Danny McCloskey
With the trade deadline less than 24 hours away, the Ottawa Senators made a significant move, acquiring Warren Foegele from the Los Angeles Kings. In return, the Kings will receive a 2026 2nd round pick. The two teams have swapped conditional third round picks in the deal. Let’s dive into the details.
Foegele by the Numbers
Foegele is signed until the end of next season, with a cap hit of $3.5 million. Here’s his production this season:
- 47 games, 7 goals, 9 points, 14:45 time on ice per game
The 29 year old left winger has failed to live up to his numbers from last season when he scored a career high 24 goals and 46 points in 82 games with the Kings. The year before that, he scored 20 goals and 41 points in 82 games with the Edmonton Oilers. He also has plenty of playoff experience, scoring 13 goals and 27 points in 86 playoff games. In fact, he’s made the playoffs in seven straight years. That includes a run to the Stanley Cup Finals with the Oilers two years ago, where he contributed 3 goals and 8 points in 22 games.
Some of his lesser production can be attributed to a lack of shooting luck. At even strength, the Kings had a 6.3% shooting percentage with Foegele on the ice this season. Last season, that number was significantly higher at 11.3%. Of course, it’s more than just a lack of luck. Just 2 assists in 47 games is a woeful number, and Foegele saw his ice-time go from 16:10 per game last season to 14:45 this season. He was also a healthy scratch at times this season.
What to Expect From Foegele
Foegele is exactly the type of player you’d expect Steve Staios to target. He’s 6’2″, 205 lbs, plays with speed, kills penalties, is reliable defensively, and scores goals around the net. He’ll add to the solid forward depth that the Senators already possess. Don’t expect much from Foegele on the power play, where he’s scored just 4 career goals in 560 career games. He’s also not much of a passer, and doesn’t play with a ton of creativity.
Bottom Line
Staios was in a bit of tricky spot here as the trade deadline approached for the Senators. On one hand, the Senators don’t have a first round pick, don’t have a ton of valuable prospects, and they sit outside the playoff picture. On the other, this is a team with underlying numbers that show them to be one of the better teams in the East, aside from the woeful goaltending that has plagued them all season.
Trading for a rental wouldn’t work with where they currently sit in the standings. To add Foegele, who has another year left on his contract, makes a ton of sense. He fits the style of player that Staios and Travis Green like, and he can help this team both this year and next. The question is now whether Staios and the Senators have another trade lined up before the deadline? We will soon find out!
