SenShot Presents: Ottawa’s Top 40 Prospects (29 – 32)

Over the next ten days, SenShot will release our Top 40 Ottawa Senators Prospects.

Today, we will bring to you another four of Ottawa’s prospects in their system. In our Top 40 Prospects ranking, these four prospects are ranked 29th to 32nd.

29. Jeff Costello

Position: Left Winger

Shoots: Left

Ht: 5’11”  Wt: 198 lbs

Date of Birth: November 20, 1990 (Age 20)

Birthplace: Milwaukee, WI, USA

Contract: Unsigned

Drafted: 2009 (5/146) by OTT

Last Yrs Stats: GP ~ 44  Goals ~ 12  Assists ~ 6  Total Points ~ 18

Potential: Gritty two-way energy forward

2011-2012 Team: Notre Dame (CCHA)

How Far Away From The NHL: 4 – 5 yrs

• Costello is a rough and rugged left winger who will scored most of his goals from the dirty zone in front of the net. Not afraid to drive hard to the net, Costello has the hands to finish once he gets there. Not afraid to drop the gloves, Costello is a good fighter that can also add to his repertoire as a hockey player. Costello’s scoring was down in his first year at Notre Dame, but he should rebound in his second upcoming year as he has had time to adjust to the collegiate game.
• Costello also lives with diabetes that forces him, even during games, to closely monitor his blood sugar. Dealing with diabetes since he was five years old, Costello has never let it get in the way of his hockey career.
• Ottawa considers Costello to be a Chris Neil clone with more potential scoring upside. If Costello could hone his offensive game while at Notre Dame, Costello has the chance to develop into an effective top nine forward in Ottawa.
• Check out Costello’s fight page to see how he handles himself.

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30. Emil Sandin

Position: Winger (RW/LW)

Shoots: Left

Ht: 5’10”  Wt: 178 lbs

Date of Birth: February 28, 1988 (Age 23)

Birthplace: Uppsala, Sweden

Contract: Unsigned

Drafted: 2008 (7/199) by OTT

Last Yrs Stats: GP ~ 26  Goals ~ 0  Assists ~ 3  Total Points ~ 3

Potential: Skilled, flashy depth winger

2011-2012 Team: Brynas IF (SEL)

How Far Away From The NHL: 3 – 4 yrs

• Sandin is a very skilled forward who is hard to knock off the puck, even though he is not that big. A very good skater, Sandin’s work ethic and intensity show in his style of play. With good play making instincts, he can earn his keep on the powerplay where he is given more time and space. Sandin will suit up for Brynas in the Swedish Elite League this upcoming season, where he will play with Sens prospect, Jakob Silfverberg.
• Drafted as a long-term project, Ottawa hopes to bring Sandin over to North American next season after his current contract with Brynas expires after this season. Sandin is part of the Swedish invasion in Ottawa as he is one of seven Swedish prospects the organization has drafted since the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. As an older prospect, Ottawa hopes that his experience in the SEL playing against men will help him transition to the North American game easily. But at 23 years old, Sandin has to make the jump to this side of the ocean soon if he ever hopes to play in the NHL one day.

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31. Max McCormick

Position: Left Winger

Shoots: Left

Ht: 5’11”  Wt: 174 lbs

Date of Birth: May 01, 1992 (Age 19)

Birthplace: De Pere, WI, USA

Contract: Unsigned

Drafted: 2011 (6/171) by OTT

Last Yrs Stats: GP ~ 55  Goals ~ 21  Assists ~ 21  Total Points ~ 42

Potential: Honest, two-way winger with tons of grit

2011-2012 Team: Ohio State (NCAA)

How Far Away From The NHL: 4 – 5 yrs

• McCormick is a hard nosed, two-way forward who is set to begin his collegiate career with Ohio State this year. He plays an honest game and has good hockey sense and loves to battle in the corners. Putting up 21 goals and 42 points in 55 games last year with Sioux City, McCormick has some offensive abilities, but he earns his ice time by playing an in-your-face style that shuts down opponents. McCormick can be compared to current Sen Chris Neil, but with a more offensive upside. He also isn’t afraid to drop the gloves as he had six fights last year.
• Set to begin his collegiate career, the Sens will let McCormick develop his game at Ohio State. There is no rush with McCormick and the Sens will give him all the time to work on his game. He is a long-term project, but the Sens hope he can turn into a energy forward with a scoring upside.
• Check out this video of McCormick after he was drafted.

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32. Ben Blood

Position: Defenceman

Shoots: Left

Ht: 6’3″  Wt: 232 lbs

Date of Birth: March 15, 1989 (Age 22)

Birthplace: Plymouth, MN, USA

Contract: Unsigned

Drafted: 2007 (4/120) by OTT

Last Yrs Stats: GP ~ 44  Goals ~ 2  Assists ~ 10  Total Points ~ 12

Potential: Shutdown defenceman with a mean streak

2011-2012 Team: North Dakota (WCHA)

How Far Away From The NHL: 3 – 4 yrs

• Now entering his senior year at North Dakota, Blood is a physical, stay-at-home defenceman. With good size and reach, Blood is very good defensively and is capable of producing at least one big hit per game. Almost never letting guys go around him, he’s very good at doing the little things. He’s very strong along the boards and he uses the glass effectively to get it out of the zone and is also a solid penalty killer. Plain and simple, Blood is just a reliable defenceman.
• If all goes to plan, Blood will be signed to a pro contract at the end of this year’s NCAA season. He will probably need some seasoning in the AHL, but Blood brings a skill to the game that other prospects such as Jared Cowen and David Rundblad don’t have. Blood has a mean streak in him that can punish opponents and keep them honest. Blood may be able to crack the NHL team sooner them most think as he can fill a need of a physical, steady defenceman.
• Check out this video of Blood’s physicality.
• Check out SenShot’s Prospect Profile of Ben Blood.

Three of the four prospects listed here all bring grit to their game which made them very appealing to draft. Blood should be the first to turn pro and be the closest to the NHL. Costello and McCormick play a similar game and will be competing with each other within the organization. Sandin is a wild card in the Sens system. Can he be an effective top six forward? Or is he just a depth forward? There are too many unknowns with him until he comes over to North American and we can fully judge him first hand.

You can check out our 33rd to 36th and 37th to 40th ranked prospects here.

Check back tomorrow when we release out 25th to 28nd ranked Ottawa Senators Prospects.

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