Trevor Shackles: Senators Select RHD Lassi Thomson 19th Overall RHD Lassi Thomson taken by the Senators 19th overall

So... If they take kaliyev or brink what difference does it make that they took this guy at 19? senators probably knew the guy would be gone by the next pick they had...

An asset is a negotiable commodity. Sens are becoming asset rich in good puck handling DMen. Hard to imagine all these prospects playing together on the Sens blue line (Chabot, Brannstrom, Bernard-Docker, Thomson).

Dorion sounded very transparent in his interview. He expects good trade offers for the 1st pick in round 2.

I think Dorion is already leaning towards doing a deal for that pick. Perhaps, he merely wants to improve on his return

Earlier this year Melnyk was taking shots at the Maple Leafs rebuild for failing to draft defencemen... Is it possible that he has been telling Dorion to pick RHD?

As for Lassi Thomson, I'm fine with the pick as there was no one selected after him that I was really excited about. If he can be a top 4 defenceman, then it's a great pick...

I thought Dorion sounded very confident he would be fielding calls for pick 32.

What is he looking for do you think ? More picks or a roster player ?

How likely do you guys think it is that he does move the 32? Some good talent still on the board !

I thought Dorion sounded very confident he would be fielding calls for pick 32.

What is he looking for do you think ? More picks or a roster player ?

How likely do you guys think it is that he does move the 32? Some good talent still on the board

Yeah he all but said he was getting offers. Honestly, unless the offer really blows them away, I'd rather just keep it. Team needs more quality rather than quantity.

Yeah he all but said he was getting offers. Honestly, unless the offer really blows them away, I'd rather just keep it. Team needs more quality rather than quantity.
- david22

So if it does get moved you would be holing for something pretty ready to if not already in the nhl ?

Yeah he all but said he was getting offers. Honestly, unless the offer really blows them away, I'd rather just keep it. Team needs more quality rather than quantity.
- david22

Raphael Lavoie?

Well, this one was definitely a surprise. I wanted them to pick a RW or a RHD with this pick, and having Brink and Lavoie on the board I was hoping they would go with one of those guys. Thomson seems like he has solid T4 potential and was probably the next best RHD after Seider and Soderstrom.

Considering Brink AND Lavoie are on the board again at 32, this is really a no brainer for PD. We're thin on the RW and either one of these guys would slot in nicely behind Batherson moving forward.

Would also like to see them target Nathan Lagere in the later picks, maybe even 44

Hoping PD knocks this one out of the park and hey, maybe we finally see some trades!

Dorion appears to have made a good strategic move. He took Thomson before some forecasters predicted he would go and, yet, guys projected at 19 are still available at 32.

Wonder if Seider may have been their orignal target?

Dorion appears to have made a good strategic move. He took Thomson before some forecasters predicted he would go and, yet, guys projected at 19 are still available at 32.

Wonder if Seider may have been their orignal target?
- spatso

A good point mentioned above as well. It may all come out as a wash because he was sure Lassi wouldn't be available by 32.

Now, go get Kalieyv or Lavoie.

So if it does get moved you would be holing for something pretty ready to if not already in the nhl ?
- Devilish4

Honestly, I'm not really sure. Can't think of what would be available that would be worth it to Ottawa/who ever they trade with.

This pick looks even better now if they can grab Brink, Kaliyev, or Lavoie. That way they get the guy they wanted plus a high end forward that was project in the teens. I will say I am more hesitant on Kaliyev though. What do teams know about him that cause him to drop from a project 10-15 range into the second round

Honestly, I'm not really sure. Can't think of what would be available that would be worth it to Ottawa/who ever they trade with.
- david22

Would Jesse Puljujarvi do it for you? I wonder if the sens could get that for the 32nd

Trevor, in the mock-draft you had the Senators drafting Brink at #19... that should tell you a little bit about how relevant the various interpretations of draft rankings were outside of the top-10.

RHD are in very high-demand, and the Senators' RHD situation is objectively the worst gap on their roster. Even if Thomson wasn't clearly the BPA, they addressed a major team need, were likely quite right that he wouldn't have been available at #32, and that several quality forwards would still be on the board. And as it turns out, they not only got their RHD, but also have their choice of Brink, Lavoie, and Kaliyev.

Well played... by a team that rarely plays it well.

Would Jesse Puljujarvi do it for you? I wonder if the sens could get that for the 32nd
- Code85

I think I'd pass on that. Don't trust him, and would rather draft a player.

I think I'd pass on that. Don't trust him, and would rather draft a player.
- david22

I think i’d take it, you get a player you know will play in the NHL vs a project. There is potential high end forwards left but Jessie is more of a sure thing then they are

Trevor, in the mock-draft you had the Senators drafting Brink at #19... that should tell you a little bit about how relevant the various interpretations of draft rankings were outside of the top-10.

RHD are in very high-demand, and the Senators' RHD situation is objectively the worst gap on their roster. Even if Thomson wasn't clearly the BPA, they addressed a major team need, were likely quite right that he wouldn't have been available at #32, and that several quality forwards would still be on the board. And as it turns out, they not only got their RHD, but also have their choice of Brink, Lavoie, and Kaliyev.

Well played... by a team that rarely plays it well.
- khawk

Well, it wasn't a mock draft in terms of me thinking Ottawa would take him, just that I would have taken him there. Some weird action in the 1st round with a lot of picks.

Well, it wasn't a mock draft in terms of me thinking Ottawa would take him, just that I would have taken him there. Some weird action in the 1st round with a lot of picks.
- Trevor Shackles

Not sure that it matters from what perspective you were doing the mock draft... the point is that "weird action" reflects the fact that there was a lot of arbitrary and varied rankings of players outside of the top-10 of the draft. But it's not like nobody thought of Thomson as a potential mid-late 1st round pick... NHL Central Scouting had Thomson ranked ahead all of Suzuki, Poulin, McMichael, Brink, Lavoie, and Pelletier. And the fact that 3 different teams made relatively bold moves to pick RHD in the first round last night indicates that certain positional needs defy the standard BPA logic, because they're really difficult to address otherwise.

This is why I've been rambling on and on about RHD for the past while... it's not a minor problem for the team to be weak at that position, and I'm glad that Dorion has used late 1st round picks in back-to-back drafts to begin to address this in both Jacob Bernard-Docker and Lassi Thomson.

No Kaliev...but a 6'8" goalie at 37! Bishop # 2 ? lol

O.K. Without sounding too alarmist, what on earth is PD and the limited number if support staff he has doing? Each pick was essentially off the board. I can see maybe one or 2 but never took BPA. It's a bit of a stretch to assume all other scouting teams and GMs missed what he didn't.
1st round pick drafted to position on a rebuild and another goalie? Ottawa needs another netminder like a fish needs a bicycle. Not exactly inspiring confidence in a fanbase that could use a little hope to go with the Circus. July 1st is looming and you have to be a bit concerned as to what he will do for an encore!

I agree with ktown's sentiment that it may not be the best strategy to go off the board for EVERY pic. Of all of our pics, Kastelic is the only one I can see being a surprise at the NHL level. I think that was a REALLY good pick at 125.

Thomson could surprise, time will tell. A good player, but a bit of a head-scratcher at 19. Maybe Dorion could have traded down a bit - which would have made up for losing the 83rd pick to move up to nab Søgaard. And Mads seems like a wild flip of the coin.

I'm very disappointed in both the Pinto and Lodin picks. If I'm wrong, I will very happily eat my words. I actually like Pinto, but definitely not at 32 considering the options that were still available.

We just selected Maxence Guenette. It's the seventh round, that's always a crap-shoot. So I don't have an opinion on that one.

Just my two cents.

Hold the free CAP. It will prove to be golden as teams head into training camp and even more precious at the trade deadline.

Pretty good job by Dorion in a meh draft.Lassi Thomson is exactly what we needed...a very solid RHD prospect.What i read and saw about him scream poise and talent.No chances he was available at 32th.Soogard is another very nice pick.The guy is freaking huge and ooze skills.He become pretty much our best goalie prospect.Remember that anderson is on verge to retiring and condon is crap.Nilsson is ok but not great for sure.Hogberg is far from being sureshot.Gus and D'accord still have long way to go.

Pinto is somewhat surprising but look like solid prospect who fit the mold for the rebuilding.He can score,his skating is pretty good,defensive game is up to par,he can hit hard and is workhorse.Kastelic is overager yes but other teams drafted overagers so im fine with that.He just scored 47 goals last year and is already well growned(6'4 and 213 pounds).

Only pick who is meh is lindo but who knows what can happen with him.