The Ottawa Senators have come to an agreement with Magnus Paajarvi, signing the Swedish forward to a one-year contract extension worth $900K. Paajarvi was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. GM Pierre Dorion released this statement along with the announcement:
We’re happy to have Magnus back in Ottawa. He showed us last season that he can play the game with speed, which fits with the style of play we want our team to exhibit. Magnus is a versatile player who will be able to provide us productive minutes in many situations.
Paajarvi, 27, was claimed off waivers by the Senators midseason and found himself a good fit in their bottom-six. Registering eight points in 35 games after the claim, the Senators used him heavily on the penalty kill and will likely continue to do so moving forward. Selected 10th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2009, many expected Paajarvi to develop into a premiere power forward that could play in all situations. Instead, after a 15-goal, 34-point rookie season in 2010-11 he has failed to eclipse 10 goals or 16 points in any following year. That’s not good enough to deserve a spot in the top-six, but Ottawa isn’t signing him with that in mind.
Still, there is a chance that he can find some more offense in Ottawa with regular playing time. His stint in St. Louis was filled with trips to injured reserve and the minor leagues, never really finding a consistent footing. A one-year deal poses little risk for the Senators, who could easily waive or bury his entire cap hit should they feel the need. Paajarvi will be an unrestricted free agent again in the summer of 2019.