Logan Brown
The Senators’ 11th overall selection in the 2016 draft has yet to solidify himself as an NHL player but the offensive talent that Logan Brown possesses makes him an enticing option.
Brown finally broke into the NHL for a significant stint this past season, despite just producing meagre totals with just a 1 goal, 8 point performance in 23 games, he looked like he belonged. He was a dominant force in the AHL with 28 points in just 25 games and has nothing left to prove in the minors anymore. At 22-years-old Brown doesn’t have anything left to prove in Belleville and has to graduate to the NHL full-time.
With Tierney and the White, they have some reliable, middling upside players while Brown has some intriguing offensive upside and could add significant offence to a lineup with not much of it. Brown is also great on the power-play, in his stint in Ottawa, Brown produced 3 power-play points and was effective moving the puck from the half-wall.
Josh Norris
The AHL Rookie of the Year had a sensational first season in professional hockey and seemingly slotted himself ahead of Logan Brown by the end of the season. Josh Norris even appeared in 3 games last season for the big club and despite going pointless looked great centring the top line with Brady Tkachuk and Bobby Ryan.
If Norris continues to display good chemistry with Tkachuk there’s definitely a possibility he finds himself on the top line. They won’t want to keep the 21-year-old Norris in a bottom-six role, so if he makes the NHL at the start of next season, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him attached to Tkachuk on the first line.
With 31 goals in just 56 games in the AHL, Norris showed significant offensive upside that most thought he didn’t prior to the season. Norris is widely regarded as the team’s best centre prospect (still don’t know if Stuetzle will play centre) and likely has the best chance to become that marquee centre.
While his brief stint to conclude the 2019-2020 season was only 3 games, he was featured as a top-line centre and D.J. Smith didn’t hesitate marching him out with their top offensive options.