Report: Senators want to acquire top-6 forward

The Ottawa Senators are in the market for a proven top-six scoring forward, reports Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch.

The Senators are looking at both the trade route and free agency to fill the need, adds Garrioch.

Ottawa tallied 2.95 goals per game to rank 18th in the NHL this season. Even-strength scoring was a particular issue for the Senators, whose 139 goals at five-on-five were second last league-wide, ahead of only the Nashville Predators.

Claude Giroux is the only player in Ottawa's current top six who is a pending free agent, though the club is reportedly working to re-sign the veteran winger.

Top forwards who are pending unrestricted free agents include Mitch Marner, Nikolaj Ehlers, Brock Boeser, and Sam Bennett.

The Senators are also looking to add a right-handed defenseman with Nick Jensen expected to miss the start of next season, reports Garrioch.

Ottawa general manager Steve Staios already shook up the team's top six before the trade deadline when he acquired Dylan Cozens and defenseman Dennis Gilbert from the Buffalo Sabres for forward Josh Norris and defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker.

The Senators made the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons this spring but were eliminated by the Toronto Maple Leafs in six games in the first round.

Ottawa has $15 million of cap space this offseason, according to PuckPedia. Notable free agents include Giroux, Travis Hamonic, and Anton Forsberg, as well as restricted free agent Fabian Zetterlund.