Silver Nuggets: Early look at 2016 draft targets - defense

With the trade deadline coming up, we've all been focused on who the Senators may trade and the resulting impact on their big league roster. However, these decisions also impact the team's 2016 draft position, so I thought I'd highlight some of the key players that will be drafted around 7th to 15th overall to see if any favourites emerge. Let's begin!

Jakob Chychrun

Let it be known that I don't think Chychrun will be available at this time, but it's more of a possibility now than it ever was. Listed as Bob McKenzie's second rated prospect at the start of the season -- ahead of the Finnish duo of Puljujarvi and Laine -- Chychrun has been highly regarded since he joined the Sarnia Sting two years ago. A smooth skater, he has the ability to be a modern top-pair defenseman.

Olli Juolevi

My personal favourite, Olli Juolevi likely isn't going to be around past 8th overall. The London Knights rearguard set the draft eligible defenseman point record at the most recent World Juniors, and is already getting accustomed to the North American game. With slick lateral movements and high vision, expect Juolevi to be a top-four staple for a long time to come.

Dante Fabbro

With a name like Dante, how can you go wrong? Fabbro is currently refining his trade in the BCHL -- home of Kyle Turris and where Sens prospect Miles Gendron played last year -- and will be in the NCAA next season. It's hard to compare his numbers with the others, but Fabbro plays an offensive game that utilizes every ounce of his flashy skill. It's unsure how he'll do against top competition, but he may be worth the risk for an NHL team going for a home run.

Jake Bean

Putting up Thomas Chabot-like numbers in a lower scoring league, Jake Bean is more than just a punny last name. His ceiling perhaps isn't as high as the other three names in this list due to a less dynamic offensive skillset, but Bean could potentially be counted on to play reliable, two-way hockey, with excellent positioning to top a team's PK unit.

Charlie McAvoy

The American born defenseman had a solid World Juniors in Finland, and has put him remarkable freshman numbers at Boston University this season (18 points, 30 games). An offensive threat, similar to Cody Ceci in juniors, McAvoy captains BU's powerplay and can more than hold his own defensively.

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Do you have any favourites that come to mind? Anyone who you'd avoid with a ten foot pole? Let us know in the comments!

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Sens Links

• Two games, two wins! The Sens are on a roll! First, your recap from last night's 4-1 win over the Oilers. [Silver Seven, SensChirp, Ottawa Citizen]
• Next, your game coverage from Saturday night's shootout win over the Red Wings. [Silver Seven, SensChirp, Ottawa Citizen]
• The BSens are also on a roll! Jeff has more. [Silver Seven - v. St. John's I, v. St. John's II]
• One of the biggest "buzz" articles of the week was from this Wayne Scanlan piece reflecting on the differences between PK Subban and Erik Karlsson. Nichols had thoughts. [Ottawa Citizen, 6th Sens]
• After two points last night, a column on the streaking Zack Smith (who I still think should be traded). [Ottawa Citizen]
• Meet an Ottawa artist and former S7 colleague! [Ottawa Report]
• Despite the acquisition of Dion Phaneuf to bolster the blueline, Trevor's Weekly Question focuses on defensive trade targets for the Senators. [Silver Seven]
• We're all thinking about trades, with Nichols and Chirp being no exception. Their news and notes columns focuses on the Phaneuf - Ceci pair and various trade rumours. [6th Sens, SensChirp]
• Bruce Garrioch also weighs in for the Citizen on Murray's outlook for the trade deadline. [Ottawa Citizen]
• Who's up, who's down? Click for the Ryan Dzingel picture, stay to see his rating. [Silver Seven]
• Your end-of-Nuggets audio is actually an "audio announcement" -- our very own Michaela Schreiter will be joining Shalia Anwar every Sunday on TSN1200 as part of a new radio show. [Silver Seven]/

Other Links

• Ken Campbell has a piece on Eric Lindros, who's entering the player safety discussion after he retired early from concussions. [The Hockey News]
• How can a team look to optimize their performance at the trade deadline? Travis Yost has the low-down. [TSN]
• While the Senators don't yet have an "analytics" department, division rivals Florida Panthers sponsored their own seminar. [Fox Sports]
• The NWHL has had a great first season, but let's not think that the fight for women's pro hockey is over. Right now, NWHL players play part-time. [Today's Slapshot]
• The Washington Capitals are looking to wrap up the President's Trophy by the start of March. Here's a piece on their incredible season and sports fandom as a whole. [Washington Post]
• End your morning by reading this FANTASTIC piece by Shannon Proudfoot on Erik Karlsson's mentality towards the game [Sportsnet]/