Senators sign defenceman Artem Zub to a one-year, entry-level contract

OTTAWA - The Ottawa Senators (@Senators) have signed Russian defenceman Artem Zub to a one-year, entry-level contract.

Zub, 24, spent the 2019-20 season with SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), where he established professional career highs in goals (13), assists (nine) and points (22) while tying for the KHL lead with a plus-35 plus/minus rating over 57 games. His goals and points' totals led St. Petersburg defencemen while his 13 tallies were tied for second most by a KHL defenceman. He also ranked fifth among SKA players in scoring.

Having represented his country internationally on several occasions, Zub won a gold medal as part of the Olympic Athletes from Russia team at the 2018 Winter Olympics. He also won bronze with Russia at both the 2017 and 2019 IIHF World Hockey Championships.

"We're pleased that Artem has elected to pursue an NHL career here in Ottawa," said Senators general manager Pierre Dorion. "Artem is a smart defensive defenceman who moves the puck well and who utilizes his strength and mobility to make plays. His extensive international resume will help him transition to a North American style of play but his key attribute is his sound ability to defend."

A native of Khabarovsk, Russia, 2019-20 marked Zub's sixth campaign in the KHL, a span over which he's scored 19 goals, earned 35 assists and totaled 54 points in 256 games with SKA St. Petersburg and Khabarovsk Amur.

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