Drake Batherson: An Example of Perfect Development
Give full credit to the Amateur Scouting staff for the Ottawa Senators for continually finding the diamonds in the rough. In the past, they’ve been able to find gems like Mike Hoffman (5th round), JG Pageau (4th Round) and Mark Stone (6th Round). Those three players were selected between 2009-2011. From 2012-16 however, the same kind of late round success was decidedly tougher to come by.
In 2017, the Sens were fresh off a long playoff run, losing in the third round to the Pittsburgh Penguins. They were looking to add to a core of Erik Karlsson, Stone, Hoffman, Kyle Turris, and others. They picked Shane Bowers late in the first round as a defensive bottom six centre, and a raw, speedy winger in Alex Formenton. Without a pick in the 3rd round, they had an eye on a certain winger from the QMJHL. That would be Drake Batherson, who was picked at the end of the 4th with the 121st pick in the draft. Even though Batherson is a success story, his road to the NHL was certainly a winding one.
The knock on Batherson wasn’t injuries or lack of character but instead his age. Most NHL drafted players enter their junior career as a 16-year-old, except Batherson entered the league at 18. In his first-year eligible (2016) to be drafted, he played in the MJAHL, which is a Junior A league out in the Maritimes. He got a brief callup to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, but only posted 2 points in 10 games.
With little experience as a major junior, an NHL dream was very far away, but he managed to make the Screaming Eagles full time in 2016-17. Finishing the year as a 19-year-old, he had 58 points in 61 games along with 12 points in 11 playoff games. This earned him a draft pick in the 2017 draft from the Senators. At this point, he was still just a name that would have to scratch and claw his way up to become a full time NHLer.
Heading into the 2017-18 season, he earned himself an entry level contract on October 3rd, 2017. He didn’t make the NHL team in training camp and headed back to the QMJHL. He started off the year blistering hot, with 39 points in 24 games with the Screaming Eagles. As a complete surprise, this earned him a spot on team Canada at the World Juniors. Team Canada’s forward group was well rounded but lacked some of the household names previous iterations had. It was a key moment for Batherson to show himself on an international stage. He exceeded expectations, scoring 7 goals and 1 assist in 7 games. The game winning goal in the gold medal game by Tyler Steenbergen was assisted by Drake.
Fresh off of a gold medal, he spent the rest of the year with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada after being traded during the World Juniors. With 38 points in 27 games and 33 points in 22 playoff games, it was clear he had nothing else to learn from Major Junior. This year was pivotal for his quick progression, and it looked like he was on track to be a solid middle six winger if developed properly.
Heading into the 2018-19 season, he was still eligible to play in the QMJHL, but Senators management decided to send him to the Belleville Senators of the AHL. The transition from Major Junior to the AHL is tougher than some may think. The A is a much more physical league, and the defensive game is much tighter, making goals harder to come by. None of this seemed to matter to Batherson though, scoring 20 points in his first 14 AHL games. As a result, on November 15th, 2018, he was called up to the Sens. From the hop he had the swagger of a full timer NHL player, tallying 7 points in his first 8 games.
Once teams became aware of his one-dimensional play however, he went scoreless in his next 8 games. It was clear he had the offensive talent to produce at the NHL level, but he still needed to work on his defensive game. This was the right move, by having him complete a full year in the AHL and dominate. He finished the year with 62 points in 59 games, extremely impressive for a rookie. All of a sudden, Batherson’s ceiling had been raised as he looked like he could have top six upside in the NHL.
After a great rookie season in the AHL, there were high expectations to be a beacon of light in a rebuilding season for the Sens in 2019-20. He made the team out of camp, but it was not due to impressing the coaching staff. It felt like they forced him into the roster, because of the loss of scoring wingers Mark Stone and Ryan Dzingel. In his first game of the season, he registered zero points and was a -4 in a 5-3 loss to the Maple Leafs.
Yet it could be argued that this was the most important event of Drake Bathersons’ development. After 2 games with the Sens, management acted quickly and sent him back down to the AHL. The Sens then acquired Vladislav Namestnikov from the New York Rangers for a 2021 4th round pick a couple days later. This move was made so that Batherson could continue his development and improve his defensive game and consistency. In a losing season for the Sens, he was a part of a completely different culture in Belleville. This team was loaded with offensive talent, and Batherson was the offensive driver with 54 points in 44 games. He also got another taste in the NHL, with 10 points in 23 games. This season was key to boost his confidence, and experience what it’s like to be a high-end player in a pro league, especially at a young age. The Belleville Senators were poised to go on a long playoff run, sitting 6th overall in the league. Unfortunately, they had no opportunity to experience it due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020. Sens fans then had to wait 10 long months to see an Ottawa Senators game once again.
Fast forward to the home opener on January 15th, 2021, and it was hard for Sens fans to know how every player would perform after such a long off season. Once again, Batherson made the team out of camp and was expected to be a key contributor to the Sens’ offense. He found chemistry with Brady Tkachuk and Josh Norris and ending the season with 36 points over 56 games (on pace for 50 points in a full season). He produced at a top six rate and at least showed the Sens that he could be a useful NHL player. This short season was great for Batherson to fully adjust to the NHL and to the pace of play. He started off slow with 6 points in his first 16 games, but then scored 28 points in his next 40 games. Compared to past stints in the NHL, he was much more confident this time around. Little aspects like holding onto the puck for an extra second was an obvious example, and it would help his team down the stretch as the youngsters earned more playing time. This period also marked a pivotal point for Batherson as he was a Restricted Free Agent going into the 2021-22 season.
There was no doubt that he was a good player, but he had to decide if he wanted a bridge deal or a long-term deal. He could have bet on his production increasing and signed a 2–3-year deal, but he opted for a 6-year contract worth $29.85 million (4.975 per year). He was locked up and was on a very team friendly deal at the time. But no one knew how good he would be this year, producing at an elite rate of 28 points in 23 games. He doesn’t just look confident, but dominant and carrying the offensive play.
While Bathersons’ success is deserved due to his hard work and adversity faced, a lot of credit should be given to the Senators management. Taking a risk on a late blooming prospect in the later rounds instead of a safe pick such as a bottom six player, they recognized he had great qualities, and that there was still much more room to grow, both literally and figuratively.
Just 6 years ago, he had a slight frame at 166 pounds at a height of 5’11. Now, he stands 6’3 and weighs 204 pounds. Those offensive instincts and 4 more inches of height allowed for him to realize his full potential and withstand a full NHL schedule.
Management made a wise decision by sending him down to the AHL in 2018-19 and 2019-20 to round out his skills. Many Sens fans wanted him to stay with the team because he’s an exciting young player. But management made the correct decision to send him down and maximize his development. Their final step was to convince him to stay long term, and they did that as well. Pierre Dorion and Co drafted, developed, and signed this player perfectly.
Batherson, who missed 5 games from injury, is now on pace for 30 goals, 63 assists and 93 points in 77 games. While many can argue that he won’t always produce at this pace, his $4.975 million AAV price tag for the next 5 years will be a steal going forward.
-Damian Smith
Twitter: @Tkachukgoat