In this edition of the Senators News & Rumors, we look at the Senators making their first selection in the first round since Tyler Boucher in 2021, selecting Carter Yakemchuk seventh overall. There are also some trade rumors, or a lack of them, to break down involving Jakob Chychrun and Mathieu Joseph.
Senators Take Yakemchuk 7th Overall
Once Macklin Celebrini was off the board, the next ten picks were up in the air at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. It was fair to suggest a defenseman would be a top target for the Senators, but if Tij Iginla dropped to them, they would have considered that, too.
Related: Ottawa Senators Draft Carter Yakemchuk 7th Overall
Selecting Yakemchuk was a bit of an off-the-board pick based on most rankings, but the group of defensemen in that tier were very similar, and all brought their own skill sets. Yakemchuk scored 30 goals and 71 points in the Western Hockey League, showing off his great talents and booming shot. Comparisons to Evan Bouchard have been made, and while there are a lot of similarities, Bouchard has a bit more offense to him, while Yakemchuk is more physical.
The player needs to develop some defensive skills, but that can be taught. Most projected him closer to the 12th pick, but plenty of lists had Yakemchuk much higher, including THW’s Logan Horn, who ranked him fourth.
A right-shot, mobile, offensively talented, physical defenseman who isn’t afraid to toe the line and play rough is a fantastic pick for the Senators. There was some concern about his discipline and 120 penalty minutes, but Ian Mendes of The Athletic did a deep dive into this, and it isn’t as concerning as the paper may show. (from The Athletic, Why the Senators chose Carter Yakemchuk with the No. 7 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, June 29, 2024)
But if you remove his five fighting majors (25 minutes) and his four 10-minute misconducts (40 minutes), you’re down to a much more reasonable 55 minutes in penalties. And when you look at those penalties, it’s not like he’s taking a ton of holding, hooking, interference or tripping calls that would indicate he’s always being burned in the defensive zone.
Boyd is not worried about Yakemchuk’s penalty accumulation and said it shows the markings of a highly competitive athlete.
Ian Mendes, The Athletic
There is a lot to like about Yakemchuk, and he will have an exciting career in the NHL.
No Movement on the Chychrun Trade Front
Over the past few weeks, there was a lot of speculation that Chychrun would be dealt at or before the draft’s first round. Clearly, the Senators’ management team didn’t have a trade they liked available to them, so they hung onto him. It is still expected that Chychrun will be dealt before next season, and the hope was to land a first-round draft pick and a second-round pick or a high-end prospect. (from Ottawa Sun, LET’S MAKE A DEAL! Senators GM Steve Staios is ready to rock in Las Vegas, June 26, 2024)
There is still a chance a deal gets made. Many assets are in play on Day 2 of the draft, and the Senators could add a 2025 first-round pick for next year and another asset or two for this year.
Chychrun in Ottawa didn’t pan out. His $4.6 million cap hit for one more season is a great deal for anyone looking to acquire, including the Florida Panthers, who will likely lose Brandon Montour in free agency and may have Aaron Ekblad on the block, confirmed by Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts.
With too many left-handed stars in Ottawa already, the hope was that Chychrun or someone else would naturally fit on the right side, and that wasn’t the case. It isn’t about his poor play or anything; it is just that he doesn’t fit with the club anymore, or even when they acquired him, for that matter.
Joseph Still Could Be Moved
Mathieu Joseph and his $2.95 million cap hit for two more seasons are still on the block and could be moved. The Senators aren’t looking for anything more than a later draft pick, and at this point, it seems like they just want his money off the books. A Day 2 trade is still more than possible.
If a team with lots of cap room wants to add a quality bottom-six, speedy defensive winger, they will be happy with Joseph. He isn’t a bad player, but Ottawa doesn’t need him for that cap hit. They would be happy to move on from him with them close to the ceiling and having some contracts to hand out.
