Article content

The Ottawa Senators will have to wait to make the signing of Artyom Zub official.

While it’s believed the Senators are close to an agreement with the 24-year-old Zub, who has spent the past four seasons with St. Petersburg SKA in the Kontinental Hockey League, the expectation is the deal may not be made official until his contract overseas expires April 30.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or TSN's Craig Button says Artyom Zub could be a good addition for the Ottawa Senators Back to video

There’s a belief that Zub can step in and play the shutdown role left vacant by Dylan DeMelo’s trade to the Winnipeg Jets at the deadline in February. He won a gold medal with Team Russia at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeonchang, South Korea and those who have seen him have been impressed.

“There is zero downside or negativity in signing these player,” said Craig Button, TSN’s director of scouting and a former NHL general manager, in a text message. “They’re older, they are much more ready for the NHL and it doesn’t cost much to give them a chance. It’s the old; “nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

He has always been a good skater who could hold his own in different areas of the game.”