When talking about fan favorites of the Ottawa Senators, it’s hard not to include Artem Zub at the top of that list. The Russian defenceman came over to the NHL in the COVID year of 2020–21 and, after being put in the press box by DJ Smith to start, immediately found his footing. Zub has since found himself as the running mate of elite defenceman Jake Sanderson. Not typically known for putting up a ton of points, Zub had 30 points in 81 games last season, his best production yet. Zub is also going to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, and, judging by some of the contracts given out, he’s going to be getting a significant raise from his current $4.6 million contract.
This offseason has seen some significant contracts signed by defencemen who are either UFAs or RFAs. Let’s start with the most recent contract signed by New York Rangers defenceman Braden Schneider. Schneider has struggled immensely in New York over the last two seasons, with his development at a standstill. The 6'4" right-shot defenceman was on track to become a solid top-four shutdown d-man with limited offensive upside. That said, he just signed a $5.5 million contract, avoiding arbitration.
Two similar contracts signed by defencemen are the $7.2 million contracts that Simon Nemec (Calgary Flames) and Pavel Mintyukov (Anaheim Ducks) signed. They both profile very differently from Zub, as they have a much higher offensive ceiling, while Zub’s shutdown defensive ability outshines theirs considerably. That’s not to say they cannot grow to where he is now. These two young D-men are just starting their careers and have been able to capitalize on the rising cap and the needs of their teams.
Finally, let’s look at two UFA-eligible defencemen who signed this offseason, one to stay with his current team and the other to leave. Rasmus Andersson (Las Vegas Golden Knights) was able to cash in after an injury-riddled season that only saw him play 33 games, signing a seven-year, $8.5 million contract. The 29-year-old will see this contract through until he is 36, when his career is coming to a close.
The other is Jacob Trouba of the San Jose Sharks. The 32-year-old signed a monster four-year, $8.25 million contract that will take him through to 36 years old as well. Many see this contract as a massive overpay for an aging D-man who turned it around after going from the Rangers to the Ducks. San Jose was also lacking legitimate NHL-level defencemen, so they needed to pay to get one.
All of the above bodes very well for Zub, as an argument can be made (or, in some cases, no argument is necessary) that he is better than every player listed above. At the very least, he is more relied upon than every defenceman listed. So what would a contract look like for Zub? Context matters, and general manager Steve Staios may see if Zub would be willing to sign for the same amount that his partner, Sanderson, makes: $8 million.
The Senators would be hard-pressed to find a player who can fulfill the role Zub does on the open market while also ensuring it's a more team-friendly deal. With the cap going up and the Senators' window to win closing by the year, signing him for just shy of double what he currently makes on a five-year deal would give the lineup flexibility and longevity moving forward.
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