The hits just keep coming for Ottawa Senators fans.
As another season begins to get away from the Senators, fans had looked forward to the World Juniors in Ottawa later this month when top Sens prospect Carter Yakemchuk would surely help lead Team Canada in its quest for gold in the very NHL building he hopes to star in someday.
Nope. Hockey Canada not only opted not to select Carter Yakemchuk as one of its six defencemen. He’s not even in their top ten.
Yakemchuk was certainly inside the top ten in Ottawa – the final cut at NHL training camp after leading the Senators in preseason scoring. And he endeared himself to Sens fans with this solo overtime beauty to take down the rival Leafs.
The Sens selected Yakemchuk seventh overall in the 2024 NHL Draft back in June. At six-foot-three 209 pounds, he’s an intriguing mix of size and skill on the back end. He has 23 points in 20 games with the Calgary Hitmen this season. With his omission, there will be no Senators prospects playing for Canada in Ottawa this month.