The Ottawa Senators Select …

July 27th, 2009 | Category: NHL Re-Draft, The Blogosphere

I check my email when I got to work this morning and discovered it was my turn to pick in the Cycle Like the Sedins NHL Re-Draft. Naturally, I postponed all work so I could devote some time to coming up with the best possible choice for my Sens team.

There were several factors to take into account: this is a 30-team fantasy draft, and while the draft order snakes so I do get to pick again in the #36 slot, it’s going to be a long time between my second and third picks. I therefore wanted to pick a player I felt could carry a significant load for my team, just in case I’m not able to draft ideal players to complement him later on. We are also working within the constraints of the NHL salary cap, so that’s an important factor.

In the end I was torn between using my first pick to take a great forward or a great goalie. While it’s obviously very important to have reliable talent in goal (ask the real Sens about that one), I believe it’s also very risky to depend on any goalie to be reliable (again, ask the real Sens). With Henrik Lundqvist, Roberto Luongo, and Martin Brodeur already gone, there weren’t any goalies I felt strongly enough about taking with my first pick left.

So, I settled on a forward. That forward is … drumroll please …

Rick Nash

It’s Rick Nash!

Why? Because I’ve watched a lot of Blue Jackets games and been impressed by the way he fills his role as their team captain and franchise cornerstone. I’ve seen the way he carries that team when he’s called on to do so. I’ve also seen him shine playing for Team Canada in international competitions. I appreciate the way he uses his large frame to bull his way through opposing players and score the big goals. He finished 18th in scoring among NHL forwards last season despite lacking a true playmaking centre on his line. He’s also on the last year of his deal, which means I get him at a cap hit of $5.4 million, rather than the $7.8 million he’ll make starting in 2010.

And, okay, he’s one of my favourite players. So fine, I’m not totally subjective in making this pick. I figure it’s my team — I need to like it.

What do you think, readers? Have I done well? Do you feel comfortable going forward with Nash as our #1 guy or have I completely screwed the season up already?

7 comments

7 Comments so far

  1. Lewy July 27th, 2009 9:32 am

    Personally, I like the pick. Good LWs are hard to come by, and Nash is a damn good player. I’d say go for a goalie in the second round, though…past Sens teams have shown us that you can’t go very far without a reliable goalie.

  2. Meaghan July 27th, 2009 9:48 am

    Thanks Lewy! I’m glad there’s at least one Sens fan not demanding the (fake) GM’s head so far. I am definitely leaning towards going for a goaltender in round 2. Hopefully there’ll still be a couple of good ones left.

  3. Matt Reitz July 27th, 2009 10:12 am

    I think you should now trade Rick Nash for Cogliano, Penner and Smid….. :-)

  4. Lewy July 27th, 2009 12:40 pm

    The (fake) GM seems to be doing pretty good so far. xD Any particular reason why we were so low in the draft? Or just “luck”?

  5. Meaghan July 27th, 2009 5:26 pm

    Matt: Hopefully it won’t come to that! I want to believe there’s no way Nash could be as big a douche as Heatley. I enjoyed your blog post about the NHL needing more Rick Nash, by the way!

    Lewy: Why thank you! I hope I can keep it up. :) The draft was done totally by lottery so yeah, it’s just Ottawa Senators luck.

  6. Matt Reitz August 25th, 2009 2:10 pm

    Well, more Rick Nash… less Dany Heatley. For mostly the same reasons… :-) Glad you like it though…. and right now this Sens team is shaping up pretty good. Looking to replace Murray???

  7. Meaghan September 2nd, 2009 9:25 am

    Well, I do need a job …

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