The ongoing saga that is the Drake Batherson extension with the Ottawa Senators could be coming to a head this week.
As we’ve outlined in previous discussions, the incoming Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) will change some of the rules for future contracts.
That’s why there’s some real pressure to get a deal done before the September 15 deadline.
However, insider Elliotte Friedman doesn’t believe that the CBA is necessarily the issue in question. The real issue at hand is how the market suddenly shifted this summer.
During the latest edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Friedman made a point about how the market moves have delayed an extension between the Sens and Batherson.
“Just the ground has shifted so much. And you know, Batherson’s number, from where the summer started to where we are now, it’s gone up like a lot of other players.”
In other words, both Drake Batherson and the Ottawa Senators had another expectation for a contract extension this summer. However, the Leo Carlsson offer sheet and subsequent extensions for younger players like Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini completely changed the expectations of players moving forward.
While the Cale Makar extension blew everyone else out of the water, Makar’s contract isn’t a significant factor here.
It’s the money dished out to guys like Carlsson, Bedard, Celebrini, and soon Cutter Gauthier have driven up prices.
Friedman drove this point home by providing a solid example.
“Let’s just say, for argument’s sake, for Batherson, we’re talking 8x10. Okay, well, an agent’s going to say, ‘If it was 8x10, guess what? Now, it’s 7x11.5’”
That’s what the Senators are likely up against. It’s not that Batherson is some greedy individual looking to squeeze every last dime out of the Senators.
It’s just that the market has changed, and there’s nothing everyone can really do about it.
Batherson, Senators may see value in getting deal done before deadline
As for the deadline itself, the two sides could see value in getting something done before the contract rules change.
For Batherson, the calculation changes at 28. He’s not exactly the youngest guy on the team. So, an eight-year extension would make the most sense. Such a deal would take him all the way to about his age-36 season, effectively ensuring the remainder of his career in Ottawa.
That’s a much different situation than for a player like Celebrini, who was still 19 at the time of his contract extension.
Younger players have time on their side, hence motivating shorter-term deals.
As for Batherson and the Senators, time really isn’t on their side. That’s why signing now makes much more sense than playing out the season and heading to market in the summer.
Make no mistake, Batherson will have suitors from other organizations. The difference will be two seasons. Signing now in Ottawa would guarantee eight years. Waiting till the summer could see him get six years at most.
That’s why there is certainly a desire to get something done before Tuesday night’s deadline. It might not seem likely now, but Friedman constantly makes the point about how deadlines spur action.
This case might just be another example.
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