Lassi Thomson’s time with the Ottawa Senators organization has officially come to an end. The former first-round pick signed a two-year contract with HC Lugano of the Swiss National League on Tuesday, marking the next chapter of his professional career overseas.
Thomson was selected 19th overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, and at the time, there was real belief that he could become a mobile, right-shot piece on the back end for the future. Instead, his development path turned into a bit of a winding road. Between stints with the Belleville Senators in the American Hockey League (AHL), time overseas with the Malmö Redhawks in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), and multiple call-ups to Ottawa, he never fully managed to lock down a permanent NHL role.
After returning to the organization on a one-year contract this past season, there was some hope that a fresh start could help him carve out a spot. It just never really came together. Thomson appeared in only 11 games with the Senators while spending most of the season playing major minutes in Belleville.
At this point, the move to Switzerland honestly makes a lot of sense for both sides. Thomson is 25 years old and entering what should be the prime years of his career. Spending another season bouncing between leagues probably wasn’t the best situation for him anymore. HC Lugano is getting a skilled, offensive-minded defensemen who can help run a power play and play a big role right away, while Thomson gets a fresh opportunity in one of Europe’s top leagues.
For the Senators, this feels like the official closing chapter on a player who always had intriguing tools but never quite found his footing at the NHL level. The organization’s depth on the right side also made things difficult. With Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, Artem Zub, and Carter Yakemchuk all in the picture moving forward, there just wasn’t much room for Thomson to establish himself long-term.
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