31 Teams in 31 Days - Ottawa Senators

1. Jonathan Gruden - London Knights
Gruden came pretty much as advertised this year in London. He proved to be a very versatile player for Dale Hunter, playing with a lot of different players this season. However he saw a lot of time alongside Connor McMichael, working hard to be a complimentary piece for the talented Capitals draft pick. He's the type of player who always keeps his feet moving in the offensive zone and that makes him effective away from the puck and as a playmaker. He finds a way to get himself open to receive passes and actually possesses really high end vision down low. He can win those battles behind the net or near the half wall and has the sense to find streaking teammates when spinning off checks, or even with his back to the play. Gruden, despite being a pretty slightly built kid, is also extremely effective near the crease and finishes off plays well in tight. This is effectively his office. And despite not getting much of any PK time for the Knights, I often came away impressed with his play in the defensive zone. That high energy level he plays with translates well to being a two-way player. I think the biggest thing for Gruden, moving forward, will be adding strength. He competes hard, but he's not always winning those battles at the OHL level. And it's only going to get more difficult at the AHL/NHL level. As a skater, improving his explosiveness would also help too. I think Gruden probably projects best as a bottom six, energy winger who can pair nicely alongside a quality goal scorer (similar to how he worked with McMichael). I would imagine that he'll be in the AHL next year, where he can be eased in with a 3rd/4th line role. He's probably a longer term project but he definitely has the make-up of an NHL player in some capacity.