Ottawa Senators could become contenders sooner than you think

The Ottawa Senators future is looking extremely bright and their rebuild could be over a lot sooner than anyone expected.

As one of the current laughingstock teams in this year’s NHL season, the Ottawa Senators have fallen on hard times. They have averaged 64 points over the last three regular seasons while the team has gone into a full rebuild mode. Their return to top seed contention in the Atlantic Division might not be as far away as you would think.

Ottawa is only three seasons removed from the 2016-17 season in which they were one game away from the Stanley Cup Finals. Only five players remain from the Eastern Conference Finals roster that lost in seven games to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

General Manager Pierre Dorian has lead the charge since taking over in April of 2016 and it will be up to him and his staff to see how fast they can turn this ship around.

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Through Dorian’s dismantling of that roster, the Senators have put themselves in prime position to make the leap out of the 64 point plateau and into serious Stanley Cup contention. In trading stars such as defenseman and former captain Erik Karlsson, right winger Mark Stone, and center Jean-Gabriel Pageau, amongst other deals, Ottawa has a large stable of high round draft picks and high end prospects to build towards a bright future.

In the upcoming 2020 NHL Draft, the Senators will have three first round draft picks. Depending on how the draft seeding will go due to the novel coronavirus changing the standard draft to this point, the Senators should have at least two picks in the first five selections overall, if not two picks in the top three overall selections.

Ottawa stands today with the second-worst record in the NHL at 62 points. As part of the Karlsson trade in 2018, Ottawa also owns the San Jose Sharks’ first round selection. San Jose currently stands with the third worst record in the NHL at 63 points. The third of the three first round selections came from the Pageau trade to the New York Islanders in this past year’s trade deadline. That pick is projected around the mid-teens as it stands right now.

After the first round in the 2020 NHL Draft, the Senators have four draft picks in the second round, two picks in the third round, one pick in each of the fourth and fifth rounds, and two picks in the sixth round. 13 draft picks total in 2020 NHL Draft with nine picks in the first three rounds.

Whether they make all 13 selections for the organization to keep or package some picks in trades to move up in the draft and/or acquire NHL ready talent, Ottawa has a lot of options to make an impact on their future and fill the team needs. The success of this draft will be crucial in determining how fast the Senators will be able to return to the elite pack of teams atop the NHL.

In the 2021 NHL Draft, the Senators currently stand with one first round pick, three second round picks, and one pick in each of the next five rounds. Nine draft picks total with four in the first two rounds. More options to add impact players, depth to the roster and farm system, or use to acquire NHL ready talent.

A lot of talent and strength can be obtained from these two drafts if the Senators play their cards right. More star power to surround the young core of left winger Brady Tkachuk, defenseman Thomas Chabot. and center Colin White, all former first round selections and all under the age of 23.

The current prospect pool for the Senators from past drafts and trade acquisitions include former first round picks forward Joshua Norris (Karlsson deal), forward Logan Brown (OTT), second rounder Alex Formenton (OTT) and fourth rounder Drake Batherson (OTT).

Defensemen prospects include former first round picks Erik Brännström (Stone deal) and Lassi Thomson (OTT). Goaltending for the future isn’t as strong with former third round pick Marcus Högberg (OTT) currently looking like the heir apparent to current starter Craig Anderson. Former second rounders Mads Sogaard (OTT) and Filip Gustavsson (Brassard to Pittsburgh deal) along with former seventh rounder Joey Daccord are in contention as well.

The current prospect pool is in the upper third portion of the NHL. With the addition of all the draft picks over the next two drafts, it has great potential to shoot straight to the top of the league. Strengthen weaknesses and build on the strengths with more depth.

The Senators only currently have three players (Chabot, White and Nikita Zaitsev) signed past 2022, totaling $17.25 million per season combined. Simply put, the Senators have a lot of financial flexibility to sign their upcoming restricted free agents, unrestricted free agents and future star draft picks if they pan out.

A lot can go right in this equation and a lot can go wrong. For all the massive assets Pierre Dorian acquired through shedding these star players, he also essentially punted away budding star forward Mika Zibanejad to the New York Rangers.

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Every move and draft choice won’t pan out as planned. With this wealth of strong options and tremendous flexibility in front of them, the Ottawa Senators can return to the top of the Atlantic and be a contender for the Stanley Cup within three seasons.

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