CHL Prospect Pipeline: Ottawa Senators

CHL Prospect Pipeline highlights those who played in 2023-24, who were born in 2004 or later, and are signed by or on the reserve list of an NHL club. Players who played NHL games in 2023-24 and were not returned to their CHL club are not considered.

Matthew Andonovski (D) — Kitchener Rangers
Acquired: 2023 NHL Draft (140th overall)
CHL career stats: 175GP | 7G | 45A | 52PTS
Signed: Yes

Andonovski had the best statistical season of his OHL career as he recorded 32 points in 65 games. He scored his first career OHL goal on opening night Sept. 29 while he finished second in scoring among Rangers d-men. On Friday, the 19-year-old was named Rangers captain.

Jorian Donovan (D) — Saginaw Spirit
Acquired: 2022 NHL Draft (136th overall)
CHL career stats: 185GP | 28G | 85A | 113PTS
Signed: Yes

Across 66 games with Brantford and Saginaw, Donovan had a career high 13 goals and 46 points. Acquired by the Spirit at the OHL Trade Deadline, the 20-year-old registered 18 points (four goals) in the regular season while in the postseason he notched nine points as the Spirit reached the third round. At the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow, Donovan was crowned a champion and had the primary assist on Josh Bloom’s last-gasp game-winner.

Donovan, an OHL champion in 2022 with Hamilton, represented Canada at the 2024 World Juniors where he made five appearances.

Luke Ellinas (F) — Kitchener Rangers
Acquired: 2024 NHL Draft (104th overall)
CHL career stats: 67GP | 16G | 17A | 33PTS
Signed: No

Ellinas’ first OHL season saw him play in all but one of Kitchener’s 68 games where he had 16 goals and 33 points. He added eight points (five goals) in 10 postseason tilts as the Rangers reached the second round of the OHL Playoffs.

Tomas Hamara (D) — Brantford Bulldogs
Acquired: 2022 NHL Draft (87th overall)
CHL career stats: 100GP | 3G | 24A | 27PTS
Signed: Yes

Hamara began the year in Kitchener before he was shipped to Brantford Nov. 11. With the Bulldogs, he had 17 points in 26 games before he concluded the season in the AHL with the Belleville Senators where he made his professional debut April 20.

The 20-year-old represented Czechia for the third time at the 2024 World Juniors where he claimed a bronze medal to join his silver medal from 2023.

Carter Yakemchuk (D) — Calgary Hitmen
Acquired: 2024 NHL Draft (7th overall)
CHL career stats: 189GP | 53G | 78A | 131PTS
Signed: Yes

Yakemchuk had a historic 2023-24 as he became the first draft-eligible defenceman from the WHL to score 30 goals in a season since Swift Current’s Ian White. He also tallied 71 points to finish fifth in scoring among WHL d-men. The Calgary native was selected to the WHL’s Central Division first All-Star Team as well as the CHL’s Second All-Star Team.

Alongside Saginaw’s Zayne Parekh (CGY) Yakemchuk helped mark the first time in CHL history that two draft-eligible defencemen scored 30-plus goals in the same season.