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Senators Rookie Defenseman Puts Team on Notice

A rookie defenseman for the Ottawa Senators put the team on notice during his debut game.

Jacob Punturi

Sep 22, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators forward Carter Yakemchuk (58) skates past Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe (22) as he moves in to score the winning goal in overtime at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Sep 22, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators forward Carter Yakemchuk (58) skates past Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe (22) as he moves in to score the winning goal in overtime at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
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The Ottawa Senators opened their preseason schedule with a 6-5 win over their provincial rival the Toronto Maple Leafs. Both teams kicked off the 2024-2025 campaign with an offensive explosion, as the goaltenders on each end of the ice had the toughest time.

While the Senators are happy to claw a victory away from the Leafs, they have to be even happier with the play of rookie defenseman Carter Yakemchuk. The Sens selected Yakemchuk with the seventh-overall selection of the 2024 NHL Draft and signed him to his entry-level contract shortly after. It was a slam dunk of a decision for Ottawa, as Yakemchuk was coming off a 30-goal and 70-point season in the Western Hockey League.

Playing in his first game with the Senators, Yakemchuk looked every bit like an NHL defender already. His size stood out, with his 6'3, 200 pounds frame creating a problem for the Maple Leafs' forwards. It was only one game, but the physicality of the NHL didn't overwhelm the young blue liner.

What was even more impressive was Yakemchuk's confidence with the puck. The Sens drafted him with the hopes of him being a top-pairing, right-handed defender who can play in all types of situations. During the overtime period, he gave the team just a glimpse at how much of a game-changer he can be for the organization.

With the Sens needing some energy, Yakemchuk took things into his own hands. After swooping behind his own net with the puck, he skated up ice through the neutral zone. Identifying some loose coverage by the Leafs, he accelerated quickly and left two defenders in the dust as he split the middle. Going from his forehand to backhand, Yakemchuk finished the play by burying a shot past goaltender Matt Murray, giving the Senators the overtime victory.

With such an impressive first game, the Senators are officially on notice. They might not have had plans for Yakemchuk to make the team as an 18 year-old, but with this performance it's clear that the Sens will have to think very long and hard before sending him back to the WHL.

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Jacob Punturi
JACOB PUNTURI

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