Age: 20
Position: Defence
Nationality: Swedish
Draft Position: 1st Round (17th overall by St. Louis Blues) in 2009 NHL Entry Draft
Originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues organization, this slick puck moving swedish defence man was acquired by the Senators at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for the 16th overall pick. In his last season in the Swedish Elite League, Rundblad recorded 50 points in 55 games playing for
Skellefteå. This is the second highest point point total of any defence man in Swedish Elite League history and this performance won him the Salming Trophy for defence man of the year. Rundblad is currently at Ottawa Senators Training Camp battling for the remaining spot on the Senator's defence core with Jared Cowen.
#2 Jared Cowen
Age: 20
Position: Defence
Nationality: Canadian
Draft Position: 1st Round (9th Overall by Ottawa Senators) in 2009 NHL Entry Draft
The Senators first round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, this gargantuan defence man weighs in at 6'5 228 pounds. He is by far the winningest Ottawa Senators prospect with a Memorial Cup (WHL, Spokane Chiefs), Calder Cup (AHL, Binghamton), and silver medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship among others achievements under his belt. He is regarded as more of a stay at home defence man in the mold of a Chris Phillips but he showed in his last year of junior that he is quite capable of racking up points with 18 goals and 48 points in 58 games played. For anyone with any history of watching the Ottawa Senators, watching Jared Cowen impose his massive size and physicality on other players brings back memories of Zdeno Chara who roamed the Senators blueline for years. Chara moved on to captain and win a Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins this past year. We can only hope that Cowen can maintain his winning ways and bring a Stanley Cup to the nations capital in the coming years.
#3 Nikita Filatov
Age: 21
Position: Right Winger
Nationality: Russian
Draft Position: 1st Round (6th Overall by Columbus Blue Jackets) in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft
This highly skilled russian winger was drafted sixth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. In his draft year the word among NHL scouts was that he was the next best thing behind eventual first overall centre Steven Stamkos. Some even had him going first overall in their rankings! However, his NHL career has not turned out as he would have hoped. Filatov spent 3 years going up and down between the NHL, AHL and KHL in Russia because of his lack of defensive play and, at times, questionable work ethic. The Blue Jackets organization eventually gave up on him and sent him to Ottawa in exchange for Ottawa's third round selection in the draft. With a fresh start in Ottawa, if he can live up too scouts expectations, he can become an elite winger and slot in on the top line with Jason Spezza.
#4 Robin Lehner
Age: 20
Position: Goaltender
Nationality: Swedish
Draft Position: 2nd Round (46th Overall by Ottawa Senators) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft
The "Goalie of the Future" is the nickname that Senators fans have dubbed young swedish goaltender Robin Lehner and it is not an unwarranted title. In the 2010-11 season Lehner backstopped the Binghamton Senators to their first ever Calder Cup Championship while also winning the trophy for playoff MVP. This spectacular feat puts Lehner's name into the mix with other famous NHL goaltenders who also accomplished this achievement such as young Carey Price and the legendary hall of famer Patrick Roy. For a city that is known as a goalie graveyard around the league, Lehner has the best chance of changing that stigma. He will be the BInghamton Senators top goaltender for the 2011-12 AHL season but look out for him to push for the number one spot in Ottawa the following season.
#5 Mika Zibanejad
Age: 18
Position: Center
Nationality: Swedish
Draft Position: 1st Round (6th overall by Ottawa Senators) in 2011 NHL Entry Draft
This swedish center shot up NHL scouts pre-draft rankings from relative obscurity to a a top ten pick with his outstanding play in the Swedish Elite League. When the Senators made there 6th overall selection they could not pass up the skill set that this big, fast, powerful swede has to offer. Zibanejad began the 2010-11 season playing for Djurgårdens IF of the J20 SuperElit recording 12 goals and 21 points in 29 games. He was then called up by the SEL Djurgårdens team where he did not look out of place recording 9 points in 26 playing as an 18 year old playing among men. He is currently competing for a spot at Senators training camp for a spot on the roster this season. If he does not make the team out of camp he go back to sweden to refine his skills, get faster, stronger and make a real push next year for that second line center spot.
#6 Stephane da Costa
Age: 22
Position: Center
Nationality: French
Draft Position: N/A (acquired via free agency from Merrimack College)
Stephane da Costa is a gifted centerman with excellent playmaking ability and vision. He was acquired March 30th, 2011 by the Senators after playing 2 seasons for Merrimack College where he had two more than a point a game seasons. This 22 year old center is one of only 6 NHL players born in France to have ever played a game in the NHL. He is currently battling with fellow prospect Mika Zibanejad and Senators forward Peter Regin at Senators training camp for the second line centre position for the 2011-12 season.
Ottawa Senators Top Prospects
Table of Contents
#1 David Rundblad
Age: 20Position: Defence
Nationality: Swedish
Draft Position: 1st Round (17th overall by St. Louis Blues) in 2009 NHL Entry Draft
Originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues organization, this slick puck moving swedish defence man was acquired by the Senators at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for the 16th overall pick. In his last season in the Swedish Elite League, Rundblad recorded 50 points in 55 games playing for
Skellefteå. This is the second highest point point total of any defence man in Swedish Elite League history and this performance won him the Salming Trophy for defence man of the year. Rundblad is currently at Ottawa Senators Training Camp battling for the remaining spot on the Senator's defence core with Jared Cowen.
#2 Jared Cowen
Age: 20Position: Defence
Nationality: Canadian
Draft Position: 1st Round (9th Overall by Ottawa Senators) in 2009 NHL Entry Draft
The Senators first round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, this gargantuan defence man weighs in at 6'5 228 pounds. He is by far the winningest Ottawa Senators prospect with a Memorial Cup (WHL, Spokane Chiefs), Calder Cup (AHL, Binghamton), and silver medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship among others achievements under his belt. He is regarded as more of a stay at home defence man in the mold of a Chris Phillips but he showed in his last year of junior that he is quite capable of racking up points with 18 goals and 48 points in 58 games played. For anyone with any history of watching the Ottawa Senators, watching Jared Cowen impose his massive size and physicality on other players brings back memories of Zdeno Chara who roamed the Senators blueline for years. Chara moved on to captain and win a Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins this past year. We can only hope that Cowen can maintain his winning ways and bring a Stanley Cup to the nations capital in the coming years.
#3 Nikita Filatov
Age: 21Position: Right Winger
Nationality: Russian
Draft Position: 1st Round (6th Overall by Columbus Blue Jackets) in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft
This highly skilled russian winger was drafted sixth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. In his draft year the word among NHL scouts was that he was the next best thing behind eventual first overall centre Steven Stamkos. Some even had him going first overall in their rankings! However, his NHL career has not turned out as he would have hoped. Filatov spent 3 years going up and down between the NHL, AHL and KHL in Russia because of his lack of defensive play and, at times, questionable work ethic. The Blue Jackets organization eventually gave up on him and sent him to Ottawa in exchange for Ottawa's third round selection in the draft. With a fresh start in Ottawa, if he can live up too scouts expectations, he can become an elite winger and slot in on the top line with Jason Spezza.
#4 Robin Lehner
Age: 20Position: Goaltender
Nationality: Swedish
Draft Position: 2nd Round (46th Overall by Ottawa Senators) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft
The "Goalie of the Future" is the nickname that Senators fans have dubbed young swedish goaltender Robin Lehner and it is not an unwarranted title. In the 2010-11 season Lehner backstopped the Binghamton Senators to their first ever Calder Cup Championship while also winning the trophy for playoff MVP. This spectacular feat puts Lehner's name into the mix with other famous NHL goaltenders who also accomplished this achievement such as young Carey Price and the legendary hall of famer Patrick Roy. For a city that is known as a goalie graveyard around the league, Lehner has the best chance of changing that stigma. He will be the BInghamton Senators top goaltender for the 2011-12 AHL season but look out for him to push for the number one spot in Ottawa the following season.
#5 Mika Zibanejad
Age: 18Position: Center
Nationality: Swedish
Draft Position: 1st Round (6th overall by Ottawa Senators) in 2011 NHL Entry Draft
This swedish center shot up NHL scouts pre-draft rankings from relative obscurity to a a top ten pick with his outstanding play in the Swedish Elite League. When the Senators made there 6th overall selection they could not pass up the skill set that this big, fast, powerful swede has to offer. Zibanejad began the 2010-11 season playing for Djurgårdens IF of the J20 SuperElit recording 12 goals and 21 points in 29 games. He was then called up by the SEL Djurgårdens team where he did not look out of place recording 9 points in 26 playing as an 18 year old playing among men. He is currently competing for a spot at Senators training camp for a spot on the roster this season. If he does not make the team out of camp he go back to sweden to refine his skills, get faster, stronger and make a real push next year for that second line center spot.
#6 Stephane da Costa
Age: 22Position: Center
Nationality: French
Draft Position: N/A (acquired via free agency from Merrimack College)
Stephane da Costa is a gifted centerman with excellent playmaking ability and vision. He was acquired March 30th, 2011 by the Senators after playing 2 seasons for Merrimack College where he had two more than a point a game seasons. This 22 year old center is one of only 6 NHL players born in France to have ever played a game in the NHL. He is currently battling with fellow prospect Mika Zibanejad and Senators forward Peter Regin at Senators training camp for the second line centre position for the 2011-12 season.
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