Line combos would seem to depend on who's still with the team. Many of the combos presented in this thread seem to assume that this year's results were simply an abberation and that the same personnel will produce different results next season.
I do not accept that assumption. I believe there ought to be significant changes in the leadership structure of the team and the makeup of the roster. If the Sens want a fast team that has the puck more than its opponent and generates more chances against than its opponent then I don't believe the addition of Ales Hemsky alone achieves that result.
Trade Spezza. It makes the most sense. He's got one year left on a contract with a high cap hit but low salary payout. He's over 30. He has a history of back problems. There will never be a better time to trade this player to a contending team looking for a skilled addition to their top six. The player they should have held onto until he retired was Alfie but that shipped sailed last year. So they shouldn't try to make some statement to the fans now about loyalty. Like they unfortunately did with Phillips. Make the move. Get a return like we did for Ryan and move forward.
Let Michalek go. Why would you keep this player? Nice guy who can occasionally contribute. But pushing 30 and not productive enough to justify $4 - $5 mil per year when there are ready replacements available within the organization.
Remove the logjam of mediocre defense. My choice would have been to trade Phillips at the deadline. They went another direction. The keepers are Karlsson, Methot, and..... Ceci, I suppose.......... I like Wiercioch too. Gryba seems like a burly guy capable of 3rd pairing minutes........... and then? It would be soooo nice if Cowen could become the guy they thought they had when they drafted him 9th overall. Phillips? Well, let's just say I don't see how he can help in the leadership department when he's a liability on a 3rd pairing and deserving of healthy-scratch status on a nightly basis.
MacArthur - Turris - _____
Ryan - Zibby - Hemsky
Hoffman - _____ - Stone
____ - Smith - Neil
____ - Karlsson
Methot - Ceci
Cowen - Gryba
Andy/Lehner
Lots of blanks there. Key positions. Some internal options could include Pageau, Condra, Greening, Puempel, Wiercioch, and Borowiecki. Or maybe one/some of these guys are traded. I suppose they might trade for Chris Stewart. Ok. And the return on Spezza should at least include a valid option for a 3rd line center or top-4 defender. So who knows?
This is just the rough structure I'd work with if I were GM. From a best-use-of-assets perspective......