Super Tuesday Ottawa Senators Style (Hopefully)

 At long last the NHL entry draft is getting underway on Tuesday. For the last 7 months the only way to talk about the Ottawa Senators would be by speculating about the team's plans for the future - whether that be by egging on a spirited campaign to bring back the 2D logo (which worked), or by forecasting what figures to be a franchise defining entry draft. A draft that could turn around the fortunes of the club or dig a deeper hole into the pits of despair. 

It's no secret that the Senators have been the laughing stock of the NHL ever since Chris Kunitz ended the team's bid for a second Stanley Cup appearance in double overtime of the Eastern Conference Finals back in 2017. The following year, the fanbase's hopes reached an all-time high after the acquisition of Matt Duchene signalled an all-in mindset from the front office. Unfortunately, when the team returned from a 2-game series in Sweden against Duchene's former Avalanche squad, the entire organization fell into a steep decline, the likes of which we may have never seen before in professional sports. To go from one goal shy of the Cup finals to the laughing stock of the entire NHL in less than a year's time was so staggering that it was almost impressive. Looking retrospectively at this time in the Sens history, it really was a house of cards that was one gust of wind away from collapsing. When you have a volatile owner that is willing to say whatever it takes to make headline news, it should have hardly been a surprise that he took the team's salary cap, turned it into poker chips, and pushed all of it to the centre of the table with a busted hand. 

Today, though, October 6th, 2020, breeds a new era of Ottawa Senators hockey. Although owned by the same clown, the product on the ice can overshadow all of that turmoil. At the end of the day, winning shuts everyone up. 

Let's talk about the man in charge of delivering two superstars to Ottawa:   Pierre Dorion. A man living out his dream of running a National Hockey League franchise, it has been tough sledding for Pierre for the majority of his tenure with Ottawa. In fairness to Dorion, it would be hard for anyone to not ingest some of that Melnyk stank when he has probably been breathing down his neck ever since he came to Ottawa. 

One thing about Pierre Dorion though that is hard to deny would be his keen eye for young talent. He has yet to show much ability to differentiate a Wiley vet from a washed up one, but the man can walk into any local rink and see the potential in any skater that has some. On a day like today, this is a skill that you want in your General Manager. For those of you who say it's hard to screw up 2 picks in the top 5, tell that to the fans who bought Brian Lee jerseys when the Sens chose him over Anze Kopitar. That is a type of gaff the team cannot afford this time around. A team starving for top-end talent, they need to hit a home run in the 1st round this year, because quite frankly if they don't, I'm not sure if this fragile fanbase can survive it. 

Now let's get to the meat on this bone: 

1. New York Rangers - Alex Lafreniere (LW)

There have been murmurs about the Sens packaging 3 and 5 along with a guy like Tkachuk for the Ranger's 1st pick. To me, this is complete and utter gibberish. When you had a chance if the balls fell the right way to end up with picks 1 and 2 in this very draft, packaging 2 top 5 picks along with an up and coming star you already have for the 1st pick would be insanity. Yes, Lafreniere should be a bonafide  superstar, but his ceiling is not so high that you couldn't imagine Byfield or Stutzle coming close to it as well. We aren't talking about a Connor McDavid here. We just aren't. 

2. Los Angeles Kings - Tim Stutzle (C/LW) 

It has always been a flip of the coin between Stutzle and Byfield at 2 and 3. To use a football term, last score wins as a comparison, it pretty much is a situation where the last mock draft you see prior to the draft will likely determine your opinion prior to the actual selections. Solely talking about measurables and skill sets, I really don't see a world where both aren't perennial all-stars. If they both stay healthy, it really does seem to be a win/win. For the most part, I have been under the impression that the Kings were leaning Byfield. It's no secret that the Kings have loved their big-bodied centremen in the past, but from what I've read as of late it seems like, to my surprise, the Kings are starting to lean towards Timmy Stutzle at 2. 

3. Ottawa Senators - Quinton Byfield (C)

For me personally, it does not take much convincing to sell me on Quinton Byfield. His numbers in Junior may not jump off the page as you might expect, but he is younger than both Laffy and Timmy, and it's not like his numbers were anything to scoff at. When you close your eyes and picture the 6'4" Byfield on the ice with the also big-bodied Tkachuk and Chabot, that's a squad I certainly don't want to play in a 7 game series. No shot. 

4. Detroit Red Wings - Jamie Drysdale (D)

Detroit is in need of any help they can get. Regardless, it will just be a drop in the bucket of and full on rebuild. Drysdale, widely regarded as the best D-man in the draft, will be a good start for the Wings in building a solid foundation at the blue-line going forward. 

5. Ottawa Senators - Cole Perfetti (C/LW) 

This is where it gets a little bit hairy. I would be lying if I wasn't tempted to slot in Russian net-minder Askarov here at 5. For a team that is in search of their goalie of the future, a Russian tendy with the upside of Askarov certainly is a tough option to pass up on. I just don't think the risk/reward is quite worth it when you have a left-winger in Cole Perfetti who certainly projects as a top-line player sitting there for you. If Aksarov didn't live up to the hype, watching Perfetti put up 40 goals a year would be a tough pill to swallow. By taking Cole Perfetti, you hopefully have your 1st line of the future with Byfield, Tkachuk and Perfetti. 

As for what the Sens do with the 28th pick, I am not near informed enough to project that with any validity. You have plenty of outlets for that type of analysis if you so choose. 

Now I hand things over to Pierre Dorion. The man in charge of turning around the fortunes of an entire franchise and city in one night. No pressure, Pierre!