The majority of the teams made several draft picks before the first time the Ottawa Senators stepped up to the podium to announce a pick in this year’s draft. Three rounds ticked by as prospect after prospect donned a new jersey and put on their hats and celebrated one of the biggest achievements in pro hockey.
The Senators’ first pick in the 2023 draft did not come until the fourth round. 107 prospects were selected before Ottawa but that did not stop them from getting good value in the later stages of day two.
There seemed to be a theme with Ottawa’s selections this year
One word.
Size.
Hoyt Stanley (Victoria Grizzlies – BCHL) 4th Round 108th Overall
Kicking off the draft in the fourth round, Ottawa selected Hoyt Stanley. In his second season with the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies, the West Vancouver native had 38 points in 53 games which put him in the top ten in scoring for a defenseman. he has a large frame, standing at 6’3″, and weighs over 200 pounds. He is a good skater and is deceptively shifty considering his stature.
Just like many of the Senators’ prospects before him, Stanley will be continuing his hockey journey at the NCAA level with Cornell University. He is the second-ever Sens draft pick to go to Cornell, Ottawa’s 7th rounder in 2005 Colin Greening also attended the prestigious university.
Matthew Andonovski (Kitchener Rangers – OHL) 5th Round 140th Overall
Ottawa must love drafting a defenseman from Kitchener because they did the same thing last year with Tomas Hamara. Matthew Andonovski was drafted a little later than his teammate, Hamara was selected in the third round.
Andonovski is 6’2″, weighs 200 pounds, a similar build to Stanley. That’s where similarities end, The Rangers defenseman doesn’t have the same offensive skill, only registering 16 points and no goals in the OHL this season. However, he is tough and uses his size to his advantage.
Owen Beckner (Salmon Arm Silverbacks – BCHL) 7th Round 204th Overall
No picks in the sixth round but several in the seventh. It seems there is a height requirement when it comes to Ottawa’s picks. Owen Beckner is another big body. He is 6’2″ but still has room to fill into his frame weighing in at 181 pounds.
The Silverbacks’ forward scored at a near point-per-game pace in the BCHL notching 50 in 53 games. Beckner, like Stanley will be playing the NCAA next year. The Sens seventh rounder committed to Colorado College.
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Vladimir Nikitin (Barys Astana U20 – Kazakhstan U20) 7th Round 207th Overall
The Senators opted to use their penultimate draft pick on goaltender Vladimir Nikitin of Barys Astana of the Kazakhstan U20 league. In 24 games, the netminder put up a .921 save percentage which was the 5th highest in the league.
Nikitin had an excellent showing at the D1A Under-18 tournament picking up shutouts in games against Hungary, Japan, and Ukraine. The young goalie is off to the BCHL next year to play for the Chilliwack Chiefs
Nicholas VanTassell (Green Bay Gamblers – USHL) 7th Round 215th Overall
Continuing the theme of tall players heading to the NCAA, Ottawa selected 6’4″ Nicholas VanTassell with their final 7th round selection. North American Central Scouting has VanTassell as their 164th ranked skater.
The native of Baskin Ridge, New Jersey tallied 37 points in 62 games with the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL and is heading to the University of Massachusetts next year.