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“It’s also an opportunity to sit down with the kid and not be pressed for time. You don’t have to run anywhere and it’s a little bit more relaxed environment, but, at the same time, we can also expand on some of the conversations we started here. It gives Pierre a chance to jump in on some things as well. He was here for part of the interviews, but, with his scouting experience, he might want to take something to another spinoff and push that as well.

“What’s happening is more and more you can watch the player and know what they do on the ice, but who they are as people and how they fit into the makeup of your organization has become more and more important. Those off-ice conversations become that much more important.”

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Eight is a high number of potential picks at No. 4 overall, but Mann doesn’t want to leave any stone unturned.

“My job is to make sure our staff is prepared for anything that may happen,” Mann said. “Am I being overcautious with that many players? Maybe, but I don’t want to be sitting at the table with a scenario that Pierre has something for us and I don’t feel comfortable with it because we maybe we didn’t spend the extra hours with that particular player.

“Really, it may be overcautious, but I’d rather be that way than not.”

The Senators have plenty of options at No. 4 and the possibility of shifting around will heat up as the draft approaches.

“There will be teams that may be pushing for that pick because there may be someone there that specifically that they really want,” Mann said. “For us, we don’t have a second- or a third-round pick, and, from our standpoint, I think we have to entertain whatever the scenarios are and see if it benefits the organization.

“If you can move back one or two (spots) and still get a player that you think is at the same level, then I think you have to have those conversations. I think we’re doing the team an awful disservice if we don’t.”

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

Twitter.comsungarrioch