Senators sign free agent defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo to one-year deal
Article content
The Ottawa Senators bolstered their blueline depth on Thursday.
The club signed 24-year-old defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo, who spent the 2022-23 season with Assat Pori of the Finnish Elite League (SM-liiga), to a one-year, entry-level deal.
He finished second in scoring amongst blueliners with seven goals and nine assists for 16 points in 51 games with Assat Pori.
“Nikolas’ signing represents a good depth addition for us on defence,” Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said in a statement. “He took a big step this past season in improving his overall game in a short period of time.
“He has size, reach and an active stick. He’s also a very good puck mover who competes and plays with urgency which has helped him become a reliable defender.”
Dorion got a chance to see Matinpalo suit up for Finland at the IIHF world championship taking place in Tampere. He’ll be a good asset for the club’s AHL affiliate in Belleville and if all goes well will be available for a callup.
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.