Projecting Senators’ Drake Batherson’s Next Contract After Insider Suggests $10 Million AAV – The Hockey Writers – Ottawa Senators

As the Ottawa Senators look to plunge deeper into the playoffs over the next number of seasons, they have the luxury of having most of their core group of players locked into team-friendly and lengthy deals. For Drake Batherson, he signed what turned out to be one of the best contracts in the league, making under $5 million for the past five seasons.

As that contract comes to a close, the conversation about a possible extension begins. On July 1, 2026, Batherson will be eligible to sign a new contract, and there is a chance we will see it hit the $10 million mark.

Batherson’s Last Deal Was a Steal

Even when Batherson signed his last contract in September of 2021, many fans looked at that deal as a great bargain for the Senators. Now, in a world where the salary cap is rising so fast, that number looked significantly better every year.

Batherson’s production has steadily increased throughout his NHL career, and he set a career-high of 71 points in 79 games during the 2025-26 season. He has now surpassed the 60-point mark in four consecutive years.

While the defensive game won’t be the highlight of his play, Batherson can do more than chip in offensively. He plays a physical game, forechecking hard in the offensive zone, and not being afraid to try to generate offensive chances in a creative way.

The Senators have been looking for another top-six winger, but moving away from Batherson causes a bigger problem. There is a strong possibility that if the Senators are looking for a blockbuster, such as bringing in Jason Robertson or Jordan Kyrou, the other team would ask for Batherson in return.

That could make sense, but it puts the Senators in the same position they are in now, which is looking for another top-six winger.

The issue isn’t Batherson. He’s proven capable of handling a top-six role. The challenge for Ottawa is finding another winger who can bring similar or better offensive support.

Drake Batherson Contract Comparables

We know that Batherson can be a consistent 60-point scoring winger with potential to challenge for 80. Wingers are in a separate market from centres. They are traditionally making a bit less than they would be if they played in the middle of the ice.

Additionally, Batherson isn’t a penalty-killer, nor does he get big minutes in the defensive zone.

Who are some other wingers who are top power play options, who are top-six scoring wingers with similar production rates?

Travis Konecny jumps to mind. Over the past three seasons, Konecny had 212 points, just five more than Batherson’s 207. He plays a big role for the Philadelphia Flyers, and in a similar fashion to Batherson.

Two years ago, Konecny signed an eight-year deal worth $8 million annually. The cap situation is different across the league now, but that could work as a strong baseline.

Konecny’s deal provides a realistic starting point for Batherson’s negotiations, especially considering the league’s rising salary cap.

Another strong comparable would be Nikolaj Ehlers. As an unrestricted free agent, Ehlers signed a six-year deal worth $8.5 million annually. His production was very similar to Batherson’s, too. One key asset Ehlers has is his speed. Where Batherson falls a bit behind on that, he makes up for it with his ability to battle harder along the boards and win puck battles. Two players in very similar roles.

On the high side of things, Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe has 14 more points over three years and just cashed in at $10.625 million for eight years.

Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun wrote, “The organization needs to sit down with winger Drake Batherson to see if they can get him signed to an extension. He’ll be seeking a deal in the $9-to-$10-million range…” (from After falling short in playoffs, rival Senators and Habs enter high‑stakes off‑season, Ottawa Sun, June 1, 2026)

At first glance, that number may come as a shock. The Senators have their entire roster, including players like Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson, and Brady Tkachuk, locked in under $8.5 million each annually.

The reality is that this is the new way contracts work. Of course, Batherson could settle for a bit less to stick with the Senators, but that is unlikely. When Stutzle signed, his cap hit made up 10 percent of the salary cap, which would equate to $10.4 million as of this offseason, and, based on projected amounts, $11.35 million when Batherson’s extension would kick in.

Based on percentages, Batherson, landing at the higher end at $10 million, would be taking 8.8 percent of the salary cap.

Is Batherson Worth the $10 Million Annually?

In the current landscape of the NHL, yes, Batherson is worth $10 million annually.

The Senators have a projected $46 million in cap space, with all of their stars signed. Things can certainly change with two offseasons ahead of the start of the 2027-28 season, but fitting $10 million in won’t be the biggest challenge.

Outside of fourth-liners and depth players, the only extensions the Senators will need to consider, along with Batherson, are Michael Amadio, Warren Foegele, Artem Zub, Tyler Kleven, and Nikolas Matinpalo.

Those other players will likely come in under $20 million, leaving them at least $26 million for Batherson and their 2026 offseason additions.

The cap situation is a lot more complex than laying it out that way, but it gives some perspective about how much wiggle room the club has when considering the Batherson extension.