The Senators on Monday signed Mark Stone to an entry-level contract.
The 19-year-old right wing will head back to the Brandon Wheat Kings for his last season of junior hockey carrying great expectations.
In the 2010-11 season, he finished third in WHL scoring with 37 goals and 69 assists.
This season, he also figures to play a major role for Canada at the world juniors. He attended his first national junior development camp in August and had four goals and four assists in a two-game intra-squad series.
He was Ottawa’s sixth-round pick (178th overall) in 2010.
His main shortcoming is his skating but another year in junior hockey will give him a chance to work on that.
“We certainly think he’s better than a sixth-round pick,” said assistant general manager Tim Murray.
“He’s come a long way and if he continues to work hard, he’ll play in the NHL someday.”