Senators sign Fabian Zetterlund to 3-year extension with $4.2 million cap hit
The Ottawa Senators have signed restricted free agent Fabian Zetterlund to a three-year contract with a $4.275 million cap hit. Zetterlund was eligible to file for arbitration this summer. The winger can be an unrestricted free agent in 2028.
Zetterlund scored 19 goals and 41 points in 84 games played last season, suiting up for the San Jose Sharks and the Senators. Zetterlund went pointless in six games with the Senators during their first-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Senators are Zetterlund's third NHL team since entering the league with the New Jersey Devils during the 2021-22 season.
Advertisement
The Swedish forward was acquired by Ottawa seconds before the trade deadline in March from San Jose along with forward Tristen Robins and a 2025 fourth-round draft pick. Ottawa sent Zack Ostapchuk, Noah Gregor and a 2o25 second-round pick to San Jose in exchange.
The trade came after Zetterlund and his agent, Claude Lemieux, informed the Sharks they wanted to continue contract discussions in the offseason after being presented with an offer. A counteroffer was presented to the Sharks, but Lemieux told The Athletic he was unsure if negotiations played a role in his client being traded.
With Zetterlund signed, the Senators have approximately $11 million left in cap space. The Senators still have Claude Giroux and Adam Gaudette among their unsigned pending free agents.
The Senators want salary cap flexibility when they enter the 2025-26 season, meaning they'll more likely to tweak with depth acquisitions instead of a big-money add. This will especially ring true if Giroux and other pending UFAs stay. Of course, that doesn't mean the Senators can't make a trade to improve their team.
If you're wondering about how his contract compares to some of the projections out there, AFP Analytics projected a three-year, $3.915 million extension for Zetterlund while Evolving-Hockey said four years at $4.803 million per.
Zetterlund didn't have a consistent home on the Senators' forward lines during the regular season and playoffs. His tenure began on the Senators' fourth line at a time when the Senators had three solid lines that weren't worth breaking. That includes newcomer Dylan Cozens being flanked by David Perron and Drake Batherson. Zetterlund later got shifts with top-line centre Tim Stützle. Finally, they put the Swede alongside Cozens and Batherson near the end of their first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Advertisement
The Swedish forward didn't score many goals in his first handful of games as a Senator, but he generated chances near the net. Zetterlund was acquired for his ability to produce points at five-on-five. He'll be leaned upon to help a team that finished second-last in goals at five-on-five during the regular season.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
P.K. Subban Urges Oilers' Connor McDavid to Weigh Next Move
P.K. Subban Urges Oilers' Connor McDavid to Weigh Next Move originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Edmonton Oilers' second consecutive Stanley Cup Final loss to the Florida Panthers has reignited debate around Connor McDavid's future with the franchise as he gets closer to the end of his contract on July 1, 2026. Advertisement Former NHL defenseman and current analyst P.K. Subban offered a pointed assessment of the situation in Edmonton, calling out the franchise's management and calling on McDavid to reevaluate his commitment to the Oilers during an "NHL on ESPN" segment. "Well, personally, I was thinking about this a couple of years ago because I just didn't see management putting a good enough team around them," Subban said. Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) needs a winning team around him, analyst Frid-Imagn Images The former blueliner thinks the Oilers are failing to build a proper team around McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the clear-cut leaders and superstars of the team. "McDavid is so great, Leon Draisaitl is so great, that they've been able to carry this team," Subban said. "But to win a championship, you're going to need more pieces than that. Advertisement "You look across the ice at the Florida Panthers, and (GM Bill) Zito goes out and trades for (Sam) Reinhart, (Sam) Bennett, (Matthew) Tkachuk, (Brad) Marchand at the deadline, Seth Jones. Picks up (Gustav) Forsling off of waivers—like, these are all acquisitions that have brought them to two Stanley Cups, back-to-back in three finals. "I haven't seen that in Edmonton." P.K. Subban believes Connor McDavid (97) needs to weigh his chances of a championship with the Navarro-Imagn Images The former Norris Trophy winner didn't question McDavid's loyalty to Edmonton, but suggested the time for difficult decisions may be nearing for the face of the NHL. 'For me, Connor McDavid has got to take a look at this final year on his contract. What's best for him? What is best for you?' Subban said. 'I love Edmonton, trust me. It's an amazing place to play. I know he wants to stay there. But right now, it's about him and what's best for him. Advertisement "He deserves to have an opportunity. Maybe it's in Edmonton, but I would be taking a strong look in the mirror at where he needs to be." Related: Connor McDavid Doesn't Hesitate to Point Out Oilers' Mistake in Stanley Cup Loss Related: Connor McDavid Makes Clear Statement About Oilers After Stanley Cup Loss This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Forbes
34 minutes ago
- Forbes
How Juventus Started FIFA Club World Cup With 5-0 Win Over Al Ain
Randal Kolo Muani scores his second goal against Al Ain FC (Photo by Daniele Badolato - Juventus ... More FC/Juventus FC via Getty Images) Having waited until Wednesday evening for their first appearance in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Juventus made up for lost time as they notched a huge 5-0 win over Al Ain in Washington DC. The 2024 AFC Champions League winners were completely overwhelmed by the Bianconeri, who had an eventful day in the build up to this Group G encounter at Audi Field. Indeed, prior to facing Al Ain, Juve players, staff and club officials had visited the White House as guests of President Trump, an experience US international Tim Weah later described as 'a bit weird.' After that it was on to business, Juve boss Igor Tudor – who last week signed a contract extension – naming a strong starting XI as he looked to start the competition with a victory. Yet it would be their opponents who carved out the first scoring opportunity, Al Ain's early pressing leading to a 9th-minute chance for Facundo Zabala that was saved by Michele Di Gregorio. Just two minutes later, full-back Alberto Costa delivered a pin point cross at the other end, Randal Kolo Muani heading home to give Juve the lead. The Bianconeri dominated the game from that point on, going two goals ahead after some neat skill and a fine finish from Francisco Conceicao. Another well-taken goal soon followed as Kenan Yildiz controlled a ball from Khephren Thuram before firing beyond the helpless Rui Patricio with a superbly struck effort, Kolo Muani adding a fourth just before half time. The break seemed to fire some life into Al-Ain, Ramy Rabia seeing a goal disallowed before Di Gregorio sprung to life with a wonderful save to deny Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba from close range. Juve quickly reestablished their dominance despite a flurry of substitutions that broke the flow of the game, Conceicao bagging his second to push the scoreline out to 5-0. Kolo Muani almost secured a hat trick before former Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz saw a good effort rebound off the post. Speaking after the game, the Juve boss was happy with what he had seen, but admitted that he will be demanding much more from his squad as they progress in this expanded version of the Club World Cup. 'Al-Ain pushed at the beginning, but we responded in the right way,' Tudor told reporters. 'It's a good result and a good start that gives us confidence. We were good at managing the tempo of the game, also because it was hot. 'We want to go as far as possible in the competition, we are happy with this start.' 'We can still improve significantly in terms of defensive positioning; we need to concede less on counterattacks, but I liked the courage we showed to go forward and score,' he continued. 'We're heading in the right direction; there's always room to improve, but we're on the right path. There's a desire to grow, and over time, the pieces come together.' Juventus will look to do just that before their next outing, with a few days to prepare for Sunday's encounter with Moroccan side Wydad AC at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
How Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is quietly becoming the best Canadian basketball player ever
Professional basketball's often contentious greatest of all time debate will likely never be settled, but the conversation about the greatest Canadian to play in the NBA could very well be resolved as early as this week. The Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who this season joined two-time NBA regular season MVP winner Steve Nash of B.C. as the only Canadians to win the award, has dominated this year's NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers, a series that continues in a potentially decisive Game 6 tonight in Indianapolis. Should the Thunder emerge victorious, or in a Game 7 on Saturday back in Oklahoma City, Gilgeous-Alexander is the odds-on favourite to be awarded the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award. Only a handful of players have won both MVP honours in a single season, all of them among the game's true greats: Willis Reed, Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Moses Malone, Magic Johnson, Lebron James, who did it twice, and Michael Jordan, who was bestowed both honours on four occasions. While Nash's MVPs came in successive seasons (2004-2006) when he was key to the Phoenix Suns' success, he never played in the Finals during his remarkable 18-season Hall of Fame career. (Although he would later become a de facto champion by way of consulting duties with the Golden State Warriors in 2017.) In an interview with The Ringer earlier this year, Nash himself admitted that if Gilgeous-Alexander isn't already, 'he'll be the best Canadian to ever play the game — and in short order.' He's done so by approaching the game — on and off the court — with composure and humility, while developing into a leader who recognizes his broader role for the young team and its fans. A case in point: he signed 429 autographs in the hours before Game 2, thinking he'd only signed a few dozen. 'Greatest season for a Canadian' Statistically, the 26-year-old from Hamilton, Ont., conclusively produced the single best regular season by a Canadian player this season. His 32.7 points per game average led the league and was supported by five rebounds, 6.4 assists and a field goal percentage of 51.9 per cent. His true shooting percentage, a stat used to determine shot efficiency, was an incredible 63.7 per cent. Only two other players in the NBA's history have averaged similar figures: Jordan and 2017-18 MVP James Harden. 'Steve (Nash) would tell you this is the greatest season for a Canadian,' said Dwayne Washington, founder of UPLAY Canada, who coached a young Gilgeous-Alexander for several years before he left to finish high school playing against stiffer competition in Tennessee. 'So when the dust clears, people are only gonna look at statistics, and statistically it's undeniable.' Similarly, Gilgeous-Alexander, already the recipient of the Western Conference Final MVP award, has produced playoff numbers that put him in rare air. He has scored 30-plus points in 15 games, tying him with Kobe Bryant for the most in a single postseason and one off the record held by Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon. He also set an NBA record by scoring at least 30 points in 10 straight home games. Three of those have come in the Finals, during which he is averaging 32.4 ppg and 2.4 steals, both of which rank among the top five in history, per the league. That includes a 35-point performance in Game 4 — highlighted by a 15-point run in the final 5 minutes to help the Thunder come from behind and tie the series up at two apiece — and a 31-point, 10-assist double-double in Game 5. According to Sportsnet, his 162 points through the first five games are the fourth most by any player. He also joined an elite group last week when he became the 12th player with more than 3,000 total points in a single season (regular season and playoffs combined). Another staggering number: the 429 autographs he signed before Game 2. He thought he'd only done 50 or 60. Humble and hard-working Like he was all season, Gilgeous-Alexander has continued to be humble about his success on the court, promoting selflessness and a team-first mentality in post-game interviews, often hailing his teammates' contributions as being just as vital. After Game 5, he heaped praise on forward Jalen Williams' 40-point effort and said he was just 'trying to affect winning.' 'Trying to make a basketball play. I was trying to help the team win, trying to be in position for the next rotation, next play defensively. Whatever comes with that, comes with that.' Washington, whose program has provided coaching and mentorship to other Canadian NBA talent such as R.J. Barrett, Lindell Wigginton, and Shaedon Sharpe, told National Post he's been impressed with how Gilgeous-Alexander is handling the defensive pressure, even likening it to what Jordan experienced in the playoffs. 'That is so hard to do. Some of the best athletes in the world are double- and triple-teaming you, and you're still getting 30, 10 assists and winning with a team so young,' he explained. (The Thunder's average age is just 25.6 years, making them the youngest squad to play for a title since the 1977 Portland Trailblazers.) Washington offered more comparisons to Jordan, along with Bryant, in terms of Gilgeous-Alexander's approach to the game off the court — 'He's out-studying, outmaneuvering, out-planning, and out-working people before they even step on the court,' he said — and a fall-away mid-range jump shot that both legends deployed with lethal efficiency throughout their careers. He said the six-foot-six guard has been working on that shot for years, and it comes naturally to him. However, most NBA coaches preach against the generally low-percentage shot attempt despite it being a go-to for elite offensive players. Washington said Gilgeous-Alexander has been told not to shoot it 'most of his career,' but he's continued to perfect it anyway. 'I know he's been working on it, so it's great to see it in real time,' Washington said. 'I'll be honest with you, if he'd listen to other people telling him what not to do, he wouldn't be there.' Nash also offered a Jordan and Bryant comparison in an interview with the Toronto Star last month, saying Gilgeous-Alexander 'does the same thing they do.' 'If you look at the numbers and you break it down, there's a lot of things he does that are greater than everyone that's even close to those type of players. So he's ascending towards that category.' He'll look to continue that ascension when the NBA Finals resume tonight. Game time is 8:30 p.m. ET. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
