Senators sign defenceman Troy Rutkowski to a three-year contract

OTTAWA - The Ottawa Senators have signed free-agent defenceman Troy Rutkowski to a three-year entry-level contract.

Rutkowski has 20 goals, 41 assists, 41 penalty minutes and is a plus-31 in 69 games with the Western Hockey League's Portland Winterhawks this season. His 61 points are the second-highest among league defencemen.

In five WHL seasons, he has scored 61 goals and added 150 assists for 211 points while recording 247 penalty minutes in 348 games.

The six-two, 208-pound, Edmonton native was originally drafted by the Colorado Avalanche with their fifth-round selection (137th overall) in the 2010 NHL draft, but he did not sign with the team.

Meanwhile, the Senators sent forward Mark Stone down to Binghamton.

Stone made his NHL regular-season debut on March 6 in Ottawa's 5-4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has been held scoreless in four games with the Senators this season.

In 38 AHL contests this season, the Winnipeg native has recorded 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) and 10 penalty minutes.