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Ottawa Senators Sign Norwegian Centre Eskild Bakke Olsen to Entry-Level Deal
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The Ottawa Senators signed 24-year-old Norwegian centre Eskild Bakke Olsen to a one-year, entry-level contract worth $910,000 on June 15, 2026, according to Edmonton Sun. The deal expires in summer 2027. The move came on the first day of the NHL's official off-season, just hours after the Stanley Cup was handed out, per Shoreline Beacon.
Bakke Olsen, a 6-foot-2, 203-pound centre from Hamar, Norway, had just helped his country win a bronze medal at the 2026 IIHF World Championship — Norway's first-ever medal in top-division play. The tournament put him on NHL scouts' radar and sparked interest from multiple clubs, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, before Ottawa moved fast to sign him, per Prince George Post.
Norway's Historic Bronze Put Bakke Olsen on the Map
At the 2026 World Championship in Switzerland, Bakke Olsen recorded five points — two goals and three assists — in 10 games. His biggest moment came on May 31, when Norway beat Canada 3-2 in overtime in Zurich to claim bronze. Bakke Olsen averaged 19 minutes and 13 seconds of ice time in the medal round, making him Norway's third-most-used forward in that game, according to Stratford Beacon Herald.
He described the win to Swedish paper Aftonbladet as "the sickest thing I've ever experienced." The result was historic. Norway had never won a medal at the top level of international hockey before. The run gave Bakke Olsen the spotlight he needed to earn an NHL deal.
A Late Bloomer Who Climbed Through Sweden's Ranks
Bakke Olsen was never drafted. He was passed over in the NHL Entry Draft three times, from 2020 to 2022. He spent his early career at home in Norway with Storhamar before moving to Sweden in 2023. There, he played in HockeyAllsvenskan — Sweden's second league — with BIK Karlskoga, where he put up 37 points in 2023-24 and then 53 points in 48 games the following season, per Sault Star.
His breakout earned him a spot with Linköping HC in the top Swedish Hockey League (SHL). In 2025-26, he finished second on the team in scoring with 32 points in 51 games. Because he was still under contract with Linköping through 2028, Ottawa had to navigate a buyout process under the NHL-SHL transfer agreement to secure his release, according to Fort Saskatchewan Record.
Ottawa Beat Out Toronto to Land the Norwegian Centre
Multiple NHL teams reached out to Bakke Olsen's camp after the World Championship, with the Toronto Maple Leafs among those interested. Toronto ultimately missed out. That same day, the Leafs signed a different Norwegian prospect, Tinus Luc Koblar, per Pembroke Observer. Some Toronto-area media framed Ottawa's signing as a scouting failure for the Leafs, given the potential chemistry between the two Norwegian players.
Senators General Manager Steve Staios moved quickly to close the deal. Ottawa's front office saw Bakke Olsen as a right-handed shooting centre with a physical 203-pound frame — a profile that fits what the team needs in its bottom-six forward group, according to Woodstock Sentinel Review.
Belleville Likely Beckons Before a Shot at Ottawa's Roster
Bakke Olsen will attend Senators training camp this fall. However, most analysts expect him to start the 2026-27 season with the Belleville Senators in the AHL — the NHL's top minor league — as he adjusts to the smaller North American ice surface. If he ever plays a regular-season NHL game, he will become the first Norwegian-born player in Senators franchise history, per Mitchell Advocate.
Scouts describe him as a "prototypical modern bottom-six centre" with strong defensive instincts and a tireless work ethic. At $910,000 on a one-year deal, Ottawa takes on little risk. Analysts say he could contribute 10 to 15 goals if given NHL minutes, per Fort McMurray Today.
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