Tim Stutzle signed an eight-year, $66.8 million contract with the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday. It has an average annual value of $8.35 million.
The contract was announced by general manager Pierre Dorion during the Senators' 2022-23 season start-up event.
The 20-year-old forward could have been a restricted free agent after this season. Stutzle, who was the No. 3 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, signed a three-year, entry-level contract Dec. 28, 2020.
"It's really important that everyone was buying in, and for me the numbers are not important," Stutzle said. "It's just the team we have and I'm super excited about that. I want to show the team that I'm committed to stay here long term. I think that's really important too. It doesn't really matter to play one more year and maybe get some more money. It's just about playing with the team and with the guys and I just want to play my best hockey."
Stutzle had 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) in 53 games as a rookie in 2020-21 and has 87 points (34 goals, 53 assists) in 132 NHL games.
"Every time you sign a big contract, I mean, there's pressure," Stutzle said. "I knew even if I wouldn't have signed this year, there would be pressure for me. I always expect myself to be the best hockey player I can, and I've been working really hard during the summer, so I think I'm ready for the year. I think it worked out pretty good and I feel better than I ever felt."
Dorion said negotiations with Stutzle's agent, Ben Hankinson, started in early August. Hankinson told Dorion he wanted to get a contract done. It was finalized late Tuesday and was approved by Senators ownership Wednesday.
"This is a great day for a franchise signing probably our most skilled forward, a really key component in, I think, our future success, to eight years," Dorion said. "He wants to focus on playing hockey. He wants to focus on winning.
"You look at every part of his game: He's competitive, he's dynamic, he's got speed, he's got skill, he's great hockey instincts. He's learned how to check. He's learned how to play center. This league can eat you up at times, and he did at times when he was 18 years old. Now, when he's out there, he's so dynamic that I think he can be a future superstar. He can be someone that as the center can be counted on pushing the play, generating offense, playing a two-way game and providing us with wins."
The signing of Stutzle is the latest big offseason move for the Senators. They acquired forward Alex DeBrincat in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks on July 7 and goalie Cam Talbot in a trade with the Minnesota Wild on July 12. Forward Claude Giroux signed a three-year, $19.5 million contract July 13.
Ottawa also signed restricted free agent Josh Norris to an eight-year, $63.6 million contract ($7.95 million average annual value) July 15. Thomas Chabot signed an eight-year, $64 million contract extension ($8 million AAV) Sept. 19, 2019. Drake Batherson agreed to a six-year, $29.85 million contract ($4.975 million AAV) Sept. 3, 2021. Captain Brady Tkachuk signed a seven-year, $57.5 million contract ($8.214 million AAV) Oct. 17, 2021.
"That's five pretty significant pieces of young players signed for the long term," Dorion said. "They want to be here and want to win here, so I think it says a lot about the organization and where we're moving as an organization."
The Senators (33-42-7) have not qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2017, when they lost Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final to the Pittsburgh Penguins in double overtime.
"I try not to get too high when things are high and I try not to get too low when things are low," Dorion said. "The games aren't played on paper. The games are played on the ice."
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