Michael Stuart: Dorion's Best Trade: Welcome to the Second Round!

What did this gibbons character do after leaving the Sens and isn't that a type of a monkey?

So far there are only four trolls voting for the Gibbons trade.

So far there are only four trolls voting for the Gibbons trade.
- HoweHatrick

You have to admire the dedication.

Been doing some armchair gm’ing to keep myself busy so I have a question for you sens fans.

If offered only draft picks what is the value of anders Nilsson with half his salary retained?

who's the winner? Pageau, Pageau, Pageau, Pageau!

to RedC21: Nilsson has been solid for us until he got injured...what about a 2nd round pick?

Article words from the Athletic on Sens:

The future is everything for the rebuilding Ottawa Senators.

And we’re not just talking about what could be a franchise-altering draft. Because even without potentially two of the best picks of this year’s draft, the Senators have one of the deeper prospect pools in the NHL.

Last month, Belleville coach Troy Mann spoke to The Athletic at length about the top AHL prospects. But that insight aside, it can still be hard to imagine what each player could be down the line.

To help paint a better picture, prospect guru Scott Wheeler picked out NHL comparables for 10 of the Senators’ best prospects from Belleville, the NCAA and overseas.

In searching for comparables, we focused on the traits the prospects possess. Of course, the players listed below will take different development paths from the NHLers with which we’ve made comparisons. So, we’ve also included projections for where these prospects could end up within the Senators organization.

There are several notable players not included on this list, such as Rudolfs Balcers, Filip Chlapik and Christian Wolanin. We also did not include goalies

Josh Norris, C, Belleville (AHL)
High-end comparable: Budget Sean Monahan
Low-end comparable: Tyler Bozak

Wheeler’s take: I’ve always been really high on Norris, but I’ve never really known why. He’s a plus-level skater, he plays with pace in tight spaces or under pressure, he can score, he’ll make a couple of plays to set up a teammate for a scoring chance each game, but there’s nothing all that spectacular about his game. He’s just a good hockey player. He’s someone who has learned to play an effective game shift-to-shift – someone who gets the most out of what he has and can be relied upon in all three zones. In that way, the Monahan and Bozak comparisons are appropriate. Norris isn’t ever going to put up 82 points like Monahan did a year ago but then again, I’m not sure Monahan ever will again either. Monahan is equal parts scorer and playmaker, but he’s never going to be the best player on his team at either trait. Bozak is that, too, just with downgraded skills that take Monahan from a 60ish-point player and make him a 35-40 point instead. I see Norris landing in btw

Salvian’s take: The Senators have compared Norris to Logan Couture for his two-way game and face-off prowess. In Belleville this season, Norris put up outstanding production (he led all rookies in goals and points), but he was also reliable defensively and played his way onto the penalty kill, which would put him in the Monahan camp as well. I recently went in-depth about Norris’s path to the NHL where Belleville coach Troy Mann told me Norris is the organization’s most NHL-ready centre. Mann projects Norris could be a second-line centre on a playoff-contending Senators team if he continues to improve at the rate he did this season. At worst, Norris would be a 3LC for Sens

Drake Batherson, RW, Belleville (AHL)
High-end comparable: Reilly Smith/Rickard Rakell

Wheeler’s take: I opted against using a low-end comparable with Batherson because I think his two closest comparables exist in the same tier of player and I’m not here to debate who the better of the two are. I’m also really confident in my projection for Batherson, so I’m fine sticking my neck out on this one to suggest he’s going to be Smith and Rakell’s level. There’s just something about how their play mimics one another. Smith and Rakell are strong on the puck and they can play with power, but they can also play a facilitating, finesse game. I see Batherson as a 50-60-point player who probably isn’t a top-two forward on a contending team, but might be the third-best forward. Smith and Rakell have made careers out of that tier just below your All-Stars.

Salvian’s take: Batherson is certainly one of the more offensively skilled players in the Senators’ prospect pool, and I believe the organization sees him as a top-six forward. As Scott mentioned, he has great playmaking and scoring ability, and had an immediate impact on the Senators’ power play when he was called up in January. For Batherson, and most skilled prospects, it’s a matter of translating that skill to the NHL. In Belleville, the organization focused on improving his stick skills, being stronger on the puck and being able to retrieve the puck. For a guy like Batherson, if he doesn’t have the puck at the NHL level, his skill won’t exactly be on display. So learning how to get and keep the puck will be key to being an offensive contributor. Batherson has nothing left to prove at the AHL level as highlighted by his first two seasons (116 points in 103 AHL games). If he can make the jump next season is entirely up to him.

Erik Brannstrom, LD, Belleville (AHL)
High-end comparable: Josh Morrissey
Low-end comparable: Michael Del Zotto

Wheeler’s take: Brannstrom’s defensive game will probably never reach the heights of Morrissey’s, but the rest of their games are eerily similar. They can make plays in all three zones to escape pressure, start a rush or walk the line. They rely on their feet and stick more than their physicality and length. They’ve always got their head up. And they’re, above all else, excellent stretch/outlet passers. Del Zotto feels like the perfect low-end outcome for Brannstrom, too. There are times when Brannstrom’s game doesn’t feel like it reflects its skill level. And I can’t think of a player who better exemplifies that than Del Zotto. He was a top prospect and his skill has kept him in the NHL for a nice career, like Brannstrom’s will, but he never really found that next gear on a consistent basis and he often leaves you wanting more.

Salvian’s take: When he made the team out of training camp, Brannstrom looked more like the Del Zotto comparison. He was playing timid and had only two assists in his first 23 games before being sent down to Belleville. The organization was more pleased with where his game was down the stretch in the AHL. His offensive skills were more on display, and he was almost a point-a-game player. The hope for Brannstrom as a finished NHL product would be a second-pair defenceman to play behind Thomas Chabot’s top pair. Having two offensively gifted defenders going over the boards back to back will be a nice competitive advantage for the Senators. And having each one quarterback his own power-play unit, too. It just might take another season to see that in full — he is only 20 years old after all.

Shane Pinto, C, University of North Dakota (NCAA)
High-end comparable: Sam Reinhart
Low-end comparable: Pavel Zacha

Wheeler’s take: Reinhart has always had a very unique look to him on the ice. He plays the game very upright, and his stride looks a little funky as a result. Pinto is one of the few players I’ve come across who, playing the same position and at the same height, has that same look to him. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, either. Reinhart’s a heck of a player. So is Pinto. And I think Pinto is a 50-something-point player at his ceiling, who might challenge for 60 depending on linemates, which is right where Reinhart is at this season. The worry is that Pinto never quite develops the offensive tools needed to get to Reinhart’s level offensively. If that doesn’t happen, Zacha’s role as a prototypical third-line centre with size, enough skill to contribute and a reliable game away from the puck (and on draws) fits.

Salvian’s take: Pinto has blown passed the expectations the organization and fans set for him when he was drafted. He led UND with 16 goals and was named the NCHC rookie of the year. He played on the second line at even strength, was on the power play and penalty kill, and he was one of the best centres in the face-off dot. In one interview, Dorion said Pinto could be a top-line centre, but he is probably around the same as Norris in that he could be a No. 2 or No. 3 guy up the middle. They play a two-way game with the ability to score. Now, this is the third centre on this list who projects around the same place. It’s safe to say that things could get pretty interesting for the Sens in the next year or two when it comes to their C prospects & how they develop.

Jacob Bernard-Docker, RD, UND (NCAA)
High-end comparable: Rasmus Andersson
Low-end comparable: Travis Hamonic

Wheeler’s take: Bernard-Docker is one of those players who is tricky to evaluate because he has the skill needed to run a college power play and play in offensive-zone situations at lower levels, but he’s probably not going to be that guy in the NHL. Andersson, given the kind of game he played in junior and the kind of game he has now begun to shapeshift into in the NHL, seems a natural fit. Some people would probably swap Andersson and Hamonic as the high-end and low-end comparables here, given the nice career Hamonic has had, but Andersson is just getting better. Both are smart, throwback types who can contribute at both ends at five-on-five and help out on special teams where needed.

Salvian’s take: I’d consider Bernard-Docker to be Ottawa’s blue-chip defender, at least in comparison to Chabot and Brannstrom. He was probably ready to step into a role on Belleville next season, but will be returning to UND for another season like most of his teammates, citing “unfinished business.” Dorion told TSN1200 that Bernard-Docker said he felt he could raise his game, but noted he “wasn’t afraid” to play at the AHL level. He also said, “a lot of good college players play three years and then step right into the NHL,” which could foreshadow their plans for Bernard-Docker. As for where he pairs up, I think that depends on whom the Senators have when he is ready. In the long run, he could be a second-pair RD who could add some balance to an offensive defenceman like Brannstrom. In that case, he would also add size (6-foot-1) to that pairing, which Brannstrom (5-foot-9) slightly lacks.

to RedC21: Nilsson has been solid for us until he got injured...what about a 2nd round pick?
- SensGatineau

I was thinking more of a 3rd and 4th, he has been very solid for the sens but based on past history I don’t think I would go as high as a 2nd for a guy thats at best a 1B goalie on a good team

Josh Norris, C, Belleville (AHL)
High-end comparable: Budget Sean Monahan
Low-end comparable: Tyler Bozak

Wheeler’s take: I’ve always been really high on Norris, but I’ve never really known why. He’s a plus-level skater, he plays with pace in tight spaces or under pressure, he can score, he’ll make a couple of plays to set up a teammate for a scoring chance each game, but there’s nothing all that spectacular about his game. He’s just a good hockey player. He’s someone who has learned to play an effective game shift-to-shift – someone who gets the most out of what he has and can be relied upon in all three zones. In that way, the Monahan and Bozak comparisons are appropriate. Norris isn’t ever going to put up 82 points like Monahan did a year ago but then again, I’m not sure Monahan ever will again either. Monahan is equal parts scorer and playmaker, but he’s never going to be the best player on his team at either trait. Bozak is that, too, just with downgraded skills that take Monahan from a 60ish-point player and make him a 35-40 point instead. I see Norris landing in btw

Salvian’s take: The Senators have compared Norris to Logan Couture for his two-way game and face-off prowess. In Belleville this season, Norris put up outstanding production (he led all rookies in goals and points), but he was also reliable defensively and played his way onto the penalty kill, which would put him in the Monahan camp as well. I recently went in-depth about Norris’s path to the NHL where Belleville coach Troy Mann told me Norris is the organization’s most NHL-ready centre. Mann projects Norris could be a second-line centre on a playoff-contending Senators team if he continues to improve at the rate he did this season. At worst, Norris would be a 3LC for Sens
- AlfieisKing

As a Calgary fan and a monahan fan I think the writers give him more credit than they should.

When he came into the league he was touted as a two-way player but that aspect had diminished to next to nothing as he developed.He really isn’t good defensively and doesn’t play the PK.

He is pretty well only good for scoring goals at this point and can be streaky there as well. Ultimately I think that at some point he stopped developing and just began relying on his chemistry with gaudreau to succeed.

I don’t know about Norris two way abilities, but I think he’s in a similar boat. Potentially a 50-60 point player but if he winds up playing with lafreniere or stutzle his game could get elevated into the 70 point tier like monahan if everything goes right with his development

Article words from the Athletic on Sens:

The future is everything for the rebuilding Ottawa Senators.

And we’re not just talking about what could be a franchise-altering draft. Because even without potentially two of the best picks of this year’s draft, the Senators have one of the deeper prospect pools in the NHL.

Last month, Belleville coach Troy Mann spoke to The Athletic at length about the top AHL prospects. But that insight aside, it can still be hard to imagine what each player could be down the line.

To help paint a better picture, prospect guru Scott Wheeler picked out NHL comparables for 10 of the Senators’ best prospects from Belleville, the NCAA and overseas.

In searching for comparables, we focused on the traits the prospects possess. Of course, the players listed below will take different development paths from the NHLers with which we’ve made comparisons. So, we’ve also included projections for where these prospects could end up within the Senators organization.

There are several notable players not included on this list, such as Rudolfs Balcers, Filip Chlapik and Christian Wolanin. We also did not include goalies
- AlfieisKing

Article words from the Athletic on Sens:

The future is everything for the rebuilding Ottawa Senators.

And we’re not just talking about what could be a franchise-altering draft. Because even without potentially two of the best picks of this year’s draft, the Senators have one of the deeper prospect pools in the NHL.

Last month, Belleville coach Troy Mann spoke to The Athletic at length about the top AHL prospects. But that insight aside, it can still be hard to imagine what each player could be down the line.

To help paint a better picture, prospect guru Scott Wheeler picked out NHL comparables for 10 of the Senators’ best prospects from Belleville, the NCAA and overseas.

In searching for comparables, we focused on the traits the prospects possess. Of course, the players listed below will take different development paths from the NHLers with which we’ve made comparisons. So, we’ve also included projections for where these prospects could end up within the Senators organization.

There are several notable players not included on this list, such as Rudolfs Balcers, Filip Chlapik and Christian Wolanin. We also did not include goalies
- AlfieisKing

Did they have anything to say about Brown & Formenton

Very interesting reading, thanks!

Did they have anything to say about Brown & Formenton
- granpa

I was wondering the same. I have never thought Formenton was the best Sens prospect but I did think he was the most likely to find regular ice team because of his potential to play a full 200' game. Lots of guys are great young skaters but they only go one way. Formenton goes both ways and he surely finds a place on the Sens 2nd or 3rd line and on the penalty kill.

Did they have anything to say about Brown & Formenton
- granpa

Logan Brown, C, Belleville (AHL)
High-end comparable: Kevin Hayes
Low-end comparable: Joe Colborne

Wheeler’s take: It can be hard to contextualize players as big as Brown because there just aren’t that many. But Hayes and Colborne seem like a pretty natural fit. Hayes has proven to be the peak for a forward their size, and they have similar puck skills, tendencies and playmaking approaches. He’s the kind of player the Senators were hoping for when they picked Brown 11th overall. And Colborne illustrates the risk associated with trying to tap into that skill at the NHL level. Colborne was a dominant junior and mid-level pro player in his own right, as well as a 16th overall pick. But it took him a little longer than everyone hoped it would to find his groove at the NHL level.

Salvian’s take: GM Pierre Dorion has been adamant that the Senators “don’t have a more talented centreman” in the organization than Brown. He certainly has the size, skill and vision to be a top centre in the NHL, but he’s likely not being penciled into the No.1 spot at this time. That role is probably coming at the draft. Now, if the Senators select an elite centre who is NHL ready, and Norris takes the No. 2 spot, then Brown could project to be a third-line centre, which is probably lower than initial scouting reports would have had him. But if the Senators could have a Hayes-like player as their third-line option, that is a very good “problem” to have.

Did they have anything to say about Brown & Formenton
- granpa

Alex Formenton, LW, Belleville (AHL)
Comparables: Carl Hagelin/Michael Grabner

Wheeler’s take: Formenton is the second of the 10 players I decided not to provide a low-end comparable because there are different points in Grabner’s career where he’s been the better of the two players and other points where Hagelin has. I’m also pretty comfortable projecting Formenton as that type of player. He’s never going to be the most talented player on his line or even the second. He’s not going to be a driver. But he’ll be the fastest player on his line, I suspect he’ll play multiple seasons of his career on all four lines, he’s going to create a lot of breakaways (and probably struggle to convert them as Grabner does) and he’ll be a penalty killer.

Salvian’s take: Early projections for Formenton were that he could be a third-line left winger who could score around 15 goals and play a solid two-way game. In his rookie season, Formenton showed he can play a shutdown role in his own zone and on the penalty kill, while also exceeding his offensive expectations with 27 goals and 53 points in 61 games. His output this season shows he has more weapons than initially expected, but I do think on a playoff contender, he would likely still play a third-line role, first penalty kill and maybe second power play. He will score goals at the NHL level, and his speed will be a game-changer on his line. He’s a reliable, all-around player, which leads me to think he could be a more talented version of Connor Brown or Jean-Gabriel Pageau.

Alex Formenton, LW, Belleville (AHL)
Comparables: Carl Hagelin/Michael Grabner

Wheeler’s take: Formenton is the second of the 10 players I decided not to provide a low-end comparable because there are different points in Grabner’s career where he’s been the better of the two players and other points where Hagelin has. I’m also pretty comfortable projecting Formenton as that type of player. He’s never going to be the most talented player on his line or even the second. He’s not going to be a driver. But he’ll be the fastest player on his line, I suspect he’ll play multiple seasons of his career on all four lines, he’s going to create a lot of breakaways (and probably struggle to convert them as Grabner does) and he’ll be a penalty killer.

Salvian’s take: Early projections for Formenton were that he could be a third-line left winger who could score around 15 goals and play a solid two-way game. In his rookie season, Formenton showed he can play a shutdown role in his own zone and on the penalty kill, while also exceeding his offensive expectations with 27 goals and 53 points in 61 games. His output this season shows he has more weapons than initially expected, but I do think on a playoff contender, he would likely still play a third-line role, first penalty kill and maybe second power play. He will score goals at the NHL level, and his speed will be a game-changer on his line. He’s a reliable, all-around player, which leads me to think he could be a more talented version of Connor Brown or Jean-Gabriel Pageau.
- AlfieisKing

Thanks!

My take on it is what these 2 journalists had to say should be taken with a pinch of salt. One reports on the prospect pools of the whole NHL (impossible to do) & the other has no credibility.

Very interesting reading, thanks!
- Barrykerr1

Np friend

Thanks!

My take on it is what these 2 journalists had to say should be taken with a pinch of salt. One reports on the prospect pools of the whole NHL (impossible to do) & the other has no credibility.
- granpa

ya agree

Thanks!

My take on it is what these 2 journalists had to say should be taken with a pinch of salt. One reports on the prospect pools of the whole NHL (impossible to do) & the other has no credibility.
- granpa

I find that the athletic articles are either a consensus opinion everyone already knows about or a click-bait headline to try and scam people into buying a subscription for their website to read the whole article.