NHL Rumors: Senators Getting Trade Calls On Two Defensemen
As trade chatter picks up, league interest has reportedly centered on prospects Carter Yakemchuk and Logan Hensler, according to Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch, but the message from Senators GM Steve Staios has been consistent so far: thanks, but no thanks.
Yakemchuk Hensler trade talks are hitting Ottawa’s hard line
Teams have been asking about Yakemchuk and Hensler in broader trade conversations, yet Ottawa is not interested in moving either prospect right now.
Staios even suggested Yakemchuk might have already been up with the big club if not for an injury, calling his AHL development encouraging and pointing to how close he is to being NHL ready.
It sounds like Carter Yakemchuk would have had an opportunity with the #Sens if it wasn't for an injury. Staios says it's nothing too serious:
— Claire Hanna (@clahanna) January 3, 2026
"We probably would have seen him by now - he's continued to impress and round out his game in the AHL with Belleville."
This season, with the AHL's Belleville Senators, Yakemchuk has recorded three goals, 18 total points, and a -21 plus/minus rating across 27 games played. The 20-year-old was the Senators' 1st-round pick (7th overall) in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
Senators trade market pressure is real, so the asks get louder
The tricky part for Ottawa is once those two names are off the table, the Senators do not have a ton of premium trade chips left, which is exactly why rival clubs keep circling back to the same prospects. Staios has also acknowledged the team stays active in talks, but timing and the right player matter, especially with so many teams still in the race.
Hensler, with the University of Wisconsin this season, has scored three goals, eight total points, and a +8 plus/minus rating across 15 games. He was drafted 23rd overall by the Senators in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
Here is the clip regarding Logan Hensler and Carter Yakemchuk #GoSensGo h/t @jkamckenzie @Senators pic.twitter.com/InHLER4uvi
— Eric (@ItsAmeEric) January 3, 2026
If Ottawa does make a move, the safer bet might be a smaller depth add, because any bigger swing for a true right shot upgrade is going to lead right back to the Yakemchuk and Hensler conversations.
Photo Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
