Senators' Brannstrom & Kelly Not Qualified, Will Be UFAs – Hockey Writers – Ottawa Senators

The deadline for restricted free agents was June 30, and there were plenty of players for the Ottawa Senators to make decisions about. Restricted free agents (RFA) who do not receive a qualifying offer will become unrestricted free agents (UFA) on July 1. Senators restricted free agents who received their qualifying offer were Shane Pinto, Egor Sokolov, Lassi Thomson, Mads Sogaard, and Kevin Mandolese. Erik Brannstrom, Boris Katchouk, and Parker Kelly didn't get it and will be UFAs.

The Brannstrom Saga Comes to an End

After more than five years in the Senators organization, the Brannstrom saga in Ottawa is over. Whether you want to point fingers at the player's personal development, the organization's mismanagement of his development, coaching, and utilization issues, or management blocking his path to success, it all adds up to one of the worst trades in NHL history. Brannstrom's name would always be linked to the Mark Stone trade, and he did everything he could, but it wasn't enough for the new Ottawa regime to give him the gift he deserved.

There is still a path to a successful NHL career. Brannstrom's ineligibility is not a testament to his abilities, but rather a lack of fit with the Senators and the team's need for cap space. Brannstrom would be offered $2.2 million, and that money could be better spent elsewhere on the roster.

The transition from a mobile, star offensive lineman to a prospect to excel as a third-team defensive end for the Senators was impressive. A small defenseman playing that role isn't ideal, and with Tyler Kleven knocking on the door, he could be a better option. Brannstrom wasn't going to get more minutes down the road in Ottawa, and they needed size. This is a difficult decision, but the right one.

Katchouk and Kelly continue

Kelly is the most interchangeable player on the roster. He's a hard-working winger with body but doesn't offer much beyond that. After the Senators switched from DJ Smith to Jacques Martin as head coach, Kelly's play improved, but not by much. He will certainly get a contract elsewhere and would be a better fit as a 13th forward on a contending team than an average NHL player who sees third and fourth line minutes.

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Inside, Angus Crookshank is a player who can take that job and has offensive, quick, and versatile sides. The Senators may miss physical play from Kelly and Mark Kastelic, who were traded to the Boston Bruins, but if the plan is to inject more talent into the roster, it makes sense.

As for Katchouk, not surprisingly there were no offers. He was a late-season waiver claim and while he played well in Ottawa, he didn't show enough to earn a contract back with the team. As mentioned with Crookshank, there are interior options that are close to NHL-ready, and Katchouk wasn't just a needle-cutter.

Surprise Offer

The only surprises were Sokolov and Thomson.

There have been reports from Bruce Garrioch that the Senators are interested in Sokolov, but will still want to move him. There seemed to be no path to the NHL for him in the Senators organization, and even after a solid year in the American Hockey League (AHL), he wasn't called up at all.

The other is Thomson, who was fired twice this season, and signed a contract in the Swedish Hockey League for next season, it was an uphill battle to get one.

With free agency set to begin, the Senators are making sure they make the most of every dollar they have, because they don't have much.