Despite two losses, the coaching staff has plenty of tape to look over on depth players

With each of their top four defencemen out for various reasons, split-squad games with the Toronto Maple Leafs went about how you would expect for the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday.

In Toronto, it was a 6-1 drubbing. The Maple Leafs stars had their way all night long.

In Ottawa, the Leafs’ B Squad — only a handful of NHL-calibre players were sent to the nation’s capital — eked out a 4-2 victory.

Despite the losses, the Senators coaching staff got to see all of the organization’s depth in action, making roster decisions that much easier in a week’s time.

There was a roster spot with his name on it when training camp started, but Carter Yakemchuk hasn’t done much to convince the Senators that he’s ready to graduate to the NHL.

He had a dreadful night, offering up a ton of room to opposing forwards on the rush, seemingly afraid to get beat due to slow foot speed. And when he did attempt to gap up, he was beaten wide. Yakemchuk was caught looking around for someone to cover in the defensive zone all game, rarely anticipating the Maple Leafs’ attack. Ahead of Jake McCabe’s 1-0 goal, Yakemchuk was unable to intercept McCabe’s initial pass or clear John Tavares during an ensuing scramble in front.

Perhaps the 20-year-old’s worst moment of the night came midway through the second period when he was totally fooled by a set play executed by Toronto. After a D-zone face-off win, Jack Roslovic made a beeline for the far blue line, cleanly beating Yakemchuk to a stretch pass and nearly scoring on a breakaway. Yakemchuk looked skyward in disbelief.

He rarely looked in control, fighting the puck on clears, unable to gather rebounds and make a strong first pass. He was far more comfortable quarterbacking the first power-play unit, but the Sens need him to be at least serviceable at 5-on-5 to justify keeping him in October.

The game ended terribly for Yakemchuk, getting absolutely drilled by Michael Pezzetta while going back for a puck below the goal line. He stayed down on the ice for a moment before skating off. The trainers checked on him numerous times on the bench.

He was hung out to dry, but at some point Leevi Meriläinen needed to come up with a big save on a Grade A chance.

Stutzle was falling on Meriläinen’s left pad in the crease on Toronto’s first goal. Defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo elected to cover the pass option on a 2-on-1 and still couldn’t stop William Nylander from finding Tavares backdoor. Ottawa’s penalty kill allowed two dangerous chances in succession and the second one went in. Meriläinen couldn’t slide across in time to stop Zack MacEwen from tapping in a cross-slot pass on the rush. Morgan Rielly’s point-blank wrister went top right. Auston Matthews walked in from the point and was allowed to get off his patented release.

The Senators have had better defensive efforts. Meriläinen could have been so much better. He’s not making a good case for Ottawa to keep three goalies when the regular season begins.

Ottawa might have a good depth forward in Eskild Bakke Olsen. For not playing a game on NHL-sized ice in years, the Norwegian has held his own in four contests so far (including two in the rookie tournament).

The majority of the time, he makes the smart play. His passes are crisp and into safety. He works extremely hard, clearing the Senators’ net front while both defencemen are MIA, and being first in on the forecheck at the other end.

He has some decent offensive abilities, fluttering a saucer pass ahead to Kasper Halttunen for a chance on the rush late in the first period.

It was a much better night for the man who is waivers-exempt until he plays 40 more NHL games.

Stephen Halliday worked especially well with Claude Giroux on the Senators second line. Giroux is an extremely creative player and Halliday did well to anticipate his linemate’s next move, sneaking into soft areas when Giroux was about to make a centring pass.

Halliday was one of the Senators’ better players on the man advantage, showing off his playmaking abilities on the right flank. His best play of the night came in the second period when he found Giroux in the slot with a no-look backhand pass while a Toronto defender was draped all over him in the corner. That’s something Halliday can do that not many others can. Combining his vision, puck skills and lengthy reach allows him to get off nasty passes in tight spaces.

However, he’s still lacking some quickness and physicality. Coach Travis Green said Halliday’s game was slightly improved from Monday in Trois-Rivières: “He’s still got some work to do.”

There is an edge to Samuel Blais’ game. He fights for every inch.

After Blais got off two shots during what looked to be his best shift of the game in the second period, he took a lazy offensive-zone tripping penalty. Toronto scored on the ensuing power play.

Redeeming himself later in the frame, Blais laid out Nick Blankenburg and held his own in an ensuing fight with Brendan Brisson, drawing the instigator. He had a team-high six hits in 11:31 of ice time.

Currently on a professional tryout, Ben Hutton was mostly a calming presence on the Senators’ blue line Wednesday.

The 33-year-old was aggressive in breaking up developing rushes in the neutral zone, stepping up with good poke checks. He’s still got some decent recovery speed, too.

He lacked imagination quarterbacking the power play, but that’s not his usual role. At times, he was outshone by defence partner Cameron Crotty, and he took a bad holding penalty after losing his stick in the first.

Hutton will have one more chance to win a contract on Saturday in a split-squad game against the Montreal Canadiens. His game seems to be slowly trending in the right direction.