Ottawa Senators 1st Round Pick Knockout Tournament: Round Two

A knockout tournament to determine Ottawa's best-ever first round pick

In preparation for the NHL Draft on June 27-28 in Philadelphia and in part because the Senators don't have a first round pick this year, we've decided to have a knockout tournament to determine Ottawa's best-ever first round pick.

To determine which player should take the honour, there are a lot of different factors to keep in mind:

  • longevity
  • point totals
  • single-season excellence
  • First overall pick? Top-3? Top-5? Top-10? Late rounder?
  • draft expectations
  • Which players did the Senators pass on to draft any given first rounder
  • individual awards/hardware
  • success with the Senators
  • success with other teams
  • championships
  • international success
  • trade returns
  • current potential

To keep things interesting, the above factors aren't ranked. Vote according to what you value most.

Since selecting Alexei Yashin second overall in 1992, the Ottawa Senators have drafted 24 players in the first round of the NHL Draft. Each player has been ranked (1-24) by me (Amelia). Because 24 does not fit knockout brackets well, players 1-8 have been given a bye to the Second Round of voting.

1st_round_pick_knockout_tournament_bracket_medium

How does it work?

It's easy. Simply vote for your preferred player in each poll listed below. The poll will close at 11:59 pm on Monday night (June 23). The winning players will advance to the next round of voting.

Round Two

9. Bryan Berard vs. 8. Anton Volchenkov

Berard was a defenseman drafted first overall by the Senators in 1995 but would not play for the team. He was traded to the New York Islanders with Martin Straka for Wade Redden and Damien Rhodes. Berard won the Calder Trophy in 1997 and the Masterton in 2004. He played 10 seasons in the NHL.

Berard dispatched Mathieu Chouinard in the first round with 94% of the vote.

NHL totals: 619 GP, 76 G, 247 A, 323 P, 500 PIM

Volchenkov was drafted 21st overall by the Sens in 2000. He spent seven seasons with the Senators before joining the New Jersey Devils as a free agent in 2010. Volchenkov captained Russia to a gold medal at the 2001 World Juniors and has twice represented his country at the Olympics. He has played 11 seasons in the NHL.

NHL totals: 650 GP, 19 G, 107 A, 136 P, 424 PIM

<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="http://static.polldaddy.com/p/8138846.js"></script>
<noscript><a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/8138846/">1st Round Pick Knockout Tournament Round Two 8 vs. 9</a></noscript>

10. Nick Foligno vs. 7 Radek Bonk

Foligno, a forward, was drafted 28th overall in 2006. After five season in Ottawa, he was traded to Columbus in 2012 for Marc Methot. Foligno has played seven seasons in the NHL.

Foligno beat Jakob Klepis in the first round with 98.4% of the vote.

NHL totals: 466 GP, 85 G, 121 A, 206 P, 423 PIM

Bonk was drafted 3rd overall in 1994. He spent 10 seasons with the Senators before joining the Montreal Canadiens. He played 14 seasons in the NHL.

NHL totals: 969 GP, 194 G, 303 A, 497 P, 581 PIM

<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="http://static.polldaddy.com/p/8138864.js"></script>
<noscript><a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/8138864/">1st Round Pick Knockout Tournament Round Two 7 vs. 10</a></noscript>

11. Alexandre Daigle vs. 6. Martin Havlat

Daigle was drafted 1st overall in 1993. He was one of the most hyped prospects in NHL history and signed a record $12M rookie contract. Daigle played five seasons with the Senators before being traded to Philadelphia for Vinny Prospal and Pat Falloon.He played 10 seasons in the NHL.

Daigle won the first round vote over Jim O'Brien with 71.8% of the vote.

NHL totals: 616 GP, 129 G, 198 A, 327 P, 186 PIM

Havlat was drafted 26th overall in 1999. Havlat spent parts of five seasons with the Senators and has represented the Czech Republic at three Worlds (winning one gold medal), two Olympics, and the World Cup. He has played 13 seasons in the NHL.

NHL totals: 748 GP, 236 G, 343 A, 579 P, 394 PIM

<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="http://static.polldaddy.com/p/8138850.js"></script>
<noscript><a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/8138850/">1st Round Pick Knockout Tournament Round Two 6 vs. 11</a></noscript>

12. Mika Zibanejad vs. 5. Chris Phillips

Zibanejad was drafted sixth overall in 2011. Zibanejad has played parts of three seasons in the NHL.

Zibanejad dispatched Brian Lee in the first round with 96.3% of the vote.

NHL totals: 120 GP, 23 G, 31 A, 54 P, 26 PIM

Phillips was drafted first overall in 1996. He won back-to-back gold medals with Team Canada at the World Juniors in 1996 and 1997 and has won two silver medals at the Worlds. Phillips has played 16 seasons in the NHL, all with the Senators.

NHL totals: 1,143 GP, 71 G, 214 A, 285 P, 744 PIM

<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="http://static.polldaddy.com/p/8138853.js"></script>
<noscript><a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/8138853/">1st Round Pick Knockout Tournament Round Two 5 vs. 12</a></noscript>

13. Tim Gleason vs. 4. Marian Hossa

Gleason was drafted 23rd overall in 2001. He was unable to come to terms with the Senators and was traded to Los Angeles for Bryan Smolinski in 2003. Gleason has played in the NHL for 10 seasons.

Gleason beat Matt Puempel in the first round with 56% of the vote.

NHL totals: 655 GP, 16 G, 117 A, 133 P, 646 PIM

Hossa was drafted 12th overall by the Senators in 1997. He spent seven seasons with Ottawa before being traded to Atlanta as part of the Dany Heatley deal. Hossa has represented Slovakia 14 times internationally, including at three Olympics and the World Cup. He was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1999 and to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 2009. A five-time All-Star, Hossa won the Stanley Cup in 2010 and 2013 and played in three consecutive finals (four total). He has played 16 seasons in the NHL.

NHL totals: 1090 GP, 464 G, 531 A, 995 P, 564 PIM

<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="http://static.polldaddy.com/p/8138856.js"></script>
<noscript><a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/8138856/">1st Round Pick Knockout Tournament Round Two 4 vs. 13</a></noscript>

14. Andrej Meszaros vs. 3. Jason Spezza

Meszaros was drafted 23rd overall in 2004. He was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2006. Meszaros played three seasons in Ottawa. He was traded to Tampa in 2008 for Filip Kuba, Alexandre Picard, and San Jose's first round pick (previously acquired) in 2009. He has played nine seasons in the NHL.

Meszaros won the first round vote over Stefan Noesen with 89.6% of the vote.

NHL totals: 585 GP, 56 G, 168 A, 224 P, 421 PIM

Spezza was drafted second overall in 2001. He has spent 11 seasons with the Senators. Spezza represented Canada at the World Juniors on three occasions, winning three medals, and has won two silver medals at the Worlds.

NHL totals: 686 GP, 251 G, 436 A, 687 P, 434 PIM

<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="http://static.polldaddy.com/p/8138857.js"></script>
<noscript><a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/8138857/">1st Round Pick Knockout Tournament Round Two 3 vs. 14</a></noscript>

18. Curtis Lazar vs. 2. Alexei Yashin

Lazar was drafted 17th overall in 2013. He was born in 1995 and this makes me sad. Lazar has not yet played in the NHL.

Lazar beat Jared Cowen in the first round with 70% of the vote.

Yashin was drafted second overall in 1992. He spent seven seasons with the Senators before being traded to the New York Islanders. Yashin represented his country on 16 occasions. He was the runner-up in Calder voting and Hart voting. Yashin was a three-time All-Star and was named a Second Team All-Star in 1999. He won World Junior gold in 1992 with CIS and World Championship gold in 1993. He represented Russia at two World Cups and three Olympic Games, winning silver in 1998 and bronze in 2002. He spent 13 seasons in the NHL.

NHL totals: 850 GP, 337 G, 444 A, 781 P, 401 PIM

<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="http://static.polldaddy.com/p/8138859.js"></script>
<noscript><a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/8138859/">1st Round Pick Knockout Tournament Round Two 2 vs. 18</a></noscript>

16. Cody Ceci vs. 1. Erik Karlsson

Ceci was drafted 15th overall in 2012. Ceci has played one season in the NHL with the Senators.

Ceci dispatched Patrick Eaves in the first round with 82.1% of the vote.

NHL totals: 49 GP, 3 G, 6 A, 9 P, 14 PIM.

Karlsson was drafted 15th overall in 2008. He has played five seasons for the Senators. Karlsson is a two-time All-Star and was named a First Team All-Star in 2012. He won the Norris Trophy and the Viking Award in 2012. He's represented Sweden on five occasions, winning silver at the 2014 Olympics in addition to being named to the Olympic All-Star team and being named the tournament's best defender.

NHL totals: 315 GP, 63 G, 174 A, 237 P, 160 PIM

<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="http://static.polldaddy.com/p/8138862.js"></script>
<noscript><a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/8138862/">1st Round Pick Knockout Tournament Round Two 1 vs. 16</a></noscript>


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