Senators’ Drake Batherson, Steve Staios break silence on contract talks before training camp

Drake Batherson has been a staple on the Ottawa Senators’ roster since being selected in the fourth round of the 2017 NHL Draft — but the star forward has just one season remaining on his current contract.

The 28-year-old has just a week left to sign an eight-year extension, with the NHL’s new contract-term limits taking effect on Sept. 15 as part of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Both Batherson and Sens general manager Steve Staios addressed the situation at the team’s annual Foundation charity tournament at the Rideau View Golf Club in Manotick on Tuesday.

“Steve knows I want to be here,” Batherson said, while confirming he wants to get an extension done before training camp, per Ottawa reporter Alex Adams.

“I think he knows he wants to be here in Ottawa. We want him here, and typically those tend to work out,” Staios echoed. “But until we get there, we’re not there yet.”

Batherson is currently playing out a six-year, $29.85 million pact he signed back in September of 2021, when Pierre Dorion was still the GM in Canada’s capital city.

The Fort Wayne, Indiana native has developed into one of Ottawa’s most consistent offensive contributors, setting career highs across the board with 33 goals and 71 points in 79 games in 2025-26. He has improved offensively in every NHL season he’s played.

He also chipped in three goals and four points in four games in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as the Senators were swept by the eventual champion Carolina Hurricanes in Round 1.

Batherson has managed three 60+ point campaigns dating back to 2022-23, and is up to 364 points in 470 regular-season games. He will certainly be due for a hefty raise from the $4.975 million cap hit he currently commands.

AFPAnalytics projects a six-year extension at a $9.8 million AAV, which seems reasonable considering his consistently upward trajectory. There is still a chance of an eight-year deal, though, if player and club can agree sometime over the next seven days.

A league source told the Ottawa Citizen’s Bruce Garrioch that the negotiations have been complicated. The Senators currently have $4.1 million in cap space, but are projected to have upwards of $40 million in 2027-28, per PuckPedia, with several current contracts set to expire before then.

With both sides publicly expressing a desire to get a deal done, the next seven days could determine whether Batherson gets the maximum eight-year commitment from Ottawa. The Senators open their 2026-27 season against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 3.

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