The Ottawa Senators have acquired defenseman Josh Brown from the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 2020 4th round pick (95th overall).
The Senators have a need for a right-handed defenseman. While Brown isn\’t a game changer, Nikita Zaitsev is the only right-hander on the roster with more experience. It wouldn\’t be a surprise if the Senators signed a depth defenseman, or if they let top prospect Erik Brannstrom play on the right side. Unless that happens or 2019 first round pick Lassi Thomson makes the roster, then Christian Jaros would be the bottom pairing defenseman. Standing six feet and five inches tall, Brown has played for the Panthers over the past two seasons, playing in a decent amount of games. Brown is going to be an RFA, and it isn\’t guaranteed that he would be back with the Panthers anyway if this trade wasn\’t made. Brown can be a bigger version of Dylan DeMelo, the defensive defenseman the Sens traded to Winnipeg in February. The Senators don\’t have a fourth round pick after this trade, but they have 9 picks in the first three rounds, so they will be fine. For the Panthers, Brown was being passed on the depth chart by MacKenzie Weegar and Brady Keeper. They could either upgrade on the right side, but most likely they will look for an improvement on the left side after trading away Mike Matheson to Pittsburgh. Getting a 4th round pick for Brown, a 2013 6th rounder who hasn\’t shown much in the NHL is good value.
Brown, 26, scored three goals with five assists for eight points in 56 games for the Panthers in 2019-20. In his NHL career, Brown has four goals with six assists for 10 points in 93 games.
CarterHud 