The Ottawa Senators announced the recall of defensemen Carter Yakemchuk and Jorian Donovan on March 24, paving the way for both to make their NHL debuts against the Detroit Red Wings. The moves address a depleted blue line, with five defensemen sidelined by injuries. The matchup carries high stakes in the tight Eastern Conference playoff race.
Ottawa Senators general manager Steve Staios selected Carter Yakemchuk seventh overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. After a season in the Western Hockey League focusing on defense, Yakemchuk has shown offensive flashes in the American Hockey League despite defensive challenges. Jorian Donovan, a fifth-round pick in 2022 at age 21, brings a solid two-way game from his time with teams in the Ontario Hockey League. Head coach Travis Green noted that Dennis Gilbert would miss time due to an upper-body injury sustained from a hit by Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson in his sixth game back. The injury crisis deepened during the Senators' March 23 win over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, where Thomas Chabot exited after 10 minutes following a cross-check and Lassi Thomson limped off seven minutes into the second period. Earlier, Jake Sanderson suffered a shoulder injury on March 7 against the Seattle Kraken, listed week-to-week after leading the team with 48 points in 62 games and averaging 24:49 of ice time. Nick Jensen underwent surgery for a torn meniscus and is out long-term. Nikolas Matinpalo has performed well in an elevated role. The remaining healthy defensemen—Jordan Spence, Tyler Kleven, Artem Zub, and Matinpalo—held firm against the Rangers, limiting them to nine shots. With 12 games left, a win over the struggling Red Wings, who sit 4-4-2 in their last 10 with a minus-3 goal differential, could propel Ottawa into a playoff position for the first time in 2026.