OTTAWA – Earlier in our mock draft the Ottawa Senators selected Brady Tkachuk with the 4th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. The Sens are back on the clock with the 22nd overall pick and this time around the Senators will be looking to add some defense.
Most of the Senators top prospects are centers and wingers. Erik Karlsson is a free agent at the end of the season and rumors have already swirled about his potentially moving on. That makes the Senators need to draft a defenseman that much more of a priority. According to The Hockey News, the Senators top defensive prospect is 
Christian Jaros, and he is only rated 9th in their list of top 10 Senators prospects.
The good news is that this is a very deep draft for defensemen. When the Sens pick at #22 some quality prospects are still on PHN’s board in our mock draft. Ryan Merkley has a “high upside” like the scouts like to say. Jared McIsaac, Mattius Samuelsson, Alexander Alexeyev, and Jett Woo as some of the names left on Central Scouting’s rankings. If the Sens go overseas Swedish defenseman Adam Ginning is still on the board as well.
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 might consider doing but in PHN’s mock draft we don’t do trades or speculate on trades, the Senators will be making their pick at #22.
Seeing that Karlsson looks like he will be moved Ottawa we expect Ottawa to make the following announcement next Friday in Dallas.
“With the 22nd overall selection in the 2018 NHL Draft the Ottawa Senators select, from the Halifax Mooseheads Jared McIsaac.”
Brian Jennings covers the Philadelphia Flyers for prohockeynews.com and can be found on twitter at @Flyersfan22.
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