Prospect Info: 2024 7th OA : Carter Yakemchuk (RHD)

[Senscore]

Show me Zayne Parehk do that.

Parekh was maybe the only D in that group people around here were more apprehensive about.

 

[SENStastic]

If he can improve skating he's gonna be a staple top 4. Him and Sandy could be an amazing pair. We definitely needed some grit on our D-core, we're soft as butter right now, no one can shove players in front of our net rn. Except for Branny of course.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Way too much emphasis is placed on birthdates, especially as a mark against older guys. It's an easy data point for people to point to without understanding anything about a player.

Guys develop at different times and at different rates. A guy like Yakemchuk still has a lot of runway ahead of him.

Sure, but experience matters. Yakemchuk was a couple weeks away from being a 2023 draft pick and is an entire developmental year ahead of Parekh and Dickinson (almost a year older as well).

It’s not everything, but I don’t see how having an entire CHL season of experience over your conterparts doesn’t play a factor.

 

[Cosmix]

If he can improve skating he's gonna be a staple top 4. Him and Sandy could be an amazing pair. We definitely needed some grit on our D-core, we're soft as butter right now, no one can shove players in front of our net rn. Except for Branny of course.

We need to give him a development plan for the next 2 years, which should include skating and defensive play.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

There's just 0 reason to take a risk on a guy with a bunch of question marks when there where plenty of equal or better players available.

 

[WallyD]

The main issue with Chychrun is his defensive IQ

Don't disagree with that... It seems to me that Chychrun's defensive partners can't read off him, they aren't sure what he is going to do. That means he does not get support he needs to make him better and his partners end up looking worse than they really are. Nutshell... I don't dislike the player as he has some skills, but he seems like a lone wolf, very unpredictable.

 

[Micklebot]

There's just 0 reason to take a risk on a guy with a bunch of question marks when there where plenty of equal or better players available.

Almost everyone had question marks though

Dickenson had questions about his upside and hockey iq
Perekh had questions about his defensive game and size, as well as how transferable his offense would be at the pro level
Silayev had questions about his offense,
Buium had questions about his size holding up at the next level

Pick your poison. I'd have preferred Buium of Silayev, but Yakemchuk has some unique traits that are appealing, he could end up the best offensive dman in the draft, and brings nastyness that none of the others have.

 

[lancepitlick]

This guy reads like a Dion Phaneuf type of d man. Maybe not as highly touted, but that's still a good player, if he pans out. I don't watch the WHL so I have no idea.

 

[bert]

Sure, but experience matters. Yakemchuk was a couple weeks away from being a 2023 draft pick and is an entire developmental year ahead of Parekh and Dickinson (almost a year older as well).

It’s not everything, but I don’t see how having an entire CHL season of experience over your conterparts doesn’t play a factor.

He's a big big body dispite being 6 to 8 months older than those players he grew late. It's not as simple as he's older so he's further along in his development. He's made a jump each season. He's gotten faster and stronger and his production has matched.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

Almost everyone had question marks though

Dickenson had questions about his upside and hockey iq
Perekh had questions about his defensive game and size, as well as how transferable his offense would be at the pro level
Silayev had questions about his offense,
Buium had questions about his size holding up at the next level

Pick your poison. I'd have preferred Buium of Silayev, but Yakemchuk has some unique traits that are appealing, he could end up the best offensive dman in the draft, and brings nastyness that none of the others have.

Except Yakemchuk's were arguable worse than everyone else's. His skating is mediocre and his IQ is very suspect. You don't want that in a Dman.

And frankly I think Silayev's and Dickenson's offense question marks are overstated.

 

[lancepitlick]

Don't disagree with that... It seems to me that Chychrun's defensive partners can't read off him, they aren't sure what he is going to do. That means he does not get support he needs to make him better and his partners end up looking worse than they really are. Nutshell... I don't dislike the player as he has some skills, but he seems like a lone wolf, very unpredictable.

When I watch Chychrun it's like watching a forward play defense. He doesn't seem to have much in the way of natural instinct. Still a good player based on his skill set.

 

[Micklebot]

Except Yakemchuk's were arguable worse than everyone else's. His skating is mediocre and his IQ is very suspect. You don't want that in a Dman.

And frankly I think Silayev's and Dickenson's offense question marks are overstated.

Well that depends on who's doing the arguing, clearly you come down on one side, but clearly a bunch of teams didn't see guys like Silayev or Dickenson as sure things, given they both fell well below where many saw them going.

I for one think his skating and IQ question marks are overstated.

 

[Cosmix]

When I watch Chychrun it's like watching a forward play defense. He doesn't seem to have much in the way of natural instinct. Still a good player based on his skill set.

I see a player who is big but plays small; occasionally, he has a few oops moments where I wonder why he was so casual doing what he did (risky moves).

A 2nd pairing D; not 1st pairing on a very good team.

 

[WallyD]

When I watch Chychrun it's like watching a forward play defense. He doesn't seem to have much in the way of natural instinct. Still a good player based on his skill set.

Sounds like we might be seeing the same thing, the unpredictable nature of his play at times. I like your analogy of a forward playing defense, occasional chicken with the head cut off lost issue. Even if Chychrun knows what he is doing ( or trying) his partner can seem lost, meaning if the play does break down they both end up looking bad. Worse is when his partner ends up wearing it, holding the bag. This issue is visible mostly around defensive play (breakdowns), but I've also seen it on offense in the form or broken plays, phantom passes, people not reading a play or nobody in wherever the right spot should be. Also observed in the many ring around the boards to noone. He has some enviable skills, but team mates should be able to feed off that, not just watch him and make guesses.

 

[DJB]

Yakemchuks skating is actually just fine. It’s being way overblown around here.

Where he gets himself into trouble is getting too far up the ice and gets caught defensively. He also tends to get too deep in the O zone as well. He can at times struggle when he’s under pressure in the D zone and occasionally make the wrong read moving the puck up the ice

But he’s a big kid, who plays with jam and bite and is always working to try and make a difference.

He does have a ton of upside here and I’m confident he’s a top 4 dman

 

[starling]

Just saw the picks. So you are saying that our scouts looked at this guy and thought, "yep, this is the top-2 defenceman in this draft class"?

He must be pretty good then.

 

[Icelevel]

Just saw the picks. So you are saying that our scouts looked at this guy and thought, "yep, this is the top-2 defenceman in this draft class"?

He must be pretty good then.

He’s very good. He’s awesome. Gonna look incredible in a sens jersey.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

You lose your NCAA eligibility by going into the CHL, that's not an option

A little OT, but I was reading an article a little while ago (might be from THN, iirc) strongly suggesting there will be a pathway for CHL kids in the NCAA within the next few years. Too late for Yak of course, but if it happens, it will completely change the landscape of junior level hockey in this country.



Anyhoo....I think the big thing that make people wary is seeing Buium still on the board. Most draft projections had him well above Yak. Makes you wonder if Sens are playing smartest guys in the room like they did with Boucher....or if those actually in the league are starting to recognize that size still matters (at least on the blueline), where scouting lists haven't quite caught up.

The skating and the defensive IQ still worry me....but...it could also be a product of being the only good player on a really bad team, and having to try and do everything himself and being used poorly by his coaching staff. That also leads to the question of where he'll play next year, because you do not want him in that situation again. He can't go to the AHL, but the Sens could lean on Calgary a bit and push for a trade or different deployment.

What also worries me is we're really not focusing on pure shutdown D with hockey IQ. The game moves so fast now, you can't rely on bashing guys through the boards to defend anymore (although having that factor does help!). You've got to use your brains and have good instincts. See plays develop and know instantly how to counter and how to keep your position while doing so. And knowing when to hit, if you have a big hitter.

 

[DJB]

I’m not the best at making videos but just wanted to show one clip from the top prospects game.

I’ve said all along that Yakemchuks skating is just fine. Hes being overly criticized by those that haven’t watch him. And it’s his backwards skating getting the most criticism.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807370509249577387

 

[Tap on the Ankle]

There's just 0 reason to take a risk on a guy with a bunch of question marks when there where plenty of equal or better players available.

RHD is a reason. Because of how difficult to fill get a top 4 RD via trade/FA they are technically more valuable at the draft. Teams will be going hard after Pesce and Tanev.

 

[DJB]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807378099308298260

 

[Senscore]

Looking forward to see what he can do with Team Canada at the world jrs. Plenty of supporting talent there.

 

[Stylizer1]

Aren't all prospects this?

Exactly!

 

[PlayOn]

Poulin on TSN1200 said:

“What stands out is his skating at his size. He’s almost 6 ft 4 but skating is elite, truly elite. He played on a team that wasn’t at the top of the league this year and when that happens you get into situations where maybe some of the structure and the defensive play didn’t have to be there because it wasn’t demanded or commanded in those situations, they were always behind in games and he was the get up and go guy that can create a lot of offense… truly one of the elite skaters in the draft.”

Kind of confused how the knock on him is skating and Poulin is raving about it.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Anyhoo....I think the big thing that make people wary is seeing Buium still on the board. Most draft projections had him well above Yak.

Did any of these projections have all the RD gone by pick 8, and none of the LD picked until 10 or later. I didn’t see any of those.

What also worries me is we're really not focusing on pure shutdown D with hockey IQ.

Who did you have in mind