The Ottawa Senators 2026 rookie camp is underway, and one of the most notable names missing from this year's roster is Carter Yakemchuk. Although the 20-year-old right shot defenceman is eligible for the camp and NHL Prospect Challenge in Gatineau, Québec, Yakemchuk will head straight to the organization’s main camp next week. This is a well-deserved step forward for one of the organization’s top blue-chip prospects. The question that remains is what does this mean for Yakemchuk’s upcoming season?
The seventh overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft has been doing all of the right things and is developing almost exactly the way that the Senators organization had hoped he would. After spending the majority of last season in the AHL with the affiliate Belleville Senators, he recorded 10 goals and 40 assists in 54 games and was honoured as their rookie of the year.
A silver lining in Ottawa's injury crisis
It turned out that the one glimmer of hope amidst the endless string of blue-line injuries for the Senators late last season meant that Yakemchuk was able to make his NHL debut on March 24, 2026. With just under thirteen minutes of ice time, Yakemchuk’s impact was immediate. He recorded one goal, one assist, two shots and two blocked shots and he was trusted with 1:22 of powerplay time. He became the second defenceman in Senators history to record a multi-point game in his NHL debut, joining Maxime Lajoie, who also had a goal and an assist in his 2018 debut.
CARTER YAKEMCHUK HAS HIS FIRST NHL GOAL!
— NHL (@NHL) March 25, 2026
And look how happy his family is! 🤗 pic.twitter.com/OI4oE3e5NU
Throughout his four regular season games played, Yakemchuk’s poised puck possession, shot, passing and physicality helped the Senators in their heated wildcard race late in the season. Yakemchuk showed vast improvements in his defensive positioning and play throughout his season in Belleville and in his short stint with Ottawa. Showing that he can play responsibly and maturely as a defenceman is what the organization has been waiting for.
He punched his final ticket to bypass rookie camp during his April 25, 2026, call-up to play in his first-ever Stanley Cup playoff game versus the Carolina Hurricanes. Once again, Yakemchuk put on a spectacle with two assists and three shots in the game. With just this one game played, he ended up tied for second in points and first for assists throughout the team’s four-game series versus the 2026 Stanley Cup champions.
The missing piece
Throughout his games played with the NHL club, Yakemchuk spent the majority of his ice time alongside Jordan Spence, another right-shot defenceman who played on his off-side due to injuries. If Yakemchuk is to make the opening night roster, however, he most likely will be paired with emerging young defenceman, Tyler Kleven. With just under 16 minutes of ice time together, this unique pairing had a 48.11% expected goal percentage in the regular season. The duo could end up being a stabilizing and physical third pairing.
With the addition of defenceman Christian Kyrou in Belleville, it seems that the writing is on the wall for where the Fort McMurray, Alberta, native is headed to begin the upcoming season. It can be argued that with his spectacular play in just five games with the Ottawa Senators, he probably should have been called up sooner. Now heading into the 2026-2027 season, it should be a no-brainer that Yakemchuk makes the opening night roster.
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