Senators Quick Hits: Spence Locked In, Bolduc Adds Depth
There’s a steady theme emerging in the Ottawa Senators’ offseason work, and it has less to do with splashy headline moves and more to do with locking in structure on the back end. The Senators continue to shape their blue line with a mix of long-term commitments and organizational depth pieces. Two recent signings—Jordan Spence and Samuel Bolduc—fit neatly into that approach, each addressing a different layer of the depth chart.
Jordan Spence Locked In: Senators Commit Long-Term to Emerging Blue-Line Piece.
Jordan Spence isn’t going anywhere, and that says a lot about where the Senators see him fitting into their long-term plans. The 24-year-old defenceman signed a four-year, $20 million extension with the club on Friday, taking him off the restricted free agent market and securing him as part of Ottawa’s core through the next phase of their build. After arriving from the Los Angeles Kings ahead of the 2025-26 season, Spence quickly settled into a steady, reliable role on the Senators’ blue line.
In 73 regular-season games with Ottawa, Spence put together a quietly effective year: seven goals, 24 assists, and a workload that leaned more on consistency than flash. He averaged just under 19 minutes a night, chipped in across all situations, and brought a balanced game that showed why the Senators were comfortable making a longer-term commitment. This is the kind of signing that tends to matter more over time. He’s a young, mobile defender who can handle minutes and grow into bigger responsibilities as the team matures.
Related: Senators' Tkachuk Return Might Be the Start of Something Great.
Samuel Bolduc Signs Two-Way Deal as Senators Add Organizational Depth.
Samuel Bolduc is sticking around the Ottawa organization, but this deal is more about depth rather than immediate opportunity. The 24-year-old defenceman signed a one-year, two-way contract on Friday, keeping him in the system after a full season spent in the minors. It’s the kind of move that doesn’t change the NHL roster picture, but it does shore up the pipeline and ensures there’s experienced AHL help available when injuries or call-ups inevitably hit.
Bolduc didn’t see any NHL action last season, instead playing 68 regular-season games split between AHL Ontario and AHL Belleville. He produced six goals and 25 assists in that stretch. These were solid numbers, but not enough to find his way into the NHL conversation. A former second-round pick in 2019, he still has some development pedigree behind him, but at this stage, the path to full-time NHL minutes in 2026-27 looks narrow unless his offensive game takes a noticeable step forward.
What Do These Signings Mean for the Senators?
Taken together, these moves underline a familiar truth in Ottawa’s build. Spence represents a meaningful investment in the present and future of the top four, while Bolduc reinforces the organizational safety net below him. One is about stability at the NHL level, the other about ensuring the pipeline doesn’t run dry. In both cases, the Senators are quietly stacking structure rather than chasing noise.