The Ottawa Senators wrapped up their rookie camp on Sept. 14 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, finishing with a record of one win and one overtime loss. Both games were competitive and passionate, which is exactly what management wanted to see out of their top prospects. Here are three of the most impressive players from the Prospect Showdown.
Carter Yakemchuk
Carter Yakemchuk proved that he will be one to watch this season. In his only appearance in the tournament, the Senators’ top prospect looked like a man among boys, scoring a goal and two assists in Ottawa’s 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. After an impressive debut last season, he thrived in the spotlight, showing off his speed, strength, and skill with the puck at every opportunity.
When the game ended, almost everyone who watched him was in awe of what he was able to do. “He’s nasty,” said fellow defenceman Djibril Toure. “I mean, it’s something to expect now with this guy, but his game speaks for itself.”
“He’s right there,” added David Foot, the voice of the Belleville Senators, on TSN 1200. “He was the best blueliner in that game for my money and I expect more of that from him moving through camp and beyond.”
Yakemchuk raised some concern among Senators faithful last season after his point total dropped from 71 points in his draft year to just 49. He admitted that it wasn’t an ideal season for him, telling Sportsnet, “Last season was pretty tough on me. Obviously, I was a little bit disappointed getting sent back to junior, and then obviously disappointed (about not making) the world junior team.”
But, despite the struggle, Yakemchuk remained focused on his goal of making the Senators out of training camp. His skating was better, he was more consistent in the defensive end, and still showed that he could be a game-breaking offensive presence. There are still some concerns on the defensive side, but they are far less worrying than they were a year ago. Everything else about his game is ready for the NHL.
Xavier Bourgault
It’s expected that prospects who have participated in more than one rookie camp should be much more dominant than the first timers, but it was still surprising to see how good Xavier Bourgault looked. A first-round pick by the Edmonton Oilers, he was acquired early last season for Roby Jarventie with both teams hopeful the youngsters just needed a change of scenery. But Bourgault didn’t jump out of the gate when he arrived in Ottawa, and after 61 games with Belleville, he had a fairly average 12 goals and 26 points.
Related: Ottawa Senators 2025-26 Prospect Pyramid
At the Prospect Showdown, though, Bourgault was on fire, showcasing his incredible speed and vision. Whenever the Senators were dominating in the offensive end, Bourgault was always there, putting himself in the right position to maintain possession and move the puck to an open teammate. It was a masterclass of what a rookie camp veteran should look like, and it’s hard not to imagine that some NHL call-ups are coming in his future.
Belleville’s head coach, David Bell, was thoroughly impressed with the 22-year-old. “He’s been really good since the start of camp,” said Bell after beating the Maple Leafs. “He put a lot of work in this summer, he’s finally healthy, he’s stronger, and he’s had, I guess this is day three of camp, and he’s probably been the best player at camp for this group so far. He’s been really strong this year.”
Last season, Bourgault was dealing with a sore wrist and hip flexor, which limited his ability to play his game. This season, he’s back to full strength and his teammates have noticed. Coach Bell reported that several forwards asked to be on Bourgault’s line because he’s so good at distributing the puck. All signs point to a player who is ready to recapture the spark that made him a first-round pick back in 2021.
Jamieson Rees
Maybe a more underrated pick, Jamieson Rees had a very solid showing over the two games in the Bell Centre. He didn’t get on the scoresheet, but he was doing all the little things right. Against the Maple Leafs, he forced a turnover at the offensive blue line that led to Stephen Halliday’s goal to put Ottawa up 2-0, then screened the Toronto goaltender to give Tyler Boucher a clean shot for the Senators’ third of the game. On Sunday against the Winnipeg Jets, he was back in front of the net, helping Jorian Donovan get a clean shot to tie the game at two.
Rees is another former top prospect hoping to bounce back this season, and like Bourgault, he finally looks healthy and ready to compete for a spot at the Senators’ main camp. However, Rees currently doesn’t have an NHL deal and is just signed to a one-year American Hockey League (AHL) deal. That could change if he has a strong camp, though, and with everything he showed at the rookie camp, he’s ready to prove he can be one of the smartest players on the ice.
Senators Rookies Gearing up for Main Camp
After the Prospect Showdown wrapped up on Sunday, most of those who competed at the Senators rookie camp are heading back to Ottawa for the team’s main camp, starting with weigh-ins and physicals on Wednesday morning. While the roster is practically set, the incoming rookies will try to change management’s minds, which is exactly what they want to see.
“The biggest thing is the competition,” said Bell ahead of the rookie tournament. “We asked them to compete. Travis (Green) spoke to them before the tournament started and told them that to be an Ottawa Senator, you have to compete for a full 60 minutes” (from ‘Ottawa Senators rookies face major test at main training camp,’ Ottawa Citizen – 15/09/2025).
It’ll be no different in Ottawa. There will just be more eyes watching – all the more reason to put on the best show that they can.
