Senators sign defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo to one-year, two-way contract extension

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Senators have signed defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo to a one-year, two-way contract extension, the NHL club announced Thursday.

The contract has a value of US$775,000 in the NHL and US$200,000 in the American Hockey League.

The 25-year-old from Espoo, Finland, had 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) and a team-high plus-15 rating in 67 games with the AHL's Belleville Senators last season.

He made his NHL debut in the Senators' 5-2 win at Pittsburgh on Oct. 28 and was held scoreless over four games with Ottawa.

Matinpalo was originally signed to an entry-level contract by the Senators as a European free agent on May 25, 2023.

The 2023-24 season was his first in North America.

“Nikolas is a steady defensive defenceman who impressed while making his transition to the North American game last season,” Senators president of hockey operations and general manager Steve Staios said in a release. “He held a key shutdown role in Belleville, was a strong penalty killer and performed well in NHL games when he was recalled to Ottawa.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2024.

The Canadian Press