Senators Take High-Risk, High-Reward Gamble with Stutzle
The offseason of the future continues for the Ottawa Senators.
On Wednesday, the Sens locked up one of their young stars when they signed Tim Stutzle to an eight-year contract worth over $8 million per season.
Stutzle is set to enter his third season in the NHL after the Senators drafted him third overall in 2020. The 20-year-old has racked up 87 points (34 goals and 53 assists) in 132 career games in Ottawa.
Last year, he doubled his career-high in points by recording 22 goals and 36 assists for 58 points.
The upside is obvious for Ottawa, and given the team’s big offseason, this club is ready to emerge as a playoff contender. Stutzle’s new contract is the latest step taken by general manager Pierre Dorion to ensure that his team’s presumed success this season will be sustainable.
Tim Stutzle has agreed to an eight-year contract with the Senators.
Ottawa now has Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk, Josh Norris, and Thomas Chabot all under contract until at least the 2027-2028 season. The core is locked up, and veterans have been added to the lineup, so it’s time for the Sens to become relevant once again.
With that said, this signing does not come without risk. Yes, Stutzle took a tremendous step forward last season, but he has also only played in the NHL for two years.
Signing him long-term this early was probably necessary for the Senators, but there’s a very real chance that he doesn’t continue his progression and this becomes an overpay.
Given the money that Ottawa has dished out over the last year, it is quickly becoming a boom or bust team. If all of its young stars can sustain success, the Senators will be dangerous for years to come. If their stars can’t live up to their new expectations, this team will suffer for a long time.
Stutzle’s deal will take effect next season after he makes less than $1 million this year.
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The Senators already seem to have an all-in mentality, and that will be the reason that they crash and burn or, as I prefer to believe, push to become one of the Eastern Conference’s best teams in the near future.