2021 Senators Draft Class Could Be Worst In Franchise History – Hockey Writers – Ottawa Senators

It's no secret that the Ottawa Senators had a bad draft in 2021. Analysts passed on the team's six picks, giving them the lowest grade of all teams with first-round picks. However, much of the criticism was directed at the selection of Tyler Boucher at No. 10 overall, who was considered a late first-round pick. Although the critics have fallen silent, two suspension-filled seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) have done little to change opinions. Boucher is now set to become a champion this season, and while fans are hoping a high pick will turn things around, it doesn't seem logical.

But the 2021 Draft class somehow got worse when the team announced in May 2023 that it had released three prospects from that draft. It wouldn't be surprising to see the organization cut ties with seventh-rounder Chandler Romeo or even fourth-round pick Carson Latimer, but it was concerning to see Ben Roger, a second-rounder, walk in free agency. Most would expect a player of his caliber to gain interest in league games, but that was not the case as he signed with Saint Mary's University of Canada's University Sports League (USports).

Three things can make for a bad draft: hitting high, failing to find late-game gems, and releasing too many draft picks. Every NHL team has had at least one bad draft and can blame it on one or sometimes two of those factors. However, the Senators' 2021 draft class looks set to hit all three. Two years may be a short time to assign a “franchise-worst” label, but compared to some of the organization's worst years yet, it's not unreasonable.

2016 – Senators Miss Their Top Pick

The Tampa Bay Lightning paid a heavy price for Tanner Jeannot at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, sending five picks to the Nashville Predators including a first-rounder, although they confirmed that the top-10 is protected. It seems like an understatement for one of the best teams in the NHL, but that's just how important those picks are.

So, when the Senators made the 11th pick in 2016, they were determined to make the most of it, drafting 6-foot-6 center Logan Brown. Described as “having all the tools” by scouts, he has been a highly coveted prospect and many rankings have him on the edge of the top 10. But injuries robbed him of most of the 2016-17 and 2018-19 seasons, especially there. he even gained a little momentum. He had all the makings of a top center like Kevin Hayes, but his lack of consistency, driven by injuries, cost him a spot on the Senators. After four seasons with the team, he was sent to St. Louis Blues to Zach Sanford; the Blues also cut ties with him ahead of the 2023-24 season.

Brown's inability to stay healthy during his prime formative years stunted his growth and prevented him from reaching his potential. Now 25, he is about to make his debut with a third NHL franchise, but will likely spend most of the season in the minors. His journey is eerily similar to that of Boucher, who lost significant development time to injury. While there is still hope for both players, they no longer have the benefit of the doubt given to many of the top picks in the draft.

Related: Senators Face 3 Urgent Questions As 2023-24 Season Begins

Despite missing out on their top pick, the Senators at least landed a couple of NHL players in the 2016 Draft, selecting Jonathan Dahlen in the second round and Max Lajoie in the fifth. Although Dahlen never played for Ottawa, he was a key piece in the Alex Burrows trade from the Vancouver Canucks less than a year after being drafted. He went on to score 22 points with the San Jose Sharks before returning home to Sweden. A fast-skating defenseman, Lajoie showed flashes early in his career before injuries slowed him down, leading to his trade to the Carolina Hurricanes in 2021-22. Not much, but better than the Sens did in 2021.

2014 – The Best of All

The Senators entered the 2014 NHL Draft without a first-round pick for just the second time in franchise history. For a team that just missed the playoffs, that's not a good sign, but Ottawa management didn't seem to care. The pick, scheduled to go 10th overall, was sent to the Anaheim Ducks along with youngster Jakob Silfverberg and former first-round pick Stefan Noesen for Bobby Ryan. It was a steep price, but it worked well in Ottawa. Ryan was selected to the All-Star team in 2014-15, and the Ducks selected Nick Ritchie, who was never the leading scorer he was expected to be.

That meant the Senators' first pick didn't come until No. 40, and they selected Swedish defenseman Andreas Englund. Although he wasn't ranked in the top 50, general manager Pierre Dorion reportedly liked his character and felt he could be a starter. Making his NHL debut in 2016-17, injuries limited him to just 33 games. He decided to sit out the entire 2020-21 season to recover, but that led to the Senators parting ways with him.

Although Englund didn't make the cut, he did better than other prospects selected that year. Miles Gendron, Shane Eiserman, and Kelly Summers were all released to become free agents after graduating from college. Francis Perron, a seventh-round pick, signed an entry-level contract after putting up 108 points in 62 games with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's (QMJHL) Rouyn-Noranda Huskies but didn't last long. He was included in a 10-piece trade for Erik Karlsson in 2018, then dealt again in 2019 to the Canucks before heading to try his luck in Europe.

It's never easy to get into the draft without a first-round pick, but back in 2010, the Senators were in a similar position and were able to get Marcus Sorensen in the fourth round and Mark Stone in the sixth. Capitalizing on the options you have is essential to the team's success. Ottawa made the playoffs twice in the four years following the 2010 Draft but has had the same number of playoff appearances in nine seasons since 2014. The one redeeming thing in this draft is that they at least took a few chances in a significant trade. it looks like they will set the team up for success in the future.

2002 – Not Much More

In 2002, the Senators were in a very different situation, having made the playoffs in six consecutive seasons. However, they ended up with the 16th overall pick, and took North American forward Jakub Klepis 16th overall. Although a native of Czechoslovakia, he made the trip to Portland to join the Western Hockey League's (WHL) Winterhawks where he put up 64 points and 111 penalty minutes in 70 games, showing strong playmaking skills, and a small streak. He returned to the Czech Republic for the next two seasons, at which time the Senators traded his rights to the Buffalo Sabers (2003), which then took him to the Washington Capitals the following year. He ended up playing 66 games with the Capitals from 2005-07 before returning to Europe in 2008, where he still plays.

The Senators grabbed another Euro-born forward with their second-round pick, snagging 47-year-old Alexei Kaigorodov, who is eligible for the second year. The humble Russian is ranked ninth among European skaters and was already playing in Russia's top hockey league, but the Senators had to wait five years before he came to North America. When he finally arrived, he was heralded as the team's best choice as a second-line center, but after just six games, he had one assist and averaged just over four minutes of ice time, so the team decided to send him to the American Hockey League (AHL). That was unacceptable to Kaigorodov, who refused to report and returned home, forcing the team to suspend him. He never returned to the NHL.

Only one of the six picks ever won a contract with the Senators, third rounder Arttu Luttinen. However, he didn't sign right away, waiting until 2006-07 to make his North American debut. In his rookie season with the Binghamton Senators, he scored 12 goals and 29 points in 74 games but was never called up to the NHL, so he returned to Finland the following season. Despite having eight picks in that draft, the Senators ended up empty-handed; Klepis was traded for Vaclav Varada, and Kaigorodov was traded for Mike Comrie, neither of whom could make much of an impact in their short time with the team.

2021 No Equivalent

The 2021 NHL draft will never go smoothly. Pandemic-related concerns have led many minor leagues to suspend operations for the 2020-21 season, making testing nearly impossible. But no party is struggling like the Senators. Not only was their first-round pick not considered first-round talent, but they've already cut the draft class in half with nothing in return, and the players left in the organization — Zach Ostapchuk and Oliver Johansson — don't. project to be more than serious role players.

Looking back at the Senators' worst draft classes in their 31-year history, it's painfully clear that none of them compare to 2021. The 2016 first-round pick was at least expected to go as far as he did, two picks. from 2014 they were used in a major trade, and in 2002, Ottawa at least got NHL games in its disappointing selection. While there's still time for things to turn around, it's far from clear that the 2021 draft is too bad for the Senators.