whitecloud’s $2.75 million cap hit is incredibly manageable and comes with term, meaning this isn’t just a rental—it’s a foundational tweak for the Sens’ blueline.
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