Yakemchuk 'has great deal of potential' to stand out for Senators

OTTAWA -- Carter Yakemchuk said he can picture his future with the Ottawa Senators.

In “the next two years,” the 18-year-old defenseman, selected by the Senators with the No. 7 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, wants to make the team, and he knows who would be his perfect partner.

“My dream partner would be Jake Sanderson, one day,” Yakemchuk said at Senators development camp last week. “That’d be a guy I could see myself playing with.”

Yakemchuk and Sanderson go way back; they grew up in adjacent neighborhoods in Calgary, and Yakemchuk’s older brother played minor hockey with Sanderson. To this day, the families remain close.

It also makes sense on paper. Yakemchuk is a right shot; Sanderson is a lefty. And Sanderson, already one of the fastest skaters in the NHL and one of Ottawa's most reliable defenders at 22 years old, could be the perfect mentor for Yakemchuk, who said he needs to improve his footwork and attention to detail in his own end.

Where Yakemchuk naturally excels is the offensive side of the puck, jumping up in the rush, picking apart opposing team’s defensive zone play and hammering heavy slap shots past goalies. He had 71 points (30 goals, 41 assists) in 66 games with Calgary of the Western Hockey League last season.

He was fifth in the WHL in scoring at the position, one of 22 defensemen in league history to score 30 goals in a season.

“It’s kind of something I’ve always had, since I was younger,” Yakemchuk said of his offensive talent. “I like to score goals. I like to be in the play.

“I’m an offensive defenseman that plays the game really hard.”

Yakemchuk's offensive prowess helped Team Red to a 3-on-3 tournament championship on the final day of development camp, where he impressed Ottawa player development coach Shean Donovan.

“Obviously a very skilled kid, easy going, Western boy," Donovan said. "He’s easy to work with."

Donovan says Yakemchuk reminds him of Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns; Yakemchuk himself looks up to Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard. Senators general manager Steve Staios believes that "with the right time and effort and development," Yakemchuk could reach a high ceiling.

“We like the upside on Carter,” Staios said moments after drafting Yakemchuk on June 28. “I mean, he’s a raw talent still, and I think there’s a great deal of potential with him. We liked what we saw."

Staios, who traveled to see Yakemchuk play during the second half of the WHL season, sees him as “a quiet kid” with a sneaky competitive edge that will grow even more as he matures.

“I saw a player who commanded the ice,” Staios said. “He just has a presence about him, as well. We like the fact that we can build off of that potential.”