Ottawa Senators Prospects Challenge Preview

The Ottawa Senators have set their roster for the upcoming Prospect Challenge. The Senators will play three games, starting on Friday September 13th. Let’s take a look at who will be suiting up for the Senators as they take on the prospect teams for the Devils, Penguins, and Blue Jackets.

READ MORE: Looking at the Crucial First 20 Games for the Senators 

Forwards

• Tyler Boucher
• Ryder Boulton
• Matthew Buckley
• Jake Chiasson
• Niall Crocker
• Philippe Daoust
• Mark Duarte
• Lucas Ellinas
• Stephen Halliday
• Ryan Humphrey
• Éliot L’Italien
• Oskar Pettersson
• Stuart Rolofs
• Jackson Stewart
• Landen Ward

 Defense

• Matthew Andonovski
• Anthony Cristoforo
• Jorian Donovan
• Gabriel Eliasson
• Tomas Hamara
• Lucas Moore
• Filip Nordberg
• Djibril Toure
• Carter Yakemchuk

Goalies

• David Egorov
• Leevi Merilainen
• Michael Simpson

Unfamiliar Names

There are quite a few undrafted players on the Senators roster. With their lack of draft picks over the last few years, the Senators have a weaker prospect pool. This will be a good chance for the following players to try to make a name for themselves within the Senators organization.

Ryder Boulton: Boulton is a 5-foot-10 forward playing for London in the OHL. His dad is former NHL tough guy, Eric Boulton. He scored five points in 45 games last season. 

Éliot L’Italien: L’Italien is a 6-foot-1 forward playing for Blainville-Boisbriand in the QMJHL. In 46 games last season, he scored 20 points.

Landen Ward: Ward is a 6-foot-3 forward playing for Lethbridge in the WHL. He scored eight points in 63 games last season. He is known for his physicality, registering 120 penalty minutes last season.

Anthony Cristoforo: Cristoforo is a 5-foot-11 defenseman playing for Windsor in the OHL. Last season, he scored 38 points in 67 games.

David Egorov: Egorov is a 6-foot-2 goalie playing for Brantford in the OHL. Last season he had an .870 SV% in 22 games.

Players to Watch

There are quite a few prospects that should excite Senators fans. Some will try to dominate the prospect games in the hopes that they can potentially earn NHL games this season. Others are still at least a couple years away from the NHL, so they will use this tournament to try to kick start what they hope to be great seasons to help further their developments. Here are three standouts:

Stephen Halliday: Halliday gained the attention of many with his play for Belleville in last year’s AHL playoffs. He scored nine points in seven games. With a strong showing here, he could further his chances of earning NHL games this season. 

Carter Yakemchuk: Of all Senators prospects. Yakemchuk is clearly the most exciting. Drafted seventh overall, Yakemchuk has the size-skill combo to potentially become a big-time player. This will be an important year in his development.

Leevi Merilainen: Merilainen was solid last season with the Belleville Senators. If he can build off of that this season in the AHL, he will stay on the Senators radar as a goalie that deserves some NHL games down the road.

Schedule 

1. Friday, September 13th 3:30 pm against New Jersey Devils
2. Saturday, September 14th, 12:00 pm against Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Monday, September 16th, 1:30 pm against Columbus Blue Jackets

Games will be livestreamed on the Ottawa Senators website.