Ottawa Senators defenceman Carter Yakemchuk made his NHL debut on Tuesday and did not waste any time making his mark.
The seventh overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft fired a puck past Red Wings goaltender John Gibson in the second period for his first NHL goal.
Yakemchuk received a pass at the blueline from Artem Zub, skated down to the faceoff circle and wired the puck home for the Senators.
In the first period, the 20-year-old picked up an assist on Brady Tkachuk’s power play goal for his first NHL point.
Yakemchuk held the puck in at the blueline, before making a between the legs pass to Tim Stützle, who shot a puck that Tkachuk tipped past Gibson.
Yakemchuk was recalled from the AHL Belleville Senators on Tuesday alongside Jorian Donovan to replace Thomas Chabot and Lassi Thomson, who were both injured on Monday and expected to be ‘out for a while”, according to head coach Travis Green.
Yakemchuk has 10 goals and 36 points in 50 games this season in Belleville and was named the AHL’s Player of the Week last Friday.
The Senators and Red Wings entered play on Tuesday both chasing the New York Islanders for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Islanders hold the last playoff position in the East with 85 points, while the Red Wings are one behind at 84 and the Senators have 83 points at the beginning of play.
