Yesterday, the 2020 draft focus revolved around three of the top defencemen prospects including Jamie Drysdale, Jake Sanderson and Kaiden Guhle. As noted, this year’s entry draft is top heavy at the forward position and this could be a year where only one defender is chosen in the top-10. After yesterday’s feature one reader asked what I thought Ottawa might do – so let’s take a closer look!
Ottawa’s 2020 Draft Outlook
Firstly, give Pierre Dorion and his staff credit as they have created an optimal position to form an overall strategy that could reap long term benefits for the club. Case in point: here are the ‘bullets’ Ottawa has in the chamber for the first three rounds:
- 1st round – total of three selections, #3 [via SJ], #5, and #28 [via NYI])
- 2nd round – total of four selections, #36, #52, (via CLB), #59, (via NYI), #60 (via DAL)
- 3rd round – total of two selections, #67, #72 (via WPG)
Nine picks in the first three rounds is a scouting staff dream come true, and it should turn out to be a fun day for the entire Senator entourage! Only time will tell, but I have a strong hunch that the Kings will take Byfield which will provide the Senators an opportunity to select young German star, Tim Stützle. The big question that follows is: who will be the Senators second pick at 5th overall?
Ottawa’s Second Pick at #5?
Many depth chart observant’s could make the following general note of the Senators: a lack of dynamic ability up front, and a decent stable of D lead by Thomas Chabot, followed by Erik Brännström as well as Lassi Thomson and Jacob Bernard-Docker (unsigned) in development mode. Notably, all four defencemen are former 1st round picks – two lefties / two righties (although Brännström often plays on the right side as a left shot). That said, Ottawa might be tempted into taking back-to-back forwards with picks 3 and 5 which could mean choosing between the Swedish dynamo’s in Lucas Raymond or Alexander Holtz (more on these two later).
The other avenue the Sens could go down is to ‘build from the crease out’.
Currently, Ottawa’s goaltending situation is an aging Anderson who is about to become an UFA, along with two relatively unproven NHL goaltenders from Sweden in Marcus Högberg and Anders Nilsson. That said, the clear frontrunner for best goaltending prospect in the 2020 NHL draft is Russian, Yaroslav Askarov.
TSN’s Craig Button has noted that the 6’3, 180 pound Askarov from Omsk, is the best goaltending prospect he has seen since Carey Price in 2005. Askarov has also drawn comparisons to current Tampa Bay Lightning and fellow Russian, Andrei Vasilevskiy. If the Senators feel like they can target several other solid position players with the seven selections through picks 28 – 72, then taking the highly touted Askarov could be in play at pick 5 because there is little chance that the young Russian back-stopper is available at pick 28.
Next: Senators’ Mark Borowiecki to Test Free Agency
Richard
September 26, 2020 at 5:45 pm
Sens can make a trade with a team like Toronto or Edmonton to get Askarov . 28th overall + 2nd pick + take a bad contract. And to be Dorion will draft Sanderson, Askarov and 1 of the talented forward available.