The Senators don’t have a lot of blue-chip prospects knocking on the NHL door right now. But one that will command plenty of attention at training camp this fall is former first-round pick Carter Yakemchuk. After spending this past season with the Belleville Senators, the 20-year-old right-shot defenceman appears to be tracking exactly the way Ottawa hoped when they selected him seventh overall in the 2024 NHL Draft. The question now is whether Yakemchuk has done enough to seriously challenge for an NHL roster spot next season. Sens Nation with THN's Steve Warne discusses the recent report that the Sens may be interested in G Devon Levi. The short answer is... maybe. Yakemchuk’s first pro season was productive and encouraging, and he certainly has a penchant for good first impressions. In his first AHL season, he had 40 points in 54 games. In his first regular season and first Stanley Cup Playoff games, he had 2 points in each contest. But his ability to create offense from the back end has never been in question. It was about learning the defensive side of the game and improving his skating. “I thought it was definitely a big learning year for myself, but I thought overall improved throughout the year, so I was pretty happy with it,” Yakemchuk told broadcaster David Foote in an interview posted this week on B-Sens YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJmXpKetK08]. One of the biggest moments of his season came when he earned his first NHL recall and got the opportunity to make his NHL debut with Ottawa. “I think I’d go with that for sure,” Yakemchuk said. “It was awesome. I mean to have my family there, and (for them) to be able to watch that game was awesome. Because obviously, without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. So just to share that moment with them, it was awesome.” But making the awesome jump from first-year AHL player to full-time NHL player is never easy for young defencemen, especially on a Senators team that’s now in a legitimate playoff window, way past development mode. After a 2-8 record in the past two playoffs, it won’t be enough to just make the playoffs next season, and head coach Travis Green will want more reliability and structure on the back end, not less. That’s where Yakemchuk’s camp battle gets interesting. His challenge will be proving he can defend consistently enough to earn Green’s trust. Yakemchuk acknowledged that his goal is to improve in all areas this summer, particularly his skating. “I think skating for me is the biggest thing I want to improve on. Obviously to play in this league or in the NHL, you’ve got to be a good skater, so that’s something I’ll be working on in the summer.” After Yakemchuk tore up the preseason in the fall of 2024 (7 points in 4 games), the Sens had to be tempted to keep him around. But for his own good, they didn’t want to rush him unnecessarily. If they made that decision again this fall, it might be partially for the team’s good as well. At the same time, the right side of Ottawa’s blue line isn’t exactly locked down at the moment. If it stays that way, and Yakemchuk arrives at camp a little quicker and more polished defensively, there’s absolutely an opportunity there to win a job. By Steve WarneThe Hockey News This story was originally published at The Hockey News Ottawa Senators site [http://thn.com/ottawa]. Click on the latest headlines below to read the latest stories there: - Habs Playoff Watch Party In Gatineau Shut Down Over Senators' Territorial Rights [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators/latest-news/report-habs-playoff-watch-party-saturday-in-gatineau-shut-down-over-senators-territorial-rights] - By The Numbers: A Deeper Look Into A Potential Senators Trade Target [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators/latest-news/by-the-numbers-a-deeper-look-into-a-potential-senators-trade-target] - Senators Defenseman Goes From 2026 NHL Playoffs To Signing In Switzerland [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators/latest-news/senators-defenseman-goes-from-2026-stanley-cup-playoffs-to-signing-in-switzerland] - Will The Senators Go Long-Term With RFA Defenseman Jordan Spence? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators/latest-news/will-the-senators-go-long-term-with-rfa-defenseman-jordan-spence] - Should The Senators Run It Back With James Reimer As Their Backup? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators#:~:text=Why%20Running%20It%20Back%20With%20James%20Reimer%20Might%20Be%20Ottawa%E2%80%99s%20Best%20Backup%20Plan]
