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The 2019/20 Ottawa Senators Prospect Pyramid

By James Reeve

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - JUNE 21: Lassi Thomson reacts after being selected nineteenth overall by the Ottawa Senators during the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 21, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - JUNE 21: Lassi Thomson reacts after being selected nineteenth overall by the Ottawa Senators during the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 21, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Ottawa Senators
OTTAWA, ON – MARCH 14: Ottawa Senators Defenceman Erik Brannstrom (26) keeps eyes on the play during first period National Hockey League action between the St. Louis Blues and Ottawa Senators on March 14, 2019, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Tier 1: The Elite

This tier is the cream of the crop, the very best prospects in the system that are viewed as slam-dunk NHL stars in the near future.

This list, as with every team around the league, is the smallest as it is quite rare for teams to have more than one or two players that are seemingly guaranteed to be a big part of the team moving forward.

Many players are selected in the first round of their respective drafts, but that doesn’t guarantee a place in this tier.

For the Ottawa Senators, they have just two players that can be considered Tier 1 prospects; Erik Brannstrom and Drake Batherson.

Brannstrom was the key piece included by the Vegas Golden Knights in the trade that saw Mark Stone head down to the City of Lights.

The Swedish blueliner made his NHL debut with the Senators after heading to the Canadian capital but only made two appearances before the end of the 2018/19 season.

Originally selected 15th overall by the Golden Knights in the 2017 Draft, Brannstrom is viewed as a guaranteed Top Four player in the NHL once he makes the jump up full-time.

The left-handed shot is expected to become a key part of the Senators’ defensive corps as early as this season, securing his position within the team in the early stages of the rebuild.

Batherson, originally a fourth-round pick by the Senators in the same draft as Brannstrom, has made great leaps in his development over the past two seasons.

From registering just under a point-per-game in his draft year, Batherson turned things up to 11 and had 76 points (29 goals, 47 assists) in just 51 games, split between the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.

He added a further 33 points (13 goals, 20 assists) in 22 playoff games for the Armada, impressing the Senators organisation in the process.

His first season in the AHL saw Batherson register a stunning 62 points (22 goals, 40 assists) in just 59 regular-season games – leading to the American-born Canadian forward to make 20 appearances for the NHL Senators.

His impressively rapid development has seen him jump up to the top of the pack of Ottawa Senators forward prospects and he should secure a spot on the roster this summer.

The Full List

  • Erik Brannstrom
  • Drake Batherson
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