The Ottawa Senators wasted no time getting to work on their off-season checklist.
Ottawa announced Monday that it has signed defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo to a two-year, one-way contract extension. The deal carries a $875,000 average annual value.
The 26-year-old blue-liner was initially signed by the Senators as a European free agent in 2023. Matinpalo has since spent the last two seasons in the organization, skating in 45 NHL games and 91 in the AHL.
“Nik took a significant step this season and proved he could be a valuable contributor at the NHL level,” said Senators president of hockey operations and general manager Steve Staios in a statement released by the team. “We look forward to his continued growth.”
Mantinpalo skated in 40 regular-season games with Ottawa in 2024-25, and appeared in each contest of the Senators' six-game series loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. While he didn't register a point in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the six-foot-three right-shot defender picked up a goal and four points in the regular season.
The Espoo, Finland, native represented his country in February's 4 Nations Face-Off and is scheduled to join Team Finland at the IIHF Hockey World Championship later this month.
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