Rumor: Del Zotto could be quickly traded.

It sounds like the Ottawa Senators may be at a crossroads when it comes to the future of veteran defenseman Michael Del Zotto.

On Friday the Senators made the decision to place the experienced blue liner on waivers, but it sounds like that may only be the first step in finding a new situation for Del Zotto. Over the course of the last several games it has looked like Del Zotto has found himself in coach DJ Smith's dog house, with Del Zotto only playing in 1 of the team's last 9 games in spite of the fact that he appears to be healthy.

The Senators made a significant commitment to Del Zotto this summer when they signed him to a 2 year contract that carried an average annual value and salary cap hit of $2 million per season, but it would now seem that the Senators have already seen enough. Del Zotto has appeared in 10 games for the Senators this season and has produced well offensively, recording 2 goals and 4 assists over that stretch of play, but his liabilities on the other side of the ice are what appear to have lost him the favor of the Senators head coach. Over that 10 game stretch Del Zotto also boasts a plus minus rating of -9 in spite of his 6 points, no doubt a big part of the reason he has been scratched down the stretch.

Ottawa Senators insider Bruce Garrioch is now reporting that the Senators are looking for a solution to their problem, and based on some of the personal decisions made by the team as of late it very much sounds like the solution is to get Del Zotto on to another team in the National Hockey League.

From Garrioch:

If coach D.J. Smith isn’t going to dress Del Zotto, and the club has called up veteran AHL defenceman Dillon Heatherington from Belleville to dress ahead of him, then the situation has to be dealt with. It hasn’t worked out and now the organization is trying to find a way that it will work both sides.

According to the insider, there were other teams who had interest in Del Zotto's services over the summer. Even if Del Zotto clears waivers today, which seems likely, a trade may soon follow as the Senators seek to get Del Zotto's contract off the books.