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Drake Batherson, Ottawa Senators (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

2 Senators That Should Be Extended Before They Hit Free Agency

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Aidan Cowling-McDonnell | Last updated Jul 14, 2025 9:25 AM ET

With the offseason well underway in the NHL and the Ottawa Senators remaining relatively quiet when it comes to bringing in new talent, it’s clear their core is set for the foreseeable future. Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, Dylan Cozens, and Jake Sanderson are all locked up until at least the 2027-28 season, so the question remains who else does Steve Staios and company see as a part of Ottawa’s future plans?

So far, Ottawa’s offseason has been relatively quiet. Aside from re-signing Claude Giroux and bringing in veteran centre Lars Eller on a one-year deal, it’s likely the Senators’ roster will look very similar to last season. With several more key pieces to the core signed for two years or less, the Senators should start thinking about who else they want to sign long-term.

Two names that come to mind as potential extension candidates are Drake Batherson and Shane Pinto. Batherson has two years left at $4.975 million per season, and Pinto has one year left at $3.75 million before he enters restricted free agency next offseason. Here’s why the Senators should extend both forwards and keep them in the nation’s capital for the foreseeable future.

Drake Batherson

After struggling to stay healthy or consistently in the Senators’ lineup through the first four years of his career, Batherson has played 82 games and recorded 60-plus points in each of the last three seasons. It’s safe to say the 27-year-old has improved his durability and production as he enters the prime of his NHL career. While an extension would have to take place next offseason at the earliest, it feels like Batherson has the right mix of skill and grit that perennial playoff teams possess in their top six. The Senators should make sure he’s a part of their group for many years to come.

While he only registered two points in six playoff games against the Toronto Maple Leafs last season, Batherson feels like the type of player who will show up on the playoff stage consistently with more experience. The Senators should be looking to model their team after the Florida Panthers, and Batherson feels like he’d be a mainstay in their lineup based on his ability to score and lay the body. The Senators already have one piece of the Florida puzzle on their team, a Tkachuk brother, and retaining Batherson would help their forwards play more like the two-time defending Cup champions.

Shane Pinto

Similar to Batherson, Pinto’s game is built for playoff hockey and with more experience, he will be able to thrive in a third-line center role if the Senators decide to lock him up long term. With the salary cap set to rise year after year, it would be wise for them to extend Pinto before he reaches free agency and could potentially receive offer sheets from many teams who will be looking to splurge on a young two-way centre like the 24-year-old Pinto.

Pinto had a bounce-back year last season following his suspension during the 2023-24 season that took him out of Ottawa’s lineup for half of the year. He recorded 21 goals and 37 points in 70 games and showed his ability to be a reliable bottom-six regular. He was a plus-10 and 50 percent on faceoffs last season, two stats that prove his game is becoming more and more well-rounded. While his suspension was a major stain on his reputation and put his maturity and commitment to the NHL in question, if he’s able to repeat last season’s production, the Senators could lock him up way below his value due to the team being unsure about his off-ice maturity.

Pinto needs to prove himself once again this season, but if the Senators like what they see from him, they could lock up a perennial 20-goal scorer on their third line, which would drastically stabilize their depth scoring ability. Pinto does have some risk attached to his name, but the Senators have shown their faith in the 24-year-old when they could have easily cut ties with him following the suspension, so it’s clear there’s a desire to keep him around. A centre core of Stützle, Cozens, and Pinto would be one of the league’s best, and it’s something the Senators should keep intact if they want to consistently be in playoff contention.

Final Thoughts

Both Batherson and Pinto have shown they should be a part of the Senators’ future based on their potential and year-to-year growth. They have had some hiccups in their careers so far, whether it be off-ice issues or injury troubles, but it would be hard to argue with their talent and ability to play playoff-style hockey. The Senators’ front office should extend both of them when the time arrives to negotiate. It’s unlikely they’ll cost a fortune, and with Ottawa projected to have over $31 million in cap space next offseason, they can easily lock these guys up and pursue other talent in what could be a loaded 2026 free agent class. It should be a no-brainer to keep Batherson and Pinto around, but time will tell if Ottawa feels the same way.