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Connor Brown Avoids Arbitration

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The Ottawa Senators have avoided arbitration with Connor Brown, settling on a three-year contract just hours ahead of his scheduled hearing. The new contract will carry an average annual value of $3.6MM and keeps Brown under contract through the 2022-23 season. Senators GM Pierre Dorion released the following statement:

We’re very happy to have Connor back under contract. He brings a veteran presence to our lineup and is a player who can play in different situations. He’s durable, has a strong work ethic with great practice habits and is regarded as a leader by his teammates. His ability to play up and down the lineup while producing offensively is especially valuable to us as we continue our transition towards being a consistent winner.

Brown was scheduled to have an arbitration hearing later today. That would have resulted in a one-year contract that would have taken the 26-year-old right to unrestricted free agency, but he’ll stay in the organization a little longer with this three-year deal. Brown had filed for $4.8MM while the team had filed for just $2.25MM.

All five of this week’s arbitration hearings were settled prior to taking place. The next one on the schedule is Tyler Bertuzzi on Sunday.

Brown scored a career-high 43 points this season with the Senators, while averaging more than 20 minutes a night to lead their entire forward group. That included a huge amount of penalty killing responsibility, along with a good amount of powerplay time as well. That versatility is key to why Brown is so well-liked on any team he plays for, and a big reason why the Senators have decided to keep him around.

Connor Brown, Ottawa Senators Exchange Arbitration Figures

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The second scheduled arbitration hearing this offseason will be Connor Brown of the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, meaning today was the day they needed to exchange filings. According to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia, Brown’s camp has filed for $4.8MM, while the Senators have filed for $2.25MM. Because of his age, the contract can only be a maximum of one year in length.

It is important to remember that in the NHL, the arbitrator does not need to choose one filing or the other and usually instead awards a contract somewhere in the middle. The two sides can also come to an agreement in the coming days, though this year once the hearing begins they must wait for the reward and cannot settle while the arbitrator deliberates.

In Brown’s case, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic suggests that a contract similar to the one Kevin Labanc just signed with the San Jose Sharks could potentially be a comparable should the two sides settle before arbitration. Labanc signed a four-year deal that carries a $4.725MM cap hit, though LeBrun suggests $4.35MM “isn’t crazy to think” about for Brown.

A 20-goal scorer in 2016-17 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Brown hasn’t yet reached that mark again in his four-year NHL career. He did see his point totals balloon in Ottawa though, recording a career-high 43 points this season while averaging more than 20 minutes a night. He was easily the teams most-used forward, especially on the penalty kill where he logged more than two and a half minutes a night.

It’s obvious that Brown has the coaching staff’s trust, and on a roster that will be made up mostly of prospect forwards, he is actually one of the most experienced at the age of 26.

Notably, if Brown does go through the arbitration process and receive a one-year contract, he will walk into unrestricted free agency next offseason at 27. Should he receive an award over $4,538,938, the team could also choose to walk away and make him a UFA this offseason instead.

Senators Re-Sign J.C. Beaudin

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Oct 19: Ottawa has officially announced the contract, signing Beaudin to a one-year, two-way contract worth $700K at the NHL level. Senators GM Pierre Dorion released a statement on the young forward:

J.C. has established himself as a good depth player within the organization. He made a great impression on the coaching staff both here and in Belleville and was deserving of the opportunities he received in Ottawa throughout last season. It’s a trend we hope to see continue.

Oct 18: The Senators have agreed to terms with one of their remaining free agents as CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that they’ve signed forward J.C. Beaudin to a one-year, two-way deal.  Instead of taking his qualifying offer, he opted for the league minimum salary at the NHL level to get a $10K raise on his AHL pay from $70K to $80K.

After spending the first two seasons of his entry-level deal, the 22-year-old split last season between Ottawa and their AHL affiliate in Belleville.  At the top level, Beaudin got into 22 games, picking up one assist but had 51 hits while winning 52.5% of his faceoffs.  He was more productive offensively in the minors though with four goals and two assists in 13 games.

Beaudin, who the Sens acquired from Colorado in 2019, is now eligible for waivers so he will have to pass through unclaimed to get back to Belleville although Ottawa could opt to keep him up as a 12th or 13th forward as well.

GM Pierre Dorion still has some work to do with his restricted free agents as winger Connor Brown, center Chris Tierney, and defenseman Christian Jaros remain unsigned.  All have filed for arbitration with Brown’s hearing slated for Thursday.

Rudolfs Balcers Signs With Ottawa Senators

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Oct 19: Balcers has been loaned overseas to the Stavanger Oilers of the Norwegian professional league for the time being, though he is expected to return in time for Ottawa’s 2020-21 training camp.

Oct 16: The Ottawa Senators have signed Rudolfs Balcers to a one-year, two-way contract worth $735K at the NHL level. Balcers split the 2019-20 season between Ottawa and Belleville of the AHL. Senators GM Pierre Dorion released an encouraging statement on his young forward:

Despite a discouraging injury at the start to the year, Rudolfs battled back to become an important contributor to Belleville’s success last season. He’s a dynamic player with a great release, who’s quick and who has good skill. We’re confident that he’ll set out to prove that he’s overcome last year’s setback to be a full-time player in Ottawa.

Balcers, 23, was one of the big pieces of the Erik Karlsson trade in 2018 and quickly made his NHL debut with the Senators the following season. He has now played in 51 games for the team, scoring six goals and 17 points in the process.

The injury Dorion is referring to happened in the preseason, halting his preparation for the 2019-20 campaign and limiting him to AHL action through the first part of the season. Once he got back up to speed he showed exactly why Senators fans are so excited about the Latvian winger, recording a point in his first 15 minor league games and 17/19 before a call-up to the NHL.

There’s a lot of talent in Balcers and the Senators are committed to giving the reins to their young core this season, even if they did bring in Evgenii Dadonov this week. He should be in the mix for a full-time spot out of camp.

Ottawa Senators Re-Sign Joey Daccord

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The Ottawa Senators made a big splash earlier this off-season, first trading for Matt Murray then signing him to a lucrative long-term contract. Murray is the present and the future in net for the Senators, but he is not the only goalie in their plans. Ottawa has announced a three-year extension with restricted free agent Joey Daccord, who just wrapped up his first pro season. The deal carries an AAV of $750K with the following breakdown:

2020-21: Two-way, $700K NHL salary, $175K AHL salary
2021-22: Two-way, $750K NHL salary, $300K AHL salary
2022-23: One-way, $800K salary

This seemingly minor contract actually speaks volumes about the Senators’ plans in goal. Ottawa has a deep stable of prospect goaltenders, but have opted to extend a multi-year contract to 24-year-old Daccord. The pact also includes a commitment to giving Daccord an NHL shot by at least 2022-23, when his NHL salary becomes fully guaranteed as a one-way deal. Meanwhile, Anders Nilsson played well after coming over to Ottawa last year and looks like Murray’s backup when healthy and is an impending UFA, 25-year-old Marcus Hogberg is also on a one-way contract this year and will be a restricted free agent next summer, promising 22-year-old prospect Filip Gustavsson is currently dominating the Swedish minor leagues and is looking for NHL time in the final year of his entry-level deal, 20-year-old Kevin Mandolese just signed a three-year entry level contract of his own, and the club has 2019 second-round pick Mads Sogaard and 2020 third-round pick Leevi Merilainen in the pipeline as well. There are many mouths to feed in Ottawa when it comes to future net share, yet Daccord is now the only name other than Murray with a long-term commitment that includes NHL opportunity.

The Senators clearly like what they have seen from Daccord and believe he will at least be an option to backup Murray in a few years. Daccord has improved dramatically since he was a seventh-round flier out of Cushing Academy in Massachusetts back in 2015. After a so-so season in the USHL, Daccord struggled out of the gate at Arizona State University. Only in his junior year did he finally take off, recording a .926 save percentage and 2.35 GAA for a surprising Sun Devils squad. But that was enough for the Senators to offer a contract and for the young keeper to turn pro early. He then held his own in his first pro season, playing two-thirds of his games in the AHL to the tune of a .915 save percentage and 2.61 GAA. For a net minder with very limited experience against top talent, he handled the jump to the competitive minor league level very well and should only improve with time.

Ottawa clearly expects his game to continuing growing as well. With bigger names and higher draft pedigrees in the system competing for the spotlight, the Senators have made it clear that they believe in Daccord. Murray may be the big name in net now and likely will be for the long haul, but at the current time Daccord looks to be the closest thing to next in line.

Ottawa Senators Sign Evgenii Dadonov

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The Ottawa Senators have made a splash on the free agent market, signing Evgenii Dadonov to a three-year, $15MM contract. Dadonov was one of the highest-ranked free agents remaining on our Top 50 UFA list. Senators GM Pierre Dorion released a statement:

We’re thrilled to have come to an agreement with Evgenii. He’s an elite offensive talent and a very consistent scorer as demonstrated by his point totals over the last three seasons. This is a key signing for us as it adds a player who will help us produce offensively and one with a proven track record on the power-play.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that the deal also includes a 10-team no-trade clause. Dadonov will earn $3.5MM in 2020-21, $5.0MM in 2021-22 and $6.5MM in 2022-23.

The Senators are having quite the offseason, starting with the 2020 Entry Draft where they selected twice in the first five picks and six times in the first two rounds. The team then solidified the goaltending position by acquiring and extending Matt Murray, while also bringing in some physicality with the trade additions of Josh Brown, Erik Gudbranson, and Austin Watson.

While those additions may have seemed like a way to protect the young core, this move signifies that the front office believes they may be ready to compete sooner than expected. Dadonov, 31, is one of the better offensive players in the league and has recorded at least 25 goals in each of the three seasons since returning from the KHL. He’ll immediately become one of the team’s most dangerous options on the powerplay and can help lengthen out a lineup that was previously led by a bunch of very young players.

As with any signing the Senators make though, it is important to note how back-loaded the deal is. They have a history of moving players out before they get too expensive and with nearly half of the deal’s salary due in the final season that could still be the case here. Still, the team has obviously decided that their competitive window is opening quickly and needed some more scoring punch.

With Dadonov off the board, former teammate (and former Senator) Mike Hoffman is now alone as the top available option. While mid-level players like Mikael Granlund and Erik Haula are also still unsigned, Hoffman is the only real “splash” player still looking for a home.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Ottawa Senators Sign Nick Paul

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The Ottawa Senators have reached an agreement with one of their restricted free agents, signing Nick Paul to a two-year contract according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia. Garrioch reports that the deal will carry a $1.2MM salary in 2020-21 and $1.5MM in 2021-22, giving Paul a $1.35MM cap hit.

Paul, 25, has been moving in and out of the Senators lineup for years, playing 112 games at the NHL since the start of the 2015-16 season. He finally broke through in 2019-20, scoring 20 points in 56 games and becoming a full-time roster player that should get regular minutes again this season.

One of 26 players that filed for salary arbitration, Paul actually had a hearing set for November 1. He won’t need that anymore, as this contract takes him right to unrestricted free agency. The Senators meanwhile have several other hearings on the schedule and even more restricted free agents to get deals done with in the coming months.

Olle Alsing Loaned To Graz99ers

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The Ottawa Senators have sent another prospect overseas, loaning Olle Alsing to the Graz99ers in the Austrian professional league. Alsing will be recalled ahead of NHL training camp for the 2020-21 season.

Alsing, 24, was signed to a two-year entry-level contract by the Senators in the spring of 2019 after excelling in the SHL. The young defender had led the league in +/- and was integral in helping Djurgardens get all the way to the league final. In 2019-20 he played even better, posting 20 points in 36 games in league play and then leading all defensemen in goals, assists and points during Champions League.

Now set to come to North America and push for a role in the Senators organization, Alsing will first get his skating legs back under him in Austria.

Tim Stuetzle To Undergo Surgery

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Just a few days after being selected third overall in the NHL Entry Draft, Tim Stuetzle has received some bad news. The Ottawa Senators prospect will require arm surgery and will be out for six to eight weeks, his DEL team announced. Stuetzle suffered a broken bone in his arm during practice on Monday according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia. Senators GM Pierre Dorion released this statement once the news broke:

In consultation with doctors in Germany and with our own medical staff, it has been determined that Tim requires a surgical procedure to stabilize a fracture. The procedure is scheduled to take place in Germany later this week and has an expected recovery time of six to eight weeks. Our medical staff will remain in regular contact with Tim and his doctors as he begins his recovery through to the point that he is medically cleared.

Stuetzle, 18, is one of the players from the recent draft that is expected to challenge for an NHL roster spot immediately, though he was already training with professionals in Germany. He played 41 games for Mannheim last season, scoring 34 points.

Even if the recovery takes more than eight weeks, the Senators have time to make sure Stuetzle is at full strength before bringing him to North America. His DEL team explained to Garrioch that they will be working with Ottawa through the process, which should be complete long before the NHL training camp gets underway. Stuetzle goes under the knife on Wednesday and will face the first big challenge of his pro career.

Senators Acquire Austin Watson

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The Senators have added some muscle on the wings, announcing the acquisition of winger Austin Watson from Nashville.  In return, the Predators acquire Colorado’s fourth-round pick in 2021 (previously acquired by Ottawa).  GM Pierre Dorion released the following statement on the deal:

Austin Watson is a big, strong winger who will bring a significant presence to our forward group. He was among Nashville’s forward leaders in blocked shots last season, was the team’s leader in hits and is someone who is especially physical on the forecheck. We also expect him to be a valuable asset on our penalty kill.

The 28-year-old is coming off a fairly quiet season offensively after putting up six goals and eight assists in 53 games in 2019-20, his lowest point total since his rookie year in 2015-16.  However, as Dorion alluded to, he has been one of Nashville’s more physical players over the years and will bring that dimension to the Senators.  He has two years remaining on his contract with a $1.5MM AAV and that same salary each season.

As for Nashville, Watson’s spot is effectively being filled by Nick Cousins who signed a two-year deal yesterday with the same $1.5MM AAV.  The Preds now have over $14MM in cap room to work with, per CapFriendly but have several forwards to sign to fill out their roster.  Moving Watson out gives them a bit more flexibility as they look to reshape their forward group following the departures of Nick Bonino, Craig Smith, Kyle Turris, and Mikael Granlund.

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