Now that the 2026 NHL Draft has come and gone, the Ottawa Senators have certainly left fans and pundits talking. The Senators made eight selections in this year's draft: two in the first round with Jonas Lagerberg-Hoen and Jaxon Cover; three in the third round with Adam Nemec, Oscar Holmertz, and Louis-Félix Bourque; one in the fourth round with goaltender Elliot Lennon; Harris Pangretitsch in the fifth round; and Alexander Grunin in the sixth.
This draft represented a completely different philosophy for Ottawa than in previous years. In the past, the Senators often prioritized size and projectable traits. However, in 2026, it was clear the organization drafted for upside, and that didn't go unnoticed.
The general consensus surrounding Ottawa's first-round selections was that they chose two players with tremendous upside who could be considered reaches but for good reason. Lagerberg-Hoen's selection comes with some risk, as he missed the entire season due to injury, but he also possesses potentially game-breaking upside, highlighted by one of the most impressive shots scouts have seen. Had Lagerberg-Hoen been healthy this season, his combination of skill, energy, and elite shot could have seen him selected much earlier in the draft.
This guy is actually gross lol #GoSensGo https://t.co/tJ2J0pV7oK
— The Senstennial (@senstennial) June 27, 2026
Cover brings relentless energy, excellent puck-handling ability, and strong skating. He's still relatively raw, having only started playing organized hockey at age 13. Already reaching the NHL Draft just five years later is an impressive accomplishment, and with more time and coaching, he has the potential to develop into an excellent player.
The third round was also a strong one, with all three of the Senators' selections generally being ranked slightly higher than where they were ultimately drafted. Most notably, Adam Nemec (the brother of NHL defenceman Simon Nemec) has a well-rounded game that could translate seamlessly to the NHL. The Senators' final three selections also featured the size the organization has often valued in previous drafts, but each player also possesses the skill to complement that physicality.
Overall, the Senators had a very solid draft, prioritizing high-upside prospects and selecting several players whom some scouts had ranked significantly higher. I'd give Ottawa's 2026 draft a grade of B. What did other publications think?
The Athletic’s ranking had the Senators with a C
EliteProspects had the Senators with a B
TheScore ranked the Senators a B-
Bleacher Report had Ottawa with a B-
DailyFaceoff had Ottawa at a C-
A mixed bag of opinions which means only time will really tell when it comes to the overall consensus on this draft. This draft feels like C is too low of a grade considering the talent and skill that was selected and A is too high for the swings that were taken for some of the riskier selections. B feels like the perfect range and whether you're bullish or pessimistic can determine a plus, minus or an overall even rating.
For more coverage on the Senators picks follow the links below:
Add us as a preferred source on Google