Ottawa Senators Prospect of the Week: Carter Yakemchuk – Hockey Writers – Ottawa Senators

The 2024-25 NHL preseason was not fun and full of many controversies, but the Ottawa Senators managed to end their schedule on a high note with a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Many of the team's top prospects played well in the seven-game schedule, but none impressed more than 2024 seventh-round pick Carter Yakemchuk. He led the Senators with seven points in four games, finished second with 10 shots on net, and had the most dangerous opportunities. Although Ottawa decided to return him to the Western Hockey League's (WHL) Calgary Hitmen before their season opener on Oct. 10, has easily been one of the best players in Ottawa over the past few weeks.

Yakemchuk Impressive on both ends of the ice

There was no question about Yakemchuk's offensive abilities and he showed them every chance he got. Both of his goals were game-winners, three of his assists were career-leading assists, and he led the Senators with two rushing attempts. But he also showed strong defensive play alongside his already well-developed body. He had four blocked shots, two takedowns, and despite facing the most dangerous scoring chances of any rookie with the Senators, only got three of them, giving him an 85.7% success rate. It was everything fans expected from last year's first-round pick.

There is still room for Yakemchuk to grow, especially on the defensive side. One example is the expected goals against, which was 3.4 after four games, but he scored five goals. Part of that can be blamed on shipping, as only Tyler Kleven played more minutes among rookies than him, but his skating and lack of skill also held him back in other areas, especially against the NHL's biggest stars. Yet he still showed intelligence and quick problem-solving skills, using his stick and range to make up for his shortcomings without taking unnecessary stick penalties. Overall, Yakemchuk showed confidence and aggressiveness beyond his years, which will serve him well in the future.

More Development Time Is Not a Bad Thing

After such a successful preseason, many expected Yakemchuk to make the Senators' opening night roster and last at least nine games before the team made any other decisions. However, Ottawa decided to return him to his junior club. “Carter had a tremendous training camp, but this decision was made to help him develop long-term,” general manager Steve Staios said after the departure. “We had a healthy conversation with Carter this morning and expressed that we have a development plan for him that will allow him to improve once he reaches the NHL full time. We are excited to watch his growth and the way he lives in Calgary this season.”

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There is little doubt that Yakemchuk is close to NHL-ready. However, because he is only 18 years old, he is not eligible to join the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League (AHL). Instead, he will head to Calgary where he will take over as the team's leading defenseman and get more time on the power play. The Hitmen have already made several additions to help bolster their roster, signing 6-foot-5 defenseman and Calgary Flames prospect Axel Hurtig and 2025 Draft prospect Robin Svancara, as well as trading for veteran WHL defenseman Connor Hvidston. With Yakemchuk, they suddenly became a team to watch in the Eastern Conference.

It's worth mentioning that the Senators only had eight players make the opening night program immediately after their draft year. Alexandre Daigle, Tim Stutzle, Radek Bonk, and defenseman Stanislav Neckar all played a full season after being drafted by Ottawa, while Mika Zibanejad, Alex Formenton, Marian Hossa, Zach Smith, and Pavel Demitra all they get a probationary period before they are reinstated. their junior club or, in Demitra's case, relegated to the AHL for the rest of the season. Jared Cowen and Radek Hamr also played briefly in their age-18 seasons, but weren't called up until April.

Honorable Mentions

Seven rookies have appeared on the score sheet in all seven of the Senators' preseason games. Of those, Cole Reinhardt was the most amazing. As expected to be an NHLer, he scored two goals, added two assists, had six shots, six hits, and drew two penalties. Now, he looks more like a fourth-line grinder in the same mold as Parker Kelly or Mark Kastelic, both of whom found success in Ottawa before moving on. Donovan Sebrango was also good, scoring two goals on two shots.

Two rookies earned a spot on the Senators' roster following their preseason performances. Zach Ostapchuk wasn't the most offensive player, but his 10 hits were second only to Tyler Boucher and he finished his four games with an impressive 1.56 goals per 60 minutes. Kleven also earned a place in the team, although he was expected to take the left side in the third team. Still, he was admirable defensively, leading Ottawa with 14 blocks and tying Yakemchuk with 21 high-danger chances, but only two.

The Senators have many young players to watch this season, many of whom will be looking for a roster spot. Tune in next week to see which hope stands above the rest!