Journeyman forward Pontus Aberg is returning to North America. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that Aberg’s signed a one-year, two-way deal to join the Ottawa Senators.
After spending 2020-21 with the KHL’s Traktor Chelyabinsk, Aberg has decided to make a go of it again the NHL. Aberg’s played just 132 NHL games despite already suiting up for five teams. Ottawa will be his sixth. A 2012 second-round selection of the Nashville Predators, Aberg has yet to display the scoring consistency required for an everyday NHL job. He most notably showed huge flashes of promise with the Anaheim Ducks in 2018-19, scoring 19 points in 37 games, but was dealt to Minnesota at the trade deadline and couldn’t recapture his game.
Ottawa hopes to unlock whatever Anaheim was able to get out of Aberg. While not much can be expected out of him, especially as he comes in on a two-way deal, but long-term, Aberg still carries 25-30 point upside and could be a nice depth piece for an emerging Ottawa core.