Senators Ink Ryan Keller to One-Year Contract

[Thrillhouse]

OTTAWA – The Ottawa Senators announced today they have signed free-agent forward Ryan Keller to a one-year, two-way contract.

Keller, 25, spent the last two seasons playing for the Espoo Blues of the Finnish Elite League (SM-liiga). In 54 games with the Blues last season, Keller led the team in goals (21), assists (34) and points (55). He also led the Blues with 22 goals and 44 points, in addition to a team-high plus-minus rating of 22 in his first season in Finland in 2007-08.

Prior playing in Finland, the 5’10”, 186-pound right-winger played 70 professional games over parts of two seasons with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins and Syracuse Crunch, recording 15 goals, 17 assists and 54 penalty minutes.

Keller spent his entire major junior career with his hometown Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League. In four seasons, from 2001-02 to 2004-05, Keller played 257 games, registering 120 goals and 117 assists for 237 points while amassing 283 penalty minutes. He led the team in scoring in all but his first season. Upon the conclusion of his WHL career, he captained Team Saskatchewan at the 2005 Centennial Challenge in Lloydminster, Alta.