The Ottawa Senators are shoring up their roster for training camp.
With the start of camp quickly approaching next month, the Senators announced on Monday that they’ve signed minor-league forward Jan Jenik and defenceman Cameron Crotty to two-way contracts.
Jenik, 24, will be entering his second season with the Senators organization. He will earn $285,000 US in the AHL and carries a $775,000 salary in the National Hockey League.
Acquired in a trade with the Utah Mammoth in July 2024, Jenik spent most of last season with the club’s American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville. He suited up for two games with Ottawa.
Jenik finished with 12 goals and 29 points in 52 games with Belleville.
As for Crotty, he’s an interesting signing because this will be a homecoming for him
He signed a two-year, two-way deal that will pay him $200,000 in the AHL next season and $775,000 if he’s called up to Ottawa. During the 2026-27 campaign, Crotty will make $300,000 in the AHL and the league minimum of $850,000 in the NHL.
An Ottawa native, the 26-year-old spent last year with the Minnesota Wild’s affiliate in Iowa. He finished with no goals and 10 assists with Iowa in 64 games.
Crotty played for the Gloucester Rangers growing up and suited up for two seasons with the Central Canada Hockey League’s Brockville Braves before playing NCAA hockey at Boston University.
He’s also a right-shot defenceman, which is a valuable commodity.
During the 2017-18 season, Senators captain Brady Tkachuk was one of Crotty’s teammates with the Boston University Terriers. Crotty was captain of the AHL Wild. At 6-foot-5, he can play a rugged style.
The Senators should have a good battle for playing time on defence in Belleville this season. Defenceman Nick Jensen finished last season with a hip injury that required surgery three months ago and is expected to miss the start of the season.
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Carter Yakemchuk, the club’s top pick in the 2024 NHL draft, is expected to push for a spot on the roster after spending last season with the Western Hockey League’s Calgary Hitmen.
Yakemchuk, 19, nearly made the Senators coming out of camp last year, but general manager Steve Staios felt the best route was to send him back to the WHL for more seasoning.
The club also brought back defenceman Lassi Thomson after he spent last season playing in Sweden.
Thomson, who was selected No. 19 overall by the Senators in 2019, finished with 17 goals and 29 points in the SHL and should push for a spot.
Restricted free agent blueliners Max Guenette and Donovan Sebrango have yet to sign deals.