Drake Batherson provided a much-needed bright spot for the fan base this week when he made it clear he is open to signing a long-term extension this summer. According to a report from The Hockey News, Batherson spoke about his connection to both the city and the organization, saying, "Ottawa feels like home."
That is something Senators fans are obviously going to love hearing.
Batherson has turned into a huge part of the top six over the last few seasons, bringing a combination of playmaking and finishing ability that would be very difficult to replace. Even during the series against the Carolina Hurricanes, he was one of the few forwards consistently creating chances and helping push the offence forward when things started to slow down.
His willingness to commit long-term is a huge positive for Steve Staios and the front office. Having a core player openly talk about wanting to stay gives the organization a level of stability that contenders usually need to have.
For years, the conversation around the Senators focused on whether star players would actually want to stay in Ottawa long term. But this current core really does feel different. Between Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson, and now Batherson publicly speaking about wanting to remain with the organization, it feels like the culture around the team has changed quite a bit.
Batherson’s comfort level in the city and chemistry with his teammates are pretty obvious whenever he talks about the team. Signing him to an extension would not only secure an important offensive piece, but it would also send a strong message around the league that Ottawa is becoming a place players genuinely want to play.
The front office still has a lot of work to do this offseason, especially when it comes to improving the defensive depth, but getting a deal done with Batherson should be near the top of the priority list.
If they can finalize an extension before training camp, it removes a major distraction heading into next season and gives the Senators another important long-term piece as they try to build off this playoff experience heading into 2026-27.
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