Another day, another contract extension for the Ottawa Senators. The team has agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with forward Matthew Highmore. The contract is worth $775,000 in the NHL and $400,000 in the AHL.
Highmore, 28, joined the Senators on July 1 of last year when he signed a one-year contract as a free agent. He made his Ottawa Senators debut on November 9, 2023, at home against the Vancouver Canucks. In his seven regular season appearances with the NHL club, Highmore recorded two assists.
At the AHL level, Highmore provided valuable leadership to the Belleville Senators, sporting an ‘A’ on his jersey. In 43 regular season appearances with the B-Sens, the Halifax native tallied nine goals and 22 assists for a 31-point total.
Prior to signing with the Senators, Highmore played for three other NHL clubs (Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks, and St. Louis Blues). Highmore also suited up for both Chicago’s (Rockford IceHogs) and St. Louis’ (Springfield Thunderbirds) AHL affiliates.
The forward was undrafted following his junior career with the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs (which saw him play alongside current Senators Thomas Chabot and Mathieu Joseph), but in 2017, Highmore signed a 3-year deal with the Blackhawks. He made his NHL debut with Chicago on March 1, 2018, against the San Jose Sharks. Not long after, Highmore scored his first NHL goal on against the Boston Bruins March 10.
In 146 career NHL regular season games, Highmore has totalled 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points. He has also skated in nine playoff games, all with the Blackhawks in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. In those games, Highmore recorded three goals and an assist.
In his five AHL seasons, Highmore has skated in a total of 208 regular season games split between Belleville, Springfield, and Rockford. The forward has scored 59 goals and 97 assists in those games for a career point total of 156. The 28-year-old has also played in 22 playoff AHL games (including all seven of Belleville’s last season). All nine of his AHL playoff points (two goals and seven assists) came in his 13 games with Rockford in 2018.
With Highmore signed for another year, the Senators can count on his reliable leadership and offence in the season to come.
