When the Ottawa Senators selected defenseman Carter Yakemchuk seventh overall at the 2024 NHL Draft, the assumption in most hockey circles was that he'd eventually need a pinch of seasoning in the AHL before cracking the NHL lineup. Then the kid suddenly changed some minds after almost making Ottawa's roster last fall.
But after returning home for his fourth and final year with the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen, while working on trying to play a more complete game, Yakemchuk's stats plummeted. That probably renewed the general belief that he'll now need to spend some time on the farm, doing his chores, and adjusting to the higher pace and physicality of pro hockey.
But on Tuesday, as a guest on the Coming in Hot podcast, Senators GM Steve Staios made it clear that nothing about Yakemchuk’s status for this fall is set in stone right now.
“I wouldn't go so far that quickly on that,” Staios said, when asked if Yakemchuk was destined for AHL Belleville this year. “We wanted to have a competitive training camp. I think when you want players to come and push and if they do come in and push, it's my job to make sure that we have the room. If they're going to help the Ottawa Senators win, we're in the business of winning and winning at the National Hockey League level.”
Yakemchuk still had a strong final year in Calgary, where his offensive instincts continued to stand out, but it cannot be ignored that his stats were well down from what we saw in his draft year.
2023–24: 66 games, 30 goals, 71 points, 120 penalty minutes
2024–25: 56 games, 17 goals, 49 points, 82 penalty minutes
But Staios reminded fans that his development has been about more than just numbers.
“The fact that Carter wasn't with our team last year to start was strategic and people can talk about how his point totals and what he did back in junior. I think he had a very good year in developing. And also, talk about adversity. The World Junior event happens and he's not part of it.”
“For a young player, him having to deal with that, I don't think is the worst thing in the world. It really stung him and we weren't happy about it, but these are the moments in time where it's an opportunity for growth.”
While Yakemchuk’s personality may be reserved off the ice, Staios said his game tells a different story.
“Carter's personality is a little bit shy at first. He doesn't play like that when he's on the ice, he's bold and confident. And I think he's continuing to take steps in the right direction. We're really excited about seeing him at camp. He's gonna let us know where he is.”
With fellow right shots like Artem Zub, Jordan Spence, Nikolas Matinpalo, and maybe even Nick Jensen – if he recovers from hip surgery in time – the Senators already have a crowded blue-line picture heading into training camp.
“I know when you look at our roster, like, how does he fit in with everybody that we have on our team right now? Well, again, I like it when they put me in uncomfortable situations where I have to make these types of decisions. We're not dismissing that Carter makes our team out of camp.”
So while the consensus is generally that Yakemchuk will have to wait his turn in Belleville, the door remains very much open for the 19-year-old to make an NHL impact sooner rather than later.
By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa
This article originally appeared in The Hockey News Ottawa.
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