Ottawa Senators Prospect Update: December 6th

Forwards

Zack Ostapchuk

The rookie Belleville centre has had his hands full in the AHL, with increasing responsibilities in part due to injuries and recalls. This weekend, he played a critical part in Belleville's 4-2 win against Rochester.

Roby Järventie

Red Light Roby is back in Belleville and didn't miss a beat. He compiled a goal and two assists in this weekend's back-to-back. The Finnish centre has two goals and two assists in his three game back from Ottawa.

Oliver Johansson

We haven't heard a ton from Johansson this year, but the 2021 third-round pick scored his 3rd of the season with Timra IK's SHL squad, in a game against Oskar Pettersson's Rogle BK. The Senators hold his rights for one more season after this one, before deciding on a potential entry-level deal. It would be a nice surprise to see him earn one at this stage.

Defensemen

Djibril Toure

The most productive of Ottawa's CHL prospects this week (all defensemen!), the 20-year-old overager and undrafted free agent posted 3 assists in 2 games for the Sudbury Wolves, who are 6th in the Eastern Conference with a 13-10-2 record. Toure has 9 points in 14 games on the year. Expect him to play in Belleville next season, with some of Ottawa's other RHD prospects either graduating full-time or fading into obscurity.

Lassi Thomson

The Finnish blueliner has had a bit of a quiet season in Belleville but has a goal and an assist in his last three games, while playing solid defensively. Thomson is a big reason why the BSens were able to efficiently move the puck out of their zone this weekend, being a noticeable presence in the transition game.

Goaltending

Mads Søgaard

Following his vacation to Sweden as Ottawa's third goaltender, Mads Søgaard came back to Belleville not having skipped a beat. The team is 1-0-1 with the Great Dane™ between the pipes following his reassignment. The Danish netminder has a .927 SV% in his last two starts.

Belleville Update

If you've been tuning in for this particular update, it hasn't been overly positive of late. This week, however, we have much happier things to talk about. Belleville snapped their five game losing streak (0-4-1) with a decisive 6-3 victory on Wednesday night in Utica before returning to Belleville for a back-to-back with the Rochester Americans. Over the weekend, the BSens were able to grab three of a possible four points, bringing their record to 2-0-1 in their last three.

Further, there was a noticeable difference in Belleville's on-ice play this week. It felt far more disciplined - not just from a penalty-perspective. The team was cleaner in their breakouts, better in formation and played somewhere between well and extremely well in each of their three games this week.

While a number of BSens are listed above as highlighted members of the prospect update, two players who missed the cut that are worth mentioning are Angus Crookshank and Dillon Heatherington.

Crooker had a pair of goals this week, including Wednesday's game-winner, and frankly wasn't one of the highlighted forwards above because he has been so often of late. After compiling a 0.66 pts/gp run last season, Crookshank has elevated his offensive contributions to 0.79 pts/gp early in this campaign.

What you get from Heatherington usually doesn't end up on the scoresheet, although he did contribute one helper this week, but it sure shows in Belleville's end. The veteran rearguard didn't do anything specifically of note this week, but that's exactly his game. He just goes and plays good, responsible hockey.

Finally, it's important to mention that Kevin Mandolese got his second start since being elevated from the Allen Americans, and posted a .917 SV% to go along with a .909. SV% the game before. Solid performances from Mando.

Silver Linings

• Jorian Donovan has been named to Team Canada's National Junior Team Selection Camp Roster as one of 10 defensemen with an opportunity to play at the upcoming World Juniors. Donovan, a 2022 fifth-round pick, is on an outside track to make the team with 20 points in 26 games thus far, but it's still enough to lead the Brantford Bulldogs in defensive scoring, ranking fourth among all skaters as well.
• After a successful stint on Rogle's U20 team, Pettersson is back in the SHL, missing out on the scoresheet in his lone game this week.
• Despite a fairly average .904 save percentage, Kevin Reidler has backstopped the Dubuque Fighting Saints (the old stomping grounds of fellow 2022 draftees Stephen Halliday and Theo Wallberg) to a stellar 11-3-3 record this season.

Stats