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Roster Battles: How Will The Senators Replace Zub To Start The Season?
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- Roster Battles: How Will The Senators Replace Zub To Start The Season?
One of the most interesting questions at Senators ' training camp is whether Carter Yakemchuk is ready to become a full-time NHL player.
There's no doubt about his ability to make an impression. Yakemchuk had a goal and an assist in his regular-season debut last March, then picked up two assists in his playoff debut against Carolina.
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Tyler Kleven was asked by reporters on Thursday what his early impressions are of his preseason D partner, Carter Yakemchuk (Senators YouTube).
There's also no doubt that the Senators would love for him to be 100 percent ready for everyday duty right now.
After Nick Jensen left in free agency, the Senators had an opening on the right side of their D. With Artem Zub and Jordan Spence expected to handle the top-four duties, Yakemchuk appeared to be competing with Nikolas Matinpalo for a regular place on the third pair.
For any defenseman, there's always a massive difference between being the sixth or seventh man, but that's especially true for young ones breaking into the league. At 20, Yakemchuk needs games and minutes. Keeping him in Ottawa as a seventh defenceman, watching from the press box all too often, would do little for his development.
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Now with Artem Zub out, Yakemchuk has moved up even higher in the batting order.
Zub is still recovering from the injury he suffered in Game 1 against the Hurricanes five months ago, and head coach Travis Green does not expect him to be ready for the start of the season. That creates another opening on the right side, and given that Zub has been in rehab mode for five months, it also raises questions about how long the Sens may need someone to fill it.
Yakemchuk should be the obvious candidate.
But so far, his camp and two preseason appearances have showcased a young player who's still figuring things out. He generally looks comfortable when the Sens have the puck, but his skating and reading the play defensively still pose a challenge.
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Wednesday's split-squad game in Toronto was a particularly demanding test. With Sanderson, Zub and Spence unavailable, and Thomas Chabot out for family reasons, Yakemchuk was thrown in the deep end against a loaded Leafs lineup and asked to be a number one and play top minutes (25:29).
That was a far bigger assignment than the limited, insulated minutes he received during his brief NHL appearances last season, or the number six role he's better suited to at this stage.
The Senators lost 6–1, and Yakemchuk had a difficult night. It would be unfair to judge his readiness on that game alone. The Senators will evaluate the big picture and what they've seen throughout camp.
Yakemchuk has been skating with Tyler Kleven, which may offer a glimpse of the third pair the Sens would like to use out of the gate.
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Kleven spoke well of the rookie when asked about him on Thursday, but his comments also included references to confidence, how everyone makes mistakes early on, and how it takes time to adjust to the NHL.
Looking back, the draft day attraction to Yakemchuk is easy to understand.
In his draft year with the Calgary Hitmen, he scored 30 goals and 71 points in 66 games, along with 120 penalty minutes. A big, right-shot defenceman with that kind of offensive production, size and apparent snarl was always going to draw attention. His shot is elite and would give the Sens a fantastic weapon on the power play.
If the Senators decided Yakemchuk needs more time in Belleville, they would still need a third-pairing right-shot D behind Spence and Matinpalo. And there are no obvious candidates.
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Hoyt Stanley has made a case for a longer look and had a slick backhand goal against Toronto on Wednesday. Christian Kyrou offers offence from the right side, while the 6-foot-7 Djibril Touré brings size and physicality and skates well for a man his size. Ottawa native Cameron Crotty seems steady enough and has already appeared in NHL games for the Senators.
Green could also choose a left-shot defenceman if he feels that player gives him the best lineup. But on opening night last year, he showed his preference to keep his D on their natural side. With Kleven injured, Green replaced him with another lefty in Donovan Sebrango , who had played just two career NHL games to that point, while the more experienced, right-shot Spence was a healthy scratch.
Zub's absence, combined with a lack of other obvious options, places Yakemchuk comfortably in the driver's seat to start the year in Ottawa. Whether this is the best place for him to continue his development at this time is a wait-and-see.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
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This article was first published in The Hockey News. For more Sens coverage at The Hockey News, click on one of the latest THN Ottawa headlines below:
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