Ottawa Senators sign star winger for franchise record-setting $86 million

The Ottawa Senators pulled off one of the biggest moves of their offseason on Tuesday morning, locking up winger Drake Batherson to an eight year contract extension worth $10.75 million per season.

The deal got done just hours before a new NHL policy would have limited teams to seven year extensions for their own players, and it instantly becomes the largest contract in franchise history.

Batherson, coming off a career year with 33 goals and 71 points in 79 games, now sits at the center of Ottawa's forward group going forward.

The 28 year old had been locked in extended talks with the club all summer, with reports circling a number somewhere between $10.5 million and $11 million.

Getting eight years done before the deadline gave the Senators an extra season of control that would have vanished under the incoming rules.

Starting Wednesday, teams lose the ability to sign their own players past seven years under the league's revised collective bargaining agreement.

That single extra year makes a real difference on paper, spreading similar total value across more seasons and keeping the annual hit more manageable.

For a front office that has had to manage its books carefully, stretching Batherson out to eight years instead of seven likely saves Ottawa real money against the cap for years to come.

The move sends a message to the rest of the roster too.

With Brady Tkachuk no longer in the picture, Batherson has become one of Ottawa's most trusted offensive players, and this deal effectively resets the pay scale ahead of future extension talks for names like Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson.

Ottawa returns to the ice this fall aiming to build on back to back playoff appearances, and having its top winger signed long term removes a major storyline before training camp even opens.

For a fan base that has waited a long time for some stability, this is the kind of news that actually delivers it.

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