Sens ink defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo to a one-year, entry-level contract

OTTAWA - The Ottawa Senators announced today that the team has signed Finnish defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo to a one-year, entry-level contract.

Matinpalo, 24, spent the 2022-23 season with Assat Pori of the Finnish Elite League (SM-liiga) and tied for second among team defencemen with 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) while skating in 51 of the team's 60 regular-season games. He also tied for second among team skaters in posting a plus-two plus/minus rating and recorded 20 penalty minutes ahead of registering four points (four assists) over eight post-season contests.

"Nikolas' signing represents a good depth addition for us on defence," said Senators general manager Pierre Dorion. "He took a big step this past season in improving his overall game in a short period of time. He has size, reach and an active stick. He's also a very good puck mover who competes and plays with urgency which has helped him become a reliable defender."

A native of Espoo, Finland, Matinpalo was undrafted and is midst of representing his country internationally for the first time at the 2023 IIHF World Hockey Championship. Through seven games, he has registered three points (one goal, two assists) while helping Finland reach the tournament's quarter-final round which begins this afternoon against Canada.

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