Ottawa Senators

The plan is structurally sound. Ottawa is comfortably under the cap with a legal 21-man roster after the moves, and a 2-year, $4M AAV UFA deal for Nick Blankenburg coming off a 61 GP, 24-point season at age 28 is very believable for a second-pair right-shot defender. The term and number fit both the market and the team’s cap situation. The trade of Fabian Zetterlund to Vancouver for a 2027 fifth-round pick is the only stretch. Zetterlund is a useful middle-six winger in his mid-20s; even for a rebuilding last-place team like Vancouver, taking a shot on him would normally cost more than a single fifth, or at least involve Ottawa adding a sweetener if VAN is doing them a favor. It’s not impossible if Vancouver’s front office is unusually low on the player or shedding a contract slot, but the value is light from their perspective. Aside from that, the moves are realistic and cap/roster compliant.