Stutzle wasn’t my third-ranked prospect at any point this season, but he was in the conversation for most of it, so it’s hard to knock the choice. Most scouts believe he was the right choice for the Senators at No. 3. Do I have worries about his ability to slow the game down like his peers near the top of the draft, or to read the play like some of them, or to finish off the plays he so often starts? Sure. But he’s also the best skater in the draft, he’s going to be a dynamic transition threat, and his hands can keep up with his feet.
I have to be honest, though: I don’t love the Sanderson pick. I said it leading into the draft and I’ll say it again: The Senators had an opportunity to re-shape their first line with two forwards at the top of this draft. Brady Tkachuk and Drake Batherson are great pieces. So are Shane Pinto Josh Norris, Alex Formenton and the rest. But the difference between prospects like Perfetti and Rossi and those names is a heck of a lot wider than the one between Sanderson and what the Senators already have coming in Thomas Chabot, Erik Brannstrom, Lassi Thomson, and Jacob Bernard-Docker. Sanderson is a fabulous prospect and became my No. 2 D prospect in the draft by a decent margin as the year progressed. He defends a well as any player in the draft, he’s an excellent skater, especially in straight lines, he’s got the physical tools, he’s a late birthday, and his gaps are tight and calculated. All of those things should translate. But his offensive package inside the o-zone blue line does have some holes and if it doesn’t take giant leaps, the Senators could regret not taking one
Though Greig grew on me this summer, after a season of debating him with people who believed he was a first rounder when I didn’t, his ability to forecheck, win battles, and play a thorny style took on a little too much value in the evaluation of his game, which I believe tops out as a mQU/Qiddle-six checker with just enough talent to contribute. I saw some real flashes of more upside, but it just wasn’t there consistently enough for me. It feels like a safe pick for an organization that already has a ton of prospects who fit neatly into middle-of-the-roster competitions.
I think the Senators could regret their last two picks, even if they make it (which they both well could) because better players were taken after them.