Senators enter late first-round spot with belief there are still “earlier-round” talents on the board

The Ottawa Senators will be on the clock with the 32nd overall pick at the NHL Draft in Buffalo on June 26, a slot that often serves as the league’s draft-week divider between teams that land a “value” selection and teams that end up choosing the best remaining name rather than the best fit. According to a draft preview from Yahoo Sports, the Senators approach their position as a point where the board might still include players they believe should have gone earlier, meaning their second-half-of-the-first-round work could hinge on how quickly certain top prospects are taken off the table.

Being drafted last in the first round is not simply about draft placement, it is about timing. When a team picks at 32, it must be ready for multiple scenarios, because the players it prefers can disappear several picks earlier if other clubs prioritize similar traits, such as puck-moving defense, high-end skating forwards, or goaltending upside. Late first-round selections typically require a combination of conviction and flexibility, and Ottawa’s preparation is framed around the idea that there may still be more than one “premium” option available when the draft reaches their podium.

The Yahoo preview is organized as a scouting exercise, highlighting the kind of player the Senators could target at No. 32. While the full list is not reproduced here, the core theme is consistent with how teams plan for late-first-round outcomes: identify prospects who are near the top of internal rankings but have some element of variance that could push them down. That variance can come from anything a scout can justify, including perceived development timelines, stylistic fit, or the difference between junior production and what translates against NHL speed and skill.

Ottawa’s “could have gone earlier” framing suggests the Senators are leaning toward upside over pure safety. Late first-round picks often become fixtures in roster planning, especially when a club has a clear path to integrating a young player into a bottom-six forward role or a third-pairing defensive role. That does not guarantee immediate impact, but it does change how the organization weighs traits. Teams at the end of the first round commonly seek prospects who can be coached into responsibility, not just prospects who can be drafted and monitored.

The location of the draft also matters in a practical sense. Buffalo’s event is the kind of setting where team representatives, agents, and scouts will have strong incentives to coordinate with prospect families and decision-makers quickly, particularly when draft boards shift by the pick. Even if Ottawa’s scouting staff has a target, the team’s ability to execute a clean selection at 32 depends on what happens in the picks ahead, including whether other clubs reach for players Ottawa views as comparable options.

As the first round progresses, the Senators will likely narrow their decision matrix to a smaller set of prospects who match their “earlier-than-32” belief. If too many of the high-ceiling players are gone, the team could pivot to the next tier on its big board. If several of the players Ottawa views as mis-valued remain available, No. 32 becomes a chance to turn a late draft slot into a genuine value pick.

What to watch next is straightforward: how quickly teams ahead of Ottawa select in the categories Ottawa is looking at, and whether one or more of the prospects framed as potential targets still remain when the draft approaches No. 32. Ottawa’s selection will be a report of how the Senators balance roster needs with long-term development risk, and it will also show whether their belief in “earlier-round talent” holds up against real-time draft dynamics.