Drake Batherson has one year remaining on his six-year contract. He is looking for an eight-year extension of around $10-11 million. His camp is trying to get a deal done before the Sept.15th deadline that only allows seven-year extensions to be the maximum. Is that a price worth paying?
Bruce Garrioch: With a Sept. 15 deadline looming to sign an eight-year extension before the NHL’s new collective bargaining agreement takes effect, there remains a gap between Drake Batherson and the Senators on a new contract - Ottawa Citizen (8/17)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) August 20, 2026
New cap, new standard
According to TheScore, the Alex Tuch and Adrian Kempe deals are the comparable contracts that Batherson’s camp is using to negotiate. The days of the standard eight-year, $8 million deals are going to be over soon. With another rise in the cap, players want a rise in their salaries as well. $10 million from this point forward is going to be the standard for established 70-point players. Even the Sidney Crosby discount that he took back in 2009 would be worth $17.5 million in today’s cap structure.
It is a new economic world we live in. Some fans cannot stomach the idea of paying him more than Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson. However, this new deal would be the equivalent of how much cap room they took three years ago. Batherson is worth that kind of deal and should be paid as such.
Continuing to improve
Batherson is a player who gets better and better with each season. When he first signed his deal, he was a 30-point player getting 17 goals and 17 assists. Since then, he has grown into a 70-point player, getting 30 goals and 41 assists. Both his shot and his playmaking have improved over the last five seasons.
Batherson has even become a better playoff performer since the first playoff run. He has jumped from two points in six games in 2024-25 to four points in four games in the last playoffs. If he can stay a 70-point producer, a $10 million deal would look really good.
Turnovers and defense leaves something to be desired at times
Sometimes, Batherson’s stick can be a double-edged sword. He had 62 turnovers last season, which is typical of a player trying to generate offense. However, some of those turnovers were game-deciders that led to a loss or two. He is also a consistent negative in the +/- region. To his credit, he is underrated at laying the body with 122 hits last season.
I had to point out one flaw in his game, as he is not perfect, but he is still a good player. Is this enough to say that he does not truly deserve $10 million dollars? No, it really is not.
Batherson is a player who has seen massive improvement as a player since his first deal. He has become a 30-goal, 70-point player since his first deal was signed. Despite the defensive flaw, he should hopefully become an 80-point player at his peak. This is why a $10 million deal makes sense to me. It is a contract that Batherson has earned with his great play and improvement, so I hope a deal gets done soon.
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