Nick Holden secured himself a spot with the Ottawa Senators for 2022-23 after he penned a
one-year contract extension
with the team Thursday.
"Right from the get-go I've felt very welcomed," Holden said. "Personally, with my game, I've felt as though I fit in really well. You've got to make sure you're secure.
"Me and my family have really enjoyed being here, playing here, living here, so it was an easy decision."
The 34-year-old blueliner, who was acquired last summer from Vegas, has been an extremely reliable presence for the Sens over the course of his 30 games with the team.
Now, armed with an extension that will allow him to breath come the NHL's Trade Deadline in March, he's excited to remain in Canada's capital as the Sens look to take the next step.
"If we can continue to play this way, continue to grow, we're developing into a team that can win any night and beat any team," Holden said.
Sens teammate, and captain, Brady Tkachuk was delighted to see Holden stick around.
"He's been awesome," Tkachuk said. "He's full of life every single day. He's such a great person to have around the rink. He's got a ton of energy. He makes everybody happy. We're super happy to have him back."
Holden has been a big part of the Senators penalty kill and has been crucial to the team's excellent January in that category. His 19:22 of ice time a night is the fourth most on the Sens.
"He's great for our young guys," Sens head coach D.J. Smith said. "He's never down. He's the perfect guy to have around for Brady and those guys in the leadership group but also young guys coming in.
"He's played the game for so long, played in all situations, playoff games, high-intensity games, great teams, bad teams, he's done everything in the league from developing kids on and he's just a real good calming presence."
He has 46 career goals in 543 games, one of which has been as a member of the Senators. But the opportunity to play in Canada for the first time since his WHL days has been rewarding and was a big factor as to why continuing his career in Ottawa was important.
"We've never played in a Canadian market so that's something we've both loved," Holden said. "I really like how [Ottawa] is a bigger city but it feels really small and comfortable."
