The Ottawa Senators didn’t waste any time. Just minutes after TSN’s Bruce Garrioch reported that a deal was close, the team announced a four-year, $20 million contract extension for defenseman Jordan Spence.
Spence was set to become a restricted free agent on July 1. Now he’s locked in through the 2027-28 season at a $5 million cap hit.
Garrioch put it on X (formerly Twitter) that the Senators were closing in on an extension, expecting it to run four years. Then it was done. Quick and clean.
Spence came to Ottawa last summer in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings. The Senators gave up a third-round pick and a sixth-round pick to get him. That trade is looking pretty smart right now.
A Solid Year on the Blue Line
Spence played 73 games for the Senators this season, scoring 9 goals and adding 24 assists. He finished even in plus-minus, which on a team that struggled defensively at times is nothing to sneeze at. He logged heavy minutes, quarterbacked the second power play unit, and generally looked like a guy who belonged in a top-four role.
Over his career with the Kings and Senators, Spence has 15 goals and 77 assists in 253 games. Not flashy numbers, but steady. And that’s exactly what the Senators need right now.
Ottawa has been trying to stabilize its blue line for years. Between the Erik Karlsson trade fallout and a revolving door of free agent signings, the defense has been a mess. Spence isn’t a franchise player, but he’s reliable. He moves the puck well. He doesn’t panic under pressure. For a team that’s still trying to figure out its identity, that kind of consistency matters.
What This Means for the Senators
The Senators have some big decisions coming. Captain Brady Tkachuk is locked up long-term. Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson are in their primes. But the defense outside of Jake Sanderson had question marks. Spence answers one of them.
Paying a defenseman $5 million a year who’s not a clear No. 1 or No. 2 might raise eyebrows. But the cap is going up, and term is reasonable. If Spence keeps developing, this contract could look like a bargain in two years.
Garrioch also noted that more details on the extension are coming. But the bottom line is clear: Ottawa saw a player it wanted to keep, and it got it done before the market got crazy.
And that’s the story. No drama. No holdout. Just a team and a player who made a deal work.
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