Drake Batherson of the Ottawa Senators celebrates a goal with teammates in a game against the San Jose Sharks at the Canadian Tire Centre on March 15, 2026. Photo by Chris Tanouye/Freestyle Photo /Getty Images

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The Ottawa Senators face a significant challenge in trying to keep Drake Batherson from reaching unrestricted free agency next summer.

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Batherson, who is entering the final season of a six-year deal worth $4.95 million U.S. annually, is expected by league executives to command as much as $10 million to $11 million per year on the open market. While Senators president of hockey operations and general manager Steve Staios has opened discussions on an extension, league sources told the Ottawa Citizen they believe the two sides “aren’t close” to an agreement.

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Batherson, 28, posted career highs last season with 33 goals and 71 points. He posted 38 helpers in 79 games, and it was the first 30-goal season of his career. In his last four seasons, Batherson has scored 109 of his 149 career National Hockey League goals in a span of 325 games.

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He wants to stay in Ottawa, and the Senators want to keep him, but getting this new contract to a place where both sides are satisfied is viewed as difficult.

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Staios has also stated he’d like to get defenceman Artem Zub signed to an extension because he’ll also be a UFA next summer.

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Zub’s agent, Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey, said in an email to the Citizen on Monday that there haven’t been any formal discussions, but he does expect them.

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“We have not exchanged thoughts on contract at all. I would imagine we would speak about it in the coming weeks or in early fall,” Milstein said.

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Ottawa Senators defenceman Artem Zub can become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Photo by Tony Caldwell /Postmedia

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That’s what Staios and Batherson’s Toronto-based agent, Paul Capizzano of Quartexx Management, has to determine. Capizzano didn’t have any comment on where the talks stand, and Staios didn’t shed much light on the subject during interviews last week with TSN 1200 and selected podcasters.

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Former GM Pierre Dorion takes a lot of hits, but the contract extensions he signed with Batherson, centre Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson were great business for the franchise.

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Stutzle will make $8.35 million for the next five seasons, while Sanderson is pulling down $8.05 million through 2031-32. Stutzle’s deal expires July 1, 2031, and since those two are viewed as the club’s best players, they’re likely being used as a comparable in negotiations with Batherson by the Senators.

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But the landscape has changed since Dorion signed those players.

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Those extensions were signed in a different NHL economy. Staios now has to negotiate in a post-cap-jump world where Batherson has huge leverage.

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The salary cap will be $104 million next season and is projected to go to $113.5 million in 2027-28. That means players like Batherson and Zub will want a bigger piece of the pie in this negotiation.

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Zub has emerged as a strong partner for Sanderson and is making $4.6 million while playing big minutes. Injuries to the club’s top defensive pairing were devastating in the club’s four-game sweep to the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the playoffs.