Ottawa Senators Must Commit to Drake Batherson or Trade Him

The Ottawa Senators are currently engaged in contract negotiations with star winger Drake Batherson, who is entering the final years of a six-year contract that pays him $4.975 million annually. However, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen, a gap remains between the two sides.

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The ideal situation for both parties would see a new contract negotiated before September 15th, as this would allow them to sign an eight-year deal, whereas once the new Collective Bargaining Agreement kicks in, the maximum allowed will be seven years.

Therefore, Batherson wants to stay in Canada’s capital long-term, and the team wants to keep him around to play a key role in what will hopefully be some successful years; then getting an agreeable deal done must be an urgent priority.

But, the team cannot risk losing the player for nothing if a deal can’t be agreed.

Batherson is Worth The Investment

Drake Batherson is worth investing in for the Ottawa Senators. The Senators selected him in the fourth round (121st overall) of the 2017 Draft, and he’s a solid, homegrown talent who had his best year in 2025-26. Since being drafted, Batherson has played in 470 NHL games, scoring 149 goals and registering 364 total points.

Last season alone, he hit 71 points (33 goals, 38 assists) in 79 games and has formed a strong partnership alongside top-line center Tim Stutzle. He is still only 28, has entered his prime, and should be a top contributor for the Senators for many more years.

If he were to sign an eight-year deal with the team, which would begin in the 2027-28 season, he would be 37 by the end of it. This means he would likely meet contract expectations comfortably for most of the deal and could even retire with the Senators, all being well.

To have a player play his entire career with one team is an impressive and extremely rare accomplishment, and Batherson being locked into a long-term deal could certainly see him join that fairly exclusive club. It would also solidify the right side of the Senators’ offense, giving them a legitimate goal scorer who can also contribute well to the team’s overall points total as well.

He could be looking for a deal in the $10 million range, with Alex Tuch’s production and new contract (8 x $10.5 million) viewed as the perfect comparable. With the salary cap expected to grow exponentially over the next few years, the value of the deal will improve each year and locking Batherson up for the full eight years could help the team keep the AAV down.

A homegrown talent, playing comfortably on the top line, is something all teams dream of. The Senators just need to agree on the finances and get a deal done.

Senators Cannot Lose Him For Nothing

However, the Ottawa Senators can’t be too nostalgic if it’s clear that a deal can’t be worked out with Batherson’s camp. GM Steve Staios just offloaded wantaway captain Brady Tkachuk for a decent haul, which turned into promising futures as well as William Eklund, so moving on from Batherson isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

Batherson would be a highly sought-after player in the league and could command a high price in a trade, with teams such as the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers mentioned as possibly interested teams.

If Batherson won’t commit to Ottawa at a price the team finds acceptable, then Staios must actively explore the market and find the best package available before he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer.

A sign-and-trade deal could be possible, but the Senators can’t afford to wait until the last minute to make such a deal and need to be prepared to lose Batherson even before the opening day of the season. Batherson will be difficult to replace, especially on short notice, but if the Senators can get a good return for him, it’s something they must explore after the September 15th deadline passes.

Whether the Senators lock Batherson up long-term or trade him away, they need to decide soon so fans aren’t left in limbo, with a clear understanding of the team’s trajectory this season and beyond.

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