Senators add veteran Johnny Oduya to blue line on 1-year deal
The Ottawa Senators signed 35-year-old defenseman Johnny Oduya to a one-year, $1-million contract, the team announced Monday.
Oduya could make an additional $1.25 million thanks to games played, time on ice, and playoff bonuses instilled in the contract.
The five $250K bonuses: top 5 in TOI for d-men, top 3 for TOI for d-men, play in 41 games, play in 65 games and qualify for the playoffs.
— Sens communications (@Media_Sens) July 24, 2017
Additional note: The time-on-ice and playoff bonuses are only eligible if the 41 regular-season game milestone has been met. #Sens
— Sens communications (@Media_Sens) July 24, 2017
The veteran rearguard spent last season split between the Dallas Stars and the Chicago Blackhawks, recording nine points in 52 games with a minus-4 rating, 18 penalty minutes, and 123 blocked shots while averaging 18:16 minutes of ice time per night.
As a steady, left-handed shooting defenseman, Oduya could very well find himself paired with fellow countryman Erik Karlsson on the club's top unit to fill the void left by Marc Methot, if Guy Boucher deems that younger defensemen Fredrik Claesson or Thomas Chabot aren't quite ready for such a pivotal role.
Even if Oduya doesn't fit in alongside Karlsson, the two-time Stanley Cup champion will add playoff experience and a winning pedigree to the club's blue line.