Drake Batherson (born April 27, 1998) is an American-born Canadian professional ice hockey right winger for the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...
of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL). He was drafted by the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...
in the fourth round, 121st overall, of the
2017 NHL entry draft.
Playing career
Junior
Following the
2014–15 season with the
Valley Wildcats, Batherson was selected in the sixth round, 97th overall by the
Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
The Cape Breton Eagles are a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) based in Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. They are members of the Maritimes Division, and play their home games at ...
in the 2015
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL; , LHJMQ), formerly the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). The league includes teams in Quebec ...
(QMJHL) Entry Draft. Batherson split the
2015–16 season between the Wildcats and Screaming Eagles. Leading into the
2017 NHL Entry Draft, Batherson was ranked 117th among North American skaters by the
NHL Central Scouting Services; He was considered undersized and was selected in the fourth round, 121st overall by the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...
.
On October 3, 2017, the Senators signed Batherson to a three-year, entry-level contract. He returned to major junior for the
2017–18 season, splitting the year between the Screaming Eagles and the
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada is a Canadian junior ice hockey team of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. The team is based in Boisbriand, Quebec, Canada, and plays its home games at the Centre d'Excellence Sports Rousseau.
Histor ...
. The Armada won the league title as best overall regular season team and went to the playoff final before being defeated by the
Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Batherson led the QMJHL in points during the 2018 playoffs, scoring 13 goals and adding 20 assists.
Professional
Batherson began the
2018–19 season with the Senators'
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
(AHL) affiliate, the
Belleville Senators
The Belleville Senators (colloquially known as the B-Sens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Belleville, Ontario. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Ottawa Senators. The Senators pl ...
. After recording 20 points in 14 games, he was recalled by Ottawa on November 12. Batherson made his NHL debut with the club on November 15. He scored his first career NHL goal (a game-winning goal) on his first shot in a 2–1 win over the
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
. He would record three goals and eight points before being returned to the AHL on December 18.
Batherson found immediate success in the AHL and was later selected to participate in the 2019
AHL All-Star Game
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
, where he scored five goals for the North Division and was named Most Valuable Player. On February 8, 2019, Batherson set a Belleville Senators franchise record for most goals by a rookie in a season when he scored his 12th goal of the season. In 2019–20, Batherson split the season between Belleville and Ottawa. During the
2019–20 AHL season
The 2019–20 AHL season was the 84th season of the American Hockey League. The regular season began October 4, 2019, and was officially cancelled on May 11, 2020. The 2020 Calder Cup playoffs, which was also cancelled, would have followed the co ...
, Batherson was again chosen to participate in the 2020 AHL All-Star Game after leading the league in scoring. During his time in Belleville, Batherson set franchise records for goals, assists and points.
In the
2020–21 NHL season
The 2020–21 NHL season was the List of NHL seasons, 104th season of operation (103rd season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in North America, COVID-19 pandemic, the regular season was reduced to 56 gam ...
, Batherson made the Ottawa roster out of training camp. In February 2021, Batherson tied the Ottawa Senators' all-time record of scoring goals in six consecutive games. He finished the season tied for second on the team in goals with 17 goals and fourth in points with 36 in 56 games.
On September 3, 2021, Batherson signed a six-year, $29.85 million contract with the Senators. On October 27, 2021 Batherson scored his first NHL career hat trick on
Ilya Samsonov
Ilya Alexeyevich Samsonov (, ; born 22 February 1997) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Growing up in Magnitogorsk, Russia, Samsonov made his Kontinental Hockey Lea ...
in a 7–5 loss to the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...
. He was selected to participate in the
2022 NHL All-Star Game
The 2022 National Hockey League All-Star Game was held on February 5, 2022, at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, the home of the Vegas Golden Knights. For the sixth consecutive All-Star Game, a three-on-three format was used, with teams represe ...
. However, after being injured by an unexpected hit from
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Con ...
goaltender
Aaron Dell
Aaron Dell (born May 4, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League. He most recently played with the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to th ...
on January 26, 2022, he was unable to attend the event. Batherson was replaced by teammate
Brady Tkachuk
Braeden Tkachuk ( ; born September 16, 1999) is an American professional ice hockey left winger and captain of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). Tkachuk was chosen by the Senators as the fourth overall pick in the 2018 NHL ...
at the All-Star Game. He returned to play on March 26, 2022 versus the
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Panthers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team initially played it ...
after missing two months and finished the season with 44 points in 46 games.
Batherson struggled early in the
2022–23 season, having a rough November, scoring 2 goals and 6 points in 14 games. However, the season marked the first time Batherson played the full schedule with Ottawa. In March, Batherson stated that it was first time his ankle had felt right since its injury.
Personal life
Batherson has strong family ties to the Senators. He is the son of
Norm Batherson, a former professional player who once played for the Ottawa organization with the
Prince Edward Island Senators
The Prince Edward Island Senators were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League (AHL) from 1993 to 1996. Originally located in New Haven, Connecticut, for 21 seasons, including one as the affiliate of the National ...
and the
Thunder Bay Senators
Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack. The sudden increase in temperature and hence pressure caused by the lightning pr ...
.
His uncle
Dennis Vial
Dennis Vial (born April 10, 1969) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Vial played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, and Ottawa Senators. He also played in the North Americ ...
played several seasons with Ottawa in the 1990s and was one of the NHL's most frequent
fighters over that time.
Though he grew up in Germany and Canada, Batherson was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana while his father played for the
Fort Wayne Komets
The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey team, which currently plays in the ECHL. They play their home games at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In all of North American professional hockey, only the Orig ...
, and thus he possesses dual Canadian/US citizenship.
Early on, he honed his hockey skills in Germany, where his father played seven seasons of pro hockey with four different teams after his North American career had ended.
He was then raised in
New Minas
New Minas is a Canadian village located in the eastern part of Kings County, Nova Scotia, Kings County in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley. As of 2021, the population was 4,662.
Geography
New Minas borders the town of Kentville to the west and the ...
, in the
Annapolis Valley
The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a Trough (geology), trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the B ...
region of western
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
, where the family settled after his father retired from professional hockey in 2006.
Batherson's sister
Mae was drafted in the sixth round of the
2024 PWHL draft by the defending
Walter Cup Champions,
PWHL Minnesota
The Minnesota Frost are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, that competes in the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). They are one of the six charter franchises of the league. The team plays its home games at Xc ...
with Drake sitting alongside her for the event. Previously, she played defence for the Kingston Ice Wolves of the
Provincial Women's Hockey League
The Ontario Women's Hockey League U22 Elite (OWHL), formerly the Provincial Women's Hockey League, is a women's junior ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada. Founded in 2004, it is considered to be the highest level of amateur women's ice hockey ...
. In November 2018, she signed with
Syracuse University
Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...
for the 2019–20 season.
His great uncle is Canadian
Juno Award
The Juno Awards (stylized as JUNOS), or simply known as the Junos, are awards presented by Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to recognize outstanding achievements in Canada's mu ...
-nominated musician
Matt Minglewood.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards and honours
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Batherson, Drake
1998 births
Living people
American men's ice hockey right wingers
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada players
Belleville Senators players
Canadian ice hockey right wingers
Cape Breton Screaming Eagles players
Ice hockey people from Indiana
Ottawa Senators draft picks
Ottawa Senators players
21st-century American sportsmen