As we probably should have expected, Pierre Dorion didn’t say much today.
It’s pretty standard for a General Manager to field media questions in the lead up to the Draft and usually, those sessions are pretty light on substance. GMs don’t want to tip their hand before the draft and as a result, are usually careful about what they say.
Except in the case of the Ottawa Senators and Pierre Dorion, it has been months since we last heard…well anything. So even though there weren’t any jaw-dropping moments in today’s zoom video conference, there are still a few things to highlight.
A quick rundown of what you missed…
-There was a question on draft strategy considering the number of picks Ottawa has heading into October 6th. Dorion says they’ll look at every possible scenario and saying on a couple of occasions that there is a lot of chatter right now. Sounds like trading picks is a possibility but it has to “make sense”. Makes sense.
-Specific to the 5th overall pick, Dorion was asked if they would consider drafting for need. The answer was simple- they’ll take the player that can help them win in the near future and in the long-term.
-On Anders Nilsson’s health, Dorion says that Pierre Groulx is in regular contact and they expect that Nilsson will be ready when the season starts although he hasn’t been on the ice yet. Dorion finished by saying “he could still be injured”.
-On Jake Sanderson and the possibility he could play with Bernard-Docker at North Dakota, Dorion did acknowledge that it’s a consideration but said there are lots of good defenceman in the draft. No real indication here that Sanderson was a guy they preferred over anyone else.
-On trade chatter more generally, Dorion says he’s been getting calls from GMs on a regular basis. While there is nothing right now that make sense for the Senators they will continue to listen. He stressed that the team won’t take “shortcuts” in their rebuilding plan.
-On draft logistics, Dorion says the draft table will be virtual and won’t have all the scouts (including European and US-based scouts) present due to travel limitations. Only the Canadian-based scouts will be present. The team will hold zoom meetings on the weekend before the draft but the list is pretty much finalized.
-On Craig Anderson, Dorion said they have let Craig know that they will not be offering contract. Dorion talked about the important role Anderson has played in the organization over the years calling it one of the best trades Bryan Murray ever made. Not a huge surprise but probably the biggest piece of news today.
-On other UFAs, Dorion was hesitant to get into details. On Mark Borowiecki though, the Sens GM said he does expect that Boro will test the free agent market although it did sound like this was mostly based on what Boro has said publicly. The Senators are still talking with the other UFAs.
-On RFAs including Anthony Duclair, Dorion said talks have picked up in the last few weeks. He was clear that he won’t be “negotiating through the media” but he did say there have been productive conversations.
-On free agent frenzy, Dorion said the team will look internally first. They will keep an eye on the market but it does sound like their preference is to fill holes based on what they already have in house. Pierre did mention that DJ Smith would be involved in any free agent acquisition. They will look at adding “key veterans” that can solidify the progress of their young players.
-On the team’s goaltending prospects, Dorion highlighted both “depth and quality” in the system. He specifically talked about the progress of Joey Daccord first, before also mentioning Filip Gustavsson, Kevin Mandolese and Mads Søgaard.
-Dorion spoke briefly about how the looming Seattle expansion draft and flat salary cap impacts decisions the team is making saying simply that it is a consideration in all moves they are making.
Dorion followed that up with an appearance on TSN1200 which you can find here.
