Artem Zub signs an extension with the Ottawa Senators on a four-year deal, worth an AAV value of $4.6 million. The Senators’ general manager Pierre Dorion knows what a key piece to the blueline Zub is for the present and future. This just adds to the Senators youthful core being locked up for the next number of years. Some specifics, care of NHL.com, to the contract included Zub set to earn $4 million in 2023-24, $4.8 million in 2024-25, $4.8 million in 2025-26 and $4.8 million in 2026-27. It also contains a 10-team no-trade list.
News Release: A holiday gift from the #Sens to their fans! The team has signed defenceman Artem Zub to a four-year contract extension: https://t.co/laaPBhWxoN pic.twitter.com/dOjXIKO61b
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) December 21, 2022
Artem Zub Signs Four-Year Extension with Ottawa
Zub, at 27 years old, is currently in his third full NHL season. Last year Zub put up six goals, and 16 assists for 22 points appearing in 81 games. He also put up a CF% Rel of -3.5. For this season, he has two goals and two assists for four points in 14 games. Currently, he is out of the Senators lineup with a broken jaw.
Zub only came over to the NHL for the start of the 2020-21 season. Previously, he had played parts of six seasons in the KHL applying his craft. The Senators had signed him as an undrafted free agent in May of 2020.
What this Means for the Senators
This is a big deal for Zub and the Senators organization. Not to mention, extending the notion of the “Summer of Pierre,” where the Senators GM was on a spending spree. Over that time, he extended the contracts of key centres, Tim Stutzle and Josh Norris. Furthermore, he brought in Claude Giroux and Alex Debrincat. The next step for Dorion was to shore up the defence.
Zub, even with the emergence of youngster Jake Sanderson, is still thought to be the second-best defenceman on the Ottawa Senators. The top man being Thomas Chabot. For Zub, his defensive reliability is crucial for the team to depend on, shutting down attackers and killing penalties. It was thought, he may fetch a hefty contract on the open market. However, signing such a contract shows his commitment to the organization and its current plans. Things continue to look up for the Sens, and this just checks one more thing off the list for Dorion. One big outstanding piece now remains to find a price and term that works for RFA Debrincat.
