Ottawa Senators Select Colin White 21st Overall
A quick intro to the second of Ottawa's first-round picks.
At 21st overall, the Ottawa Senators selected Colin White from the USA National Team Development Program. White is a centre, listed at 6' 0" and 183 lbs. He was ranked 16th in Bob McKenzie's draft rankings, 29th among North American skates by NHL Central Skating, and in between those two rankings by nearly every other draft ranking.
Moving from the USA U17 to the USA U18 program, White dropped from 63 points in 47 games to 42 points in 45 games. However, his penalty minutes also dropped from 81 to 28, suggesting his discipline improved. His playmaking ability and vision have been praised, though he may need some work on his shot. He is seen to play a responsible, two-way game, especially for such a young player.
Overall, I was surprised to see the Sens not jump at taking hometown boy Travis Konecny in the first round. Both of the team's first-round picks appear to be on the safe side, good bets to make the NHL, but with little upside to be top-tier players.