Ottawa’s Third Round: Draft Chris Driedger and Jarrod Maidens

So after some publicized comments from assistant GM Tim Murray indicated that Ottawa would be looking to acquire a second round pick, the Senators actually wound up standing pat and holding onto both of their third round selections.

With their first third round selection (76th overall) the Senators selected goaltender Chris Driedger from the Calgary Hitmen.

I don’t think I’ve been more excited in my life. Wow. Unbelievable feeling to be a Senator #dreamcometrue

— Chris Driedger (@ChrisDriedger) June 23, 2012

From what I know, Driedger is: on Twitter (@chrisdriedger); a goaltender; aTaurus; the likely subject of some Bret Hart Photoshop images moving forward.

 Thankfully, there are some third party commentaries that can help give us a better idea of what Ottawa acquired.

From Justin Goldman of The Goalie Guild:

Currently ranked 12^th among North American goaltenders by NHL Central Scouting, Driedger displays a very calm demeanor in the net, and he moves with good balance due to a low center of gravity. He has very little excess movement, and is the most minimalistic and economical of the four. His game is very simple; he doesn’t waste any excess energy, he stays in good position, and he shows elements of durability by quietly letting the puck, and the play, come to him.

Because of this demeanor, he should rank higher than most draft-eligible goalies on your fantasy league scale. I know Driedger has been through a total whirlwind since he was invited to perform in the two-day Research and Development back in August, but the experience he has gained will pay off in the future. He wasn’t even supposed to play in this game, but earned the invitation when Malcolm Subban was ruled out due to injury.

Furthermore, he’s getting hot at just the right time; he went a perfect 6-0 in January for the Calgary Hitmen, posting a miniscule 1.29 goals-against average and .954 save percentage along the way. He won’t carry the same type of hype as an Andrei Vasilevski or a Subban, but due to his quiet and poised nature in the net, he’s certainly worth watching.

Ottawa assured fans that they were going to add a goaltender and by bringing Driedger in, they certainly accomplished that goal. 

Here are Driedger’s junior numbers:

With the team’s second pick in the third round (82nd overall), the Senators drafted center Jarrod Maidens from the Owen Sound Attack. After the selection was made, the NHL Network panel raved that if everything goes right, Ottawa could have a steal on their hands. Some scouting services had projected him as a potential first round candidate before some concussion problems shortened his season.

From Corey Pronman’s assessment of Maidens from Hockey Prospectus:

Maidens came into the year with a little bit of hype but he ended up playing a shortened season. He is not a flashy player who wows spectators with puck skills or skating but he does everything well and is what scouts have called a “classic underrated type”. His best skill is his hockey sense, which is plus and translates into his offensive game through his positional play and great vision as well as his play in the defensive end. He regularly makes impressive feeds and will show high-end playmaking ability. Maidens’ puck skills are decent and can flash a tick above that, so if he doesn’t have the space to work with, I don’t see him as the kind of player who will create that kind of working area for himself, but if you line him up on a power play from the sideboards, he can see all the options unfold. Maidens has a decent physical game as he protects the puck fine and plays the body, but he has a beanpole frame and needs to put on a lot of muscle. He also needs to work on his skating, as despite good mechanics, his speed is below average.

For the internet-inclined, like Driedger, Maidens is on Twitter (@jarrod_maids), so give both prospects a follow. Here are Maidens’ junior numbers: