Dobson Calder Trophy, Plethora of Picks, Provide Glimmer of Hope
2023-08-31The mantra of patience is virtue grew stale amid an abysmal 2022-2023 season, which saw the Ottawa Senators finish with a record of 20-54-8 for a measly total of just 48 points.
Although the prospect and pick cupboards are stacked, its hard to see light at the end of the tunnel anytime soon in Ottawa. Senators faithful have nothing other than the upcoming 2023 Draft and the continued devleopment of their U25 core to cling to when seeking positives.
From performative standpoint, one silver lining was the outstanding rookie year put forth by minute munching defender Noah Dobson. Dobson was recently awared the Calder Memorial Trophy as the EHE's best rookie thanks to a statline of 14G-34A-48 PTS, while averaging 22:37 TOI per game. Dobson was also a focal point on both special teams units, eventually forcing his way into the role as the designated PP1 QB. He earned that role only half way into the season and still finished the year with an eye-popping total of 10 PPG. Dobson and his teammates spent most of the year hemmed into their own end, where defensively, he was no slouch either. The 23 year old stalwart earned a bevy of bruises throughout the campaign, concluding with an impressive total of 140 blocked shots. The right-shot Canadian born blueliner will be a focal point in leading Ottawa through it's rebuild.
With great adversity, comes great reward, and that sentiment couldn't be more true for Sens faithful when looking ahead to the 2023 EHE Entry Draft. To say it anything less than a pivotal draft for Ottawa would be a massive understatement. The Senators own a total of 7 selections, including the #2, #5, #8, and #12 picks, overall. The first half of the draft will be a busy one for Sens GM Bates, who is no stranger to moving and shaking on the draft floor. His club also owns three 2nd round picks, including picks #34, #36, and #64. Talk around town is that the phone and DM lines are open in Ottawa, which is the typical status quo; albeit even more tantilizing when considering the array of options and artillery the Sens have to play with.
When asked about potential draft day deals, Ottawa's GM left all possibilities on the table.
"We will consider all avenues, as always. I am comfortable with the pool of players available at each of the 7 slots. We know were going to get 7 guys we really like if we keep the picks. The one thing I will say, is that we will never pass on a player we ranked higher due to a more acute positional need. We're going to stick to the players we know best and feel the most excited about taking regardless of position. We will stick to our guns and draft with conviction. I wont be letting public consensus cloud what I feel with my gut and see with my eyes." Said Bates
In terms of the quality at the top of the 2023 class, Ottawa's GM couldn't be more excited.
"We targeted this draft almost 2 years ago when we traded for two additional 2023 1sts. It was no accident that we pursued 2023 1sts back even prior to the 2022 draft. We knew that the 2023 1st round picks would only get harder to acquire as the buzz and hype around this crop gained momentum. I liked our chances rolling the dice with 3 firsts coming into the year and it was exciting monitoring the in-season results of both Minnesota and Arizona. Even with having the best odds to land #1, we never went into it expecting that we would get the 1st overall pick." Explained Bates.
"To be picking in the slots were at, we're ecastitc. For me, there are 5 players in this class that all could of went #1 last season. There is a good chance we could get our #3 ranked guy at #5, and even then, the gap between players in the 2-5 range looks pretty thin at this time. After the presumptive top 5, We've got 3 guys at #6, #7, & #8 who we have so close, that we are happy just sitting at #8 to see who falls into our lap. Looking at the top 15, we prioritized using our picks to move up and were successful in acquiring pick #12. With that slot, again, we have 12 players were extremely high on, and we know one of them will be sitting there at our pick. In the end, we may even end up with 4 guys inside our top 10 if it shakes out how I anticipate." Added Bates.
When asked about the 3 picks Ottawa owns in the 2nd round, the Sens decision-maker didn't rule out using them to move into the 1st for a 5th 1st round selection, or even using them in conjuction with one of their current 1sts, to move up from any of their slots in the 1st round.
"Everything is on the table; all we can do is network around the league to determine any options we may have and assess from there. I see the picks at #34 & #36 as having 1st round value given that this is a strong crop. I think you could argue that pick #34 and #36 this year are probably similar in value to as a pick in the 22-26 range last year. There are a handful of prospects we have rated as 1st rounders who I am confident will be there at both 34 & 36, so were pretty excited to keep those picks too. Having the last pick of the 2nd round at #64 is a nice spot too, because at the conclusion of every round, there are always at least one or two guys who you can't believe are still on the board."
Make no mistake, the 2023 EHE Entry Draft will be instrumental in shaping the future of the Senators moving forward. Whether positive, or negative, the result remains to be seen and lies in the hands of Ottawa's scouting staff for now.
With that, best of luck to all EHE clubs and their GM's at the 2023 EHE Entry Draft!
Add in Fantilli, Smith, Dvorsky, and ASP....sheesh!
Dobson Calder Trophy, Plethora of Picks, Provide Glimmer of Hope
Noah Dobson wins EHE rookie of the year. Sens brass gearing up for pivotal draft with 4 picks in top 12.