Carter Yakemchuk will start his professional career in the American Hockey League.

The Ottawa Senators’ top prospect, selected No. 7 overall in the 2024 National Hockey League draft, was the final cut on Monday as the club submitted its Opening Night roster by the 5 p.m. deadline with the team’s first regular-season game Thursday at the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The 20-year-old Yakemchuk was sent to Belleville after participating in the club’s skate on Monday at the Bell Sensplex. He was with Jordan Spence, but the writing was on the wall for Yakemchuk because he had his ups and downs in camp.

Steve Staios, the club’s president of hockey operations and general manager, along with coach Travis Green, sat down with the club’s staff to make the final decisions.

The Senators have 22 healthy players on the roster that was submitted to the league’s head office.

Forward Drake Batherson (pulled upper body muscle) and defenceman Tyler Kleven (ankle) were both placed on injured reserve retroactive to when they were hurt during camp.

That means they can come off at any time, and neither has been ruled out for Thursday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but it would appear they’re doubtful.

“Both skated, and they were on the ice for 45 minutes today,” Green said. “It’s positive. They’re going in the right direction. Not sure if they’ll be ready or not.”

The decision to send Yakemchuk down left the club with seven healthy defencemen, including Ottawa native Donovan Sebrango.

The Senators chose the right path with Yakemchuk, and it’s similar to the route the club used with Kleven. He went to Belleville for the 2023-24 campaign, and the Senators resisted the urge to recall him that season.

Yakemchuk had an impressive camp last year before being sent back to the Western Hockey League’s Calgary Hitmen. He wasn’t nearly as dominant this fall, and his defensive game has to get better if he’s going to play in the NHL on a full-time basis.

“It’s never an easy decision when you’re talking about a young guy who has a bright future in the NHL,” Green said before Yakemchuk was told he was heading down.

“We need to make sure we put him in the best place to succeed. It’s a delicate question and answer. We’ve got to make sure that we put him in the right spot. It’s about what’s going to help our team and what’s going to help, and combining both into the right answer.”

The six players put on waivers on Sunday — Arthur Kaliyev, Olle Lycksell, Mads Sogaard, Jan Jenik, Hayden Hodgson and Lassi Thomson — all cleared on Monday.

Five were sent to Belleville along with Yakemchuk, while Lycksell remained as the extra forward.

This is the way the Senators looked at the Bell Sensplex on Monday.

Forward lines

Brady Tkachuk-Tim Stutzle-Fabian Zetterlund

David Perron-Dylan Cozens-Michael Amadio

Ridly Greig-Shane Pinto-Claude Giroux

Kurtis MacDermid-Lars Eller-Nick Cousins

Olle Lycksell

Defence

Jake Sanderson-Artem Zub

Thomas Chabot-Nick Jensen

Donovan Sebrango-Nikolas Matinpalo

Jordan Spence

Goaltenders

Linus Ullmark

Leevi Merilainen

bgarrioch@postmedia.com