The Ottawa Senators have signed forward Tim Stützle to an eight-year contract extension worth a total of $66.8 million, the team announced Wednesday. Stützle, just 20 years old, figures to be a cornerstone of the franchise for years to come.
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Stützle took a big step forward in 2021-22. While forming a nice rapport with the likes of Drake Batherson and Alex Formenton, Stützle tallied 22 goals and 36 assists in 79 games played. On top of that, Stützle was third on the team in expected goals with 11.65, per Natural Stat Trick.
Following that breakout, the Senators expect Stützle to continue his development, and they made a big long-term commitment to him with this eight-year extension. In a statement, Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said the organization loves what it has seen from Stützle in his two years of work.
"Reaching a long-term agreement with Tim represents another significant step forward for this organization," Dorion said. "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 favourite for good reason."
Stützle has one year left on his entry-level contract at $925,000, and his extension will kick in at the start of the 2023-24 season. At that point, he will carry a cap hit of $8.35 million per year.
The Senators have been aggressive this offseason with the franchise hoping to take a step forward in its long and arduous rebuilding process. Ottawa traded for winger Alex DeBrincat and goaltender Cam Talbot while also signing veteran center Claude Giroux.
Those moves, along with the development of young players like Stützle and Brady Tkachuk, make the Senators a very interesting team heading into the 2022-23 season.
