Ottawa Senators Top 25 Under 25: #22, Filip Chlapik

No. 22: Filip Chlapik (Reader Rank: 20, Last year: N/A)

For the second straight day, we have a "Filip" prospect. This Filip was drafted 48th overall by the Ottawa Senators in 2015, and Chlapik makes his Top 25 Under 25 debut at number 22. Chlapik isn't exactly a household name type prospect, but there's a chance that by next year, he'll be around the top-10 on this very same list.

The funny thing is, despite moving from off the list to 22nd, Chlapik decreased his point totals from 75 in 64 games to 54 in 52 games. Although he did not take a step forward with Charlottetown after his draft season, he's still a solid prospect that has the potential to be a top-9 centre.

Chlapik was ranked as high as a late first round pick, so he certainly caught the attention of many scouts around the league just one season ago. The question with him moving forward will be if he can take that next step and be a dominant player in what should be his final season in the QMJHL.

He seems like a typical recent Senators pick that can contribute on both ends of the ice. Here is what Hockey's Future had to say after he was drafted:

Chlapik is a big, two-way forward who can excel on the penalty kill, as well as the powerplay. Unafraid to battle for loose pucks and block shots as needed, he plays the type of old-school two-way game that the Senators coveted when guys like Magnus Arvedson and Radek Bonk were still around. While his playmaking skills will ensure that he is always in the mix offensively, he will need to improve his skating and shooting to be effective in the NHL.

With questions surrounding the quality of his shot and his skating, it's doubtful that Chlapik will ever become an impact forward that will put up a lot of points. However, he already has a strong base defensively that should be able to carry him at least close to being an NHL player. Dennis Schellenberg of Scouting Factory says that while he needs to work on his shot and his overall strength, he "shows hockey sense and can set up plays with his good overview and possesses good play reading abilities."

Even if he does not develop his offensive game much more, there's a chance that Chlapik can at least be a bottom-6 centre in the NHL. That may be selling him a bit low though, since his playmaking abilities could turn him into a 2nd line centre in a few years time. Even if he becomes a Chris Kelly-type centre, that's a win for the scouting department.

Moving forward, he'll play next year for the Charlottetown Islanders in 2016-17, and then presumably will be in the AHL the following year. We may not see him at least until 2018, but he's someone to keep an eye on.