The Ottawa Senators have finally reached an agreement with goaltender Samuel Ersson, and to many, it's a bit questionable.
The Senators had a chance to sign Ersson to a qualifying offer in the range of a $1.6 - $1.8 million contract. But they opted to leave him unqualified after Monday's deadline, and now they've signed him for more than his QO was. The reported contract that he signed was $2.2 million for two seasons.
Despite the deal and some of the questions from the fan base, the Senators have found their backup goalie to play behind Linus Ullmark.
Ersson commits to two years.
Ersson had a rough go last year, posting an .870 save percentage and a 3.12 goals-against average in 33 games with the Philadelphia Flyers. Even if you blame some of that on playing behind a struggling defence, it was a tough season for the 26 year old netminder.
His journey to the capital city was an interesting one, to say the least. The Senators originally acquired his rights from the Toronto Maple Leafs, who had just landed him themselves in a trade with the Flyers. The asset management might seem a bit puzzling after Ottawa passed on the cheaper qualifying offer, but the front office clearly values his potential enough to commit to a multi-year partnership.
Now, Ersson gets a fresh start in Ottawa with a chance to stabilize his game and prove he can handle a reliable workload when Ullmark needs a break.
The decision to stick with Ersson comes after the Senators were heavily linked to several other prominent options on the market. Rumours suggested the front office looked closely at Stuart Skinner, who brought plenty of playoff pedigree from his time in Edmonton and Pittsburgh. There was even talk of a potential reunion with veteran Cam Talbot to provide a steady, experienced hand. Instead, Steve Staios and the management group opted to pass on the older options, betting on Ersson’s youth and upside to lock down the backup role for the next two seasons.
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