Yakemchuk gets big audition with Sanderson as blue-line competition heats up

Jake Sanderson looks to have found a partner on the Sens first pairing for Tuesday night’s preseason tilt in Toronto — a partner that he grew up playing road hockey with in Calgary just a handful of years ago.

Sanderson and 19-year-old top prospect Carter Yakemchuk practiced together on Tuesday morning at the Canadian Tire Centre ahead of the Senators’ second preseason game, tonight at Scotiabank Arena.

Yakemchuk’s older brother Keeling actually played goalie on Sanderson’s minor hockey teams growing up, meaning that the younger Carter would join them sometimes on the streets and outdoor rinks of Calgary.

After a strong preseason with the Sens last fall that included a goal against the Leafs, Yakemchuk was sent back to his hometown Calgary Hitmen for 2024-25.

This year, the seventh overall pick from the 2024 NHL Entry Draft is once again doing everything to try to stick in the NHL — beginning with an audition in Toronto.

Sanderson praised Yakemchuk’s poise after practice on Tuesday morning, calling him “mature.”

Senators head coach Travis Green said after practice that Sanderson “insulates” the rookie Yakemchuk “a little bit,” and that Sanderson can play with anyone.

“I’m excited, he’s a great player. I don’t realize how big he is until I go stand up next to him,” Sanderson says. “He has a lot of potential. I’m excited to play with him tonight.”

“I think [tonight] will be a lot of fun,” Yakemchuk said. “I’m excited to get back into a preseason game.”

Yakemchuk’s understated review of his preseason game in Toronto — on September 22, 2024 — was that it “went pretty well for himself.”

An understated review indeed, given that his goal at the Scotiabank Arena a year ago yesterday wasn’t exactly of the garden variety.

The competition for a spot on Ottawa’s blueline will be fierce though, with the names of veterans Sanderson, Thomas Chabot and Artem Zub written in ink on the depth chart.

35-year-old vet Nick Jensen underwent off-season hip surgery in May, though was a full participant in Tuesday’s practice. Green says “it's too early to tell if he’ll start the season" with the team.

Draft-day trade addition Jordan Spence is sure to be ready for opening night, an exciting right-shot offensive defenceman.

Tyler Kleven was injured in Sunday’s opener vs. Toronto, but head coach Travis Green said that the steady defender is feeling “better” and will be back on the ice soon.

Tally those names on your fingers and throw Nikolas Matinpalo — who played 41 regular season games and all six playoff games — into the mix, and you’re at seven.

Yakemchuk, Donovan Sebrango, and or Lassi Thomson have an uphill battle ahead and will likely have to bypass someone in that group to make it out of camp.

But given the similar setting to last year, that momentum could start building tonight for Yakemchuk to do just that.

Loose Pucks

Sebrango and Matinpalo are the lone defenders to play back-to-back preseason games.

Olle Lycksell (signed to a one-year, two-way contract as a free agent on July 1) and Arthur Kaliyev (signed to a one-year, two-way contract as a free agent on July 2) are the lone forwards to play back-to-back preseason games, a decision that Green explained as “an opportunity” for the wingers.

Drake Batherson left practice on Tuesday. Green said that he wasn’t sure of the forward’s status, and that he may have “pulled” something.

Leevi Merilainen will start in Toronto. 2024 Calder Cup winner, Hunter Shepard, signed to a one-year, two-way contract on July 2, will back him up. Dennis Hildeby makes his preseason debut in net for Toronto.

Ottawa will be up against a much different Leafs lineup than the one that travelled to the Canadian Tire Centre on Sunday.

Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, Morgan Rielly, Brandon Carlo, Jake McCabe, Chris Tanev, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson will make their preseason debuts. Newcomers Matias Maccelli and Dakota Joshua will also don the Leafs sweater for the first time.

“Every exhibition game is different,” said Green. “With the lineups, you never know what you are going to face. We split ours a little bit. They played more of a veteran team at home. It’ll be a tough game.”

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