Hockey Wilderness Community 2011 NHL Mock Draft: Ottawa Senators

After entering the portion of the draft where the players are of similar talent level, it is going to become more and more difficult to gauge if the correct pick was made or not. As we move outside the top five, that process only gets more challenging. Organizational depth becomes more critical in determining who a team should take, since "the best player on the board" could be different for every team left to pick. 

The pick for the Islanders was a close one, scarred again by a broken poll, and gives the Isles yet another impressive forward in the ranks. The readers chose Jonathan Huberdeau for the Isles, adding another strong center to the corps on Long Island. Eventually, the Isles will need to find some wingers for those centers, but for now... too many solid center prospects is a fine problem to have.

Our mock draft so far:

1. Edmonton Oilers: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
2. Colorado Avalanche: Gabriel Landeskog
3. Florida Panthers: Adam Larsson
4. New Jersey Devils: Sean Couturier
5. New York Islanders: Jonathan Huberdeau

After the jump, you are now picking for the first team north of the border on the list, the Ottawa Senators. We have gone to an external poll, trying to get rid of the broken polls. So, don't freak out when you see a different looking poll.

What do the Ottawa Senators need? Do they need a big center like Ryan Strome, who only had 106 points last season? Or is it time for a team to take the second d-man?

I won't pretend to know what the organizational depth is for the Senators, but I don't know that Sens fans would be pleased with Ryan Murphy or Sven Bartschi. They are "small" players, especially with Murphy being on the blueline. The Hockey News has Murphy going at seven, but I have some big issues with that. Undersized defensemen usually need a parachute to stop their fall down the draft board, and my bet is, this it will be no different this year.

The talent level between the sixth through twelfth pick is so minimal, it will all come down to what these guys do at the combine, and who impresses which team. The likely scenario has them taking Strome or Bartschi, so we'll roll with that. 

Of course, it's not my choice. It is up to you.