Senators, Jordan Spence agree to four-year extension
Ottawa Senators general manager Steve Staios has had his work cut out for him this offseason after being compelled to trade captain and star winger Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers without receiving a roster player in return.
NEWS RELEASE: #Sens sign Jordan Spence to four-year contract extension: ottsens.com/4an7JCo COMMUNIQUÉ: Les #Sens accordent une prolongation de contrat de quatre ans à Jordan Spence: ottsens.com/4y6d9fk
After moving the No. 9 overall pick in Friday night’s draft to add a top-six winger William Eklund in a deal with the San Jose Sharks, Staios has locked in a key piece of his defense.
The Senators officially inked Spence to a four-year deal worth $5 million per season on Friday.
Spence just completed his first season in Ottawa after coming over last offseason in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings, and he delivered the best campaign of his young career.
The 25-year-old posted 31 points in 73 games played while skating to a plus-15 rating on a career-high 18:44 of time on ice per game. With increased responsibility and strong counting stats, Spence also shined analytically, as Ottawa controlled an astounding 61.76 percent of the expected goals with Spence on the ice at 5-on-5.
There had been reports in recent weeks that the Senators may be looking to move Spence out as part of the restructuring of the roster following a sweep in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but ultimately, the team was clearly comfortable meeting the ask of Spence’s camp on this deal.
The Senators have two picks in the first round of the NHL Draft on Friday night, and they’re currently slated to make selections at No. 25 and No. 32 overall. The 32nd pick is not eligible to be traded as it was given to the team by the league after Ottawa’s first-round pick was previously voided.