Ottawa Senators forward Drake Batherson has signed an $86 million contract extension, committing to the team for the next eight years. The announcement of the deal, with an annual salary of nearly $11 million, was made by the club on Tuesday morning. Batherson, hailing from New Minas, N.S., had an impressive last season, setting a record by increasing his point total for seven consecutive seasons and finishing his eighth season in Ottawa with 33 goals and 71 points.
General manager and president of hockey operations Steve Staios expressed his satisfaction with Batherson’s long-term commitment to the team, emphasizing that the player was drafted and nurtured by the organization. Batherson, who was selected by the Senators in the fourth round of the 2017 draft, comes from a hockey family, as his father Norm was also a player for Ottawa’s AHL affiliate in the 1990s.
In other offseason news for the Senators, captain Brady Tkachuk was traded to the Florida Panthers, and part of the draft pick return was used to acquire scoring forward William Eklund. Additionally, Senators Hall of Famer Daniel Alfredsson is set to join the Toronto Maple Leafs as an associate coach.
The Senators will kick off their season with a game against the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Oct. 3, followed by their home opener against the Philadelphia Flyers just five days later.
