With the Ottawa Senators flirting with having potentially two first-round draft picks at this summer’s NHL Entry Draft due to their lackluster play (I say flirting because they could trade one before then), many analysts have slotted in their preferred picks based on Central Scouting rankings. The Senators have a chance to draft a high-caliber (and potentially franchise-altering) talent that is inside the top 10, but what should they do with their follow-up pick later that round?
Who Should The Senators Keep Their Eyes On?
In my opinion, there are three players that the Senators should select that would slot in perfectly with this younger core group of individuals. It should be acknowledged that this is all speculation. These picks may be slightly “off-the-board”, however, there is no doubt in my mind that these players could slide into Ottawa’s roster for next season due to their ability to adapt to any situation throughout a season.
The pick being discussed today formerly belonged to the Boston Bruins. The pick also belonged to the Detroit Red Wings at one point as well before it was traded to the Senators back in July (along with Dominik Kubalik, Donovan Sebrango, and a 2024 fourth-round pick) for Alex DeBrincat. Add to that the plethora of stipulations included (which can be found here), it is tough to say where the Senators will be drafting precisely. Therefore, much of the following will depend heavily on whether or not the Bruins have (yet another) first-round exit or if they go all the way to the promised land.
Kicking things off is Tij Iginla. Son of NHL Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, he is currently playing in the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the Kelowna Rockets where he boasts a stat line of 36 goals and 28 assists for a total of 64 points in 50 games played this season. Respectable numbers for Iginla, as it shows he can contribute offensively and has a knack for creating plays. The Senators would benefit greatly from this offensive jolt.
Iginla isn’t afraid to drive hard to the net using powerful strides and physicality to generate net-front presence for his team both with and without the puck. Finally, he is defensively sound and can use this physicality to overpower his opponents and regain possession in the defensive zone. If (and it’s a big if) the Bruins fall in the first round once again, the Senators without a doubt should take advantage of this by selecting Iginla, that…
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