How many NHL franchises would trade places with the Ottawa Senators?
With six players under the age of 25 under contract for at least the next four seasons, the Senators are flipping the script by keeping players long-term instead of losing them
There was a time not long ago when it seemed the Ottawa Senators couldn’t keep anybody. Now, with the surprising signing of Tim Stutzle to an eight-year contract extension Wednesday afternoon, they’re not letting anybody get away. In fact, in capping off arguably the greatest off-season in franchise history, the Senators have also created a roster situation that certainly hasn’t been seen during the salary cap era, if ever at all.
When the puck drops for the 2022-23 season in a little more than two months, the Senators will have six core players on their roster aged 25 or under, all of whom are under contract for at least the next four seasons. That’s incredible. As the kids would say, it’s cray-cray. By essentially bypassing the bridge deal, Senators’ GM Pierre Dorion has reversed the Senators’ fortunes when it comes to player retention and provided a very clear path for the future of the franchise. “It’s an exciting time for our fans and players,” Dorion told reporters after inking Stutzle to an eight-year deal worth $66.5 million that takes effect for the 2023-24 season and is the richest contract in franchise history. “The organization has suffered. And more importantly, the fans have suffered. Now the fans are all pumped up. And I think they’re fully on board with what we’ve done this year.”
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