2020 Draft: Senators see three first-round picks as next step in rebuild

The 2020 NHL Draft will be held virtually on Oct. 6-7. The first round will be Oct. 6 (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVAS). Rounds 2-7 are Oct. 7 (11:30 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN1). NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects and other features. Today, a look at the Ottawa Senators, one of two NHL teams with three picks in the first round of the Draft. NHL.com's full draft coverage can be found here.

The Ottawa Senators identified having as many picks as possible in the 2020 NHL Draft as key to their rebuilding plan, and three first-round selections could accelerate that process.
"We did our homework, and in this plan of the rebuild we always felt that this 2020 draft would be one of the deepest that's come along in many years," Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said.
The Senators have the No. 3, No. 5 and No. 28 picks in the first round, four picks in the second round and 13 selections in all, which is quite a haul in what many scouts and NHL executives consider to be a strong draft.
"We always knew this would be one of the better drafts in the last 10-20 years and that's the reason why we stockpiled those picks," Dorion said. "We wanted to get ready for it. We feel that we're in a very good position. I think we're in a good position to help our rebuild, our long-term success, by stockpiling so many picks for this year's draft. We feel it's a very good, quality draft. We feel that in the top 15-20 you're going to get really good NHL players. In the top three rounds we feel you're going to get real solid NHL players too.
"We're excited about this draft and looking forward to when it happens to make all these selections."
In addition to its pick at No. 5, Ottawa has the San Jose Sharks' first choice, which it acquired in the trade for defenseman Erik Karlsson on Sept. 13, 2018. That pick moved up to No. 3 during the First Phase of the NHL Draft Lottery on June 26. The Senators are the first team since the New York Islanders in 2000 to have two choices in the top five.
"I think the biggest hurdle for all 31 teams is that there hasn't been a physical NHL Scouting Combine (due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus), where you get to test the players' physical strength, but all 31 teams face that challenge," Dorion said Wednesday. "It penalizes us a bit more because we have nine picks in the first three rounds, but it is the way the world is now. We understand it, respect it, and are going to do the best job with all the information we were able to gather."
Ottawa also has the Islanders' pick from the trade for forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau on Feb. 24.
Dorion said there also is a chance the Senators could use their bevy of draft picks in a trade.
"There's been lots of chatter," he said. "We're always looking at our offers. We want to make sure we follow a plan and that we don't take any shortcuts, so we have long-term success. At the same time, we have to make sure that when we bring our young players into the lineup that they're well surrounded. Whether that's through a trade or free agency, we will make sure to do that once the season starts."
The Senators weren't one of the 24 teams that competed in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers. They went 25-34-12 (.437 points percentage) and finished 15th of 16 teams in the Eastern Conference. Ottawa has failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past three seasons.
They averaged 2.68 goals per game during the regular season, tied for 24th in the NHL with the New Jersey Devils, and were 30th in goals-against per game at 3.35. Ottawa was last on the power play (14.2 percent) and tied for 28th with the Nashville Predators on the penalty kill (76.1 percent).
"You need special players if you want to knock all these teams off, and I think we're going to get one, if not two, of those guys (in the draft)," Senators coach D.J. Smith said. "I think we've got a couple of them on our team already, and in time we're going to be a tough team to beat."
There have been positives, such as the play of forward Brady Tkachuk, the No. 4 pick of the 2018 NHL Draft, who scored 21 goals and 44 points in 71 games in his second NHL season. Forward Connor Brown scored an NHL career-high 43 points (16 goals, 27 assists) in 71 games, and forward Anthony Duclair set a personal NHL high with 23 goals and was selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game for the first time. Defenseman Thomas Chabot scored 39 points (six goals, 33 assists) led the NHL with an average ice time of 26:00 in 71 games.
The Senators also might have reinforcements in the lineup next season. Defenseman prospect
Erik Brannstrom
and forward prospects
Josh Norris
and
Alex Formenton
could become NHL regulars.
Norris, acquired as part of the trade with the Sharks for Karlsson, was named winner of the Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial Award as the American Hockey League rookie of the year after finishing tied for third among all AHL players with 61 points (31 goals, 30 assists) in 56 games for Belleville.
Brannstrom, acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights as part of the trade for forward Mark Stone on Feb. 25, 2019, made his NHL debut Oct. 2 and had four assists in 31 games and 23 points (three goals, 20 assists) in 27 AHL games. Formenton, a second-round pick (No. 47) in the 2017 NHL Draft, was third on Belleville with 53 points (27 goals, 26 assists) in 61 games this season. He's scored one goal in 10 games with the Senators in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
Dorion said the goal is to keep taking positive steps each season and is expecting good things in 2020-21.
"The plan that (Senators owner) Eugene Melnyk and me put in place in February 2018 ... we're on the right path and we're on schedule with bringing a lot of success down the road," Dorion said. "We want to keep growing, want to still be a very competitive team and we've got to start moving up in the standings."
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