Ottawa Senators: Mock Draft Based on Pierre Dorion’s Draft Trends

While he has faced backlash at times because of his pro scouting, Pierre Dorion makes up for it with his great draft resume

While going into the biggest draft in the history of the Ottawa Senators, Pierre Dorion has some draft day trends which sometimes tip his hand to who he may select.

With seven selections in the first two rounds of the 2020 Draft, the Senators staff will have a lot of big decisions to make that will mold the future of the team. Over the past few drafts, Dorion has shown a bias towards players taking the college route and has drafted three players committed to North Dakota, whether by coincidence or not.

While Ottawa has leaned on the success of European players during the bulk of their existence, from Daniel Alfredsson to Erik Karlsson, they don’t invest heavily on their scouting resources for the area. Only carrying a total of 2 scouts in Europe consisting of Chief European Scout Mikko Ruutu and Anders Ostberg, ideally you would like to see more representation. You have to assume that has something to do with the lack of Europeans Ottawa has taken during Dorion’s tenure.

While there is no way to know who Dorion will select during the draft, past draft trends can perhaps give us an idea of what locations or player styles he prefers to select.

3rd Overall: Tim Stützle (C/LW), Mannheim (DEL)

With Byfield going 2nd to the Los Angeles Kings, Dorion will go with the German centerman who has inserted himself firmly into the second-tier with Byfield. It’s tough to depict where Dorion would lean here as he has had just one top-5 pick during his time with Ottawa and that was Brady Tkachuk.

“Having spent quite a bit of time in Germany this year, that league is a very good league” -Pierre Dorion

Nobody inside the top-10 particularly projects to Tkachuk’s game style, so I think Dorion goes with the best player available at this point. Dorion has tipped his hand in the media about seeing Stützle and subliminally hinting that he is an option at 3.

After the draft lottery, Elliotte Friedman asked Dorion to break down the tiers of players in the upcoming draft:

Friedman: “I’m sure a lot of people would assume Lafreniere goes first, without giving us names, can you give us an idea Pierre of the next tier? How many players (you don’t have to name them) but how many players do you think are in that next tier after Lafreniere?”

Dorion: “I would probably have to tell you there’s two in the next tier”

Assuming Dorion is being transparent in his analysis, Stützle would be in the next tier, meaning he would be the pick at third overall.

5th Overall: Jake Sanderson (LD), USNTDP

Now, this won’t be a popular pick for most Senators fans, I included, I vividly remember Sens fans being outraged at the Brady Tkachuk pick in the 2018 draft and selecting Jake Sanderson here could reap in ways similar to that of Tkachuk.

While Sanderson isn’t known for his offensive game, he wasn’t a slouch with the USNTDP (United States Nation Team Development Program) Juniors producing 14 points in just 19 USHL games, the production isn’t something to worry about. Off the rush he uses his smooth skating to join the play and can use his heavy shot to find the back of the net from time to time:

He also captained the U18 team, so Ottawa will love his character and leadership. Ottawa isn’t desperate for left-handed defenceman but they’re not lacking on the right-side as people would leave you to believe. With Erik Brannstrom preferring to play on his off-side, Ottawa now holds Brannstrom, Jacob Bernard-Docker and Lassi Thomson as players who could hold down the right-side in the future.

Aside from handedness, Dorion will prioritize getting a physical defenceman to intimidate and be a physical presence. They can learn from their rivals the Toronto Maple Leafs similar mistake by being too soft in their own end, they can take a defensive stalwart in Sanderson to ideally lock down opposing teams top lines when the Senators become competitive.

To add flame to the fire, Sanderson is headed to North Dakota next season, alongside Jacob Bernard-Docker and Shane Pinto, this feels all too real.

21st Overall: Thomas Bordeleau (C), USNTDP

Never shy about taking players from the USNTDP with recent picks of Brady Tkachuk, Jonathan Gruden and Colin White, Dorion has relied on the national team route for many draft picks.

The University of Michigan commit was the leading scorer for the U.S. National U18 Team, where he scored 16 goals and 46 points in 47 games. A little on the smaller side at 5’9″, Bordeleau is feisty and never afraid to get dirty in the corners. Dorion has shown a tendency in the past to air on the side of caution with players and take the safest bet, Bordeleau possesses that archetype too. He does a lot of things at a high level, but doesn’t excel in any one area and possesses limited weaknesses.

Bordeleau also comes from a hockey family, his father Sebastien Bordeleau played 251 games in the NHL, Pierre Dorion has taken a liking to players with deep family roots in the game.

33rd Overall: John-Jason Peterka (RW), München (DEL)

This would be an interesting pick for Dorion and company, Peterka is a part of a strong trio of German prospects in this year’s draft which includes Tim Stützle and Lukas Reichel. Ottawa has shown its hand a bit in acquiring players who have connections with players on the current roster. Dorion selected Jacob Bernard-Docker and Jonny Tychonick who grew up close in their childhood and both committed to North Dakota, as well as trading for Josh Norris who is one of Brady Tkachuk’s “best friends”.

While there haven’t been reports on whether Peterka or Stützle are close, they have represented Germany in multiple international tournaments and have chemistry together.

Peterka is an aggressive player who showcased great speed while playing against men in Germany. He wasn’t tremendous offensively with 11 points in 42 games but he held his own against men. The duo of Stützle and Peterka could blossom with the Senators as they did at last years world juniors:

49th Overall: Jake Neighbours (LW), Edmonton (WHL)

At just 5’11” most wouldn’t think of a player as a “power forward” but Neighbours is a rare case with a strong base and already has NHL weight at 201 pounds. A nightmare to play against, Neighbours would fit right into what Pierre Dorion and the Senators are trying to build.

Thehockeywriters.com described Neighbours physical play:

Despite his smaller 5-foot-11 frame, he has a bullish presence on the ice, throwing big hits and often choosing to go through opponents instead of around them. His strength makes him a puck-possession master, often taking two or three guys to knock him off the puck, and making him especially dangerous right in front of the net. He also is not afraid to get into the corners and battle for the puck, which he wins more often than not.

Neighbours is a player who will never cheat you on effort, he won’t be caught floating on the ice and you can almost guarantee he will be a coach’s favourite. Coach D.J. Smith praises his teams ability to be hard to play against and adding Neighbours to the fold will just add to how opposing teams will dread playing Ottawa.

Outsiders have taken notice of how hard the Senators were to play against last season even with scarce talent.
The Edmonton Oil King captain can also provide offence along with his other intangibles, producing an impressive 70 points in 64 games this past season.

52nd Overall: Ridly Greig (LW), Brandon (WHL)

Yet another player who brings some bite to his game, Greig brings a ton of intensity despite his small 5’11”, 159-pound frame, with an NHL workout regiment he could become a beast on the ice.

Much like Neighbours in terms of physicality, Greig might even be more reckless in the way he launches himself at opposing players, the energy he plays with would be sure to fit right in along this young Senators squad.

While his physicality stands out, his great offensive skills shouldn’t be overlooked either, he totalled 60 points in 56 games this past season and had some flashy highlights along the way. He has possesses traits similar to Brad Marchand as he will consistently get under the opposing team’s skin and make you pay by putting the puck in the net.

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While Greig can’t be expected to produce like Marchand, he does have the tools to be an offensive threat in the NHL.

The Senators and Pierre Dorion are trying to build a perennial playoff contender, and after accumulating elite skill with their first two selections, they can find players to play important roles during their hopeful playoff runs, Greig would be an ideal pest to annoy the other teams to no end.

55th Overall: Helge Grans (RD), Malmö (SHL/SuperElit)

A large defenceman at 6’3″, Grans has the tools to become a solid NHL defenceman, but getting all of those tools in the toolbox will be the big task for the raw defenceman.

Grans played in 27 SuperElit games where he stood at exactly a point/game, he has the capabilities to produce from the offensive end. The Malmö defenceman looked out of place in the SHL, where he played 21 games, Grans struggles on the defensive side of the puck and that showed against the top men in Sweden. Ottawa hasn’t been afraid to take flyers on defenceman with the Jonny Tychonick selection and many believed at the time of the Lassi Thomson selection that it was a reach. While this pick could be considered “risky” because Grans is one of the biggest boom or bust players in the draft, it is rare that Grans falls all the way to 55. At this point in the draft, Ottawa can afford to take a risk on a talented player with their abundance of draft capital.

64th Overall: Michael Benning (RD), Sherwood Park (AJHL)

Benning would be a solid value here at 64, the offensive defenceman has torn up the Alberta Junior Hockey League over the last two seasons. Scoring a crazy 75 points in just 54 games, the offensive talent is tough to overlook with Benning. At just 5’10”, Benning is on the shorter side, but his dynamic presence on the ice and the new mold of the defenceman in the NHL makes it all the more likely he can become an NHL player.

Pierre Dorion has proven to be very fond of the Junior A route, selecting 3 prospects in the 2018 draft that chose to take the college route by way of the BCHL, Benning will be lacing them up with Denver for next season. The roots run deep in Benning’s family too, his uncle is Canucks GM Jim Benning and his brother is current Edmonton Oiler Matt Benning, so it’s no surprise Michael is following in their footsteps.

74th Overall: Emil Heineman (LW), Leksands IF (SHL/SuperElit)

Heineman is an interesting case, he was totally off scouts radars last season where he was almost non-existent in the SuperElit (5 points in 27 games).

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Out of nowhere, Heineman transformed into a star for Leksands in the SuperElit, scoring at almost a goal/game pace with 26 goals in 29 games and easily led all draft eligibles in goals/game for the SuperElit.

Ottawa loves late bloomers and Heineman is exactly that, blossoming after being a nobody in the season prior, in a way a bit reminiscent of Senators Drake Batherson and Alex Formenton during their draft years. If Dorion is impressed with Heineman’s rapid development I can’t see why he wouldn’t take a chance on the goal-scoring winger.

95th Overall: Benjamin Baumgartner (C), HC Davos (NLA)

Pierre Dorion is never afraid to select a player who has been passed over in the draft, Baumgartner 20, is now going through his third draft and is looking to be picked after a breakout year in Switzerland.

The Austrian forward had 27 points in 37 games with HC Davos, placing 7th on the team in points while appearing in fewer games than the majority of his teammates. Standing at just 5’9″ there’s no point in harping on size anymore with the way the NHL has transformed itself into a more modern style. While sheltered early on in the year, Baumgartner blossomed into a bigger role on Davos due to moves like this:

While most scouts wouldn’t select Baumgartner this early since consensus has him as more of a seventh-rounder, Dorion hasn’t been afraid to reach for players he likes, much like Viktor Lodin in last years draft.