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It’s time for Daily Faceoff’s third annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses and so much more.

The criteria for being labeled a “prospect” are simple: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games or spent more time outside of the NHL than in it last year. Players over 23 years old are not included, with goaltenders needing to be 25 or under.

Today, we’re breaking down the Ottawa Senators.

The Senators made big steps forward last season, making the playoffs for the first time in more than half a decade. They fell flat against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but it was still a big step forward for a team that spent years clawing itself out of the basement.

The rebuild is over. It’s time for the Senators to finally start taking the right steps forward.

Unfortunately, there aren’t a ton of high-profile prospects waiting to take the next step forward. Fortunately, it’s very likely we see the top two players on this list – Carter Yakemchuk and Leevi Meriläinen – at least start the year in the NHL, with Meriläinen projected to be the full-season backup. Beyond that, though, there aren’t many others in the system who look to be more than AAAA players – guys who’ll get the odd call-up, but might not have a long-term fit in any meaningful capacity.

It might not be a dangerous pipeline, but I am a fan of the top four, at the very least.

Biggest Strength

I was tempted to go with goaltenders here, but the real answer is tough-as-nails blueliners who give you little room to work with. Yakemchuk is the gold standard here, mixing physicality with his excellent puck movement and offensive awareness. Logan Hensler is no slouch physically, either. Jorian Donovan and Donovan Sebrango might work out as bottom-pairing options who aren’t afraid of anyone. And then there’s Gabriel Eliasson, who makes it his life mission to knock players on their rear ends. I feel confident about the first two becoming NHLers, but it’s never a bad thing to have some muscle on the back end.

Biggest Weakness

As much as I like Stephen Halliday, Ottawa’s overall offensive depth is among the weakest in the NHL. I’m not a Xavier Bourgault believer anymore, and just about any other forward in the system feels like a fill-in fourth-liner at best. The Senators just don’t have much offense to work with, but that’ll happen after years of promoting players like Tim Stutzle, Drake Batherson, Shane Pinto and Ridly Greig to the big leagues.

Fast Facts:
NHL GM: Steve Staios
AHL Affiliate: Belleville Senators
ECHL Affiliate: Allen Americans

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

*Leevi Merilainen (Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images)*

1. Carter Yakemchuk, RHD, 19 (Ottawa Senators)

Acquired: Drafted seventh overall, first round in 2024

Will Yakemchuk be an NHLer in 2025-26? There’s a solid chance. His overall offensive output fell in Calgary this past year, but you can’t call it a disappointment. While he became known for his high-flying offensive stylings in his draft, he actually focused more on being effective in his zone. The 6-foot-4 defender struggled to get defensive reads right when he was 18, but his game has come a long way over the past year. He had an excellent training camp, and I expect him to be in the running to start the NHL with the big club. Getting sent down to the AHLer to refine his skating and gap coverage further wouldn’t be a bad thing for him. But regardless, I see Yakemchuk becoming an impact top-four defenseman sooner rather than later. He’s going to be a fan favorite, no doubt.

2. Leevi Meriläinen, G, 22 (Ottawa Senators)

Acquired: Drafted 71st overall, third round in 2020

If it wasn’t for Meriläinen’s incredible play during Linus Ullmark’s absence last year, the Senators likely wouldn’t have made the playoffs. Meriläinen posted an impressive 8-3-1 record with three shutouts and a .925 save percentage in just 12 games this season. He also had a 5.57 goals saved above expected, which put him second behind Dustin Wolf among all rookie goaltenders. Meriläinen is set for full-time NHL duty this season, where he’ll learn alongside the veteran Ullmark on a team looking to prove the playoffs weren’t a fluke. Meriläinen is one of the best goaltending prospects in the game, and I have full faith in him becoming a long-term fixture in Ottawa.

3. Logan Hensler, RHD, 18 (Univ. of Wisconsin, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 23rd overall, first round in 2025

*Logan Hensler (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

Hensler was one of the top defensemen selected in 2025, providing the Senators with a safer option in their own zone compared to the high-flying Yakemchuk. Hensler is a 6-foot-3, mobile blueliner who has good reach and can rough guys up. He’s even better in his own zone. You won’t confuse him for a puck-rushing offensive defenseman, though. I think there’s a good chance he becomes a second-pairing defenseman who plays a safe defensive game, but I’d like to see him take more chances with the puck. Regardless, I liked this pick for the Senators, and I think he’s going to have little issues adjusting to the pro game once he leaves college.

4. Stephen Halliday, C, 23 (Belleville Senators, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 104th overall, second round in 2022

I’ve been a big believer of Halliday, who went from being one of the top OHL Draft prospects in 2018 to an overage NHL Draft pick in 2022. The 6-foot-4 center had an outstanding first season of pro hockey, finishing with 51 points in 71 games with Belleville. At 23, Halliday is definitely on the older side of the prospect spectrum, but he was Belleville’s most impressive forward last year and I think it won’t be long until he’s sniffing the NHL. I don’t think he’ll start the year with the big club, but I have to imagine he’ll be one of the first players called up. His skating needs work, but Halliday has middle-six potential.

5. Jorian Donovan, LHD, 21 (Belleville Senators, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 136th overall, fifth round in 2022

*Jorian Donovan (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

Donovan made his presence known in the AHL this past year, playing some of the most physical hockey we’ve seen from him. He’s 6-foot-2, but he’s built extremely tough, and he doesn’t have many issues battling against bigger competition. Donovan is a good skater who loves to have the puck on his stick and keeps things simple, but that can get him in trouble. Unfortunately, he still struggles defensively, often making the wrong read in front of his own net. If he can figure that out, I think he’ll have a shot at making it as a bottom-pairing defender because he has lots of NHL-caliber tools in his game.

6. Blake Montgomery, LW, 20 (University of Wisconsin, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 117th overall, fourth round in 2024

Montgomery was one of the first players who defected from the USHL after the NCAA/CHL ruling early in the season. He made a huge impact immediately, resulting in him averaging just less than a point per game with the London Knights. Now set for the University of Wisconsin this year, Montgomery will continue to work on his defensive game to become more rounded for the next level. He has a big 6-foot-4 frame and moves well for his size, so there’s a lot to like. I think Montgomery could be a decent bottom-six NHLer, but there’s no rush to find out.

7. Kevin Reidler, G, 20 (Penn State University, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 151st overall, fifth round in 2022

Reidler is going to get plenty of attention this year after transferring to Penn State. He had a quiet season with the University of Nebraska-Omaha, playing just eight games – but posting a 4-1-0 record with a .920 save percentage. At Penn State, Reidler will look to snag as many starts as possible and show that he’s more than just a big 6-foot-6 keeper. He moves well and battles hard from post to post. I see the natural tools, but he just needs to start playing meaningful minutes to make up for the lost year.

8. Lucas Beckman, G, 17 (Baie-Comeau Drakkar, QMJHL)

Acquired: Drafted 97th overall, fourth round in 2025

Goalies are unpredictable, but Beckman could be an interesting pick by the Senators. He had a monster season in the QMJHL and won a pair of golds as Canada’s backup at two U-18 events. Beckman isn’t massive at 6-foot-2 but he moves very well in his crease, although he can overreact to chances at times. Still, scouts see a lot of upside here, especially after going from a AAA goaltender a year ago to one of the best in the CHL. With a bit of refinement in his movements, he could be one heck of a selection.

9. Donovan Sebrango, LHD, 23 (Belleville Senators, AHL)

Acquired: Traded by Detroit Red Wings in 2023

Sebrango had his best pro season to date, skipping out on the ECHL and seeing his first NHL action. Known more for his toughness than his puck skills, he still managed to put up a decent 20 points in Belleville while taking on a bigger leadership role. Sebrango has a big 6-foot-2, 220-pound defender who could be a No. 6-8 defenseman, but he needs to work on his acceleration and play reads if he’s going to take a true step forward and become an NHLer.

10. Gabriel Eliasson, LHD, 18 (Barrie Colts, OHL)

Acquired: Drafted 39th overall, second round in 2024

*Gabriel Eliasson (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

I questioned this pick by the Senators a year ago and I’m still not a fan of it. But you can’t ignore the draw here – his size and pure violence. He was one of the hardest hitters in the 2024 NHL Draft, making it his mission to flatten anyone who even dared to breathe in his airspace. However, the downside has been excessive undisciplined hockey, something that was evident when watching him with Barrie. If the Senators crave a true, old-school, no-nonsense defenseman, Eliasson is perfect for that. But if you need him to do anything that doesn’t require absolute chaotic carnage, I’m not sure he has an NHL future ahead of him.

The rest: Tyler Boucher, RW (22), Jake Chiasson, RW (22), Oskar Pettersson, RW (21), Blake Vanek, RW (17), Xavier Bourgault, RW (22), Lucas Ellinas, C (19), Dmitri Isayev, LW (18), Bruno Idzan, C (19), Javon Moore, LW (19), Owen Beckner, C (20), Nicholas Vantassell, RW (21), Tyson Dyck, C (21), Cameron O’Neill, RW (21), Eerik Wallenius, LHD (19), Hoyt Stanley, RHD (20), Filip Nordberg, LHD (21), Theo Wallberg, LHD (21), Tomas Hamara, LHD (21), Matthew Andonovski, LHD (20), Dijbril Toure, RHD (22), Jackson Parsons, G (20), Andrei Trofimov, G (19), Vladimir Nikitin, G (20)

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