Ten intriguing players the Ottawa Senators could select 32nd overall at the NHL Draft

Jaxon Cover, who grew up in the Cayman Islands, didn't play ice hockey, didn't even know all the rules, until his U14 year. Photo by Mike Hensen /Postmedia

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If there’s one guarantee at the 2026 NHL Draft this weekend, it’s that the Ottawa Senators will be selecting a player with the 32nd overall pick.

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They absolutely must, you see.

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It’s one asset, thanks to a botched trade with the Vegas Golden Knights back in 2021, that Steve Staios, the club’s general manager and president of hockey operations, cannot trade.

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Despite adding forward prospects Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda in the William Eklund trade on Tuesday, the Senators’ cupboards still need restocking, especially up front.

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Ahead of the organization’s big decision Friday night, let’s take a look at 10 players — eight forwards and two defencemen — who could be available for Ottawa at No. 32.

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Jaxon Cover (RW)

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This kid is by far the coolest story at the draft.

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Cover grew up in the Cayman Islands where the one rink in the entire territory is built for roller hockey — it has no ice. He was a roller hockey phenom for years before moving to Canada at age 12 and falling in love with the way Canadians typically play the sport.

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Cover didn’t play ice hockey, didn’t even know all the rules, until his U14 year. A few seasons later, playing AAA for the first time, he was selected by the London Knights in the fourth round of the Ontario Hockey League Draft.

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After the rules around NCAA eligibility were re-written, the Penn State University commit joined the Knights for his 17-year-old rookie season and racked up 52 points (20 goals, 32 assists) in 67 games.

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The winger is admittedly still getting a grip on the fundamentals of the game, but he possesses a far higher ceiling than a dozen players likely to be selected before him. He has some of the best raw talent in the entire draft class.

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Yes, the Senators would be taking a risk picking Cover, but if he continues to develop at a similar rate to the last few years, it will be a home-run selection.

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Egor Shilov (C)

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Now that the Senators are no longer opposed to drafting Russians, how about a couple more?

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The first we’ll discuss is Shilov, the top-scoring rookie in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League this past season. The flashy, creative forward had 82 points (32 goals, 52 assists) in 63 games with the Victoriaville Tigres, but has been criticized as having an underwhelming compete level.

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Shilov is not the typical player that the Senators have gone for in the past — his defensive game needs some serious work — but he has some of the best puck skills in the draft and oozes confidence. He would be a power-play god and, if you can develop his all-around game and surround him with the right players, he has star potential.