At the 2020 NHL Draft, the Ottawa Senators struck gold in the first round. The Senators were able to draft Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson and Ridly Greig all in the first round.
All three players are reliable players and will be part of Ottawa's core for the future. One other player the Senators drafted in the second round in 2020 was Tyler Kleven 44th overall. Kleven raised his game during the 2024-25 season, and delivered well defensively in the 2025 playoffs.
In June, Kleven signed a two-year extension to remain a Senator. Kleven has turned into a solid player for a second-round selection, but the same can't be said for the other two players the Senators selected in the second round of the 2020 draft.
Senators drafted two busts in the second-round at 2020 draft
The Senators made three second-round selections at the 2020 draft with Kleven being one of the three selections. Roby Jarventie and Igor Sokolov were the two other second-round selections the Senators made, and both ended up being busts.
Jarventie was taken with the 33rd overall pick in the 2020 draft. The Senators had high hopes for the Finnish winger, but he's only recorded just one assist in seven NHL games in his career, which all occurred during the 2023-24 season.
In the 2024-25 season, Jarventie played in just two AHL games for the Bakersfield Condors, where he recorded zero points. At 22 years old, Jarventie's hockey career hasn't lived up for being a second-round draft pick.
The same can be for Sokolov at 25 years old. The Senators drafted Sokolov late in the second-round in the 2020 draft with the 61st overall selection.
Since being drafted, Sokolov has only recorded two points in 13 NHL games. Sokolov last played an NHL game on April 13, 2023. After spending the entire 2023-24 season in the AHL with the Belleville Senators, the Russian winger had a fresh start with the then Utah Hockey Club.
However, Sokolov spent the entire 2024-25 season with Utah's AHL affiliate, the Tuscon Roadrunners. Sokolov didn't get called up to the NHL despite recording 44 points. On July 1, 2025, Sokolov signed a contract to go back home to Russia where he will play in the KHL.
Both Jarvantie and Sokolov didn't quite live up to being a second-round pick. However, Kleven has panned out solid for being a second-round pick to not make the Senators' second-round selections of Jarventie and Sokolov in 2020 look worse.
Kleven will be a part of the Senators' core for more years to come with being 23 years old and a rising player. Kleven's defense will be something that can get better with a matter of time in the 2025-26 season.