The Sportsnet staff compiled a few questions before the regular season ends.

HOW ROSY WILL OTTAWA’S DRAFT PICTURE GET?

With playoffs off the table, the Sens are already looking excitedly to the off-season and how potentially franchise-changing the draft could be for them.

The Detroit Red Wings have wrapped up dead-last in the league, meaning they’ll have the best lottery odds for the first overall pick, but Ottawa is currently sitting second-last, tied with a Los Angeles Kings team that’s won six in a row. One point ahead of them are the San Jose Sharks, whose first-rounder Ottawa owns from the Erik Karlsson trade. It’s extremely possible, if not likely, that Ottawa heads to the lottery with the second- and third-best odds to pick first and nab Alexis Lafreniere. They could even land the top two picks.

And it doesn’t end there. The NY Islanders are falling fast, winners of just two of their past 10 games. They’re out of a playoff spot right now, though hold three games in hand of Columbus, who is only two points up on the Islanders. They’re not out by any measure, but their recent run is concerning. And they’re currently going through Western Canada.

If the Islanders miss the playoffs, the Senators will have a third high pick (that will only go back to New York if it’s in the top three). In this scenario, Ottawa would walk into a deep 2020 NHL Draft with three picks inside at least the top 15. If that happens, the outlook would be entirely optimistic on the ice.

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