The air is getting crisper, the skates are being sharpened, and for the Ottawa Senators, the stakes have never been higher. As the team files into the Canadian Tire Centre for the 2025-26 training camp, an unfamiliar sense of stability permeates the top of the roster. The core is in place. Tkachuk, Stützle, Giroux, and Sanderson are locked in. Linus Ullmark is the undisputed number one between the pipes. On paper, this is a playoff team.
But hockey games aren’t won on paper, and seasons are rarely defined by the stars alone. They are defined by resilience, by the “next man up,” by the internal competition that forces everyone to be a little bit better every single day. That is where the true intrigue of this September lies. While the marquee names will draw the cameras, the most compelling battles and crucial questions will be found on the fringes.
This training camp isn’t about discovering a new first-line winger; it’s about forging an identity and building the depth necessary to survive the 82-game gauntlet. From a potential teenage phenom on the blue line to a logjam of veterans fighting for their NHL lives, these are the storylines that will shape the Ottawa Senators’ most important season in a decade.
Is Ottawa’s Top Prospect Ready for the Show?
Forget everything else for a moment. The single most captivating storyline of this camp is Carter Yakemchuk. Full stop. The hulking six-foot-four defenceman, selected seventh overall in the 2024 draft, is on a mission to force management’s hand and crack the opening night roster.
Fans got a tantalizing glimpse of his potential last preseason, where his dazzling hands and penchant for raw, unadulterated aggression were on full display, culminating in a highlight-reel oal. But the brain trust wisely sent him back for another year of “junior seasoning.” The mandate was clear: round out your game. Focus on defensive positioning, improve your gap control, and refine your skating to handle the pace of the professional game.
While his offensive production saw a slight dip last season, the organization views this not as a regression, but as a sign of maturity. The belief is that he spent the year focusing on becoming a complete defenceman, not just a one-dimensional offensive dynamo. Now, the question is whether that work was enough.
A potential opening on the right side of the blue line, clouded by uncertainty around veteran Nick Jensen’s return, has cracked the door open. General Manager Steve Staios has been explicit: if Yakemchuk comes into camp and proves he can help the Senators win now, they will find a spot for him. This isn’t a developmental exercise; it’s a results-based audition. He’ll face stiff competition from established pros like Nikolas Matinpalo and Jordan Spence, and a reclamation project in Lassi Thomson, but Yakemchuk has the highest ceiling of them all. Every shift, every drill, every decision he makes with and without the puck will be scrutinized. Is he a boy among men, or is he ready to be an impact player on a team with playoff aspirations? September will provide the answer.
The Belleville Pipeline: More Than Just Prospects, It’s the Lifeline
Under the new ownership of Michael Andlauer and the management of Steve Staios, a philosophical shift is underway. The organization is showing a renewed commitment to its AHL affiliate, viewing Belleville not as a holding pen, but as a critical incubator for NHL talent. This camp will be the ultimate showcase for who is ready to be the first man over the boards when injuries inevitably strike.
Leading the charge is forward Stephen Halliday. The 6-foot-4, 212-pound playmaker is coming off a campaign where he led the Belleville Senators with 51 points in 71 games, tying him for 11th among all U23 players in the entire AHL. Halliday possesses an elite hockey IQ and vision, but he knows he needs to improve his pace and strength to stick at the next level. With his entry-level contract expiring, making him a restricted free agent next summer, he’s playing for a qualifying offer and a legitimate future with the club. His coach believes he can play in the NHL; this is his chance to prove it.
Then there’s the dark horse, Blake Vanek. He’s a name to circle as a potential breakout star, a player who could follow a surprisingly quick trajectory. The son of 1,000-game NHL veteran Thomas Vanek, Blake possesses the offensive instincts and pedigree. Mentored by his father, he shares that same “in the front mentality,” a knack for finding soft spots around the crease and tipping pucks. After showing flashes in high school and the USHL, his move to the WHL is the next major step. A strong camp could dramatically accelerate his timeline and put him on the organization’s radar for a future call-up.
This crop of prospects represents the team’s insurance policy. This camp is their interview for the most important job no one wants: the injury replacement.
The Veteran Battle Royale
While the kids are pushing from below, a fascinating and fierce battle is brewing among a host of veterans for the final few roster spots. These are the players vying for a role as a healthy scratch, a 13th or 14th forward, or a 7th defenceman. These jobs are unglamorous but essential, and the competition will be a dogfight.
Up front, the archetypes are clear. You have the muscle in 29-year-old Zack MacEwen, who brings sandpaper, snarl, and a veteran presence the coaching staff values. You have the undersized skill in 26-year-old Swede Olle Lycksell, a point-per-game player in the AHL with quality hands and 45 games of NHL experience, who is playing on a one-year deal heading into unrestricted free agency.
Then you have the “Staios Guys.” Both Jan Jenik and Arthur Kaliyev played for the Senators’ GM during his time managing the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs. Staios knows them, he trusts them, and that familiarity could be the ultimate tie-breaker. Jenik, 23, is a former high-end prospect looking to finally stick. Kaliyev brings 202 games of NHL experience, a 6-foot-2 frame, and a lethal slap shot that could be a weapon on the second power-play unit.
On the blue line, the battle for the seventh spot is just as intense. Cameron Crotty, a 26-year-old right-shot defender, is the picture of reliability. After five solid AHL seasons, he was rewarded with a two-year, two-way deal. The GM believes he can help the big club, and his pre-existing chemistry with captain Brady Tkachuk from their time at Boston University certainly doesn’t hurt. He’s competing with Lassi Thomson, a former first-round pick from 2019 who is returning to North America after a career-best offensive season in Sweden. For Thomson, this camp feels like a last stand—a final opportunity to prove he can live up to his draft pedigree.
Between the Pipes: Clarity, Questions, and a Rising Star
For the first time in years, there is no controversy at the top of Ottawa’s goaltending depth chart. Linus Ullmark is the man, and Leevi Merilainen’s stellar play has cemented him as the backup and goalie-in-waiting. The real drama lies beneath them.
The future of Mads Sogaard with the organization is shrouded in doubt. Once considered the primary goalie of the future, a combination of injuries and being surpassed by Merilainen has left him in limbo. This camp is a critical juncture for the big Dane. Can he stay healthy? Can he regain the form that once made him such a tantalizing prospect? He’s playing to re-establish his value, whether it’s in Ottawa’s system or as a trade chip for another franchise.
Meanwhile, all eyes will be on the new kid in the crease, Jackson Parsons. Fresh off being named the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year, Parsons signed his entry-level contract and will now begin the difficult transition to the professional ranks. No one expects him to push for an NHL job this season, but management will be watching closely to see how his stellar junior habits translate against bigger, faster, and smarter shooters in the AHL. He represents the next wave, and his development is a key long-term project.
Behind the Bench and in the Box: The Strategic Overhaul
Not all of camp’s key storylines involve players. The men in charge are also under the microscope. Head Coach Travis Green enters his second year with a clear identity established: he runs a tight ship with a hard-edged, demanding style. The question now is one of evolution. Is there a new layer to be added to the system? Rumblings persist that the front office may look to bring in a more tactical assistant coach, an Xs-and-Os guru to complement Green’s motivational approach and help fine-tune the team’s structure.
In the GM’s box, Steve Staios has proven he is anything but complacent. With the core in place, he’ll use training camp as his final evaluation period to identify any lingering weaknesses. He’s shown he’s not afraid to make a move, and if he feels the team is still missing a gritty, middle-six winger or another depth piece on defence, he won’t hesitate to work the phones. This camp will inform his final roster tweaks before puck drop on opening night.
The Final Verdict
The Ottawa Senators are past the point of celebrating moral victories. The rebuild is over. The expectation, both internally and externally, is to make the playoffs. While the star players will carry the bulk of that burden, the team’s ultimate success may hinge on the answers that emerge from these September battles.
Will Carter Yakemchuk prove he’s ready to be an impact player? Who will seize the opportunity to be the first call-up from Belleville? Which veteran will outwork the others for the final spot on the roster? The outcomes of these storylines will forge the character, depth, and resilience of the 2025-26 Ottawa Senators. The foundation has been laid; training camp is where the finishing touches are applied.
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