Lassi Thomson is coming home.
As Postmedia first reported on Sunday, the Ottawa Senators have signed the 24-year-old Thomson to a one-year, two-way deal after the club’s first-round pick in the 2019 National Hockey League draft spent last year with Malmo Redhawks in the Swedish Hockey League.
Thomson, who was selected No. 19 overall by the Senators, finished with 17 goals and 29 points in the SHL. He’s scheduled to earn $300,000 U.S. with the club’s American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville and $775,000 if he’s called up to play for the Senators.
This is a good decision by Steve Staios, the club’s president of hockey operations and general manager, because Thomson gives the club some much-needed depth on the right side, especially after veteran blueliner Nick Jensen had hip surgery in May.
Jensen, 34, is expected to be ready for the start of the season. Thomson will be able to compete for a spot on the roster with prospect defenceman Carter Yakemchuk in camp.
Thomson suited up for 202 games in his AHL career with Belleville. He posted 24 goals and 93 points in that stretch, but was in and out of the lineup at the end of the 2023-24 campaign. He suited up for 18 games in his NHL career and, by all accounts, had a solid year in Malmo.
He finished with three goals and four points in eight playoff games with Malmo.
The Senators held onto his rights after making him a qualifying offer last spring, and he was tendered a contract on Sunday at 5 p.m., which was the deadline to get players signed who spent last year in Europe.
Thomson started the 2023-24 campaign with the Anaheim Ducks after he was picked up on waivers when the Senators tried to send him to Belleville at the end of camp. A week later, Thomson was reclaimed by the Senators when the Ducks tried to send him down.
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