Wolanin, Lajoie already on Senators’ watch list

Already stocked with defencemen, the Senators have another, lesser known layer to like in the system.

It includes Christian Wolanin and Max Lajoie.

Wolanin, the son of former NHLer Craig Wolanin, was a fourth-round Senators pick in 2015 who still has one year remaining at the University of North Dakota. The 6-foot, 180-pound 22-year-old was a standout for “Team Cammo,” which won Monday’s 3-on-3 tournament.

“We knew he was good,” said assistant GM Randy Lee. “He had a great camp. He got a lot of votes for hardest worker. He’s a very determined young man. He knows exactly where he wants to be. He’s got one more year back at North Dakota, and he knows that he wants to push next year, for us to sign him, because he thinks he might be ready then.

“He painted a good picture to our coaching staff of what type of player he is.”

Lajoie, a fifth-round pick in 2016, is expected to start next season with the Belleville Senators.

“He’s a late birthdate, so he has the opportunity to go and play in the American Hockey League next year if he doesn’t make Ottawa ... he doesn’t have to go back to junior,” Lee said of the former Swift Current Bronco, who turns 20 in November. “I thought he had a really good camp. He showcased himself really well.

“He’s a guy that impressed us so much last year out of the rookie tournament and training camp that we signed him. That was sort of uncharacteristic of us, but we signed him right out of the hop because we saw a lot in him that we liked. So we said let’s commit to him.” Ice chips: Lee said defenceman T.J. Melancon, a camp invitee from Ottawa, is on the Senators “radar.” Melancon scored 19 goals and 45 points with Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the QMJHL last season ... Ottawa product Andrew Peski missed the 3-on-3 tournament because of an injury.