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Carter Yakemchuk, Ottawa Senators (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Ottawa Senators Prospect of the Week – Carter Yakemchuk

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Dayton Reimer | Last updated Feb 26, 2025 8:35 AM ET

After surging to an impressive 12 goals and 29 points in 24 games, Carter Yakemchuk hit a bit of a slump. From Dec. 18, 2024, to Feb. 17, 2025, the high-scoring defender only put up three goals and 12 points in 18 games – a far cry from expectations. An injury that kept him out of seven contests didn’t help matters, either, but last season, he ended with 30 goals and 71 points, setting a franchise record for the most career goals by a defenceman with 64. Now, the Ottawa Senators’ 2024 first-round pick is on pace to hit just 20 goals and 54 points.

However, before Senators’ fans panic, Yakemchuk’s overall game has improved drastically, which is exactly what the team was hoping to see. Since his “slump” started, the Calgary Hitmen have only lost eight games, two of which came during Yakemchuk’s absence. He’s more consistent in his end and using his size and speed more to his advantage defensively, and although his offensive game is still present, he’s taking fewer careless risks with the puck.

But what makes Yakemchuk a fascinating prospect is when he can combine both, and last week, he returned to his high-scoring ways. In his last three games, he picked up a goal and four points while recording a plus-5, making him your Senators Prospect of the Week for Feb. 17-23, 2025.

Yakemchuk Becoming More Well-Rounded

When the Senators returned Yakemchuk to the Hitmen, the team was clear about what they expected from him in his 19-year-old season. “We just felt to keep his progression going, what’s best for him as a player – stability for him as well – that it would be best if he went back for one more year of junior and played a big part of his team in Calgary,” said head coach Travis Green following the move. “(He needs to) mature and get older. He’s going to be a point guy. We foresee him being a top defenseman in the NHL. Getting stronger physically. He’s a big man. I think there’s still a lot of room for growth as far as where his strength will end up.”

Initially, Yakemchuk got right back to where he left off, scoring a ton of points and leading the Hitmen’s offence. But after Calgary loaded up at the deadline, adding defencemen Kalem Parker and Sawyer Mynio, physical forward Tanner Howe, and defensive centre Lukas Hansen, Yakemchuk’s role shifted. He was still on the Hitmen’s top pair, but he didn’t have to struggle to play every area. He now essentially had a safety net to develop other aspects of his game without hurting the team’s ability to score.

The only problem is that Yakemchuk’s offence began to dry up. Instead of leading the rush, he occasionally hung back, establishing his position to shut down a potential attack. Each week, his plus/minus score steadily improved after being wildly inconsistent at the start of the season. He still drove the puck into the offensive zone when he had the chance, but he was becoming a better defenceman.

Then came last week. Not only did Yakemchuk break his scoreless streak, but he helped Calgary score 15 goals in just three games. First, the Hitmen demolished the Regina Pats 5-0 and outshot them 43-14, with the Senators’ top prospect adding a helper on the game’s second goal. Two days later, they shut out the Brandon Wheat Kings with another 5-0 victory, outshooting their opposition 47-28, and Yakemchuk led both teams with six shots while scoring his first goal since Jan. 26. The Moose Jaw Warriors broke the Hitmen’s shutout streak but only managed to get one goal through while Calgary cruised to another 5-1 victory. Meanwhile, Yakemchuk extended his point streak to three games with his fourth assist, his longest streak in nearly a month.

There are still parts of Yakemchuk’s game that need refining, and he’s still primarily an offensive defenceman that can use his strength and size to establish position in the attacking zone. But last week secured the Hitmen a playoff berth, and their dominance late in the season promises to push them deep into the playoffs. That will surely showcase another side of Yakemchuk where he can potentially dominate the competition both with and without the puck.

Senators Honourable Mentions & Check-Ins

After a promising preseason, Jan Jenik hasn’t had the year he likely hoped he would after leaving the Utah Hockey Club. In 26 games with the Belleville Senators, he had just six goals and 10 points, and his only NHL game wasn’t much to write home about. However, he finally bounced back to his early season form last week, scoring a goal and two assists in three games, plus a shootout winner against the Cleveland Monsters on Feb. 23, earning him the first star of the game. Maybe another call-up is in the cards for the American Hockey League (AHL) veteran, especially if Shane Pinto and Josh Norris are out for much longer.

Tomas Hamara remained a point-per-game defender with another three assists for the Brantford Bulldogs last week. The defenceman is now up to 50 points in 49 games, giving him the fourth-highest point total since the Belleville Bulls moved to Hamilton in 2015. At his current pace, he could end up with the second-highest total and within reach of first place.

Vladimir Nikitin notched yet another win to his belt, giving him a perfect 6-0-0 record since joining the Nanaimo Clippers a month ago. His 2.28 goals-against average is first on the team and ninth in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), as is his .919 save percentage. Although he had a successful rookie campaign last season before returning to Kazakhstan to start the 2024-25 season, where he struggled to perform in a tougher league. However, he seems to have a bit more swagger this go around, giving the Senators hope that he could be another hidden gem goaltender in their system.

Tune in next week to see which prospect stood above the rest.