Contract talks hit major hurdle with star forward as Senators' Sept. 15 deadline quickly approaches

The clock is ticking on Drake Batherson's future in Ottawa.

With a self imposed September 15 deadline looming for the Senators, insider Bruce Garrioch is now reporting that Batherson's camp is pushing hard for maximum term on his next contract, and that alone could complicate an already messy negotiation.

Batherson is entering the final year of his six year, $29.85 million deal, and he has been an absolute steal at a $4.975 million cap hit.

He put up a career high 71 points last season and has cracked 60 points in four straight years.

That kind of production changes the math fast, and league executives believe he could land anywhere from $10 million to $11 million per season if this drags into free agency.

Term is often the trickiest part of these negotiations, more than the actual dollar figure.

A longer deal protects Batherson from injury risk and locks in security, but it also ties up a huge chunk of Ottawa's cap for years.

GM Steve Staios has been open about wanting Batherson signed, saying conversations have been ongoing and the dialogue has been good.

Still, good dialogue and an actual signed contract are two very different things.

If nothing gets done by September 15, expect the pressure to ramp up significantly heading into the season.

Other teams, including Montreal, have already been floated as suitors willing to pay Batherson at the top of the market.

For a Senators team trying to build a real contender after last year's playoff exit, letting a homegrown scorer like this walk would sting in a big way.

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