Recapping the Ottawa Senators First-Round Selections

With three first-round selections and the release of their new jersey, the Ottawa Senators knocked it out of the park

Holding picks 3, 5 and 28 in the first round of the NHL Draft the Ottawa Senators had a chance to regain excitement that the team had lost over the last few years and that they did.

First off the epic introduction of the new 2D Jerseys that Senators fans have been longing for was finally showcased on CTV Ottawa:

Those have to be one of the better jerseys in the NHL, the Senators organization did a fantastic job in bringing back the old look.

To make the evening even better the Senators added Tim Stuetzle, Jake Sanderson and Ridly Greig to their prospect pool with their first-round selections. Each player brings different elements to their game but they all seem to be good fits for the Senators going forward.

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

With the third overall pick, the Ottawa Senators selected the electric German forward, Tim Stuetzle. He immediately jumps to the top of the team’s prospect pool and adds an element that no other player/prospect on the Senators roster brings. Stuetzle’s combination of speed, skill and agility makes him a treat to watch and a constant threat on the ice for the opposition.

Adding on top of the excitement Jeopardy host Alex Trebek announced the selection with the punchline that Stuetzle and all Senators fans will remember “Who is Tim Stuetzle”:

Stuetzle enjoyed a very solid first season against men in the DEL (Germany’s top men’s league) producing 34 points in 41 games and providing some unreal highlights along the way. He also starred for the German U20 World Junior squad and should be heading back to the tournament in 2021.

In a post-draft interview, Stuetzle relayed that he’d loved to win cups with Ottawa, I love his enthusiasm and the fact he added the plurality.

5th 0verall: Jake Sanderson (LHD), USNTDP

A much-anticipated selection, after Lucas Raymond was selected by the Detroit Red Wings all fingers were pointed Sanderson’s way and the Senators made the long-awaited decision to pick the exciting two-way defenceman.

This solidifies Ottawa’s defence for the future, as they now have an abundance of defensive prospects in their cupboard. With Thomas Chabot, Erik Brannstrom and Christian Wolanin as NHL players and Jacob Bernard-Docker, Lassi Thomson and now Jake Sanderson, Pierre Dorion looks to have done a great job revitalizing the Senators defence.

Here is the announcement of the selection by Senators GM Pierre Dorion:

While maybe not the flashiest pick, what Sanderson lacks in flair, he makes up for in his efficiency, he uses his exceptional skating ability to be a beast in transition and with his big 6’2″ frame, makes it near impossible for opponents to beat him. He may not project as a 60+ point scorer, but that shouldn’t matter, he will produce 40-50 points a season at his peak, while consistently shutting down opposing teams top-lines.

An excellent pick by Pierre Dorion and company.