Drake Batherson and Ottawa Senators racing September 15 deadline for eight-year contract

Drake Batherson and the Ottawa Senators are working against a September 15 deadline to finalize an eight-year contract extension—the only term length available to the club to re-sign the veteran winger before new rules take effect.

Talk between general manager Steve Staios and Batherson's agent Paul Capizzano continue, but league sources say the two sides aren't close. Batherson stated Tuesday he wanted to finish his career with the Senators. Staios said he was confident a deal would materialize, but the window is closing: once the NHL's new collective bargaining agreement takes effect on September 16, teams can only offer seven-year extensions to re-signings, and unrestricted free agents starting July 1, 2027, would be limited to six-year deals.

Batherson just completed his first 30-goal season—33 goals this past year—at age 29. For comparison, Alex Tuch was 30 when Washington signed him to an eight-year, $84-million deal ($10.5 million per season) following a sign-and-trade with Buffalo, and Adrian Kempe was 30 when Los Angeles extended him for eight years and $85 million ($10.625 million annually) in November. Only Ottawa can offer Batherson the eight-year term he's seeking.