The Senators have reached an agreement with one of their remaining restricted free agents as PuckPedia reports (Twitter link) that they’ve signed forward Xavier Bourgault to a one-year, two-way deal. The contract will pay Bourgault $775K in the NHL and $90K in the minors.
The 22-year-old was a first-round pick by Edmonton back in 2021, going 22nd overall after showing some offensive promise with QMJHL Shawinigan. In his final three seasons with the Cataractes, Bourgault potted 89 goals and 97 assists in 135 games, providing some enthusiasm that he could be a cost-controlled contributor for an Oilers roster that certainly could use that.
However, Bourgault wasn’t able to produce anywhere near those numbers with AHL Bakersfield. After a respectable rookie season in 2022-23 that saw him record 34 points in 62 games, his output dipped the following year to just eight goals and 12 assists in 55 outings. That was enough for GM Stan Bowman to decide to make a change, dealing Bourgault to Ottawa that summer along with prospect Jake Chiasson for winger Roby Jarventie and a fourth-round pick.
Bourgault spent last season with AHL Belleville and was able to rebound a bit, notching 12 goals and 14 assists in 61 games. While that wasn’t enough to match or surpass his rookie-season output, it was enough to earn him a qualifying offer last month. Bourgault didn’t take it, instead foregoing a bit of a higher potential NHL salary in exchange for a slight raise in his AHL pay.
Bourgault will be waiver-eligible for the first time next season. While a player with his type of numbers generally wouldn’t be a candidate to be claimed, his draft pedigree might be enough for a team or two to at least ponder giving him a look, assuming he doesn’t break camp with Ottawa in training camp which is the likeliest scenario. Assuming he makes it back to Belleville, he’ll look to position himself to get his first regular season recall.
With Bourgault’s signing, Ottawa now has three remaining restricted free agents to re-sign this summer: forward Jan Jenik and defensemen Donovan Sebrango and Max Guenette.
EDM traded down from the spot Minny used to take Wallstedt to take this guy when they needed a franchise goalie.
Will never ever understand that.
Edmonton needed a true #1 goalie the past 2 seasons, not a year from now. What is so hard to understand about that?
Skinner is 5 years older and was supposed to be the goalie of their future at that point. Wallsteadt is the goalie of the future in Minnesota now. Still likely a year away from being the #1 in Minnesota, IF he takes that step. Skinner was just entering his time to become a #1 then. IF he took that step. He did not become a true #1. But he isn’t a completely failed 1b yet.
A- The pipeline always needs to be stocked.
B- Wallstedt much better prospect than Skinner or anyone else they have
C- They would have a highly promising young cheap goalie that they could use to say to McDavid “You won’t be wasting the rest of your career here if you sign another mega-extension, we are about to take the next step” and keep the best player in the world.
Whether that’s true or not, they could pitch it.
And instead they drafted this BUM. Why is that so hard to understand? Wrong move then and history has shown it failed.
Also, FWIW, Minny slow baking him because they have had good NHL goalies for a while…maybe he’s already in the NHL with a different team.