After a third straight season of missing out on the NHL Playoffs, many Ottawa Senators fans will probably be watching the 2020 Conference Finals and Stanley Cup contest with merely a passing interest, wondering what might have been were their team competing.
Of course, some of us will be glued to every game, just like many other avid ice hockey fans around the world, keen to see how things ultimately pan out. Meanwhile, there will undoubtedly be renewed anticipation ahead of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, which brings the chance to see new and exciting players join the ranks of the Senators. These players could help to bring a drastic change of fortunes for the team next season.
The future is coming #SensYIR pic.twitter.com/XKTPirOTdY
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) July 31, 2020
Throughout the upcoming campaign, Canadian hockey fans will be able to keep track of the latest Funbet sports betting odds for every NHL game. Likewise, outright odds will be available for the winners of each division and conference, along with those for potential victors in the Playoffs and Stanley Cup Finals. But looking ahead, to the 2020/21 season, how are the Ottawa Senators likely to fare?
Well, the first objective for management will be the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, which has been provisionally scheduled to take place between 9th and 10th October. Having entered the Draft Lottery with some of the best odds to land the first selection, unfortunately, the Senators missed out on that option. This means they will have no chance of signing the next Canadian hotshot, with Alexis Lafrenière ranked by NHL.com in 1st position as the best prospect.
However, the Senators were still able to land the third and fifth selections in the Draft Lottery, which brings up some excellent prospects for GM Pierre Dorion to target, as he seeks to rebuild the team following a dismal 2019/20 campaign. Fan opinions will always be divided regarding which prospects he should aim for, nevertheless, there is an abundance of riches to choose from, given that the 2020 NHL Entry Draft is amongst the strongest in years.
Given that Lafrenière will certainly be taken in the first round, that leaves the LA Kings with a clear choice between Quinton Byfield and Tim Stützle. Another top Canadian prospect who starred with the Sudbury Wolves in the OHL, Byfield is a powerful centre who hails from Newmarket in Ontario. German youngster Stützle, able to play as a center or winger, has shown exceptional talent with Adler Mannheim, and is considered by far the best European prospect.
Either player would be an excellent addition for the Senators, although they will have to wait patiently during the second round of the Entry Draft. Interestingly, writers at thehockeywriters.com believe LA Kings could pass on Byfield, going for Stützle as a more suitable pick for their offensive needs, and maybe even skip both players entirely, opting for defenseman Jamie Drysdale instead.
Given his local background, getting Byfield would seem the all-round best option for the Senators and the player alike, however, it’s not the end of the world if that doesn’t happen. It just makes for some tough decisions with their second and fifth-round picks, although GM Dorian most likely has pages of probabilities he’ll be working with as the Draft unfolds.