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Kraken Expansion Draft - Ottawa Senators |
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Good afternoon and a happy Monday to the TentaClan.
Let's get things started right today with a look at the Ottawa Senators and their protection list. Joining me today is reader MarkStoned. Let's see what they have provided.
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OTTAWA SENATORS PROTECTION LIST
FORWARDS
Evgeni Dadonov - RW
Colin White - RW
Connor Brown - LW
Brady TKachuk - LW
Logan Brown - C
Drake Batherson - C
Vitaly Abramov - LW
DEFENSE
Thomas Chabot
Christian Wolanin
Joshua Brown
GOALIE
Marcus Hogberg
The Ottawa Senators have an easier time than most in the expansion draft. Most players worth protecting have either been marinating in the AHL or are locks on the roster. This is our protection list.
Brady - There's not much to say here. 4th overall pick. Jumped right into the NHL despite pundits opinions. Zadina(Det) was supposed to be the pick according to all of us. We were wrong. Lord were we wrong. He drives play. He finishes checks. He scores goals. He is the embodiment of what senators hockey is going to be for the next decade. We're protecting this guy. Nough' said.
Chabot - If anyone is going to argue Tkachuks importance to the team, this is their only scapegoat. Already a top 20 d man in the league. Smooth. Slick. Pp quarterback. His usage has deflated his peripheral stats a little bit but only because he's our only guy at the moment. Lovely to watch. Well spoken. Plays with an edge. And getting better. This is our incumbent to EK65. Is he Karlsson?... No. EK is an all time great. But Chabot.... He may be our defensive pivot that leads us to the grail.
Drake Batherson - This description will mean more to Sens fans. Hoffman. Stone. Two players we drafted late, sat on, and they became Allstars. This kid.. he's good. Fast. Dominates at every level. Screams top line winger. This year.. he shows it. 45+ points. Drives play. 20 goals and he's not even getting started.
Logan Brown - Here's where there's some argument. We drafted this kid high. We traded up to draft a project... Why? He's 6 foot 6. Why else? He has talent. This is a guy who has potentially the most skills out of all our prospects including Stutz(our third overall pick this year).
Period. His compete level is in question. His durability is in question. This year? He plays most of his games at the NHL level while showing some elite playmaking skills. 40+ points on his way to pushing Tierney down the depth chart.
White - He had a rough year due to injuries and no Mark Stone. That contract means we like him. He may only be a third line center on a championship team but he's going to be a damn good one. I expect him to bounce back this year. We need him to bounce back.
Abramov - People forget this slick Russian gem that we stole from Columbus. He's small but he's got a pile of skill. He could be he second best hope next to Batherson for a sniper on the wing this team has. Count on him to dominate the AHL again and to impress in his call ups this year.
Connor Brown - He was a cap dump for the Leafs. He was a top line winger for the Senators. While I don't think he's a top line winger league wide I do believe he is an extremely capable middle six winger who plays the game the right way. He can play anywhere in your line up and be effective. Excellent two way player. Good in every zone. Probably doesn't get enough credit for how effective he is. Likely the best of the Kapanen, Johnson, Brown cap dumps the Leafs had to do and quite possibly should've been the last to go if at all. We want to keep him. So we will.
Wolanin - Nobody outside of sens fans know the kid. I'm not sure he's eligible due to missing most of last season due to injuries. Actually projects as a top four puck moving d man despite no hype. But he's the third d man on our list. All of our protected dmen play the left side, which is a bit of a problem that will hopefully be answered by Lassi Thompson and bernard-docker.
Dadonov - A legitimate top line winger. Still can't believe he came to us. We're going to need him to insulate the prospects until his contract runs out.
Hoberg/Murray - I'm going to cheat here. Everyone knows Matt Murray. No one knows Marcus Hoberg. But Marcus Hoberg actually impressed in the NHL this year... Murray did not.
The contract we gave Murray suggests we want him for a long time. If he stumbles again... I can see the Senators leaving him up for grabs if it means getting rid of the contract. Him playing poorly and exposed likely leaves both on the Senators because of his contract and that may be the best route.
I actually believe Hoberg outplays Murray this year. So that leaves Murray exposed.
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Thanks for the list! A quick editors note. Originally Erik Brannstrom was selected to protect on defense but he is exempt. I stepped in and added Joshua Brown on defense to fill the last spot.
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Here are some interesting options that may be exposed for Seattle.
Chris Tierney - Capable forward who can play both centre and on the wing. Has produced above a .5 ppg pace in Ottawa and is only 26 years old.
Rudolfs Balcers - 23 year old who has had a hard time adjusting to the NHL game. Has produced exceptionally at the AHL level with 36 points in 33 games last season. Will be a player to watch this season.
Matt Murray - Ottawa paid the netminder well and he will be looking to bounce back after a rough recent go in Pittsburgh. This is a Stanely Cup winning goaltender who is only 26 years old and if he bounces back it may make me think twice about adding one of my other goalie choices.
SEATTLE SELECTS.....
Chris Tierney
At 26 Tierney would fit in perfectly with a young expansion team. The forward has shown he can still produce at a strong level with a less than ideal forward group that Ottawa has iced up to this point. Tierney would certainly receive top six ice-time in Seattle and while I will currently place him on the wing, he could move to centre as needed.
LINEUP
Bailey-Henrique-Hornqvist
Tierney - Strome-Kunin
Compher-Bennett-Merkley
Lizotte-Nielsen- Stenlund
Klefbom-Dumba
Zadorov-Miller
Bean-Lauzon
x - Fleury
Khudobin
Hill
Seattle Kraken Blogger • 
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