Senators will be 'tough team to beat' with successful draft, coach says

The Ottawa Senators will be a "tough team to beat" if they choose wisely in the 2020 NHL Draft, coach D.J. Smith told Sportsnet on Monday.

The Senators could have 13 picks, likely three in the first round, and will have at least two of the first six selections determined by the NHL Draft Lottery on June 26.

"You need special players if you want to knock all these teams off, and I think we're going to get one, if not two, of those guys," Smith said. "I think we've got a couple of them on our team already, and, in time, we're going to be a tough team to beat."

The Senators (25-34-12, .437 points percentage) will fail to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a third straight season. They did not make the Eastern Conference Qualifying Round as part of the NHL Return to Play Plan that was announced May 26. Teams were ranked by points percentage as of March 12, when the season was paused due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus.

Smith said the draft affords Ottawa the opportunity to add to a young core that includes 23-year-old defenseman Thomas Chabot and 20-year-old forward Brady Tkachuk, and top prospects like 21-year-old forward Josh Norris, who won the Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial Award as the outstanding rookie in the American Hockey League this season.

The Senators have their first-round pick and the San Jose Sharks' first-round selection from the Erik Karlsson trade of Sept. 13, 2018. Ottawa also has a conditional first-round pick from the New York Islanders as part of the trade that sent forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau to New York on Feb. 24. If the draft lottery puts the Islanders in the top three, the Senators instead will receive a first-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.

Ottawa has a 13.5 percent chance to select No. 1 in the 2020 draft with their pick and an 11.5 percent chance with San Jose's pick, the second- and third-best odds after the Detroit Red Wings (18.5 percent). The Senators' first-round pick can't be lower than fifth and the Sharks' pick can't be lower than sixth. The Islanders have between a 1 percent and 6 percent chance for the No. 1 pick, prior to the results of the qualifying round.

In addition, Ottawa has four picks in the second round and two in the third.

"We have some good players and some good players coming up, and we plan on adding here with this draft," Smith said. "They're saying it's the deepest draft in a long time. We have three first-round picks, possibly could pick [first]. And when you get players like that, they're special franchise players that could be the difference."

Forward Alexis Lafreniere of Rimouski in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft, which will be held at a date to be determined.

"I've always been successful envisioning what I want, so I've already envisioned we're getting [No.] 1, so it's over," Smith said jokingly. "Just like that, we're getting [No.] 1. It's over."

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