Ottawa Senators‘ 7th year defenseman Fredrik Claesson(33) gets rewarded for good play with a mid-season one-year one-way extension for 2017/2018.
Re-signed fairly early into restricted free agency for a 2nd time to the only team he’s ever known outside of Sweden he played a career high 16 NHL games getting a pair of assists but was a -6 rating.
As one of the final training camp cuts reassigned to a familiar place, affiliate Binghamton Senators, where he’d played 276 AHL games.
He’s mostly thought of as a big, shut down blue liner, who’s only ever really affected the stat sheet in one season 2013/2014, when he fed 26 assists.
It was only a few weeks before he was recalled and now he’s trying not to look back.
In a new best 19 games he has 5 assists and just got that puck with the tape on it: 1st goal.
The 24-year old looks to have found a good long time home for himself.
Fredrik Claesson (49)
Ottawa Senators‘ 6th year defenseman (2 in Sweden’s SHL) Fredrik Claesson(49) has finally realized it’s time for his first NHL recall and is making the most of the opportunity.
He welcomes the new year 2016 up with the big club.
In three games, he’s played an escalating amount of shifts and time on ice, culminating in his third appearance in which he was out there 25 times for a fourth best on the team (2nd among blue liners) 20:46.
They also got their first goals and a win in three tries of a 3-2 overtime battle.
He was likely rewarded for his play even after a pair of defeats as his stats are impressive with a total of 3 shots, 5 hits, 5 break ups, 2 takeaways and only one giveaway with a combined 1:36 short-handed time.
The now 23-year old, who signed for a year extension from his original entry level deal, may have just played himself into a more permanent spot in the show.
Fredrik Claesson(3) Binghamton Senators
Ottawa Senators‘ 5th round pick in the 2011 draft (#126 overall) Swedish-born defenseman Frederik Claesson(3) already had two seasons of professional play in the SHL with Djurgarden under his belt before committing to North American minor league hockey with affiliate Binghamton Senators.
The slightly bigger looking than 6′ 205 lbs. blue liner was never really a point producer throughout short playing career but since coming over this way to skate has seen his numbers on the uptick.
In his rookie campaign he put up a modest 3 goals and 8 assists with a +4 rating in 70 AHL games but this season is blowing the lid of those marks.
Through 48 contests, he may have put up less goals with 2, but has new career highs in assists (20), points (22) and holds onto a massive +28 plus/minus, currently good for third overall.
The only 21-year old is signed to a three-year entry level deal that runs through 2014/2015 and look for him to get his shot at cracking the NHL lineup or possibly get moved as the club has good depth at defense.
Original story 2/11-14
As his initial contract is set to run its course, Ottawa Senators re-up for another year with the blue liner that played in a career high 76 AHL games for affiliate Binghamton Senators and scored a new best 4 goals but managed only 15 assists (down 11 from last season).
Although he has yet to realize his first NHL call-up and maybe struggled a bit in his third campaign, the still young 22-year old should still compete for a roster spot out of training camp with the big club.