Fans of the Ottawa Senators, as well as those placing bets on the team,Ontario betting sites are currently in a mindset of anticipation for next season. Once again. On December 18, the Senators terminated head coach D.J. Smith's contract, opting instead for seasoned coach Jacques Martin. Consequently, the Senators finished seventh in their division and fell short of the playoffs for the seventh year in a row.
🔥Ottawa Senators Playoff Chances
What possibilities does the 2024 NHL Draft hold for the team? To start, let's examine the projected standings for the Ottawa Senators' draft picks as of May 24, assuming there are no trades:
Round |
Pick # |
1 |
7 |
1 |
25 (via BOS) |
2 |
39 |
4 |
103 |
4 |
112 (via DET) |
4 |
117 (via TBL) |
4 |
127 (conditional) |
5 |
135 |
Following the NHL Draft Lottery, the Senators secured the seventh overall pick in the upcoming draft. This marks the first time since 2021 that Ottawa has had a chance to pick in the first round, and in 2024, they will have two first-round selections, having obtained the 25th pick through a trade with the Boston Bruins (via the Detroit Red Wings).
Overall, the Senators possess seven selections for the 2024 NHL Draft, which is scheduled for June 28-29 in Las Vegas, Nevada. This includes three picks in the fourth round, with a potential fourth pick contingent on whether the Florida Panthers clinch the Stanley Cup. Currently, they are the leading contenders atNorthStar Bets Ontario Sportsbook with +165 odds.
Player |
Odds |
Percent Chance |
Saginaw (OHL) D Zayne Parekh |
+200 |
33.3% |
London (OHL) D Sam Dickinson |
+500 |
16.7% |
U. of Denver D Zeev Buium |
+500 |
16.7% |
Calgary (WHL) D Carter Yakemchuk |
+800 |
11.1% |
KHL D Anton Silayev |
+1000 |
9.1% |
The Field |
+700 |
12.5% |
Our analysis suggests that the Senators are leaning strongly towards selecting a defenseman with their seventh overall pick. Last season, Ottawa allowed 281 goals; only four teams were worse in terms of goals allowed.
Any player chosen this year is unlikely to make an immediate impact, particularly on defense, as it often takes longer for defensemen to mature into NHL-caliber athletes compared to forwards. However, the Senators definitely need more depth and emerging talents because they haven't held an average of fewer than three goals against per game since the 2016-17 season. That year also marked the last time the Senators reached the playoffs, well beforeNHL betting was offered by lawful and regulated operators in the region.
Top-ranked on our Senators' 2024 Draft projection list is defenseman Zayne Parekh (+200 odds), who hails from Nobleton, Ontario, and recently turned 18 in February. He notched up an impressive 96 points (33 goals, 63 assists) in 66 appearances for Saginaw in the Ontario Hockey League. Another strong contender from the OHL is defenseman Sam Dickinson from London, sitting at second with +500 odds. You won't encounter these odds atOntario sports betting apps ; these were prepared exclusively fordeereplanet.com .
Year |
Player |
Career Point Shares |
2021 – No. 10 |
Tyler Boucher |
0.0 |
2020 – No. 3 |
Tim Stutzle |
22.4 |
2020 – No. 5 |
Jake Sanderson |
11.6 |
2020 – No. 28 |
Ridley Greig |
3.1 |
2019 – No. 19 |
Lassi Thomson |
0.1 |
Having not had first-round picks in the 2023 or 2022 NHL drafts (last year, the Senators did not make a selection until the fourth round), it's understandable that none of the players from those drafts have yet made their NHL debuts. The most recent impactful pick for the Senators was winger Tim Stutzle, selected No. 3 overall in 2020. He has amassed 96 goals and 247 points in 285 games over the past four seasons. That same year, Ottawa also picked defenseman Jake Sanderson at No. 5; he made the All-Rookie team in the 2022-23 season and scored 38 points with a plus-8 rating this season.
USA Today photo by Jerome Miron
The Ottawa Senators have a total of seven selections for the 2024 NHL Draft, including the 7th, 25th, 39th, 103rd, 112th, 117th, and 135th overall picks. They might also acquire Florida's fourth-round pick, contingent on the Panthers’ success in winning the Stanley Cup. Ottawa has traded away their third, sixth, and seventh-round selections. This marks the first time since 2021 that the Senators will make a first-round selection.
In the 2023 NHL Draft, the Senators chose defenseman Hoyt Stanley, who played for Victoria in the BCHL, with their initial pick in the fourth round, at 108th overall. Stanley has yet to participate in an NHL game, much like all of Ottawa's draftees since 2021, except for center Zack Ostapchuk, who has played in seven games.
Author
Jim Tomlin serves as an editor and writer focused on sports and gambling, including the interconnectedness of those fields. He brings over 30 years of experience in journalism, with his work featured in various publications like the Tampa Bay Times, FanRag, Saturday Down South, and Saturday Tradition.
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