Senators sign European free agent Jiri Smejkal to 1-year deal

The Ottawa Senators signed forward Jiri Smejkal to a one-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Friday.

The Czechia native spent the 2022-23 season with IK Oskarshamn of Sweden's top professional league, tallying 23 goals and 20 assists in 49 games.

Smejkal boasts tremendous size at 6-foot-4, 223 pounds.

"Jiri's signing is a good addition for us; it improves our depth and provides us with an additional bottom-six option at forward," Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said. "He's a big body who's strong with previous experience playing in North America which should help his transition to a rink with smaller dimensions. We're pleased that he's committed to the Senators for the next step in his career."

The 26-year-old played two years of junior hockey in the WHL with the Moose Jaw Warriors and Kamloops Blazers from 2014-2016, but he's skated in Europe ever since.

Smejkal has represented Czechia on the international stage numerous times, most notably in the 2022 Winter Olympics and the 2022 World Championship - the latter of which he took home a bronze medal.