Balcers joins Norwegian team on loan
Not long after putting pen to paper on a new contract with the Senators, Rudolfs Balcers resumed his playing career overseas.
The 23-year-old Balcers, who played 15 games with the Senators last season, was loaned to the Stavanger Oilers in the Norwegian league. On Saturday, the restricted free agent signed a one-year, two-way deal with Ottawa.
Balcers had been looking to play overseas but as a restricted free agent, he didn't want to sign a deal until he had a contract in place with the Senators. The deal he signed Saturday will pay him US$750,000 if he's in the NHL next season and $70,000 with Ottawa's AHL affiliate in Belleville.
The Senators now have seven players suiting up in Europe.
Balcers makes his home in Stavanger and has been training with the Oilers since the summer. He'll join the Senators whenever training camp starts. Right now, the plan is for the NHL to begin play on Jan. 1, but that's tentative.
Balcers will make his debut with the Oilers on Thursday night.
“It will be good to play some games.” Balcers told the team's website. “Stavanger is like home and I have trained with the team for several months. As long as a new season with the Senators is on the way, I'll be here.”
He added that in the event the NHL season gets cancelled, he will look at other options overseas.
The other Senators overseas: defenceman Erik Brannstrom is playing in Switzerland, while goalie Filip Gustavsson is in Sweden and
Filip Chlapik is in the Czech league. Vitaly Abramov is in Finland along with blueliner Lassi Thomson. Olle Alsing signed in Austria.
General manager Pierre Dorion completed another piece of business Monday when depth forward J.C. Beaudin agreed to a oneyear, two-way deal with a $700,000 salary in the NHL and $80,000 with Belleville.
Beaudin, 23, was called up five times last season and suited up for 22 games. He was troubled by injuries in Belleville and only suited up for 13 games, but Senators coach D.J. Smith liked what Beaudin brought to the table in Ottawa.
“J.C. has established himself as a good depth player within the organization,” said Dorion. “He made a great impression on the coaching staff both here and in Belleville and was deserving of the opportunities he received in Ottawa throughout last season.
“It's a trend we hope to see continue.”