Ottawa Senators: Top 5 players they must move at the trade deadline

4. Chris Tierney

Years Left: 1 (RFA)

Cap hit: $2.9375 million

Technically, Chris Tierney isn’t a rental forward. But with one year left on his deal, the Senators should listen to offers for him. Tierney is a fine top-nine forward, but he’s probably not going to be a long-term piece for them.

That said, the Senators shouldn’t feel forced to move him. As I said, Tierney’s a perfectly capable top-nine forward who can keep spots warm for young players. However, he’s an RFA after this season and he could be due a fairly substantial raise.

The Senators should start talking to him about an extension and see where it goes. If the price is too high, they should explore moving on from him. Tierney can play during all situations and would be a nice addition to just about anyone’s top-nine forward group.

With the rental market being fairly weak, teams who lose out on guys like Taylor Hall and Chris Kreider could be interested in Tierney. This is what smart teams do – they read the market and sell high when an asset’s perceived value is higher than their actual value.

Potential suitors: The Oilers would make sense for Tierney because, well, he’s a forward who has a pulse. He’d be a mighty fine third-line center for them or he could play in a top-six wing role if needed. The Boston Bruins would be a nice fit for him as well, as they value a lot of the things that he does well.