Over the next few weeks leading up to the 2012 NHL Entry Draft on June 23rd in Pittsburgh, I'll be covering some of the potential first-round selections for the Ottawa Senators. After their first-round elimination at the hands of the New York Rangers, Ottawa was locked into the fifteenth-overall draft pick -- a beautiful landing spot for a playoff-caliber club.
Since Ottawa could essentially go in either direction be it forward or defenseman, I'll be touching on a variety of talented prospects expected to step towards the podium in the middle of the first-round.
Up first? Griffin Reinhart.
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Name: Griffin Reinhart
Team/League: Edmonton Oil Kings -- Western Hockey League
Position: Defenseman
Size: 6'4, 200 lbs.
Production: Joined by fellow talented blue liners Martin Gernat(Edmonton Oilers) and Mark Pysyk(Buffalo Sabres), Reinhart was responsible for the Edmonton Oil Kings 4.3 GPG average -- second only to the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Conference. In fifty-four games of action, Reinhart tallied 36 PTS (12G/24A) in just 54 GP, good for a 0.66 PPG average. However, it's Reinhart's overall two-way ability that's made him such a hot commodity among National Hockey League scouts. Reinhart's expectedly physical for a player of his stature, but can also get up and down the ice with ease, exhibiting the early signs of a player cut from Shea Weber's cloth.
Interesting Quote: Speaking of Shea Weber -- that's precisely who Griffin Reinhart models his game around. Said Reinhart to The Good Point:
“They want me to be a shutdown-type player with an offensive upside; responsible in my own end, but still occasionally jumping into the play and contributing offensively on the power play,” Reinhart said, while also mentioning he models his game around similar players in Shea Weber and Chris Pronger.
Trouble Areas: As mentioned previously, Reinhart is actually a pretty respectable skater for a player of his size at the WHL ranks. Still, he'll need to dial up the speed and agility should he succeed at the professional level. Admittedly, Reinhart's already targeted this as one area he'd like to improve in the coming off-season.
Why Ottawa?: The Senators are in moderate need of a high-profile defensive prospect, especially after the exodus of D David Rundblad via trade to Phoenix. With Jared Cowen and Erik Karlsson already logging NHL minutes, there isn't anything that's blowing you away in the prospect cupboard, and Bryan Murray would be wise to address such an issue in the first couple of rounds.
If Not Ottawa -- Where?: With so much upside and the natural size/skill that general managers crave, it's possible -- if not likely -- that Reinhart's off the board a bit earlier than fifteenth overall. A pair of teams in the 10-11 range, starting with the Tampa Bay Lightning and ending with the Washington Capitals. Tampa Bay's best D prospect is Mark Barberio; Washington's best D prospect is Dmitri Orlov, and he's graduating after a sixty-game campaign in his rookie season.
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