The Ottawa Senators are shaking things up on their blue line, calling up defenseman Cameron Crotty from AHL Belleville. This move comes as the team grapples with a string of injuries that have left their defensive roster thin.
Carter Yakemchuk, the promising defense prospect who was called up after Thomas Chabot underwent surgery, is now sidelined himself. Yakemchuk took a hard hit from Noah Gregor in the Sens’ recent loss to the Panthers, leaving him with an upper-body injury. While details are scarce, it seems likely he won’t suit up against the Sabres tonight.
Adding to the Senators' woes, top defenseman Jake Sanderson is nearing a return from his own upper-body injury but isn’t quite ready to hit the ice. Although upgraded to day-to-day, Sanderson is still in non-contact mode during practices. With Dennis Gilbert also out for a couple more weeks and Nick Jensen done for the regular season, Ottawa finds itself missing five key defensive players just as they’re pushing for a wild-card spot.
Enter Cameron Crotty, who’s set to make his Ottawa debut and third career NHL appearance against Buffalo tonight. The 26-year-old, hailing from the Ottawa area, inked a two-year, two-way deal with the Senators last offseason.
Crotty, originally a third-round pick by the Coyotes in 2017, has journeyed through three NHL organizations. After his stint with Arizona, he became a free agent and spent a season with the Minnesota Wild before landing with Ottawa.
Crotty’s previous NHL experiences were brief, with two appearances at the end of the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons with the Coyotes and Wild. In those games, he didn’t notch any points but showed his defensive capabilities with two blocks and four hits over just 15 minutes of ice time.
This season in Belleville, Crotty has contributed three goals and seven assists over 49 games, bringing his AHL career total to 59 points in 332 games. His call-up comes at a crucial time, as Tyler Kleven stands as Ottawa’s only left-shot defenseman tonight. Nikolas Matinpalo and Lassi Thomson will have to adapt by playing on their off-sides in the second and third pairings.
With the Senators fighting for a playoff spot, Crotty’s debut could be a pivotal moment not just for him, but for the team’s postseason aspirations.