Source: Ottawa Sun

All things being equal, the Senators will almost certainly use the 15th selection in Friday's NHL draft to take a defenceman.

Because they're likely going to lose Filip Kuba to free agency — and possibly Matt Carkner, too — and because they traded David Rundblad for Kyle Turris in December, they need to restock at the blueline position.

The need grows larger if they are able to unload Sergei Gonchar's $5.5 million contract, as they'd like to do. That would leave Erik Karlsson, Jared Cowen and Chris Phillips as the only returning veterans, with rookies Mark Borowiecki, Patrick Wiercioch and Eric Gryba challenging for jobs.

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