Carter Yakemchuk
Carter Yakemchuk is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is a defenceman for the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League as a prospect to the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League. He was drafted seventh overall by the Senators in the 2024 NHL entry draft.
Playing career
Yakemchuk was drafted 65th overall in the third round of the 2020 Western Hockey League bantam draft by the Calgary Hitmen. In his rookie WHL season in 2021–22, Yakemchuk recorded four goals and 12 points, and was named Hitmen rookie of the year.Following the 2022–23 season, in which he recorded 19 goals and 47 points, Yakemchuk was named to the WHL Central Division second all-star team.
In the 2023–24 season, Yakemchuk was selected as one of 40 draft-eligible players to play in the 2024 CHL/NHL Top [Prospects Game]. He was named WHL Player of the Week for the week ending January 28, 2024. On February 21, 2024, Yakemchuk set the Hitmen record for single-season goals by a defenceman, netting his 25th of the season against the Edmonton Oil Kings to surpass the previous mark set by Jake Bean. Entering the 2024 NHL entry draft, Yakemchuk was considered a consensus first round pick, ranked sixth among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting in their midseason rankings. Although scouts generally ranked him no higher than 10th overall, some had him as high as third. Yakemchuk was ultimately drafted by the Ottawa Senators at seventh overall. He was later signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Senators on August 6, 2024.