Following the conclusion of their 2021 campaign, the Ottawa Senators announced a two-year contract extension for Artem Zub yesterday. The contract, which carries a cap hit of $2.5-million, is essentially an extension of the ultra low-risk gamble that Pierre Dorion took when he brought Zub to Ottawa last offseason. Finding Zub for nothing and having it turn very much into something is like winning the lottery.

While the signing of a relatively small contract wouldn’t ordinarily make waves, this one feels different. Even as Brady Tkachuk was Brady Tkachuk this year and Thomas Chabot was Thomas Chabot this year, there’s a very real argument to be made that Zub was this group’s most valuable player. Not because he was the best player, or because he put up points, but because he solidified a blue line that looked like it was going to be a major weakness to start the year. It’s difficult to understate the importance of having a player like Zub, who competently anchored a second pairing from start to finish this season.

The underlying numbers support what the eye test was telling all of us. When Zub was on the ice, the opposition wasn’t generating very much:

Artem Zub, extended 2x$2.5M by OTT, was a quite effective low-event defensive defenceman at even strength and on the PK in his rookie season. #GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/FdlDAgeZwz

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) May 14, 2021

Having Zub back for at least another two seasons is a big win for the Senators. Between him and Thomas Chabot, it provides DJ Smith with options to integrate young players in safe and supportive spaces. As I referenced many times during the last few weeks of the season, it’s not a surprise that Erik Brannstrom was playing the best hockey of his Senators career when paired next to Zub.

The other “big picture” thing to consider with respect to Zub is his impact on the team’s pro scouting efforts. While there is no doubt that Pierre Dorion & Co. have drafted and developed prospects well, pro scouting has been a significant concern. If this team wants to turn the corner, it needs to surround those young, high-talent pieces with more players like Zub and fewer players like Cedric Paquette. We’ll see if the overwhelming success of Zub in Ottawa changes management’s approach to pro scouting.

As always, thanks for reading.

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