Every breakdown of the Senator’s 17th-Part Preseason Lineup – Hockey Writer – Ottawa Senator
Ottawa Senators cut their training camp by 17, bringing the new total to 31 players. While there are no major surprises, there are some famous names that have been abandoned or reassigned.
Senators will be in their third preseason game, so the timing of layoffs makes sense, with many expecting some teams to start layoffs with the September 25 waiver. Below, I will have an idea for each player part.
Matthew Andonovski, LD – Assigned to Belleville
The plan with Matthew Andonovski was always the plan to be sent to the American Hockey League (AHL). There are plenty of defensive talent, but he needs time to adapt to his professional level. With a defensive defender, AHL’s time is almost always good for players. As an AHL rookie, Andonovski may run a very strong rookie sport and show he can compete for a spot next season. Currently, Andonovsky’s long-term prospect is that he can compete for a place in another two to three seasons.
Wyatt Bongoivanni, RW – Put on the Waiver
Wyatt Bongiovanni is a quality work owned by Belleville. While it’s unlikely that he ends up on the call list, or he might be seriously hurt, he can be part of his success with Belleville in the AHL. Bongiovanni may be cleared when she is abandoned and the senator will be happy to keep him in the organization.
RW Tyler Boucher – Assigned to Belleville
Senator is in a tricky position with Tyler Boucher. Of course, the obvious expectation for him is to play in the AHL this season, as he was the top ten draft pick. The current front desk has nothing to do with this draft pick, which may be beneficial as the organization may not be under much pressure.
Boucher will play in the AHL and his goal this season should be to show that he can produce. While he did missed a while, Boucher’s 47 games in the AHL were the most consistent since the winger was drafted. Now that he is back in the groove, he can focus more on improving his work.
Xavier Bourgault, RW – Put on the waiver
After a deal with Edmonton Oilers’ Roby Jarventie, the Senators hope a new starting point will help the first 22-spanning draft pick find his offense. Although he did improve in previous seasons, there is still some work to do if he wants to reach NHL levels. The Senator is likely to hope that Bourgault will sneak up on the waiver, as he is 22 years old and can still take the next step.
Jake Chiasson, RW – Assigned to Belleville
Jake Chiasson started the NHL club without expectation, and he could rebound again this season between the AHL and the ECHL. While he can play at the AHL level, he needs to prove that he can produce. Last season, he scored numerous games in 19 games against Belleville. He will have a chance to win a spot with the minor league club.
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Cameron Crotty, Cameron Crotty – Exemption
The Senators signed Cameron Crotty late in the offseason, an in-depth choice for the organization. Crotty establishes himself as a good senior AHL defender, and the Senators are looking to build Belleville as a strong team. Crotty played a game in the NHL last season with Minnesota Wild, but may not get that opportunity with the Senators this season.
Philip Dost (C/LW) – Assigned to Belleville
Senator Philippe Daoust signed an AHL contract, so he always expects to redistribute Daoust. He combined his first full professional season and scored 22 points with Belleville. Daoust will seek further offense and play a bigger role with Belleville.
Jorian Donovan, LD – Assigned to Belleville
Jorian Donovan’s career in professional hockey began a shaky start, having to play a role in Belleville last season and couldn’t produce it like it did in junior hockey. The tail of the season is much better for him.
Donovan will play a bigger role this season, and while players may need time to adjust, he may be able to take a step if he can continue to build in the second half of the season.
Tomas Hamara, LD – Assigned to Belleville
Tomas Hamara ended a breakout season with the Brantford Bulldogs in the Ontario Hockey League (Brantford Bulldogs), and while this level is not expected to be expected to extend into the AHL immediately, there may be a very interesting viewing path. Hamara may end up being in Donovan’s position as she did last season, or he can settle down quickly and score 25-30 points.
Landon Hookey – Assigned to Belleville
During the offseason, the Senator signed Landon Hookey’s AHL deal, and after winning an impressive OHL season, he will have the opportunity to enter the Belleville roster and continue his development.
Jackson Parsons (G) – Assigned to Belleville
After an impressive 2024-25 season, the Senators signed Jackson Parsons as a free agent. He added a lot of hardware to his series, including the OHL and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Goalkeeper of the Year Awards. While there may be some fierce competition for the AHL crease, Parsons can easily find himself a starter regardless of whether he is ready or not. His possible role is Belleville’s substitute, but in Mads Sogaard’s injury history, he may find his role big.
Oskar Pettersson, who has a season-and-a-half of the AHL experience, will be looking for a bigger role with Belleville this season. He has good offensive skills, but in Sweden and Belville, he has not produced at a professional level. Pettersson’s shots are great, and if he can get into the scoring position and take advantage of it, a 20-goal season isn’t a crazy idea.
Cartt Pilon
Garrett Pilon has two strong seasons in Belleville, and despite giving up, it could pass the strong veterans of the AHL club. While some competition will be held in the forward lineup in Belleville, Pilon will likely get the highest six jobs based on his experience and previous games with the team.
C. Jamieson Rees, C – Assigned to Belleville
Jamieson Rees scored 42 points in a breakthrough year in 2022-23 but was unable to return to that production level. Rees is now signing with the AHL deal and will hope to re-enter his scoring approach and climb the depth chart again.
Hunter Shepard, G – Put on the Waiver
The Senator signed Hunter Shepard to become the deep goalkeeper of Belleville, who demanded a waiver to come. Shepard spent some time with Hershey Bears and had some impressive seasons, but he’ll likely be with Sogaard or rotated with Parsons.
DJIBRIL TOURE, RD – Assigned to Belleville
After signing an entry-level contract in 2023, Toure entered his second professional season. He spent some time between the AHL and the ECHL last season, but this season could be a bigger role in Belleville. It’s obvious how Toure uses his size. While he didn’t throw a lot of every shift or anything, he was a physical player, but his defensive type, his skating was good. He is only 22 years old and can play a big role with Belleville.
Ceean Washkurak, C – Assigned to Belleville
As expected, another AHL deal was also allocated to Belleville. Washkurak was a good center of depth for Belleville last season, scoring 19 points. He has four AHL seasons that can bring intense internal competition to the club.
With all 17 players laying off staff, the Senators left 31 players on the roster, and with another wave of layoffs, players will hope to impress employees and earn a spot in the roster. Although there are the smallest attractions to catch, there will be a lot of competition for these attractions.
