The Ottawa Senators have inked another draft pick, signing Christian Wolanin to a two-year-entry-level contract. Wolanin’s junior season came to an end when the University of North Dakota failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. The 23-year old defenseman led UND in scoring, but will now turn pro and join the Senators for the rest of the season.
Originally selected in the fourth round, Wolanin would find success right away in the college ranks by winning the National Championship with UND in 2016. It’s easy to see where he gets his talent from, as he is the son of former NHL Stanley Cup Champion Craig Wolanin, who played 695 games in the league after being selected third overall in 1985. Though Christian Wolanin comes with a lower draft pedigree than his father, he also comes with a lot more offensive spark. A talented puck-mover, Senators GM Pierre Dorion had this to say in the press release:
Christian is talented player that has displayed high-end offensive skill from the blueline during his career at the University of North Dakota. He made the decision to turn professional and we are happy to have him under contract. Christian will join our team in Ottawa for the remainder of the season, which will present a tremendous opportunity for him to learn and develop.
Though there is little evidence that he will be able to step in and be an impact player at the NHL level, adding a player like Wolanin only strengthens the organization’s blue line depth. There should be some opportunity in Ottawa for a player like him, after Dion Phaneuf was traded and Chris Wideman becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. Puck-moving is always at a premium in the NHL, and Ottawa will need mobile defenders who can take some of the load off Erik Karlsson as they look to extend their franchise player.