Former Spits captain Luchuk signs with Sens
Former Windsor Spitfires captain Aaron Luchuk has signed a threeyear, entry-level contract with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators.
“I’m honoured to sign with Ottawa,” said Luchuk, who is a Kingston native. “It’s a perfect spot for me and my family with the AHL team being in Belleville, which is only 45 minutes away from my house, and Ottawa only being two hours away.”
The 20-year-old Luchuk was a fourth-round pick by the Spitfires in 2013 and scored the game-winning goal for Windsor in May’s Memorial Cup final against the Erie Otters as the club secured its third title in nine seasons.
Luchuk was never drafted by an NHL team, but attended training camp with the Vancouver Canucks in the fall. However, it was Ottawa that continued to stay in contact with Luchuk’s representatives.
“Ottawa was a team that had kept tabs on me throughout the season and then, the past week and a half, they had negotiations with my agent and then sent me the official offer on the (Dec.) 23rd and it was a very solid offer and they made it very easy for me to say yes,” Luchuk said.
Now in his overage season, the five-foot-10, 184-pound Luchuk is putting up career-high numbers with the Barrie Colts.
Luchuk leads the Ontario Hockey League with 31 goals, which is already a career high, and is second in the league in scoring with 56 points in 33 games.
“Aaron is a talented and proven goal-scorer who plays a strong two-way game,” Senators assistant general manager Randy Lee said in a release. “He’s shown the ability to elevate his play in big games, as demonstrated by his play in last year’s Memorial Cup.
“He has high character, excellent hockey sense and is trusted by his coaches in critical times of the game. Aaron is a player we have had our eye on for some time and we are very happy to welcome him into the Senators organization.”
The Spitfires dealt Luchuk to the Barrie Colts Dec. 14. In return, the Spitfires acquired 17-year-old centre Curtis Douglas along with a pair of second-round draft picks and a third-rounder.