The Ottawa Senators have signed their young star defenceman, Jake Sanderson, to an contract extension for eight more years. The deal carries an average annual value of $8.05 million and totals $64.4 million. Pierre Dorion the General Manager of the Senators announced on an otherwise quiet Wednesday evening.
Sanderszn just got a whole lot longer!! 😏⁰⁰
The #Sens have signed defenceman Jake Sanderson to an 8-year extension!⁰⁰#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/6ptELYAUnB
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) September 7, 2023
Ottawa Senators Lock Up Sanderson
The Jake Sanderson contract extension is perfect for this team. Sanderson is heading into only his sophomore NHL campaign. He is coming off a rookie year where he had 77 games played, adding four goals, and 28 assists for 32 points. Previously, he had spent two years at the Ottawa Senators breeding ground at the University of North Dakota. Teammates such as Shane Pinto, Jacob Bernard-Docker, Tyler Kleven and others had also attended school there. Sanderson had accumulated 41 points in 45 games playing at North Dakota. In addition, Sanderson in 2022-23 with Ottawa, finished sixth league-wide in Calder voting. For those that watched Sanderson play this year, they could tell there was something special about him. Sanderson also comes from an NHL pedigree, as his dad, Geoff, played an impressive 17 seasons.
What Does This Sanderson Contract Mean for the Senators
The Jake Sanderson contract means a lot for the team going forward. This is a shocker of a move from General Manager Pierre Dorion. Not to take anything away from Sanderson, but this might be a sign in Ottawa for another young player. Shane Pinto is still an unsigned RFA. Hence, the timing is getting tight for him to sign before the start of the season. That’s why this is such a shocker, it seems like there are other priorities. Sanderson’s play, poise, and abilities more than warrant such a deal. Conversely, why has Pinto not signed? This seems like it aims to put the pressure on for a deal to get done with RFA Pinto. In the meantime, and most importantly, Sanderson is well-deserving of this big deal.
Main Photo: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
