Senators, Brown able to avert arbitration with 3-year pact

The Ottawa Senators and Connor Brown beat the arbitration clock.

Senators general manager Pierre Dorion and Brown's agent, Jeff Jackson, agreed to a three-year deal with an average annual value of US$3.6 million per season late Wednesday night — just hours before an arbitration hearing that hade been set for Thursday at 9 a.m.

The contract will pay Brown $2.8 million in 2020-21 and $4 million in each of the final two years for a total value of $10.8 million. For his part, the 26-year-old Brown was relieved to avoid the arbitration process and be a part of this team for the next three years as the organization prepares to take the next step.

It's a good deal for both sides because it gives Brown security and is in the right range for the Senators.

“I believe in what we're doing in Ottawa, there's nice pieces and I feel like I'm a good fit there,” Brown said Thursday in a Zoom call with reporters from his home in Toronto. “I felt like it was a good spot for me and for both sides. I'm glad we were able to get something sorted out.”

Dorion had to make sure any new deal would fit within the Senators' salary structure and that didn't make the negotiations easy for Brown.

“Especially given all the circumstances with the uncertainty of the world right now,” he added. “That played a part but you feel relieved and excited that it's all settled and we can get ready for next year.”

Normally, the threat of arbitration spurs a deal and this was no different. In briefs filed between the two sides, the Senators were asking the arbitrator to settle on $2.25 million for one year, while Brown's camp was seeking $4.8 million. He was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.

“We're very happy to have Connor back under contract,” said Dorion. "He brings a veteran presence to our lineup and is a player who can play in different situations. He's durable, has a strong work ethic with great practice habits and is regarded as a leader by his teammates.

“His ability to play up and down the lineup while producing offensively is especially valuable to us as we continue our transition towards being a consistent winner.”

The Senators want Brown in the fold because he helps provide leadership. He was obtained by the Senators in July 2019 in the deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs that also brought defenceman Nikita Zaitsev to Ottawa in exchange for blueliner Cody Ceci. The Senators see value in Brown, but didn't want to overpay.

With the arrival of winger Evgenii Dadonov last week as an unrestricted free agent from the Florida Panthers, Brown is already going to get a little less ice time.

Last year, Brown got an opportunity to play more minutes under coach D.J. Smith because he was one of the more experienced players on the roster.

As suggested in this space Thursday morning, league executives felt a three-year deal with $3.5 million AAV would get this done. It provides a healthy raise for Brown, who had a cap hit of $2.1 million last season and he knows he's going to play an important role on this team as one of the older players.

He knows there's a youth movement going on here with the likes of Drake Batherson, Josh Norris and Alex Formenton coming up the ranks.

“The timeline is hard to predict right now because a lot of the young kids like Batherson, Norris and these guys are just getting going. Whether they step in right away or they're impactful players right away, they're going to need some time,” said Brown. "It's going to be depending how our team does.

“It's hard to predict but I believe we've got good people, I believe in the coaching staff and that we've got good guys in that room. We'll be doing things the right way. Hopefully, it turns around quicker and as quick as possible.”