The Ottawa Senators roster isn’t finalized just yet, and opening night is still just over a week away, but enough has happened so far to identify five of the top storylines out of training camp. And all of them involve players who weren’t here full-time last season.
1) Carter Yakemchuk
After a humbling rookie tournament in Buffalo, where the Senators went 0-3 and were outscored 17-4, there were already rumblings online that they may have whiffed on another top-10 pick.
In three exhibition games thus far, one thing is certain, Sens GM Steve Staios did not whiff on his number seven overall selection in 2024. Carter Yakemchuk is the real deal, and he will play for the Senators sooner rather than later.
Will he break camp with the main club? You probably would have said “no way” after the rookie tournament. Now it’s hard not to imagine the Senators’ pre-season points leader (2 goals, 5 points) not getting at least a nine-game audition.
2) Adam Gaudette
After reinventing himself in the AHL last season and leading the league in goal scoring, Gaudette doesn’t resemble the player who put up 12 points in 50 games for Ottawa back in 2021-22. He looks more like the player who scored 33 points in 59 games in Vancouver while playing for Travis Green in 2019-20,
Gaudette will make $750,000 in the NHL and $450,000 in the AHL. He hasn’t broken camp yet as a member of the team, but as a veteran of 220 NHL games, he is making a strong case to do just that with 3 goals and an assist in 3 games.
3) Jan Jenik
As the return on the Egor Sokolov trade with Utah, Jenik came to camp as a 24-year-old prospect with a modest NHL resume of 22 games with six points.
He lit up the Leafs for four points in the 6-5 OT win to open the preseason and the one thing he seems to bring to the table that the dearly departed Sokolov didn’t is above-average foot speed.
It’s only pre-season and there are only so many chairs available when the music stops. That said, it’s hard not to imagine this guy getting games this season, even if he doesn’t squeeze onto the opening-day roster.
4) Tyler Kleven
After a very solid rookie season in Belleville last year and not qualifying Erik Brannstrom, the road was paved for Kleven to ascend to the parent club.
But that isn’t the real story. In a situation like that, if there were even the slightest concerns with Kleven, it would be all over the internet.
Instead, you hear nothing, and in a world where people are typically looking to find negativity and doubt, Kleven has played like he’s been here the whole time.
He isn’t flashy and likely never will be. However, the 2020 second-round pick appears to be the fourth player from that draft class to find full-time work with the Senators.
5) Linus Ullmark
Sens Nation was full of wait-and-see with Ullmark, even though he’s a clear upgrade over Joonas Korpisalo.
You couldn’t blame the Sens faithful for holding their breath to see if Ullmark would look as good in Ottawa as he did in Boston. It was easy to wonder if the Bruins’ style of play was as much to thank for Ullmark’s rise to prominence as he was.
Everyone can breathe a little easier now.
Ullmark has only made two starts and it is preseason, but this feels different. He’s shown everyone that he can be a great goalie anywhere by making saves that goalies in Ottawa haven’t made with any consistency in quite a while.
Don’t book the parade just yet, but there is optimism as the Senators approach opening night against the Florida Panthers that they just might be ready to turn the corner.
Related: Former Ottawa Senator Writes Heartfelt Letter Announcing His NHL Retirement
Related: More Job Cuts in the Capital: Ottawa Senators Release Former Toronto Maple Leaf 30-Goal Scorer
Related: Another Former Ottawa Senator Forward Signs in the KHL
