Ottawa fans finally got the answer they've been waiting for, as star forward Drake Batherson has reportedly signed an eight-year deal late on Monday night.
Batherson, 28, put up 71 points in 70 games for the Senators last season, including 33 goals and a minus-7 in 17:21 TOI while also adding some physicality with 122 hits. Ottawa's 121st overall pick in 2017 has 364 points in 470 games, and is looking to build upon career-high numbers in 2025-26.
Senators shake the landscape of the Atlantic with largest deal in franchise history
The news was broken by Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman:
With the clock ticking towards Tuesday night's CBA deadline, multiple sources indicate the Ottawa Senators are closing in on an eight-year extension with 33-goal scorer Drake Batherson.
Exact terms are unclear, but it's believed to average somewhere between $10.5 million and $11 million per season. It would be the largest contract in franchise history - a major commitment and a relief to the fanbase.
There was a lot of anxiety surrounding Batherson's future deal, as the two parties were apart on a deal with only limited time left. Tuesday begins the brand new CBA where eight-year deals aren't allowed, so in the nick of time - the Sens pulled it off.
Also to note, this would be the largest contract the Senators have ever offered a player, surpassing the eight-year, $66.8M extension that Tim Stutzle signed in 2022.
How Batherson can help the Senators reach the next level
Batherson needs to take the next step and prove that this past career-high season was a building block, not a peak.
With the Senators already taking a big hit this offseason with the loss of Brady Tkachuk, it's imperative that Batherson and the rest of the team step up in the wake of his departure. At 28, he's firmly in his prime and with a dangerous scoring touch - he needs to hit that 40-goal mark this year.
He'll also need to be a critical piece of the Senators powerplay, one that no longer has Daniel Alfredsson helming the man advantage. Batherson has to take players like William Eklund, Dylan Cozens, and Oskar Pettersson under his wing, while his veteran support like Andre Burakovsky, Claude Giroux, and Nick Cousins need to help him out.
Batherson signing the largest deal in franchise history isn't exactly surprising given what he's done for the Senators over the past eight years and thankfully Ottawa was able to secure that extra year with almost no time left on the clock.
We will update you when the deal becomes official along with contract details.
Do you think the Ottawa Senators made the right call to extend Drake Batherson for 8 years?
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