On Wednesday morning, the Ottawa Senators announced that they have signed forward Tim Stutzle to a massive eight-year, $66.8 million contract that will carry an average annual value of $8.35 million.
Stutzle, who was taken third overall in the 2020 draft, is a player who has super star potential. He showed some of that this past season, registering 22 goals and 58 points in 79 outings. His point total trailed only Brady Tkachuk for the team lead.
“Reaching a long-term agreement with Tim represents another significant step forward for this organization,” said general manager Pierre Dorion. “Tim is a dynamic offensive player who utilizes an exceptional blend of speed and skill to be a consistent difference maker. He’s electrifying and has quickly become a fan favorite for good reason.”
Despite his clear potential, however, this deal is a pretty big risk by the Sens given that he has just 132 games at the NHL level under his belt. While it is likely he will continue to prove in the years to come, nothing is guaranteed. If, for whatever reason, he plays at a similar level as he did to this past season moving forward, this contract will turn out to be a mistake. In managements defense, however, paying players for their potential is the way contracts work now throughout the NHL.
With this new deal, Stutzle has become the highest paid player on the Senators roster, surpassing Tkachuk (8.2 million) as well as Thomas Chabot ($8 million). While this deal could prove to work out well for both sides in the future, one shudders to think what a new Sen in Alex DeBrincat will get on his new deal, as he is set to become a restricted free agent at seasons end. Safe to say, Dorion will have his work cut out for him when it comes to making this young talented team cap compliant in years to come.
More must-reads: