Ottawa Gets Solid Pick At #48 With Filip Chlapik
After three Ottawa Senators picks that were a bit surprising to fans earlier in the draft, Bryan Murray and co. selected centre Filip Chlapik with the 48th pick, which was lower than he was ranked on almost every scouts list. He was the third player from the QMJHL to be picked by Ottawa after Thomas Chabot and Gabriel Gagne, and although he played in Canada he is originally from the Czech Republic as you could guess.
Here’s some basic information about him, including his career stats to date:
Filip Chlapik, Charlottetown Islanders
Birthdate: June 3rd, 1997
Birthplace: Praha, CZE
Position: C
Shoots: L
Height/Weight: 6’1″, 196lbs
Scout Rankings: 43 (Hockeyprospect.com), 40 (ISS Hockey), 35 (Future Considerations), 39 (TSN)
The Colin White and Gabriel Gagne selections were a bit underwhelming for Ottawa fans, even if it is hard to judge right away. But instead of taking a player who is safe or lower on many other rankings, the Senators took Chlapik who is ranked higher on every list above and has a higher ceiling.
I had Chlapik on my radar for the second round, and I’m quite pleased with this pick. Getting 75 points in 64 games in the QMJHL is very good for a draft eligible player, and you could make a legitimate argument that he is worthy of a first round selection.
It’s nice to see the Senators go for some upside this time, as this is what they need. Amongst U18 QMJHL players, he was third in scoring, right behind teammate Daniel Sprong. Furthermore, although he played with Sprong, Charlottetown wasn’t that great of a team. It would be interesting to see how much more he produces if he was surrounded by an even better team.
Here’s what some scouts have to say about him. First from Craig Button:
"Chlapik is a Solid, two-way centre who is very smart and can play in the varying situations of the game and find ways to be a positive contributor. There is nothing flashy about his game but he finds the path to productivity with and without the puck and adds the quality of timely plays to his repertoire."
Also, here is how Button ranked his skills:
So he may need to work on his skating and shot, which isn’t too surprising. But once again, we see that Ottawa selected a player that is smart, competes hard, and is probably has good character in the eyes of the Senators.
Button’s comparable for him was Sean Couturier, which isn’t too bad considering I still think Couturier has a lot of untapped offensive potential.
Here’s another report on him from Bill Placzek:
"Displays good hockey sense and game and all the attributes to continue his developmental climb. Has good touch and strong puck control. Has good playmaking skills and makes good decisions and patience when carrying. Plays strong on his skates and has good speed and first step quickness to go around defenders on the rush and then to the net. It is difficult to separate him from the puck. Works hard in his defensive zone and come back for make his defenseman’s outlet pass easier. A good back-checker. He still needs to get better offensively and also develop more lateral agility."
He needs to work on some things obviously, and that’s why he fell out of the first round. Still though, I like his potential, and it’s definitely worth taking him with the 48th. If you’re interested, here are his “favourites” from NHL.com
Not sure about his first two picks for actor, or that his favourite athlete is Ronaldo. But hey, maybe he’ll try to play more like Evgeni Malkin!
But in all seriousness, Chlapik is a good bet, and the Senators got him lower than they should have. All in all, I actually like this pick more than their first rounder Colin White. He has some upside and if he continues to improve he could be an impact player in Ottawa’s top six.
Next: The 101 On Senators 18th Overall Pick Thomas Chabot