Senators 2020 Draft Review

Heading into the 2020 EHE entry draft, The Ottawa Senators held a total of 9 selections (#31,#33,#34,#35,#62,#71,#121,#138). 

The Sens had several players they coveted at the back of the 1st round and early 2nd. The plan was to explore all options but there was a great deal of excitement about player they would get at #5, and the players expected to be avialable at picks #31,#33,#34,and #35.

Well, things change.

The Senators didn't consider moving #5, where they went to their back yard and took Ottawa 67’s Center Marco Rossi. The Sens then traded picks #31 and #35 for #13 where they would go to their backyard yet again by taking scoring winger Jack Quinn. Quinn was a player Sens GM Cole Bates reportedly had inside his top 10.

Bates started working the lines again when Hendrix Lapierre was avilable late into the teens. Ottawa would move picks #34, and #62 for pick #19 in order to land Lapierre (a player they had ranked higher than most at 13). As a result, The Senators made 3 1st round selections.

Ottawa was not done yet. As expected, a handful of players ranked in The Sens 1st round were still avaiable in the early 2nd. Ottawa was able to snag Jacob Perreault with their orginal 2nd at #33, only to move up again at pick #39 where they took Russian Forward Yegor Chinakhov (ranked in the Sens top 25).

Who would Ottawa have selected if they had kept selections 31,33,34,& 35? Well given what was available, their actual 33rd overall selection Jacob Perreault would have gone at 31). Sources say Ottawa would have gone with some combination of Perreault, Chinakhov, Maccelli, Jarventie, or Brisson. 

The Sens reportedly declined an offer heavily considered, which would have sent Jared McCan out  of town to acquire an additional pick, where he would have taken Macceli. Time will tell if Maccelli makes Bates regret that choice by how much he can ultimately meet his long term upside.

The key theme of Ottawa’s 2020 draft are the 5 high-flying forwards taken inside the top 40. Rossi, Quinn, Lapierre, Perreault, and Chinakhov are all talented forwards with top 6 upside. As a whole, Ottawa made 3 picks in the top 20, and 5 picks in the top 40, and 8 picks in total (5,13,19,33,39,121,138,155).

Bates: "We really did our homework on the guys we took."

#5 - Marco Rossi - C

Marco Rossi’s 2.14 PPG (39 G, 81 A, 120 P 56GP) in his U19 draft-eligible season OHL season ranks 4th all-time over the last 15 years. Ahead of names like Mitch Marner, and John Tavares, behind names like Connor McDavid, and Patrick Kane. Rossi's 2.14 PPG over a full 68 game season (12 more games) had him on pace to finish with 47 G, 98 A, 145 P. That total would have tied Patrick Kane’s 145 pt season for the highest total in over 15 years. 

Rossi is the first European born player to lead the OHL in scoring. He also ranked 1st in three Eastern Conference OHL Coaches poll categories (Smartest Player, Best Playmaker, Best Shootout Player), while receiving the 2nd-most votes for best Penalty Killer, and 3rd-most for best on Faceoffs. Perhaps just as impressive was his OHL-leading +69 rating, a testament to his refined 200 ft game. The Sens expect Rossi to be eligible for the 2021-2022 seasom.

Bates: "His Coach calls him a mix of Nico Hishier and Martin St.Louis. For me, offensively he has some Aho and Marchand in him. He has the same attributes that allow smaller centers like Brayden Point and Sebastian Aho to be successful in todays NHL."

#13 - Jack Quinn - RW - (How the pick was acquired - OTT#31+#35 - #13 NYR)

Quinn is a complete winger who can beat you in multiple ways. Quinn and notched 39 goals in his last 41 games, and his total of 52 goals were good for second in the entire OHL. The 6ft1 forward had a 40 goal jump in production from last season. The 67’s winger was voted the league’s most improved player as per the OHL Eastern Conference Coaches Poll. Quinn also finished 3rd in voting behind Nick Robertson and Arthur Kaliyev for both best shot, and most dangerous in the goal area. 

Quinn's 52 goals in his draft eligible season puts him in the company of OHL talents such as Patrick Kane (London Knights, 62 goals, 2007), Steven Stamkos (Sarnia Sting, 58 goals, 2008), John Tavares (London Knights, 58 goals, 2009), Jeff Skinner (Kitchener Rangers, 50 goals, 2010), Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters, 51 goals, 2016), and Arthur Kaliyev (Hamilton Bulldogs, 51 goals, 2019).

Head Coach of the Ottawa 67’s, and U20 Canadian Team Andre Tourigny on Quinn: “He’s a guy who will always play a lot because he does everything on the ice. He can skate, he can hit, he can get inside, he defends, he plays really well defensively, he can forecheck and backcheck. And he’s strong in his battles. For me he’s a first-line player in the NHL in the future.”

#19 - Hendrix Lapierre - C - (How the pick was acquired - OTT - #34 + #62 - #19 PIT)

The Dynamic playmaking Center dominated the U18 Hlinka Tournament with 11 points in 5 games. Lapierre was also just under a point per game in the Q as a 16/17 year old before running into injury issues. The Gatineau native insists that the injury turned out to be neck-related, and that he only actually suffered 1 recorded concussion. 

Bates: “The risk was worth the very high reward Hendrix presents given where we got him at 19. He was electric at the Hlinka; I felt he was the #1 play driver on the gold medal winning Canadian squad.”

“Hendrix Lapierre, our scouting staff feels has an opportunity to be a number one Center. He is a very intelligent player, very high-high hockey IQ.” Ross Mahoney (Long time NHL executive)

#33 - Jacob Perreault RW

The Son of Yannick Perreault is a highly skilled scoring winger who has a top 3 shot release combo in this draft. The Sarnia forward finished first in multiple categories at the CHL Top Prospects on ice testing combine. Including skating, puck carrying, and agility categories at the CHL on ice testing combine. The 18 year-old has 69 goals, 125 points in 120 career OHL games. This includes 30 goals as a 17 year old, and 39 this year in his draft eligible (shortened) season. 

Bates - “He has all the skill to be a high scoring top 6 winger. Has some developing to do before he turns pro but he can do things that can’t be taught. In a full season he would have been close to 50 goals on a weaker team in Sarnia. Confident he will progress and I’m looking forward to tracking his development.”

#39 - Yegor Chinakhov - RW - (How the pick was acquired - OTT- Hajek, $2.5 Mil, #71 -#39 NYR)

The most polarizing player in the 2020 draft due to the fact he seemingly came out of nowhere. This is a player that slipped through the cracks of the greater majority of mainstream rankings. Even The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy confessed that he had “never heard of Yegor Chinakhov”.

Chinakhov is an overage Russian forward who has appeared for the Russian national team on a handful occasions and dominated the MHL in the 2019-2020 season. Chinakhov has good all around skills combined with shiftiness and an elite level shot. Due to a late draft in lieu of the Covid pandemic, Chinakhov was able to skyrocket up rankings debuting for Omsk in the 2020-2021 season, where he scored 6 G,12 P, 19 GP.

Former NHL Head Coach Bob Hartley has even trusted Chinakhov with 20 plus minutes a night at times this season. Long time NHL executive and scout Jarmo Kekelainen calls Chinakhov a top 6 Forward. Chinakhov’s agent Shumi Babaev had some strong praise for his client - ““I think that he’s ready for the NHL,” Babaev said. “I’m 100 percent sure that he is the best young Russian player who can start to play in the NHL in April.”
 

#121 - John Ludvig - D

Defensemen scored 17 goals and 62 points in 60 games while playing top pair minutes and wearing the C for The WHL’s Portland Winterhawks. Ludvig plays a tough, mean, and nasty style but proved this year with a breakout season that he has some offensive upside to boot. Ludvig is slated to turn pro and will be eligible for the 2021-2022 EHE season where he is expected to play for Belleville.

Bates - “I like that Ludvig is turning pro and thought he was one of the best Defenders in the WHL this season. Seventeen goals is no slouch, he's also very efficient and tough to play against in his own end.”

#138 - Peter Diliberatore - 

Puck-moving Defender was one of the last 9 cuts for Canada’s 2020 Gold Medal winning WJC team. Diliberatore made huge strides in his sophmore season with Quinnipiac University of the NCAA, recording 21 points in 34 games as a 19 year old. Look for him to have a big year if the 2021 NCAA season goes through.

The smooth skating regard has been praised for his mobility and endurance. “He can play forever,” Quinnipiac Assistant Coach Bill Riga said. “He’s a guy that’s long and wiry but he never seems to get tired. He can play 25 or 30 minutes in a game and play them all at a high space. The first thing we ever saw was his feet and his skating and his ability to be mobile in all situations.”

Bates - “Best case scenario upside is a Nate Schmidt type, I do believe he does have a chance to be a top 4 guy.”

#155 - Daniel Ljungman - C

Swedish pivot scored 4 goals and 5 points in 5 games for Sweden at the Ivan Hlinka, and notched 12 goals and 17 points in 12 games in the J20 Nationell early this season before earning the nod to the SHL.  Ljungman also recently earned a spot on Sweden’s preliminary WJC roster where The Sens hope he can make the squad and maybe turn some heads if the tournament takes place. 

Bates - "Project player with some high end attributes who will take some time. I think there is sneaky upside."

In Conclusion

The Sens would like to thank the entire EHE for a great draft, and wish all teams the best of luck with their selections.

Cheers