Matinpalo signs one-year extension with Senators

The Ottawa Senators have announced that defenseman Nikolas Matinpalo has signed a one-year, two-way contract to remain with the Ottawa Senators.

Matinpalo joined the organization last year as an undrafted free agent. He made his NHL debut against the Pittsburgh Penguins in late October and went on to play four games, but failed to register a point.

The 25-year-old spent most of the season in the American Hockey League, scoring four goals and 14 points with the Belleville Senators. It was his first year in North America, but he helped the team Senators advance to the second round of the playoffs against the Cleveland Monsters.

Prior to joining the Sens, Matinpalo was a highly regarded defensive defender with Assat in Liiga. He had a career-best seven goals and 16 points in 2023 and even represented Finland internationally for the first time, registering three points in eight games at the IIHF Men’s World Hockey Championship in Latvia.

At 6-foot-3 and 207 pounds, the right-shot defender is a good skater who makes smart decisions with the puck. He doesn’t push the envelope offensively, but he’s smart defensively and likes to block shots.

Matinpalo gives the team some extra depth, even if he’s not expected make the NHL on a full-time basis in 2024-25. The Sens have a few RFAs in the system to deal with, including Erik Brannstrom and Dillon Heatherington.

According to CapFriendly, the club has $12.465 million in cap space. The priority will be to sign Shane Pinto to a new extension, with Boris Katchouk and Parker Kelly needing new deals as RFAs. Dominik Kubalik is the team’s lone UFA.

The Senators missed the playoffs in 2023-24, finishing with a 37-41-4 record with 78 points. The team will hold the seventh pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, but could always look to move it to get more immediate help.