Defense has been a critical area for the Ottawa Senators for years. The rise of Jake Sanderson and the veteran presence of Thomas Chabot was big for the Senators to clinch a playoff spot in 2025.
However, one defenseman's play that might be underappreciated on the roster is Artem Zub. In the 2024-25 season, Zub's defensive presence was a solid one for the Senators to make the playoffs.
Zub is set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2027. Zub being a free agent in the same year as Tyler Kleven and Nikolas Matinpalo could make the Senators be in a tough position of which defenseman to sign.