NHL Rumors: Oilers & Senators Linked To Trade
Now they are gauging what he might bring back in a trade.
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen reported that three league executives told the Citizen in the past 72 hours that the Senators have been testing the market to see what they could command for the 25-year-old right-shot defenseman, who is a restricted free agent with the right to file for arbitration on July 1.
"Let's make this clear," Garrioch wrote. "This doesn't mean Steve Staios is trying to deal Spence."
Staios is doing due diligence on a player whose trade value is at its highest point, not shopping him at a discount.
Why the Senators Are Even Considering It
Per DFO Rundown's Irfaan Gaffar and David Pagnotta, upgrading the right side of Ottawa's defense is the organization's top offseason priority.
The path to getting there runs through trade more than free agency, and moving Spence is one of the mechanisms that could fund a bigger acquisition.
Spence had seven goals and 31 points in 73 games this season, along with an impressive +15 plus/minus rating, led the Senators in shot attempt share at five-on-five at 60.4 percent, and averaged 25 minutes of ice time in Ottawa's four-game first-round playoff loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Rumours that the Sens are exploring the trade market for RFA Jordan Spence.
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) June 15, 2026
Spence put up sparkling underlying numbers all season long and played big minutes for them down the stretch (over 21 per game after the Olympics) after being sheltered in the first half. pic.twitter.com/C6vv0E6APp
None of that makes him expendable in the traditional sense.
It makes him a trade chip on an organization that values what he provides but values a top-four right-shot upgrade even more.
Nick Jensen, Ottawa's most experienced right-side option, is expected to hit unrestricted free agency after knee surgery with no clear return expected.
That vacancy is the gap Staios is trying to close, and the Colton Parayko pursuit that stalled at the deadline and the Ristolainen conversations that have persisted this offseason both point to the same profile: a bigger, veteran presence on the right side.
Spence is good enough to return real value.
He is not the player Ottawa needs to become what they want to be.
Over the past three seasons, Spence has recorded 13 goals, 83 total points, a +43 plus/minus rating, 191 blocked shots and 202 hits across 223 games played. He's averaged just 16:40 time on ice over those three seasons.
The Oilers Connection
Oilersnation's Zach Laing made the case Tuesday that Edmonton should be all over this situation.
The Oilers need right-shot defensive help following a first-round exit to the Ducks and the organizational uncertainty around what their blue line looks like post-Darnell Nurse.
Spence spent his first four NHL seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, where Oilers fans got an extended look at him across 13 playoff games in 2022, 2024, and 2025.
Trading Spence still feels illogical to me. Puts a huge reliance on Yakemchuk as well.
— Everyday Sens (@EverydaySens) June 15, 2026
I will confess that Ottawa doesn’t have a ton of quality assets to acquire a top six forward, and that’s probably the only deal in which I’d consider moving Spence.
I’d suggest simply keeping… https://t.co/MEiDx3o0Ic
AFP Analytics projects Spence's next contract at either a four-year deal at $4.882 million per year or a one-year bridge at $3.109 million, both of which are attainable for an Oilers team that will have significant cap flexibility once the Nurse contract comes off the books.
The right-side crunch that would result from adding Spence alongside Evan Bouchard, Ty Emberson, and a potentially returning Connor Murphy is the primary complication Laing acknowledged, but the quality of the player is not in question.
The draft in Buffalo is eleven days away. If any deal gets done, that is when Staios will move.
Photo Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
