On the Ottawa Senators and draft …
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen: The Ottawa Senators will be holding on to their first-round pick this year, which is not much of surprise given it will be in the top-five. They Sens would then have to send their 2019 first-round pick to the Avalanche.
The Sens have a 13.5 percent chance of winning the draft lottery on April 28th. The Senators will also receive the Penguins first-round pick from the Derick Brassard trade.
“We’re excited we’ve got two first-round picks this year,” Dorion said. “We think that these two picks can be cornerstones of our franchise, especially when you have a top-five pick. We think that can be a big stepping stone in being a contending team in three to five years.”
Murray Pam: Dorion said that if they view a Russian player – Andrei Svechnikov – to be the best player available at that slot, then they won’t deprive themselves.
On the Senators and Erik Karlsson …
Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports: Elliotte Friedman on his 31 Thoughts: The Podcast thinks that someone will approach the Senators about Erik Karlsson at the draft, despite the Sens saying they aren’t trading him at the draft.
“I do think they’re going to get tempted,” predicted Friedman, in terms of the Senators moving Karlsson at or around the June draft. “I can’t see how it’s possible that someone isn’t going to go to them and say, ‘Alright, we need Erik Karlsson. Next year is a big year. Our owner’s on our butts to have a big year,’ or ‘I need to have a big year as a GM,’ or, ‘Our coach needs to have a big year and we could do something with Erik Karlsson.’
“I just find it hard to believe that nobody is going to tempt them.”
On the Senators and their coaching staff …
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen: Senators GM Pierre Dorion said that they are still evaluating their coaches, and “if” they are to return, there will be changes to how they operated.
Dorion doesn’t expect them to come to final decision before the end of the month.
Dorion and coach Guy Boucher met on Monday for two hours and Boucher was told about the areas where management wasn’t happy with.
“There were quite a few things that were addressed because, to us, this is unacceptable,” Dorion said. “Two things that will change, for sure, if he’s back, is the implementation of the younger players in our lineup. He’ll decide who gets what ice time and we’re going to practise more.
“Rest is a weapon … If I hear that one more time, I’ll go crazy.”