Ottawa Senators Select Jorian Donovan 136th Overall
Senators add another left-shot defenseman, this time from the OHL with a former Sens connection
After starting their second draft day with three European picks, the Sens have gone back to North America for the last two picks. The Senators are focusing on adding as much talent to the defensive pool as possible and Jorian Donovan checks quite a few boxes for the team. One of these boxes is making sure the Sens draft at least one player who has an NHL connection and what better connection do we need than former Ottawa Senator Shean Donovan.
Sens just drafted Jorian Donovan — son of Shean Donovan.
— Ian Mendes (@ian_mendes) July 8, 2022
While he is considered a bit of a reach, this is still a good pick.
#GoSensGo select Jorian Donovan 136th overall. I ranked him 290th overall.
— Patrick Bacon (@TopDownHockey) July 8, 2022
Top Remaining Forwards:
1. Servac Petrovsky (27th)
2. Matthew Seminoff (37th)
3. Mathew Ward (43rd)
Top Remaining Defensemen:
1. Yegor Gribkov (30th)
2. Elmeri Laakso (45th)
3. Jake Livanavage (49th) pic.twitter.com/MT7Q4zDPbj
Donovan was drafted 6th overall by the Hamilton Bulldogs at the 2020 OHL priority draft. While he has been praised for his father’s work ethic and competitiveness, Jorian is expected to have a higher offensive ceiling. Donovan may be a long-term project but he has the makings of a very valuable top-4 defenseman who has the size, the confidence, and the ability to move the puck.
Donovan attended the draft in Montreal, and told media in attendance that being drafted by the Senators was a surprise - but a good one.
“It’s super special, to be drafted by the team he (father Sean Donovan) played for. It’s unbelievable”
He knows the community well, and knows lots of members of the Sens’ staff, having spent lots of time in the Sens’s dressing room while his dad was playing in Ottawa.
He described himself as a two-way defenseman. His dad was known especially for his skating skills; Jorian laughed when asked if that was also one of his strengths, and said that he’s trying to be as good a skater as his dad was.
Welcome (back) to Ottawa, Jorian!