Prospect Info: 2018-2019 Senators prospect watch part II

[IlTerrifico]

Ottawa Senators players 23 years old or under:
Defense
Chabot
Jaros
Wolanin
Brannstrom
Lajoie
Bernard-Docker
Tychonick

Forward
White
Tkachuk
Batherson
Norris
Brown
Chlapik
Abramov
Davidsson
Duclair
Formenton
Crookshank

Goalie
Daccord
Gustavsson
Mandolese

Not all of those guys will work out, but many of them are far enough along that they look like good NHL players. Hope we hit a home run or two on our draft picks.

Problem with that defense is that outside of Jaros, there is no proven size & skill potential in there. Capitals, Vegas and others own the front of their net. Especially with Ceci there it is a turnstile to the promised land, and was really comical trying to do the left wing lock last year after Methot left and Boro was hurt, leaving Claesson and others standing in the tracking and being run over.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

I guess miracles can happen. But seriously, he is clearly not NHL material. I actually watch some BSens games. His stick skills are so bad he'll never be a NHL player. Also not a great skater, low IQ etc. He has no NHL qualities to his game. He is a bust. You can say he isn't but that won't change anything.

Englund? Yeah he’s essentially boro without the straight away speed that boro sometimes displays and without the willingness to punish people. He’s the worst d man down there I would say

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

I guess miracles can happen. But seriously, he is clearly not NHL material. I actually watch some BSens games. His stick skills are so bad he'll never be a NHL player. Also not a great skater, low IQ etc. He has no NHL qualities to his game. He is a bust. You can say he isn't but that won't change anything.

Englund is a decent stay at home D with strictly AHL upside.. He can't skate well enough for the NHL and he does not have the hands or puck skills.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

Problem with that defense is that outside of Jaros, there is no proven size & skill potential in there. Capitals, Vegas and others own the front of their net. Especially with Ceci there it is a turnstile to the promised land, and was really comical trying to do the left wing lock last year after Methot left and Boro was hurt, leaving Claesson and others standing in the tracking and being run over.

Chabot and Wolanin are both 6'02 - not gritty but they will both continue to fill out. They are all over 6'0 besides Brannstrom though. Caps D is not much bigger. We also should have a lot of size up front between Brown (6'6), Tkachuk (6'3), Formenton (6'2), Chlapik (6'2), Batherson (6'2), Norris (6'1), Paul (?) (6'4)... and I suspect we will add to that in the next few drafts.

Moritz Seider would be a good pick who addresses several of our needs - 17 yrs old, 6'4, 200lbs, RHD, 4th most productive U18 player in DEL history, behind Goc, Sturm and Hecht, most productive U19 D since Ehrhoff and 2nd of all time (reminder, he is only 17). I think he would be a nice addition, lets just hope he's available when we pick and that we've even sent scouts out to Germany

At least theres no other bad news in Sensland today, oh wait...

 

[Icelevel]

Englund is a decent stay at home D with strictly AHL upside.. He can't skate well enough for the NHL and he does not have the hands or puck skills.

Remember when he played in Ottawa?
He looked fine.
I’m talking stay at home Defense and clearing the front of the net. He’s too young to give up on.
I know it’s still a long shot just saying.....he has a chance.

 

[Grizz MacArthur]

My updated top 20 Sens prospects:
1 - D Erik Brannstrom
2 - RW Drake Batherson
3 - C Logan Brown
4 - C Josh Norris
5 - D Jacob Bernard-Docker
6 - LW Alex Formenton
7 - D Christian Wolanin
8 - D Christian Jaros
9 - LW Rudolfs Balcers
10 - G Filip Gustavsson
11 - LW Vitaly Abramov
12 - C Filip Chlapik
13 - RW Jonathan Davidsson
14 - G Marcus Hogberg
15 - D Jonny Tychonick
16 - G Joey Daccord
17 - D Maxime Lajoie
18 - LW Angus Crookshank
19 - C Jonathan Gruden
20 - C Parker Kelly

Thoughts?

 

[Do Make Say Think]

My updated top 20 Sens prospects:
1 - D Erik Brannstrom
2 - RW Drake Batherson
3 - C Logan Brown
4 - C Josh Norris
5 - D Jacob Bernard-Docker
6 - LW Alex Formenton
7 - D Christian Wolanin
8 - D Christian Jaros
9 - LW Rudolfs Balcers
10 - G Filip Gustavsson
11 - LW Vitaly Abramov
12 - C Filip Chlapik
13 - RW Jonathan Davidsson
14 - G Marcus Hogberg
15 - D Jonny Tychonick
16 - G Joey Daccord
17 - D Maxime Lajoie
18 - LW Angus Crookshank
19 - C Jonathan Gruden
20 - C Parker Kelly

Thoughts?

I think Formenton is too high, I don't see him as having the upside to be anything more than a very good third liner.

 

[Brannstorm]

My updated top 20 Sens prospects:
1 - D Erik Brannstrom
2 - RW Drake Batherson
3 - C Logan Brown
4 - C Josh Norris
5 - D Jacob Bernard-Docker
6 - LW Alex Formenton
7 - D Christian Wolanin
8 - D Christian Jaros
9 - LW Rudolfs Balcers
10 - G Filip Gustavsson
11 - LW Vitaly Abramov
12 - C Filip Chlapik
13 - RW Jonathan Davidsson
14 - G Marcus Hogberg
15 - D Jonny Tychonick
16 - G Joey Daccord
17 - D Maxime Lajoie
18 - LW Angus Crookshank
19 - C Jonathan Gruden
20 - C Parker Kelly

Thoughts?

So many good prospects, nice list.

I think Abramov might turn into a star if his frame holds up in the NHL. He put up 2 points per game in the Q and smaller players are becoming more common, especially as wingers.

Crookshank 9 goals, 22 points in 31 games as a rookie in NCAA (New Hampshire). I think he will quickly rise up our depth chart after the start of next season or at least by world junior camp.

 

[Alf Silfversson]

My updated top 20 Sens prospects:
1 - D Erik Brannstrom
2 - RW Drake Batherson
3 - C Logan Brown
4 - C Josh Norris
5 - D Jacob Bernard-Docker
6 - LW Alex Formenton
7 - D Christian Wolanin
8 - D Christian Jaros
9 - LW Rudolfs Balcers
10 - G Filip Gustavsson
11 - LW Vitaly Abramov
12 - C Filip Chlapik
13 - RW Jonathan Davidsson
14 - G Marcus Hogberg
15 - D Jonny Tychonick
16 - G Joey Daccord
17 - D Maxime Lajoie
18 - LW Angus Crookshank
19 - C Jonathan Gruden
20 - C Parker Kelly

Thoughts?

Lajoie is way too low.

Look at his numbers in the NHL this year compared to Chabot's last year (same age). Not THAT different. And Chabot got a whole lot more sheltered minutes than Lajoie.

Plus, you know, Chabot played significant minutes with EK last year among other NHL D-men. Lajoie had Ceci from start to end.

Lajoie is, IMO, a top 6-8 prospect for our team.

Other than that I really feel like, at this point, #4 through #12 are all a very tightly packed tier of players.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

Lajoie is way too low.

Look at his numbers in the NHL this year compared to Chabot's last year (same age). Not THAT different. And Chabot got a whole lot more sheltered minutes than Lajoie.

Plus, you know, Chabot played significant minutes with EK last year among other NHL D-men. Lajoie had Ceci from start to end.

Lajoie is, IMO, a top 6-8 prospect for our team.

Other than that I really feel like, at this point, #4 through #12 are all a very tightly packed tier of players.

Chabot got better and better as the year progressed though. Lajoie started hot and faded into nothing. Chabot is just far more dynamic and came from way way higher pedigree.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Lajoie is way too low.

Look at his numbers in the NHL this year compared to Chabot's last year (same age). Not THAT different. And Chabot got a whole lot more sheltered minutes than Lajoie.

Plus, you know, Chabot played significant minutes with EK last year among other NHL D-men. Lajoie had Ceci from start to end.

Lajoie is, IMO, a top 6-8 prospect for our team.

Other than that I really feel like, at this point, #4 through #12 are all a very tightly packed tier of players.

Chabot is a number 1 dman while Lajoie is a number 5 dman.

You can't just compare numbers between players and think they are in the same category.

 

[Daffy]

Ya I'm not high on Lajoie at all. He's just filler imo. Package him with a 2nd or something and try and get a right shot defenseman that's nhl ready.

 

[God Says No]

Remember when he played in Ottawa?
He looked fine.
I’m talking stay at home Defense and clearing the front of the net. He’s too young to give up on.
I know it’s still a long shot just saying.....he has a chance.

I'm with SOA. This guy is done. He's going back to SWE next year. He is a poor man's version of Boro. Which tells you all.

 

[Sensinitis]

Idk why ppl are underrating Lajoie so much... he easily has two way top-4D potential.

 

[solidprospect]

TSN hockey insider @PierreVLeBrun: "Brannstrom is going to be a stud defenceman" #Sens

 

[solidprospect]

Brannstrom on joining Sens organization, playing in Canadian market

Erik Brannstrom shares his reaction to being a member of the Ottawa Senators organization, discusses the attention he's garnering being in a Canadian market, how much of his game resembles Erik Karlsson and more.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/branns...ganization-playing-in-canadian-market~1621840

 

[Icelevel]

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/mann-o...hink-we-ve-got-something-special-here~1621841

 

[Daffy]

He seems calm, cool and collected.

 

[SpezDispenser]

Ya I'm not high on Lajoie at all. He's just filler imo. Package him with a 2nd or something and try and get a right shot defenseman that's nhl ready.

Absolutely. Probably take more than a 2nd with lajoie, but trade away. He's nothing special at all.

 

[Xspyrit]

Chabot, Harpur and White already graduated, I'm assuming Tkachuk and Jaros will too (Lajoie was sent down and looks like Jaros will finish the year in Ottawa)

1. Brannstrom
2. Batherson
3. Brown
-------
4. Bernard-Docker
5. Wolanin
6. Norris
-------
7. Abramov
8. Balcers
9. Chlapik
10. Formenton
-------
11. Davidsson
12. Daccord
13. Crookshank
14. Lajoie
15. Gustvasson
16. Tychonick
-------
17. Hogberg
18. Paul
19. Luchuk
20. Gruden/Klimchuk/Mandolese

Yeah, we have a ton of guys who may be NHLers, but we lack quality big time.

I know this post was before acquiring Brannstrom but I think those are definitely high quality pieces

Tkachuk-Brown-Batherson
Chabot-Brannstrom

Although it remains to be seen the level of impact they can have in the NHL, we'll definitely add a lot in the next 2 drafts (3 firsts, 5 seconds, 3 thirds) plus among all the other existing prospects, some could go boom like Stone and Hoffman did a few years ago (Abramov? Balcers? Chlapik? Crookshank?)

I think White, Wolanin, Norris and Crookshank will be better than people expect (maybe not as good as the first batch but a good 2nd tier)

The things I am the most skeptic/worried about is coaching staff (will need to pony up the $$$ at some point) and leadership/experience to show these youngsters the way. I'd be much more confident if the money would have been shown to Stone at least.

Trading for Duchene was obviously a mistake, I thought we paid too much at the time but I never expected it to backfire this badly.

You did? I might be the only one who think Turris, Bowers, a 1st and 3rd for a player of Duchene caliber is not that high... Maybe I don't have a big opinion on Bowers (I'd have him 16th or 17th in our current pool) and I also think signing Turris 6-7 years (starting at age 29) at like ~6.5 per would have been a mistake, even if I really liked the guy. I don't mind the 3rd and could live with the 1st if it was outside of the top-15.

Sure in hindsight it backfired but we know it's because ownership is not committed to winning.

But I have a question, what would you prefer to have?

Turris + Bowers + 3rd

or

Abramov + Davidsson (+ Duchene as a 118 games rental with a 0.91 PPG + also Hammond's 1 M$ salary dump)

In the end, it will be the first we are giving to Colorado vs the one we'll get from Columbus (plus maybe another 1st if Duchene extends there). But yeah, Dorion needs to hit a very big homerun with one of those (ala Chabot/Karlsson)

D'Accord will be able to leave university and become a free agent. Free will is a problem for the Sens. He probably won't sign here unless we clear out our goalie situation. He can probably be a starter in the AHL next year for a team who's shallow in the goalie prospect pool.

Anderson : 1 year left and will be 38 y/o
Condon : 1 year left and already a dead cost, doubt he ever plays another game for the Sens (unless they want to tank?), might just be bought out this summer
Nilsson : UFA, hard to say if he will be signed, maybe Hogberg will get the back-up role next year.
Gustavsson : only other prospect Daccord will fight with who has starter potential for now (Hogberg? Mandolese?)

It's a very good opportunity for Daccord.

 

[Alf Silfversson]

Chabot got better and better as the year progressed though. Lajoie started hot and faded into nothing. Chabot is just far more dynamic and came from way way higher pedigree.

That's true and I'm not saying that Lajoie will be as good as Chabot but he playedx tougher minutes at the same age and yes, he hit a wall but he played more than a dozen games very well as a #3 D. He'll be back next year and he'll be better.

Chabot is a number 1 dman while Lajoie is a number 5 dman.

You can't just compare numbers between players and think they are in the same category.

Numbers are the most objective way to compare them and Chabot is clearly better than Lajoie but no one knew before this year that Chabot was a sure fire #1. To peg Lajoie as only a #5 at age 21 is a little crazy. He has all the tools to be a 3-4 and a very good one.

 

[Evgeny Oliker]

Batherson has been called up finally. Hopefully for the long term...I'm sure its not fun being sent up and down all the time.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

Batherson has been called up finally. Hopefully for the long term...I'm sure its not fun being sent up and down all the time.

f***, he better not be. I wanna go to Belleville on Saturday night for the game.

 

[Daffy]

I keep seeing everyone ranking Gus above Hogberg. I'm not so sure anymore. Hogberg has been a beast. We might have something special in him.