How acquired: Selected with No. 7 pick in 2024 NHL Draft
2024-25 season: Calgary (WHL): 56 GP, 17-32-49
Yakemchuk made a solid bid to make the Senators roster out of training camp last season with five points (two goals, three assists) in three preseason games before the decision was made to return him to Calgary of the Western Hockey League.
He’ll be provided every opportunity to stick with Ottawa this season, especially after the improvements he’s made in the defensive zone.
“When the puck’s on ‘Yak’s’ stick, there’s no question what he can do and I think that’s always going to be a strength, so we were trying to sure up the other areas of his game and make sure he’s able to compete in the corners, defensively, off the rush, improve his feet and just gap control, things like that, where he’s going to have to face some pretty quick guys at the next level,” Senators amateur scout Andrew Gordon said. “We think he’s more ready for that now than he was a year ago.”
Yakemchuk has 180 points (70 goals, 110 assists) in 245 career WHL games, including a career-high 71 points (30 goals, 41 assists) in 66 games in 2023-24.
Projected NHL arrival: This season