The Senators are keeping depth forward Cole Reinhardt in the organization next season, per a team announcement. It’s a one-year, two-way deal that carries an NHL salary and cap hit of $775K with an AHL salary of $95K.
Reinhardt, 24, was a sixth-round pick of the Sens in 2020 after being passed over in the 2018 and 2019 drafts. The Calgary-born left winger has just one NHL appearance to his name, skating 8:35 against the Predators in a game on April 7, 2022, while recording a shot on goal and taking a minor penalty.
Ottawa has still gotten solid value out of Reinhardt as a late-round selection thus far. He’s grown into a consistent contributor with AHL Belleville, putting up 40 goals and 99 points in 225 games over the last four years. Reinhardt leverages his 6’1″, 207-lb frame to play a heavy game and has displayed good shooting ability in the past, although he was limited to only eight goals in 56 contests this season.
Reinhardt spent his first professional season, 2020-21, on an AHL contract with Belleville before signing his entry-level deal with Ottawa the following offseason. That rookie contract covered his last three seasons of play, making this his first standard contract. He would have become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights had he not extended before July 1.
He earns a minor raise on the $70K AHL salary he earned in the final year of his rookie deal. Reinhardt will be an arbitration-eligible RFA again next summer upon expiry.