Ottawa Senators 1st Round Pick Knockout Tournament: Round One

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.

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 Friday night (June 20). The winning players will advance to the next round of voting on Sunday (June 22).

Round One

9. Bryan Berard vs 24. Mathieu Chouinard

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.

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

Chouinard, a goalie, was drafted 15th overall in 1998. Injury problems limited his playing time and he re-entered the draft in 2000, only to be taken again by the Senators 45th overall.

NHL totals: 1 GP, 3 MIN, 0 W, 0 L, 0 T, 0 GA, 0.00 GAA, 1.00 SV%

10. Nick Foligno vs 23. Jakob Klepis

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.

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

Klepis was drafted 16th overall in 2002. Before playing for the Sens, Klepis was traded to Buffalo when Ottawa acquired Vaclav Varada.

NHL totals: 66 GP, 4 G, 10 A, 14 P, 36 PIM

11. Alexandre Daigle vs 22. Jim O'Brien

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.

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

O'Brien was drafted 29th overall in 2007. He has played parts of three seasons in the NHL.

NHL totals: 63 GP, 8 G, 4 A, 12 P, 14 PIM

12. Mika Zibanejad vs 21. Brian Lee

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

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

Lee was drafted ninth overall in 2005. He played parts of five seasons with the Senators before being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Matt Gilroy. Lee has played six seasons in the NHL.

NHL totals: 209 GP, 5 G, 31 A, 36 P, 124 PIM

13. Tim Gleason vs 20. Matt Puempel

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.

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

Puempel was drafted 24th overall in 2011. Puempel has not yet played in the NHL.

14. Andrej Meszaros vs 19. Stefan Noesen

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.

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

Noesen was drafted 21st overall in 2011. Noesen was traded to the Anaheim Ducks as part of the Bobby Ryan deal in 2013. He has not played in the NHL yet.

15. Jared Cowen vs 18. Curtis Lazar

Cowen was drafted ninth overall in 2009. Cowen has played parts of four seasons for the Senators.

NHL totals: 158 GP, 12 G, 21 A, 33 P, 113 PIM

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.

16. Cody Ceci vs 17. Patrick Eaves

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

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

Eaves was drafted 29th overall in 2003. Eaves spent parts of three seasons with the Senators before being traded to the Carolina Hurricanes with Joe Corvo for Cory Stillman and Mike Commodore in 2008. He has played nine seasons in the NHL.

NHL totals: 443 GP, 74 G, 72 A, 146 P, 147 PIM