The Ottawa Senators have signed another prospect, inking Drake Batherson to a three-year entry-level contract. The 19-year old forward was selected in the fourth-round of the most recent draft, and is back playing with Cape Breton of the QMJHL.
Batherson has several similarities to Alex Formenton, the late-blooming speedster that Ottawa signed yesterday to his own entry-level deal. Both players were late entrants into junior hockey, as Batherson was a rookie in the QMJHL last season even though he turned 19 during the year. Still, he 58 points in that rookie season and showed off some incredibly slick hands at the Senators’ development camp. He’s armed with a ton of skill, but will need to get stronger and more consistent before making a real impact.
Luckily he’ll get to do it in Cape Breton where there is plenty of opportunity after the team saw several key players graduate this summer, and traded away Pierre-Luc Dubois in the middle of last year. Batherson will be their go to center, and has already registered four points in the first three games. It’s an important year for Batherson, who will turn 20 in April and will be expected to join the professional ranks next year. For now, he just needs to focus on adding explosiveness and power and let his skill do the rest.