Ottawa Senators: Early 2020 Entry Draft Predictions

VANCOUVER, BC - JUNE 21: A general view of the draft floor prior to the Ottawa Senators pick during the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 21, 2019 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BC - JUNE 21: A general view of the draft floor prior to the Ottawa Senators pick during the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 21, 2019 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
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Ottawa Senators
OSHAWA, ON – OCTOBER 18: Jacob Perreault #44 of the Sarnia Sting skates during an OHL game against the Oshawa Generals at the Tribute Communities Centre on October 18, 2019 in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)

Second Round, Pick One

The Ottawa Senators should look to truly bolster their offensive prospect depth in the second round of the 2020 draft, with their first selection being Sarnia Sting centre Jacob Perreault.

Perreault is an intriguing prospect, with a number of outlets ranking him as a late first-round pick while others have him falling into the early stage of the second round.

This mock assumes that Perreault is overlooked, in a similar way to Arthur Kaliyev in the 2019 Draft, with the Senators being the fortunate team to select him four picks into the second round.

Perreault has an impressive stat line so far for the Sting, with 28 goals and 55 total points in just 41 regular-season games so far.

A goal-scoring centreman is always an appealing asset to have in the NHL, with the Senators needing to add more depth at the position moving forwards.

Second Round, Pick One

Antonio Stranges is another intriguing prospect, with many seeing him as a second-round prospect that, while not putting up big numbers, certainly has some versatility.

Capable of playing as a centre or out on the left wing, Stranges could prove to be a valuable development project for the Ottawa Senators, who could look to find which position he excels at and can fit into their system in a couple of seasons.

16 goals and 32 total points in 41 total games for the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League may not sound too impressive, but the fact that a couple of outlets see him having late first-round potential should be a decent indicator that he is worth taking a gamble on in the middle of the second round.

With the long-term, development mentality the Senators have taken on over the past year, Stranges could fit perfectly into the team’s rebuilding plans and could become a player that adds value to the line-up later down the line.

Second Round, Pick, One

The final selection in the third round could prove to be one that many will scratch their heads at, but could end up being a truly intriguing development project as a result.

Roby Järventie, son of one-time NHL player (literally just one time) Martti, is developing his game in a unique way, playing the majority of his time with KOOVEE in the Finnish Mestis, the second tier of the country’s professional league system.

Many Finnish prospects will typically be drafted out of the country’s junior ranks, unless they are a truly special talent and play in the SM-Liiga, so for Järventie to be playing in the Mestis puts him somewhere between those two.

In 26 regular-season games, the August-born 17-year-old has 15 goals and 26 total points already and has even made four appearances for Ilves in the SM-Liiga, with one goal in four appearances.

Järventie’s development is intriguing to watch and his rankings range anywhere from early second round to late third round, making him a real high-risk, high-reward gamble that the Senators could benefit from if they manage his development appropriately.

Shane Pinto is a similar player, being selected far higher than many expected but is already showing early promise. If the Ottawa Senators want to make a splash and get fans talking, picking Järventie with their third second-round pick could certainly do that.

What do you think Sens fans? Would you be pleased with these draft picks? Who do you think the team should take with their first five picks? How about the later rounds? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!