The Ottawa Senators got a much-needed win over the Montreal Canadiens recently - a performance that felt like a breath of fresh air for a team trying to steady itself. But the good news doesn’t stop there. Several of the Senators’ prospects are making serious noise at the collegiate and junior levels, and it’s starting to look like the organization’s long-term development plan is beginning to bear fruit.
Let’s start in Wisconsin, where two names - Blake Montgomery and Logan Hensler - are starting to dominate the conversation. Montgomery, a 2024 fourth-round pick, is hitting his stride in a big way.
He found the back of the net in both of Wisconsin’s recent games and added an assist for good measure, bringing his season total to nine points in 14 games. But here’s the real kicker: all nine of those points have come in his last nine games.
That’s the kind of heater that turns heads.
Montgomery’s offensive surge includes seven goals over that stretch, and he was just named the Big Ten’s Second Star of the Week after a three-point performance. For a player in his D+3 season, this kind of production is more than just encouraging - it’s the kind of output you want to see from someone pushing to become a legitimate NHL option down the road. For a fourth-rounder, a point-per-game pace at this stage should be the goal, and Montgomery is trending right on that line.
Meanwhile, Hensler is making waves on the blue line. The defenseman was one of just 10 blueliners named to Team USA’s preliminary roster for the upcoming World Junior Championship.
That’s a significant nod, especially considering the depth of talent the U.S. typically brings to the tournament. It’s a sign that Hensler’s game is rounding into form, and he’s on the radar in a big way.
Tyson Dyck - a seventh-round pick back in 2022 - also made his presence felt, earning first-star honors in Wisconsin’s win over Michigan State on November 21. These are the kinds of performances that don’t just pad stat sheets - they build confidence and put players in the conversation for future opportunities.
Shifting over to Minnesota, another 2024 fourth-rounder, Javon Moore, is starting to find his footing. Moore got off to a slow start this season, managing just two points in his first 11 games.
But lately, he’s flipped the switch, racking up seven points in his last six outings. That includes a clutch game-winning goal and an assist in a wild 6-5 overtime win over Denver.
With Moore heating up, Minnesota has won five of its last seven games, though they’re still trying to dig out of an early-season hole at 7-9-1.
Moore and Montgomery are both examples of players who’ve taken the longer development route - spending extra time in leagues like the USHL or OHL before jumping into the NCAA. That path can pay dividends, especially when it comes to adapting to the speed and structure of college hockey.
But it’s also worth noting that these players are a bit older than some of their freshman peers, so their production has to be viewed through that lens. Still, when you add in Owen Beckner - who’s putting up a point-per-game pace at Colorado College - the Senators have a few intriguing forward prospects who could develop into valuable depth options in the next few years.
While college hockey has been a key part of Ottawa’s development pipeline lately, the organization has mostly stayed away from drafting players overseas - especially from Russia. That makes Dmitry Isayev’s emergence all the more interesting.
The 2025 fifth-rounder is now in his second season in the MHL, Russia’s top junior league, and he’s been lighting it up with 10 goals and 8 assists in just 13 games. That puts him third in team scoring despite playing only half the games.
Isayev scored twice in a recent 3-2 win, and while he’s still a long-term project, the early returns are promising. The Senators don’t have to rush him either - players drafted out of Russia remain on an NHL team’s reserve list indefinitely, which gives Ottawa plenty of time to let him develop.
The next big step for Isayev will be earning a regular role in the KHL or potentially making the jump to North America via the CHL import draft. Until then, it’s all about continuing to build his game and gain experience.
Bottom line: between Montgomery’s scoring surge, Hensler’s World Junior nod, Moore’s breakout stretch, and Isayev’s production overseas, the Senators’ prospect pool is showing real signs of life. It’s still early, and development is never linear, but there’s a lot to like about how these young players are trending. If even a couple of them can make the leap to the NHL in the next few years, Ottawa’s long-term outlook gets a whole lot brighter.