Ottawa Senators: Top 10 Draft Picks of All-Time

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The Ottawa Senators actually made good decisions once upon a time.

We are now past the midway point of the 2018-19 NHL season, and it looks like the Ottawa Senators are going to miss out on the postseason (Barring a miracle run in their final 30 games).

The organization is about to pull the trigger on a rebuild, which means a lot of attention is going to be on how well the Senators draft over the next few years. With this in mind it would be nice to look back and see the picks that the Sens absolutely nailed.

Some may be obvious, but the Senators have actually done really well when it comes to late-round draft picks in their history. They have also succeeded with their first round picks on multiple occasions too. Hockey history is always fun, so let’s look back at the best choices the Sens ever made in the draft.

(Note: We will only be looking at players who spent a significant amount of time with the Senators. Also their statistics are representative of their time in Ottawa.)

OTTAWA, ON – DECEMBER 15: Ottawa Senators alumni Radek Bonk #14 smiles during the 2017 Scotiabank NHL100 Classic Ottawa Senators Alumni Game on Parliament Hill on December 15, 2017 in Ottawa, Canada. (Photo Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Honorable Mentions

Not everyone can make the list, and these are just a few of the names that missed out on the top ten.

Radek Bonk- The third overall pick in 1994 played an impressive 689 games with the Sens while recording 399 points. He was also a two-time All-Star.

Mark Borowiecki- A current member of the Ottawa Senators, Borowiecki has only played 303 games for the Sens, but the former fifth round pick has used his body to make an impact (1,296 hits, 444 blocked shots).

Jean-Gabriel Pageau- A fourth round pick in 2011, Pageau has made the most of his opportunity in the NHL, scoring 131 points in 339 games. He also has two playoff hat tricks to his name (Including a memorable four goal game against the Rangers in 2017).

Thomas Chabot- 108 games and 64 points so far as a defenseman. Give it time, he’ll probably crack the top ten in a few years.

UNIONDALE, NY – FEBRUARY 05: Mike Fisher #12 of the Ottawa Senators skates against the New York Islanders during the game at the Nassau Coliseum on February 5, 2011 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Andy Marlin/NHLI via Getty Images) /

10. Mike Fisher (1998, 2nd Round, 44th Overall)

While he may be more associated with the Nashville Predators, Fisher played the majority of his career with the Senators, including three years as an alternate captain.

In Ottawa he played in 675 games, placing him seventh on the team’s all-time games played list. 167 goals (Sixth all-time) and 348 total points (Ninth all-time) later and Fisher proved to be more than his second round value may have signaled. Fisher also put in work during 75 playoff games and recorded 28 points for his trouble

With 11 seasons in Ottawa as only a second round pick, the Sens took a risk and it paid off big time.

TAMPA, FL – MARCH 13: Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning watches Mike Hoffman #68 of the Ottawa Senators celebrate a goal during the second period at Amalie Arena on March 13, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/NHLI via Getty Images) /

9. Mike Hoffman (2009, 5th Round, 130th Overall)

Oh, what could have been.

Hoffman fought and clawed his way to the Senators roster as a fifth round pick and made a name for himself in Ottawa in just a short amount of time. He played in 342 games, scoring 230 points and also appeared in 25 playoff games for the team. The Kitchener native looked like he was going to be an important piece of the Sens going forward.

Then a drama fueled circus involving Hoffman’s fiancée and the wife of then-captain Erik Karlsson resulted in the team trading him for far less than his value.

Still, a solid pick by the organization who did a great job in developing Hoffman for the NHL.

OTTAWA, ON – DECEMBER 7: Linesman Brian Mach #78 steers Chris Neil #25 of the Ottawa Senators to the penalty box as he tries to get the fans going following a fight in the second period against the Vancouver Canucks during an NHL game at Canadian Tire Centre on December 7, 2014 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images) /

8. Chris Neil (1998, 6th Round, 161st Overall)

Sometimes a player doesn’t need to have a huge offensive repertoire to make an impact or be remembered, which is where Chris Neil comes in. His 250 career points don’t raise any eyebrows, but Neil really shined when he was making life a living hell for his opponents on the ice.

Neil, an alternate captain for five of his 15 seasons, tallied 2,522 penalty minutes during his NHL career, along with a whopping 176 fights. For reference, the next closest Senator in terms of PIM is Chris Phillips with 758.

He also has 2,056 recorded hits (The stat wasn’t tracked until 2007, midway through Neil’s career, so that number should be a lot higher) and played in 1,026 games for the Sens, third all-time in the organization.

Add in 95 playoff games, and it’s needless to say that Neil made the most of his opportunity when the Sens used a seemingly worthless sixth round pick on him.

30 Apr 1998: Center Alexei Yashin of the Ottawa Senators in action during a playoff game against the New Jersey Devils at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Devils won the game, 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Craig Melvin /Allsport /

7. Alexei Yashin (1992, 1st Round, 2nd Overall)

The first player ever selected by the new iteration of the Ottawa Senators, Yashin came into the league with a lot of expectations, and he did not disappoint.

In 504 games for the Sens the Russian scored 218 goals to go along with 273 assists, with him scoring 70-plus points in five of his seasons with the team.

He was the Sens’ captain for the 1998-99 season and was alternate captain in the two seasons prior to that. He was a three-time All-Star with the Sens and his six hat tricks are second all-time in the franchise.

The Sens needed to make a big splash upon their return to Ottawa, and Yashin was certainly what they were looking for.

2004 Season: Player Marian Hossa of the Ottawa Senators. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images) /

6. Marian Hossa (1997, 1st Round, 12th Overall)

Another player who is known for his time on another team (He won three Stanley Cups with the Chicago Blackhawks), Hossa started out as a hot prospect for the Ottawa Senators organization.

A two-time All-Star with the Sens, Hossa dressed for 467 games, flashing his knack for offensive production rather quickly. He put up 390 points in 467 games with the Sens, with four 70-plus point campaigns and four hat tricks. We also got to see what he could do in the postseason, playing in 51 playoff games and scoring 34 points in the process.

Hossa is one of the best offensive players of his generation, and the Sens get to stake the claim as the team that brought him to the NHL.

CHICAGO, IL – OCTOBER 26: Chris Phillips #4 of the Ottawa Senators plays in the game against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center on October 26, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Steve Woltmann/NHLI via Getty Images) /

5. Chris Phillips (1996, 1st Round, 1st Overall)

The last time the Sens had the first overall pick, they made the call to go with the 6-foot-1 defenseman from Calgary, Chris Phillips.

While his offense was nothing special for a player at his position (288 career points, five 20-plus point seasons), that was never Phillips’ purpose. He was brought in to be a stabilizing presence along the blue-line, and that’s just what he was for 1,179 games, the most anyone has played for the Ottawa Senators.

Physical and not afraid to take risks (Since blocked shots began being tracked in 2007, he had 923 of them), Phillips was a familiar face of the organization and an alternate captain for 10 of his 17 seasons, showing just what he meant to the team that brought him into the league.

TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 6: Mark Stone #61 of the Ottawa Senators celebrates an empty net goal during the third period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Scotiabank Arena on October 6, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images) /

4. Mark Stone (2010, 6th Round, 178th Overall)

The player chosen latest in his draft on this list, Mark Stone may not have the tenure that Phillips or Neil had, but he is already becoming something much more than just another player.

A sixth round pick amassing 300 points in 359 games is already impressive, but when you consider the circumstances around Stone’s time in Ottawa, his performance becomes even more astounding.

Stone’s presence through the numerous idiotic moments of management and ownership has given fans a beam of hope that they can follow over the next few years. When, not if, the Senators re-sign him, Stone will be the next captain of the Sens, and there couldn’t be a better choice right now.

All of that makes the Sens getting him so late in the draft even sweeter.

GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 15: Jason Spezza #19 of the Ottawa Senators celebrates after scoring a third period goal against the Phoenix Coyotes during the NHL game at Jobing.com Arena on October 15, 2013 in Glendale, Arizona. The Senators defeated the Coyotes 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

3. Jason Spezza (2001, 1st Round, 2nd Overall)

After being drafted by the Sens in 2001, it wouldn’t take Spezza long to start lighting the league up like a Christmas tree.

In 686 games for Ottawa, the Toronto native racked up 687 points, or just over one point per game. A former captain and alternate captain, Spezza went to the All-Star Game twice as a Senator and had nine 60-plus point seasons with the club. He was also a figurehead during the playoffs, scoring 52 points in 56 games.

Spezza continues to play in the NHL today as a member of the Dallas Stars, but he will always be remembered for his tenure with the Ottawa Senators.

OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 17: Ottawa Senators Defenceman Erik Karlsson (65) waits for a face-off during second period National Hockey League action between the New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators on February 17, 2018, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

2. Erik Karlsson (2008, 1st Round, 15th Overall)

Come on, you knew this one was coming.

It still feels weird seeing Karlsson in a different jersey, but a trade won’t take away the memories Sens fans have of the best defenseman their team has ever had.

627 games, five-time All-Star, two-time Norris Trophy recipient, 518 points with seven 60-plus point seasons. The captain of the team for four years, he was the face of the franchise, and his contributions to the team and community won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

Management/ownership may have screwed up his final days in Ottawa, but they still had the wherewithal to draft Karlsson in the first place, so kudos where kudos are due.

OTTAWA, ON – DECEMBER 29: Daniel Alfredsson is introduced during his jersey retirement ceremony prior to a game between the Ottawa Senators and the Detroit Red Wings at Canadian Tire Centre on December 29, 2016 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images) /

1. Daniel Alfredsson (1994, 6th Round, 133rd Overall)

Well…duh.

The Ottawa Senator, Alfredsson is the franchise leader in goals (426), assists (682), points (1,108), hat tricks (10, including two in the playoffs), game winning goals (69), and a few other statistics. All of that and he was just a sixth round pick from Gothenburg, Sweden.

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After 17 seasons with the Senators, 13 of them as team captain, and so many team records to his name, it’s safe to say Alfredsson is Mr. Ottawa. He will always be the biggest success the team had when it comes to developing talent for the NHL.

Did we miss any? Let us know!

All stats courtesy of HockeyReference.com, EliteProspects.com, HockeyDB.com, and HockeyFights.com.

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