Senators sign Tyler Kleven to two-year contract extension

The Ottawa Senators have signed defenseman Tyler Kleven to a two-year contract extension worth $1.6 million per season.

The deal will run through the 2026-27 NHL season.

Kleven was set to become a restricted free agent on July 1. The 23-year-old was drafted 44th by the club in 2020 prior to his three-year stint with the University of North Dakota. He became a full-time NHLer for the first time this season, registering 10 points in 79 games.

The native of Fargo, North Dakota, made his presence known during the Senators’ playoff run this year, showing that he could block shots, land hits and play shutdown hockey. The third-pairing defenseman does a lot in his 14:28 of average ice time, so getting him signed to a cheap deal is a good move from GM Steve Staios. Kleven stands tall at 6-foot-4 and isn’t afraid to use every bit of his frame to stop a play.

Prior to turning pro, Kleven spent two years at the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. he moved on to college for the 2020-21 season, and also won gold at the 2021 World Juniors. That same season, he won the NCHC championship with North Dakota.

Kleven proved to be a physical defenseman, and he racked up a whopping 93 penalty minutes during the 2021-22 NCAA season. That fearlessness continued as he adjusted to pro hockey, which saw him put up 21 points and 51 penalty minutes in his first full season with the AHL’s Belleville Senators last year.

According to PuckPedia, the Senators currently have $15.026 million in projected cap space for 2025-26. The Sens will have their work cut out for them this summer, with eight players set to become UFAs, while forward Fabian Zetterlund and defenseman Donovan Sebrango need new deals as UFAs.

Among players on the main Senators’ roster, Kleven’s $1.6 million cap hit is the second lowest among all players, sitting only above fellow D-partner Nikolas Martinpalo and his $875,000 AAV deal.