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Young prospects impress in NHL practice call-up
21 Feb
Summary
- Four top players from Belleville Senators recalled for practice.
- Carter Yakemchuk shows promise despite a minus-28 rating.
- Yakemchuk's NHL debut timing depends on trade deadline.
With key Ottawa Senators players participating in the Olympics, four top prospects from the Belleville Senators, including Carter Yakemchuk, Tyler Boucher, Oskar Pettersson, and Arthur Kaliyev, were called up for a recent practice. This recall provided the organization an opportunity to evaluate their development.
Yakemchuk, a 20-year-old AHL rookie, described the practice as "super cool" and expressed his aspiration to play in the NHL. He currently leads Belleville's defensemen with 25 points in 39 games but has a team-worst minus-28 rating. Despite this, the club remains optimistic about his potential.
Head coach Travis Green indicated the organization wants Yakemchuk to be fully prepared for his NHL opportunity, emphasizing that rushing him is not ideal. The timing of his potential NHL debut is also contingent on the Senators' performance and decisions following the trade deadline, with the team unable to afford many mistakes during a potential playoff push.
