While about one quarter of the teams in the league are continuing the quest for the elusive Stanley Cup, including the unlikeliest of runs currently happening in Vegas, about half of the NHL will be waiting with bated breath for Saturday night's draft lottery.

I have spent the last couple of weeks (is it me or has the off-season already seemed to drag on) looking back at the Senators' season that was, and that was a painful exercise.

Only a little less painful is the look ahead at what might become of the franchise should the chips not fall in a good way for the Senators. Obviously, the future of the team's top stars is in the balance, or at least their tenure with the franchise, but the next thing on the agenda is the draft and the potential to nab a franchise-type defenseman.

Still, while teams salivate over Rasmus Dahlin, the fact is that every team with a seat at the table has a greater than 80% chance of walking away disappointed. Yes, the top 5, where the Senators are guaranteed to pick, is pretty solid, but Dahlin is the prize.

Should the Senators not get that first overall pick, which would be their first since drafting Alex Daigle, Bryan Berard and Chris Phillips in an Oiler-like run of 3 first overall picks in 4 seasons, they should get one of the consensus top 4 players, which will be a building block.

But, even if they do luck out and get Dahlin, this team is still a work in progress and that one occurrence won't immediately alter the direction of the franchise but is a step in that right direction.

Pierre Dorion has a ton of work to do, and starting next week, once we know where the Senators will be picking and how that may affect his decision making, I will start to look ahead at what he may do, and what he should do, and also examine the factors that aren't in the control of the GM.

So enjoy your draft lottery viewing parties, and keep your fingers crossed. Somebody has to win, so maybe, just maybe the Senators worst season since that 1995-96 season that resulted in their drafting of Phillips, they can get their pick of the litter this time around once again.

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