They love competitive two-way forwards with intangibles (Lazar, White, Bowers, Pinto, Greig), even if they don't have high-end skill.
The Sens staff has historically valued late-risers and late-bloomers very highly. Also it's very rare we take major fallers in any round.
Late risers which will be hard to pinpoint this year.
Trent Mann is the Man. Dorion will go with what he and his team say for 1.
NHL blood lines is one of the biggest consistent tells
List:
1. Over-agers
2. USNTDP players
3. North Dakota recruits (and college players in general)
4. Triple A players
5. Likes pests and players who are described as competitive/aggressive/etc..
6. Young draftees
7. NHL Bloodlines
8. No fallers
9. Late risers are good.
10. Likes size, especially among defensemen.
11. Likes "two-way" centers/forwards
If we end up in the top2, I think they'll like all three of these guys:
1. Owen Power: USNTDP. Good size. College player. Highly ranked. I don't think we'd drop down to select someone else over him like Berniers or Hughes if he's available.
2. Matthew Berniers: USNTDP. Good size. College player. Considered a "Two way player". Noted for physicality. We might have him as our highest ranked forward.
3. Luke Hughes: One of the youngest draftees. USNTDP. Good size. NHL Bloodlines (kinda) College player. He checks a lot of boxes, if he somehow slides and we're drafting 8th-10th, Dorion will be all over him and might even trade up a bit to grab him.
If we draft 7-10, I think they'll still like all three of these guys if all the above guys are gone:
4. Cole Sillinger: NHL Bloodlines. USNTDP.
(Not considered especially good defensively and played USHL last year which we don't typically draft from)
5. Dylan Guenther: Good size for a wing. Played AAA. One of the younger prospects. bit of a "riser". Probably gone by the time we pick though. I have a hard time seeing him falling this far.
6. Kent Johnson: Former Triple A. American College. Late riser. "two way forward". Good size.
Other:
7. Corson Ceulemans: Triple A. Big. One of the youngest draftees. Good Size
(Not considered aggressive or a two-way player though. Ranked in the teens and sometimes in the twenties. It would be a reach. We COULD trade down, but I doubt it. If he falls, we could, conceivably trade our seconds for a late 1st and grab him.)
After that it becomes a lot more difficult for our 2nd and 3rd rounders:
Tyler Boucher: Ranked in the top of the 2nd round, right where our second round picks will be. Has NHL bloodlines and is considered physical if not necessarily a good two-way player. Good size. Unless someone takes him in the 1st, I think Piere is all over this kid like a dirty shirt. Might even give up a 7th to move up a few spots to make sure we get him.
Josh Doan: NHL bloodline. Overager. Had a terrible season in the USHL last year in his draft season (14 points) and turned things around (he put up 70 points this year!) Apparently he has some real energy. Good size too. Could conceivably be drafted in the 2nd or 3rd. Might jump on him with our early 3rd. He just turned 19 and will be going to college. Someone will jump on him if only because he was able to play a full season.
Coming out of the USHL which we don't typically draft from.
Jackson Blake: NHL Bloodline. Going to UND. One of the younger draftees. Some scouting reports praised his two-way play. Probably a late 3rd or 4th, or 5th rounder, but we might pounce on him with an early 3rd
Coming out of the USHL which we don't typically draft from and described as more of cerebral/sniper player than a aggressive or physical one.
Brent Johnson: North Dakota's new defenseman. Ranked in low 2nd and late 3rd rounds. Younger side. Might jump on him with our early 3rd.
Coming out of the USHL which we don't typically draft from.
James Hardie: Overager and ranked player from 2020 that went undrafted despite a good season. Size issues. But a lot of OHL didn't play this year so scouts might consider him "safer" than a lot of 2021 players.
Ethan Cardwell. Overager from CHL. Went undrafted but was one of the younger players from 2020 draft. Couldn't play OHL this year so went overseas. Again, scouts might consider him "safer" than a lot of 2021 players who didn't play at all.
Zakhar Bardakov: Apparently he plays like an absolute dickhead. Leads KHL in PIMs I read somewhere. Don't know much about him. Double overager from the KHL. Played on the WJC-20 team in a bottom-6 role. Could come over and see what he can do in the AHL.
Shane Lachance: Scott LaChance's kid. 6'4 good. Size. One of the younger draftees. Rated as a 5th-7th rounder. A bit of a riser after he wasn't highly scouted. Dorion might take a flyer on him.
Ryan St. Louis: USNTDP. Martin St. Louis' son. Bigger than his dad at least, 5'10. On the younger side. Rated as a 5th-7th rounder. Someone will take him.