OTTAWA – It is bad enough that the Ottawa Senators had one of their worst seasons in franchise history, but to make matters worse, the Sens missed out on getting the top pick in this year’s NHL Entry Draft. Since coming back into the league in 1992, the Senators’ 64 points this season was the worst by the franchise since it had 56 points in 2012-13. Only the first four years in existence since coming back into the league did the Senators do worse in points.
The Colorado Avalanche own the Sens pick this year thanks to the Matt Duchene trade. As part of the trade, Ottawa had the option of keeping their first round pick last year or allow the Avs to pick this year instead. The Sens chose to keep the pick and selected Brady Tkachuk with the fourth overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. After much wheeling and dealing before this year’s NHL Trade Deadline, the Sens are back on the clock with the 19th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.
Offensively, the Sens finished 17th in Goals for, last in the NHL in Goals Against, 13th on the Power Play, 23rd on the Penalty Kill, and 18th in Face-offs. The Senators traded away their top two points leaders in Mark Stone and Duchene. That would make defenseman Thomas Chabot the team’s remaining points leader with 55. With Stone and Duchene gone, that makes Brady Thachuk the team’s leading goal scorer with 22. Ryan Dzingel also had 22 goals but was also sent packing to Columbus along with Duchene in separate deals.
To make matters worse, only four other players had 10 or more goals on the roster. In the system, eight of the top 10 prospects in the Sens system are considered forwards, but only two of them are centers.
On defense, Christian Wolanin led the team in plus/minus (+3). Stefan Elliot was the only other plus player on defense (+1). Overall only six players were over 0 in plus/minus and Stone led the team with a +13. The Senators top prospect is Erik Brannstrom who only played in two games for the Senators last season but is sure to get a regular shift next season. According to The Hockey News, only Jacob Bernard-Docker is considered a top 10 defensive prospect for the Sens coming in at #5.
The Senators should take a defenseman in the first round this year but this is a very forward-driven draft and depending on who falls to them at #19, the Senators will be looking to add some defense throughout the draft. That said, this article is about what the Sens will do with the 19th overall pick and how PHN sees the draft shaking out.
As of now, the Senators don’t have a second or third round picks so trading down for more picks might be something the Sens should consider doing. In PHN’s mock draft, we don’t do trades or speculate on trades so the Senators will be making their pick at #22. Ottawa is in position of needing everything, including a goaltender.
Trading away its best players has put the Sens in an awkward position considering their biggest need is a defenseman, but unless Ottawa trades down for most picks the Sens will have to make due with what they have and make the following announcement on draft day.
“With the 19th pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, the Ottawa Senators select, from the Niagra IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League, Phillip Tomasino.”
Brian Jennings covers the Philadelphia Flyers for prohockeynews.com and can be found on twitter at @Flyersfan22.
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