Drake Batherson says Shane Pinto is now a fixture in the annual star-laden summer skate out east. The Ottawa Senators obviously feel that forward Ridly Greig [https://puckpedia.com/player/ridly-greig] is close to breaking out. They announced today that they've signed Greig to a four-year extension worth $3.25 million (AAV). The 22-year-old was scheduled to become a restricted free agent at the end of this season. Greig has proven so far that he can be a younger version of veteran Nick Cousins [https://puckpedia.com/player/nick-cousins] in this league. Neither player is very big, but both play with high energy and abrasiveness. Both are paid in the vicinity of $800,000 this season, and both have 12 points on the season. The differences? Cousins gets less ice time (11:48) than Greig (15:27), fewer looks with quality linemates, and starting next season, he'll make four times less than Greig. But the Senators are investing in Greig with the prediction that he'll soon begin to produce more offense than he has so far. In 2023-24, his first full season with the club, the feisty Greig had 26 points for the Sens, and he's on pace for exactly that total again this season. He plays big, but his frame isn’t, so his rugged style of play does have the potential to write checks his body can’t cash. It's already landed him on the injured list a few times in his young career. “Ridly has established himself as a key member of our team going forward,” GM Steve Staios said in a club statement. “He brings a good mix of versatility and tenacity to our forward group.” Greig was part of a lucrative 2020 NHL Draft for the Senators, who currently have six players on their roster from that draft: Tim Stutzle [https://puckpedia.com/player/tim-stuetzle], Jake Sanderson [https://puckpedia.com/player/jake-sanderson], Tyler Kleven [https://puckpedia.com/player/tyler-kleven], Leevi Merilainen [https://puckpedia.com/player/leevi-merilainen], and Cole Reinhardt [https://puckpedia.com/player/cole-reinhardt]. “I am grateful to the Senators for the opportunity to spend the next four years with this group,” Greig said. “I am looking forward to continuing to develop and to the chance to win with this team.” The Sens would love to clone Greig's compete level and transplant it into a number of their players. And while his current offensive production level isn’t quite enough for this kind of money (which puts him in lockstep with half of the Senators’ roster), he doesn’t have to add a lot to make his new deal worthwhile. At a glance (especially if you're my age), $3.25 million sounds like a major investment. But in truth, it's no longer "star player" money. There are 350 NHL players who currently make $3.25 million or more. So even if Greig continues on the Cousins career trajectory, today’s deal will go down as nothing more than a slight overpayment for a useful player. But if Greig develops into something more, that’s a big win for Staios, who could use one right about now. This story comes from The Hockey News Ottawa [http://thn.com/ottawa] website. For more Senators coverage all season long, check out THN Ottawa [http://thn.com/ottawa]. Recommended articles include:
