Jared Cowen acknowledges his time in Ottawa might soon be coming to an end, although he's not quite sure if that's a positive.
With Marc Methot set to return to the Senators' lineup for Thursday's game against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers, the defenseman will sit as a healthy scratch for the 10th time in the past 15 games.
To many, this is a sign Cowen may be on the move prior to the Feb. 29 trade deadline, a notion he's quite aware of.
Related: Cowen's unusual contract could enhance his trade value
"I'm aware of (the trade speculation), obviously, so if it happens, it happens. I'm not playing today, so obviously it makes it more realistic," he told Ian Mendes of TSN.
Drafted ninth overall by the Senators in 2009, Cowen hasn't developed into a high-end, shutdown defenseman, and clearly has not earned the trust of head coach Dave Cameron.
Asked if a change of scenery might serve him well, Cowen rightfully answered ambiguously.
"Maybe, I don't know. My job is to stay here and be as good as I can be for Ottawa," Cowen said. "Who knows if they're right or wrong, because I don't know either. I've never been traded in my life, so we'll see.
"There's no guidebook for it (this situation)," he continued. "It kind of sucks because you're in-between all day. You can't really prepare like you usually do. It's impossible to be the same person that you would be if you knew you were playing, so it's just one of those things you have to just tough out."
Cowen has one year remaining on his contract with the Senators, and carries a cap hit of $3.1 million.
