Ottawa Senators sign former Vancouver Canucks forward Tyler Motte

The Ottawa Senators have signed UFA forward Tyler Motte to a one-year, $1.3-million contract, DailyFaceoff’s Frank Seravalli reported Wednesday.

Canucks insider Rick Dhaliwal reported the Canucks were not in the mix to be one of the teams to sign him.

Motte, 27, joined the Canucks alongside Jussi Jokinen in a 2018 deal that sent Thomas Vanek to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Over Motte’s 196 games in Vancouver, he scored just 28 goals and 50 points, but his impact was significant off the ice.

He became a fan favourite after his play in the COVID-19 Bubble postseason and his help in championing mental health initiatives in Vancouver.

The Canucks dealt Motte to the New York Rangers at the trade deadline in exchange for a 4th round pick in 2023. He drew in for nine regular-season games down the stretch but didn’t register a point.

He did, however, have more of an impact in the postseason, scoring two goals while playing in 15 games. Both goals came in the Rangers’ second-round matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Now, Motte will have a chance to play some bottom-six minutes with the Senators.