Ottawa Senators management faces a tough call on one of its top prospects before the opening night roster deadline: 5 p.m. Monday. Defenceman Carter Yakemchuk, selected 7th overall by Ottawa in the 2024 NHL Draft, is one of several players whose status must be settled by then, and the decision could shape the bottom of the Senators' blue line for the season.
A rough rookie season by the numbers
Yakemchuk finished his rookie AHL season with Belleville with 10 goals and 40 points in 54 games, a productive offensive output for a young defenceman. But his minus-31 rating tells a different story, one that has followed him into training camp. Through Ottawa's preseason games this camp, Yakemchuk has zero points, adding to questions about whether he is ready for full-time NHL minutes.
Mixed reviews from league executives
Opinions from around the league are split on what Yakemchuk actually is right now. One unnamed league executive was blunt about his skating: "I don't think his feet or mobility are good enough yet. Especially when he has to transition quickly from forward to backward skating." A second executive offered a more balanced take, calling him risky but full of upside: "The NHL isn't a development league anymore. He doesn't defend well. But when he's got the puck on his stick, he can attack... There is a ton of potential there. I think it's just risky."
The competition for a roster spot
Yakemchuk and Nikolas Matinpalo look like the primary candidates for the opening on the right side of Ottawa's bottom defence pairing. If Matinpalo wins that sixth spot, there's a good chance Yakemchuk gets sent back to Belleville of the AHL to keep developing. If he makes the team instead, Yakemchuk could anchor Ottawa's third defence pairing alongside Tyler Kleven, or even quarterback the second power-play unit, roles that would put his offensive instincts to use while sheltering some of his defensive limitations.
What Green wants to see
Head coach Travis Green has been clear that this is about more than flashes of skill. Green said he and Yakemchuk discussed specific elements of his game to work on over the summer, and that the rookie now needs to prove he can perform consistently, not just in isolated shifts. "He's just got to show that he can play every day," Green said. "There's one thing to play... There's another thing to show that he can play well every day. Can he do it over months? He'll show us."
What led here
The decision comes amid a rocky preseason stretch for Ottawa. The Senators dropped both ends of a split-squad doubleheader against the Toronto Maple Leafs this week, losing 4-2 at Canadian Tire Centre and 6-1 at Scotiabank Arena, where Yakemchuk himself took a hard late hit. You can read ottown's earlier report on those results. The team also saw owner Michael Andlauer reopen old wounds around Brady Tkachuk's departure this week, adding to a turbulent camp as Ottawa finalizes its roster before the season opens.
With Monday's deadline approaching fast, Ottawa's management has little time left to decide whether Yakemchuk's potential outweighs his current readiness, or whether another year of AHL seasoning in Belleville is the safer bet.
Sources: Ottawa Citizen (via Yahoo News Canada), Yahoo News Canada
