OTTAWA -- The Ottawa Senators had three picks in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft Tuesday evening, selecting ahead of all other Canadian clubs with the third and fifth pick, and grabbing no. 28 as well.
Third overall, the Sens selected German winger Tim Stützle. The pick was announced by University of Ottawa alum and "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek.
A native of Viersen, Germany, the 18-year-old Stützle appeared in 41 of Mannheim’s 52 regular-season games in 2019-20, in what was his first season playing in Germany’s top professional league, and registered 34 points (seven goals, 27 assists).
"We are thrilled to welcome Tim to the Senators, to Ottawa and to the National Hockey League," said Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk in a press release. "Tim’s acquisition represents yet another core piece in our quest to build momentum towards icing a consistent, elite-level team."
Stützle says he's honoured to play in Canada's capital.
For their fifth draft pick, the Senators selected U.S. National Under-18 Team defenceman Jake Sanderson, 18.
Sanderson served as captain of the US national hockey team development U-18 team and recorded 29 points (seven goals, 22 assists) over 47 games in 2019-20.
Rated second among North American defencemen ahead of the 2020 NHL Draft, the Whitefish, Montana native has committed to the University of North Dakota for play beginning this fall where he will join Senators prospects Jacob Bernard-Docker and Shane Pinto as teammates.
The 28th pick, the Sens' final pick of the first round, the Senators selected Lethbridge, Alberta native Ridly Greig, who had 26 goals and 60 points last season with the Brandon Wheat Kings.
The selections came just shortly after the Senators unveiled their new team jerseys on the CTV News at Six.
On Wednesday, the Senators announced they had traded forward prospect Jonathan Gruden and the 52nd pick in this year's draft to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for two-time Stanley Cup champion goalie Matt Murray.
