The Ottawa Senators are surprised and upset that one of their top prospects was not invited to camp for Canada's world junior team.
Head coach Travis Green said the decision to leave defenceman Carter Yakemchuk off the roster for the team that will be going for gold in Ottawa later this month was a surprise.
"Obviously not my area, but surprised to say the least," head coach Travis Green said Tuesday, later adding "I'm a little bit surprised that there's 10 guys better than him."
Canada announced the 32-player camp roster on Monday, which will be narrowed down to 22 after a training camp next week.
The Senators selected Yakemchuk seventh overall in the 2024 NHL Draft. The 19-year-old impressed at training camp — scoring two goals and five assists in four pre-season games — but was one of the final cuts from Senators camp. Since he was returned to the WHL's Calgary Hitmen, Yakemchuk has continued to score with nine goals and 23 points in just 20 games.
"For me personally it doesn't deter what I think of him," Green said. "I think he's a great young defenceman and we're lucky to have him."
Yakemchuk was one of four Canadian players who were taken in the top 10 of the 2024 draft but not selected to Team Canada, including Beckett Sennecke (No. 3, Anaheim Ducks), Tij Iginla (No. 6, Utah HC) and Zayne Parekh (No. 9, Calgary Flames).
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