Nick Kypreos, formerly of Sportsnet, reported earlier this week that he’s been hearing rumblings that Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk wants the organization to select goaltender Yaroslav Askarov with the fifth overall pick:
Kypreos is hearing Melnyk wants Askarov at 5.
— Paul (@PaulGb_) September 30, 2020
"Has he been out scouting?" 😂 pic.twitter.com/fKsfW3FHtV
1) Nobody seems to have a clue what the Senators are going to do at fifth overall. Comments from GM Pierre Dorion have made clear that they’re likely to take either Quinton Byfield or Tim Stutzle at third overall, but the laundry list of names that have been linked to the fifth pick is a mile long. There really doesn’t appear to be a consensus.
2) The organization clearly isn’t comfortable with its current crop of goaltending prospects. Rumors over the last few weeks suggesting that Ottawa is looking at trading for a Matt Murray or a Joonas Korpisalo already made that clear; a report that the team is even considering Askarov so close to the top of the draft board just confirms it. My position on goaltending has been published here on many occasions: The need for a goaltender of the future right now doesn’t exist. This team is at least two seasons from being able to compete, and there is enough goaltending depth in the system to allow for a true analysis of the team’s positional strength there to be completed. Rushing to give up assets right now – whether via trade or the fifth overall pick – makes little sense.
3) Even if the Senators don’t pick Askarov at fifth overall – and this blogger really hopes that they don’t – the organization needs this report to be incorrect in more than that way. From my perspective, Eugene Melnyk, as owner, should not be involved in hockey operations decisions like the draft. Ownership’s job is to keep the boat afloat, while letting the Captain do the work driving it. A huge part of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s success over the last decade has been Jeff Vinik’s willingness to turn the keys over to Steve Yzerman and Julien BriseBois. Let the hockey operations people make the hockey operations decisions.
With only days until the picks are actually made, what are your thoughts on a potential Askarov selection at fifth overall? Do you believe Kypreos’ reporting that the owner is trying to push for a particular player? Let me know in the comments section.
As always, thanks for reading.