SENSNEWS

As November comes to a close, I figured it would be a good time to catch up on the progress of the Ottawa Senators prospects. The biggest riser over the past month has been Tomas Hamara of the Brantford Bulldogs, as he seems to have found his game following his trade. I will also touch on a pair of Ohio State Buckeyes who have had productive seasons in the NCAA. Read more below to get your update on the past month’s progress from the Ottawa Senators’ prospects!

Ottawa Senators Prospects Update

Jorian Donovan

Jorian Donovan has picked up right where he left off with the Brantford Bulldogs. Up to this point, Donovan is just a shade under a point-per-game in the OHL with 20 points (6 goals, 14 assists) through 24 games. Donovan was recently paired with Tomas Hamara, where the duo has had a successful showing for the Bulldogs. Judging the direction that Donovan’s game has been headed, I would expect him to be right around a point-per-game with Brantford by season’s end.

Tomas Hamara

It would only be fitting to follow up on Jorian Donovan’s progress by discussing his new defence partner’s progress in Tomas Hamara. There is no way of sugarcoating that Hamara’s start of the season in Kitchener was grossly underwhelming and disappointing. Hamara had only three assists in 18 games with the Rangers, which is shocking when considering the powerhouse of a team that the Kitchener Rangers are. As many know, Hamara was shipped to the Brantford Bulldogs and has re-kindled the offence that got him drafted by Ottawa in the third round.

Tomas Hamara is up to seven points in just nine games with the Bulldogs so far. He has received a much greater opportunity in Brantford and has seemed to find some good chemistry with Jorian Donovan. Brantford will be a team to watch for Senators fans as their season progresses.

Stephen Halliday

Stephen Halliday has become one of the most exciting prospects in the Ottawa Senators organization. After a tremendous 2022/2023 season with Ohio State, Halliday is right back at it, posting nearly identical numbers to last season. So far, through 13 games, Halliday has scored a pair of goals while also tallying nine assists for 12 points in 13 games. In what will be Halliday’s final season of college hockey, I will be looking for him to continue to pick apart opposing defensive corps with his playmaking ability.

Theo Wallberg

Without a doubt, the biggest surprise prospect this season has been Stephen Halliday’s teammate Theo Wallberg. Wallberg is a towering defenceman standing at 6’5 and weighing in at 205lbs, who has shown a much more advanced offensive toolkit than initially anticipated. Wallberg has cooled off slightly since his explosive start to the season, but he still has an impressive eight points in 13 games as a defenceman. I am intrigued to monitor Wallberg throughout the season to see if this offence was a flash in the pan or a sign of a much-improved player.

Angus Crookshank

Angus Crookshank just never seems to stop. After putting up impressive numbers in Belleville last season, Crookshank has taken his game up another level once again. With all the injuries and call-ups within the Senators organization this season, Crookshank was moved to the centre position out of necessity. This did not seem to slow down Crookshank, however, who has scored an impressive seven goals and seven assists in 17 games with the Belleville Senators. It’s only a matter of time until Crookshank gets his shot with the NHL club.

Maxence Guenette

Of all the defensive prospects in the Ottawa Senators organization, Guenette may have climbed to the top of the power rankings. Guenette continues to be a dominant offensive force in the AHL, where he is second on the team in points with 13 in 17 games. If the season were to end today, Guenette would have to be the favourite to win MVP for the Belleville Senators.

Egor Sokolov

It has been a disappointing season for Egor Sokolov so far, especially considering how hard he worked this offseason. Sokolov was expected to be one of the best offensive players in the AHL this season, but he has struggled to find his scoring touch. Sokolov has just nine points in 17 games with Belleville, and he needs to find his scoring ability to help get the B-Sens out of their rut.

Zack Ostapchuk

Zack Ostapchuk has had a bit of trouble finding his offensive game in the AHL. Ostapchuk has just five points in 17 games and hasn’t been able to find consistency quite yet. However, Ostapchuk has shown flashes of brilliance in Belleville, which included a beautiful short-handed goal. I fully expect his game to develop with more time and experience playing professional hockey.

Oskar Pettersson

Oskar Pettersson has split this season between the SHL and the J20 Swedish League’s, where he represents Rogle. Pettersson has had little production in the SHL, gathering one assist in 18 games, although it is important to note that his ice time is very low at that level. In the J20 league, however, Pettersson has been lights out, scoring three goals in three games and adding an assist in the process. For his sake, hopefully, any call-up to the SHL will come with some more ice time so Pettersson can showcase his abilities.

Oliver Johansson

From one Swede to another, we have to check in on the progress of Oliver Johansson, who was a Senators third-rounder in the 2021 NHL draft. Johansson has been spending his season with Timra IK of the SHL, where he, like Pettersson, hasn’t had the greatest responsibility with the team. Johansson has found time to showcase his offence this season, scoring three goals and an assist in 20 games. A full season of pro hockey should benefit Johansson’s long-term outlook.

Hoyt Stanley

After not starting the season with Cornell in the NCAA, Stanley has now suited up for nine games with the club. In these nine games so far, Hoyt Stanley has tallied a pair of assists with the club. As Stanley continues to find his footing at the next level, I expect him to improve his production throughout the year.