Fansided

5 free agents the Senators can sign to get back to the playoffs

By Jeremy Lambert

DALLAS, TX - MARCH 5: Mark Stone #61 of the Ottawa Senators skates against the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center on March 5, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - MARCH 5: Mark Stone #61 of the Ottawa Senators skates against the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center on March 5, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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OTTAWA, ON – MARCH 9: Mark Stone #61 of the Ottawa Senators skates with the puck against TJ Brodie #7 of the Calgary Flames in the second period at Canadian Tire Centre on March 9, 2018 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON – MARCH 9: Mark Stone #61 of the Ottawa Senators skates with the puck against TJ Brodie #7 of the Calgary Flames in the second period at Canadian Tire Centre on March 9, 2018 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images) /

5. Mark Stone

Mark Stone is a restricted free agent who scored 20 goals and 62 points despite missing 24 games in the 2017-18. He’s been over 60 points in three of his four full seasons with the Senators. His cap hit will likely be between $7 and $8 million. He’s 26-years-old and entering the prime of his career. That salary would be a lot easier to swallow if Ottawa wasn’t paying Bobby Ryan and Marian Gaborik a combined $12 million next year.

Stone has made it clear that he wants to stay in Ottawa, but only if the organization is going in the right direction. First and foremost, that means retaining Karlsson. By committing to him, they’d be committing to Stone.

If the Senators want to put themselves back in the playoffs, they’re going to need their top wing. He’s an integral part of the organization and one they can’t replace through unrestricted free agency. Yes, they would recoup multiple first-round picks if they don’t match a potential offer sheet, but that doesn’t help them make the playoffs next season. If they are committed to a rebuild, letting Stone walk and completing a Erik Karlsson deal makes sense.

If they view 2017-18 as a fluke season where everything went wrong, they have good reason to re-tool and try to bounce back in 2018-19. They need to look no further than the Avalanche for proof that it doesn’t take much for a team to go from worst to playoffs.

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