Ottawa Senators 2015 NHL Draft Possibilities

By Trevor Shackles |

Although the Ottawa Senators did win last night, more and more fans of the team are coming around to the idea of them getting a high draft pick. They sit 12 points out of a playoff spot, and there are two teams also ahead of them. Whether or not you still think Ottawa has a chance, the 2015 draft will be an important one.

This is a high quality draft, one that had been compared to the insanity that was 2003, but is more likely a “lite” version of that. Still, there’s a possibility that the Senators are picking high, and fans should be aware of who could and should be targeted.

As of now, I would say that defense should be prioritized for Ottawa’s first pick, although if there is a much better forward available that’s not a wrong decision either. As of today (before games started), Ottawa would have the 8th overall selection, assuming that all the teams stay in their spots (which is actually unlikely).

The way I see it, the Senators could be picking anywhere from 5th-10th at the draft, of course with the slim possibility that they win the draft lottery. The Colorado Avalanche are 9th, and they are only 4 points up on Ottawa and have played 3 more games.

The Philadelphia Flyers are also 4 points up, while having played 2 more games. After that though, it seems unlikely that Ottawa would catch any of the other teams. The Dallas Stars are 7 points up and have played 2 more games, but at this stage that’s a lot of ground to cover.

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Beneath them, there are a few teams that could pass them. Just a few days ago Ottawa was 5th last, but since then they have passed the Columbus Blue Jackets, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New Jersey Devils. The Devils and Maple Leafs have played more games than the Senators so it may be harder for them to catch up, but the Blue Jackets sit only 2 points back with 52 games played as well.

In the end, I’ll predict that Ottawa picks 7th in the draft, which seems about right. With the 7th overall pick, there are plenty of options. Lets start with several defensemen that could be available:

Defensemen:

Oliver Kylington- Farjestads BK (SHL)

Besides Noah Hanifin, it looks like Kylington will be the highest defenseman taken in this draft. I say that because Hanifin seems like a lock to go in the top 5, but most of the time he has been ranked right behind Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel. That’s why getting Kylington at least seems possible. He’s Swedish (which Ottawa loves) a left-handed shot. I can’t help but dream of him and Erik Karlsson on a pairing together.

He has lots of upside, and picking him could solidify the blue line (not right away), but in a year or two.

Zack Werenski- University of Michigan (NCAA)

Werenski is another left-handed shot, and he’s also a college player, which (along with Swedish players) has been Ottawa’s go-to place to select players. He’s a consistent point producer and has 18 points in 22 games with Michigan this year.

Ivan Provorov- Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)

If you want an offensive defenseman, Provorov is the perfect pick. He has 51 points in 47 games with the Wheat Kings, and he of course is the third left-handed defenseman on this list. He is Russian, although he has been in North America since he was 14, so perhaps teams won’t let him slide simply because of the “Russian factor.”

I’m still doubtful Ottawa would take a Russian, but having him and Karlsson on the blue line would create a lethal offense from back there.

Feb 3, 2015; Newark, NJ, USA; Ottawa Senators defenseman

Erik Karlsson

(65) looks up ice to pass the puck during the first period against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

Centres:

Mitch Marner- London Knights (OHL)

In my opinion, I don’t see any reason why Marner isn’t up there with Jack Eichel. I don’t think he’ll be in the same stratosphere at Connor McDavid, but Marner is first in the OHL in scoring with 94 (!) points in 47 games. He gets overlooked because of his size (5’11”), but he is going to be a star. Most lists have him ranked between 4th and 10th, but in reality, if he fell to Ottawa around 7 that would be the steal of the draft.

Dylan Strome- Erie Otters (OHL)

Marner is actually tied for the OHL scoring lead, and Strome is the player that also has 94 points, although he has played 3 more games. Still, he has been extremely impressive as well, and he’s often cast under McDavid’s shadow playing in Erie.

I think he can end up being better than his older brother Ryan who was drafted 5th overall, and that’s saying something. Much like Marner, getting Strome at number 7 would be a steal.

Nick Merkley- Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

Some fans may not know as much about Merkley and he may not be on most people’s lists in the top 10, but he is still a really good player. He has 70 points in 51 games this year for Kelowna, which is higher than some of the players ranked ahead of him.

One of his apparent flaws is his skating, and as Senators fans know, sometimes that isn’t that big of an issue as they can point to Mark Stone and see that it isn’t always a problem. Merkley might be a bit of an off the board pick, but so was Mika Zibanejad at the time.

If the Senators do end up picking 7th overall (or even in that vicinity), they will be selecting a good player that has a shot to become a great player

Wingers:

Lawson Crouse- Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)

Let me first say that I hope Ottawa does not draft Crouse, but there is a good possibility that he could be selected around number 7. For some reason Crouse has consistently been ranked within the top 5 or top 10, and I just can’t see why.

He had 27 points in 63 games last year, and has only 28 points in 36 games this year. Meanwhile, players like Marner and Strome are close to the 100 point mark and they are ranked similarly.

The one thing he has going for him is size, and scouts see that he’s big and has skill. And who knows, maybe he can become a top six power forward that rarely comes along. But I see a lot of red flags, as a 0.77 point per game player in the OHL should not be going that high in the draft.

Mikko Rantanen-TPS Turku (SM-liiga)

Rantanen got plenty of exposure at the World Juniors, and he has a chance to go fairly high in the draft. I doubt he goes as high as Ottawa’s pick, but if Ottawa loves him then there’s no reason why it would be a particularly bad pick.

He’s a big player that is a great playmaker, and probably wouldn’t have that hard of a time transitioning into the NHL. In the SM-liiga he has 17 points in 43 games, which is actually quite good considering he is playing against men.

Yevgeni Svechnikov- Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)

Svechnikov is Russian, but like Provorov he’s also playing in Canada. He’s also unlikely to get drafted in the top 10, but amongst wingers he’s someone to keep an eye on. He has 52 points in 41 games (although in a higher scoring league) and possesses the skills of a typical Russian player with a fantastic shot. There certainly seems to be some upside with him, so whoever drafts him may be taking a risk that could pay off quite well.

If the Senators do end up picking 7th overall (or even in that vicinity), they will be selecting a good player that has a shot to become a great player. I just hope that they take a player that has a lot of upside. It’s something that the organization needs, as the team can’t be full of average players that will never turn into stars. Erik Karlsson is alone on that front.

If we’re assuming that McDavid, Eichel, and Hanifin go in the top three, then the players I would want to draft in order are: Kylington, Marner, Strome, Werenski, Provorov, and Rantanen. All six of those players would be fantastic picks, and there are still a few other players that I would still be fine with.

Wherever Ottawa picks, fans should be paying close attention to these future stars over the next few months because one of them will be wearing a Senators jersey soon enough.

Next: Checking in on predictions for Ottawa's youngsters