Ottawa Senators: Where Did Alex Formenton Come From?
When training camp began for the Ottawa Senators there were some prospects that were expected to make noise. Thomas Chabot, Colin White, and Logan Brown were all in the running to make the team. However, one other prospect has emerged from seemingly nowhere. A 2017 second round pick by the name of Alex Formenton.
The rise of Alex Formenton has been just like him, blazing fast. As a young player he was always very skilled but was very small. At the age of 15 he was just 5’5 which may not seem short for the average 15 year old but for an aspiring pro hockey player it can be a crippling disadvantage. In 2015 he was selected in 11th round of the OHL priority draft by the London Nights. They were taking a risk that he would grow, and he did.
In 2016-2017 he played his first season in the OHL and by the time the season started he had risen to the height of 6’1. By the end of the season he had performed well enough in a fourth line role on a stacked London Knights team to become a second round pick. At 47th overall he was selected by the Ottawa Senators.
In just two years Formenton had risen from a 11th rounder in the OHL to a second rounder in the NHL. An impressive rise that hasn’t yet stopped. After being invited to training camp, Formenton has impressed the coaching staff in all aspects of his game. He has set himself up to make the NHL the same year he was drafted. A truly remarkable feet for a second rounder.
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A second rounder making the NHL in their draft year is not unheard of. However, it is still very rare occurrence. The Ottawa Senators may have found a hidden gem. A player doesn’t rise this dramatically in short time without being a special player. If he makes the team it would be quite a sight to behold and it’s looking like he will.