Drake Batherson has taken the long view in Ottawa, signing an eight-year extension worth $86 million that keeps one of the Senators’ top offensive drivers tied to the club well beyond the coming season.
Batherson commits to Ottawa through eight-year extension
- The Senators announced Tuesday that Batherson agreed to an eight-year contract carrying a $10.75 million annual cap hit. The new deal starts next season.
- The 28-year-old winger is heading into the final year of the six-year, $29.85 million agreement he signed on Sept. 3, 2021. That contract has a $4.975 million average annual value.
- Batherson said the organization had been working toward an extension throughout the summer, and getting it completed before training camp allows him to concentrate entirely on hockey.
- He considered the possibility of reaching free agency last season, but said his thinking repeatedly returned to remaining with the Senators for as long as possible.
A core scorer stays in the fold
Batherson is coming off the strongest regular season of his NHL career. He posted 33 goals and 71 points across 79 games, then added three goals and one assist in four Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Ottawa drafted Batherson in the fourth round, No. 121 overall, in 2017. Since making the jump to the NHL, he has produced 149 goals and 215 assists for 364 points in 470 regular-season appearances. His postseason totals stand at four goals and two assists in 10 games.
His power-play work has been especially valuable. Since his first full NHL season in 2020-21, Batherson has recorded 141 power-play points, including 55 goals, second on the Senators behind only Tim Stutzle’s 145 points. Batherson led Ottawa last season with 30 power-play points and 13 power-play goals.
Reaction from the Senators
General manager Steve Staios called Batherson a player who reflects the organization’s identity, noting that he was drafted and developed by Ottawa and has made clear he wants to be part of the club’s future. Staios said the forward remains an important piece of the Senators’ core.
Coach Travis Green said Wednesday that Batherson earned the extension through his play and that he was pleased to see the forward rewarded. Green added that Batherson will be a Senator for many years and remains a major player for the team.
For Batherson, the decision was about the room as much as the contract. He said he believes Ottawa’s group has improved over the past few seasons and can keep moving forward after adding players to help the roster. He described the current group as teammates he cares deeply about and said he had no desire to play elsewhere.
SEO Title: Drake Batherson signs eight-year, $86 million extension with Ottawa Senators
SEO Description: Drake Batherson agreed to an eight-year, $86 million extension with the Ottawa Senators, beginning next season with a $10.75 million cap hit.
