NHL Prospect Watch – Ottawa Senators
In the lead-up to the 2023-24 NHL season, we’re taking a look at the current and former WHL talent in each NHL Club’s prospect pool. In this 32-part series, we’ll highlight the WHL players signed to an NHL contract or recently drafted, 25 years of age or younger with 50 or fewer NHL games played. Join us for a brand-new season of NHL Prospect Watch!
We continue with the prospect pool of the Ottawa Senators.
Ridly Greig
Former Brandon Wheat Kings captain Ridly Greig enjoyed an impressive first full season of professional hockey in 2022-23, a season that included 20 games and nine points (2G-7A) with the Ottawa Senators. Greig, who hails from Lethbridge, Alta., also appeared in 39 games at the AHL level with the Belleville Senators, where he scored 15 times and totalled 29 points. The 21-year-old spent his entire WHL career with Brandon, serving as captain during the 2021-22 campaign, where he put up 26 goals and a career-high 63 points despite playing in only 39 games. He was selected by Ottawa in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft. Greig totalled 191 points (76G-115A) over his 183 games as a Wheat King, also winning a World Juniors gold medal with Canada in 2022.
Great Scott! (😏)
Ridly buries his first goal!#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/OoPJyalUCc
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) February 19, 2023
Zack Ostapchuk
A second-round pick by the Ottawa Senators in the 2021 NHL Draft, forward Zack Ostapchuk concluded the 2022-23 season by reaching the WHL Championship Series for the second time in his career. Ostapchuk, from St. Albert, Alta., split last season between the Vancouver Giants and Winnipeg ICE, totalling 57 points (31G-26A) during the regular season, before adding nine goals and 15 points during the 2023 WHL Playoffs. Prior to his move to the ICE, Ostapchuk spent his entire WHL career with the Giants, skating in two playoff games as a 15-year-old during Vancouver’s run to the 2019 WHL Championship Series. A two-time World Juniors gold medalist, Ostapchuk has put up 134 points (69G-65A) over his 187 WHL regular season games.
Zack Ostapchuk answers back for Canada! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/dKZOyv02Ss
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 3, 2023
Garrett Pilon
After five full seasons in the Washington Capitals organization, forward Garrett Pilon signed with the Ottawa Senators in July of 2023. The 25-year-old collected 29 points (11G-18A) in 53 games at AHL Hershey a year ago, then added 10 points during the post-season, helping the Bears capture the Calder Cup. Over his time in the Capitals organization, Pilon appeared in three NHL games, scoring once for Washington during the 2021-22 NHL season. As a WHL player, Pilon spent three seasons with the Kamloops Blazers and Everett Silvertips, surpassing the 60-point mark on two occasions including an 80-point season in 2017-18. He was originally selected by the Capitals in the third round of the 2016 NHL Draft.
GARRETT PILON CLINCHES THE SERIES LEAD IN AN OVERTIME THRILLER FOR @TheHersheyBears 🚨 pic.twitter.com/Bf8bVb8fR1
— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) June 18, 2023
Cole Reinhardt
Former Brandon Wheat Kings forward Cole Reinhardt enters the 2023-24 season after earning his highest point total in the American Hockey League to date in 2022-23. In 66 games with the Belleville Senators, the Calgarian scored 11 times, amassing 34 points in his third season as a professional. Reinhardt made his NHL debut during the 2021-22 campaign with Ottawa after being selected by the Senators in the sixth round of the 2020 NHL Draft. The 23-year-old spent his entire WHL career in Brandon, serving as an alternate captain in 2019-20, where he accrued a personal best of 31 goals and 55 points.
Overtime excitement for Cole Reinhardt and the @BellevilleSens. pic.twitter.com/FnCHkiFhez
— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) February 26, 2023
Mads Sogaard
Danish netminder Mads Sogaard got into 19 games at the NHL level with the Ottawa Senators in 2022-23; the former Medicine Hat Tigers goaltender posted an 8-6-3 record to go along with a 3.32 goals-against average and .889 save percentage over his time in the Nation’s Capital last winter. For his efforts, Sogaard was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month in February, during which he posted a 4-0-1 record and .922 save percentage for the Senators. In addition to his time with Ottawa, Sogaard made 22 appearances at AHL Belleville, where he posted an .893 save percentage. The 22-year-old was a stalwart puck-stopper over his two WHL seasons with the Tigers, earning seven shutouts over his 74 career games played as well as WHL Eastern Conference Second All-Star Team honours in 2019.
I learned a lot last year and I lean on that. Try to think back to some of the good moments I had last year and also some of the tough ones. They build you up."
Mads Sogaard on his high confidence heading into the season pic.twitter.com/nwfJEq91LQ
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) September 26, 2023
Lassi Thomson
A first-round selection by the Ottawa Senators in the 2019 NHL Draft, defenceman Lassi Thomson spent the majority of the 2022-23 season at AHL Belleville, where he put up seven goals and 33 points. The Finnish blueliner got into two NHL contests with Ottawa as well, bringing his career NHL games played total to 18. Thomson spent just one season in the WHL, scoring 17 times and totalling 41 points in his 63 appearances with the Kelowna Rockets in 2018-19. He was named to the WHL Western Conference Second All-Star Team during his lone WHL campaign.
Lassi Thomson puts the @BellevilleSens up 2-0 in #BELvsLAV with a shot from the blue line. pic.twitter.com/oUHg3hUdol
— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) March 9, 2023
