Picking 6th: A Primer

When the New Jersey Devils won the NHL's draft lottery, they moved from 8th to 4th, bumping the Senators to 6th overall -- about the most disappointing result possible considering fans were debating what they would do with the second overall pick at one point this season. Though it's not an ideal reward for a miserable season, it is far from a kiss of death. Keep in mind that just last year, All-Star and probably Calder Trophy candidate Jeff Skinner was selected 7th by Carolina. Quality talent is available outside of the top five.

Since the draft lottery began in 1995, the following players have been selected at the 6th overall spot:

While that list is a pretty mixed bag, there are some appealing names in there. Brett Connolly was considered a potential top three player before injury. Filatov is considered to have "game-changing shiftiness and excellent offensive instincts." Ekman-Larsson is projected as a "puck-moving defenseman with elite upside." Gagner has "awesome vision and uncanny ability to always find the open man" (though Edmonton fans might disagree). Koivu has done well in Minnesota, and Senators fans should be familiar with what Michalek brings to the table.

Fans hoping for an elite talent will obviously be disappointed, but beyond defenseman Adam Larsson, there isn't really a consensus elite talent identified yet in the draft. Time will tell who those players are, but given GM Bryan Murray's apparent skill at finding talented players (think 50-goal scorer Corey Perry, All-Star Ryan Getzlaf, and All-Star Erik Karlsson) with later picks, there's still plenty of room for optimism -- as long as fans are not expecting next year's pick to have a major impact at the NHL level immediately.

Here's a quick look at who the Senators might be able to land if they remain in the 6th spot:

Sean Couturier - Center

Height: 6'4"
Weight: 197lbs
Born: Dec 7, 1992

Stats via Hockeydb.com

Couturier is an interesting case, as he was at one time considered a frontrunner to be selected first overall. Since the start of this season, though, his ranking has fallen. TSN currently ranks him fifth overall, and NHL Central Scouting has him sixth among North American skaters. The primary reason given for Couturier's drop, believe it or not, is his consistent play. The players ranked above him have all raised their level of play, while he has merely remained "good." Given his size and skill level, it's probably unlikely that he'll fall to Ottawa.

Ryan Strome - Center

Height: 6'1"
Weight: 175lbs (soaking wet)
Born: Jul 11, 1993

Stats via Hockeydb.com

Strome is more likely to be available where Ottawa is picking. His numbers are eyebrow-raising, as he essentially exploded for 106 points, more than doubling his points per game from his previous season. He obviously doesn't have the size of Couturier, and while he appears to be quite a skilled playmaker, the striking difference in his numbers may very well have some teams wondering what kind of player he really is. Strome has the skillset -- at least according to reports -- to be an ideal second line center behind someone like Jason Spezza, but it's unlikely he'd be ready for that role for several years. As it stands now, it's doubtful he could fill that role should Spezza be unavailable.

Jonathan Huberdeau - Center

Height: 6'1"
Weight: 171lbs (with rocks in his pockets)
Born: Jun 4 1993

Stats via Hockeydb.com

Huberdeau is a very similar player to Ryan Strome. He shares similar numbers and playmaking ability. His stickhandling is already reportedly considered to be NHL-level by some scouts. While smaller in stature than Strome, NHL central scouting has him ranked third among North American skaters. This may mean he has a higher ceiling than Strome, and thus makes his availability to Ottawa in the 6th spot unlikely.

Dougie Hamilton - Defense

Height: 6'4"
Weight: 187lbs
Born: Jun, 17 1993

Stats via Hockeydb.com

While it's hard to believe that any grown man could go by the name of "Dougie," Hamilton is nonetheless is reported to have great mobility for his size, and when you're talking about defensemen, mobility is a key factor -- there's nothing more painful than watching someone turned into a pylon by a shifty forward. Initial research shows that the name Jay Bouwmeester keeps showing up for comparisons, and that's not too shabby.

Ryan Murphy - Defense

Height: 5'10"
Weight: 166lbs
Born: Mar 31, 1993

Stats via Hockeydb.com

Murphy has the numbers of a forward. Combine that with his size and Senators fans have someone very obvious to compare him with: Erik Karlsson. Should Murphy fall to the Senators, they could suddenly find themselves with an embarrassment of riches on defense -- putting them in prime position to trade someone for a high-quality forward they were unable to draft given their draft position.

Though some rankings have been released, it's far too early to say for sure who will be available when Ottawa selects. At this point, it's logical to assume the first two picks will be Adam Larsson and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in some kind of order, but beyond that, it's a crapshoot. There's a high likelihood that several of these players will be off the board by the time the sixth pick rolls around. In the coming days, we'll get a better sense of who might be available and take a more in-depth look at those players. For now, consider this no more than a primer to whet your appetites.