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

[Ice-Tray]

I doubt that Yak will play in the NHL next season; Sanderson waited until he matured before doing it. Yak is not as good as Sanderson so I think it would be best to let him play in the AHL for a year or so until he gains experience playing against adult pros. I am hoping the Senators acquire an experienced NHL level RD that is better than Matinpalo and possibly better than one or both of Zub or Jensen to improve the D core.

Sanderson wanted a rerun with his championship calibre team. He didn’t stay to mature.

 

[aragorn]

Sanderson wanted a rerun with his championship calibre team. He didn’t stay to mature.

Sanderson also wasn't as big as Yakemchuk is, sometimes prospects need to grow into NHL size & that can take a yr or two while Yak is already big & has NHL size & physicality & may not need to wait unless there is a particular skill they want him to work on in Belleville.

I think it's quite possible that Yak starts in Belleville & by Xmas if he is ready that they start giving him NHL games & getting him ready. He could replace a RD who is injured or needs a break or they could just sit out Matinpalo & bring in Yak to give him game experience in limited 3rd pairing minutes slowly increasing his responsibilities & ice minutes.

 

[Laphroaig]

I really hope Yakemchuk pans out but watching Sam Dickinson play in the Memorial Cup has me wishing we'd taken him. That kid is an exceptional skater and appears to have terrific hockey sense. I wanted Dickinson on draft draft day and still can't believe they passed on him and Buium. After the years those guys had I can't believe the Sens wouldn't love a do over.

 

[HSF]

Yakemechuk is gonna be dope. That size and skill on the right side is gonna be a staple of our defense for years

 

[bert]

I really hope Yakemchuk pans out but watching Sam Dickinson play in the Memorial Cup has me wishing we'd taken him. That kid is an exceptional skater and appears to have terrific hockey sense. I wanted Dickinson on draft draft day and still can't believe they passed on him and Buium. After the years those guys had I can't believe the Sens wouldn't love a do over.

I wouldnt change a thing. The sens are set on the left side. RHD are so much harder to come by and Yakemchuk has more upside than both those guys. They have to believe in their development team to get him their and I think they will. What he showed in the pre season was way more elite than anything I have seen from Dickinson. Dickinson was awful at the WJC. He doesnt have the same skill level as Yak. Better skater for sure but doesnt have the elite offensive skills.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

I wouldnt change a thing. The sens are set on the left side. RHD are so much harder to come by and Yakemchuk has more upside than both those guys. They have to believe in their development team to get him their and I think they will. What he showed in the pre season was way more elite than anything I have seen from Dickinson. Dickinson was awful at the WJC. He doesnt have the same skill level as Yak. Better skater for sure but doesnt have the elite offensive skills.

Also I don't understand how that person considers Dickinson's IQ as a strength, either...

 

[Boud]

Dickinson is very, very good. Out of all the other Dman available at the draft for our pick he’s the one who seriously made me think it might be better to pick a LHD and just figure it out afterwards.

Regardless of what happens I’m still happy with Yak but I wouldn’t be talking down on Dickinson he’ll be a great all around defensemen and possibly the most projectable.

 

[bert]

Dickinson is very, very good. Out of all the other Dman available at the draft for our pick he’s the one who seriously made me think it might be better to pick a LHD and just figure it out afterwards.

Regardless of what happens I’m still happy with Yak but I wouldn’t be talking down on Dickinson he’ll be a great all around defensemen and possibly the most projectable.

I don't see it and I have watched him alot. Puck skills are not good. Buium is much better if you want a LD. Very projectable he is gonna be a really solid complimentary top pair d or a solid 2nd pair guy.

 

[BoardsofCanada]

I haven't watched Dickinson a ton, but the impression I get is that he's always thinking offense which leads to occasional gaffes. London is so good, he can get away with it. But my prediction for his first few seasons in the NHL will be as a decent offensive weapon, but shite defense. Kind of like Evan Bouchard who is still prone to costly mistakes. Dickinson will eventually mature as all great players do. And don't get me wrong, would I love a Bouchard or Dickinson on the Sens? 1000%.

 

[BondraTime]

I haven't watched Dickinson a ton, but the impression I get is that he's always thinking offense which leads to occasional gaffes. London is so good, he can get away with it. But my prediction for his first few seasons in the NHL will be as a decent offensive weapon, but shite defense. Kind of like Evan Bouchard who is still prone to costly mistakes. Dickinson will eventually mature as all great players do. And don't get me wrong, would I love a Bouchard or Dickinson on the Sens? 1000%.

Dickenson won 2nd in Defensive D in the OHL as a 17 year old, and then 2nd Offensive D as an 18 year old, he's head and shoulders above Bouchard when it comes to defensive game, and behind Bouchard offensively

Edit: Was mistaken, was 2nd

 

[BoardsofCanada]

Dickenson won top Defensive D in the OHL as a 17 year old, and then top Offensive D as an 18 year old

It's much easier to shine when you're surrounded by first round NHL draft picks.

 

[BondraTime]

It's much easier to shine when you're surrounded by first round NHL draft picks.

Sure, he's the best of that bunch by a pretty wide margin.

I'm just staing that he's extremely strong defensively, and as a guy whowas 2nd in top Defensive D in the OHL, I don't think him thinking offense is going to affect his defensive ability. That was the top thing about his game along with his skating. That's what teams loved last year, the skating and the defensive ability. What was holding him back in some eyes were his offenisve ability and hockey sense. This time last year peoplpe were saying he was going to be a rock defensively, but his offense is going to be lacking.

"Sam Dickinson's 2024 NHL Draft scouting report highlights him as a top-tier defenseman with excellent size, speed, and defensive skills, but with room to improve his offensive game. He is projected as a potential top-four NHL defenseman, but his ceiling will depend on his offensive development

"NHL projection: With excellent size and the ability to use his speed in a variety of ways, Dickinson projects as a top-four defenseman, but his ceiling will come down to how his offensive game and consistency develop at the pro level.

Why CBJ should draft him: Dickinson excels in his defensive zone, which would be a good thing to add to a team with a number of key defensemen – Zach Werenski, David Jiricek and Denton Mateychuk – who are standouts in the offensive zone."

I do agree that he has gaffes, like everyone, that he will need to cut down on in SJ next season to stay past his 9 games, but guys who can skate, defend, move and shoot the puck like that at 6'3 215+ don't come around often

 

[aragorn]

We saw what happened when we had four left shot defencemen & it turned into a disaster with Chychrun. It most likely would have ended in the same way where we would have to trade one & I'm not sure this org is trading Chabot anytime soon.

 

[HSF]

there are gonna be a few defensemen from that draft that are very very goood

I am liking Yak and what I see from him. Dickinson looks like he will b every good aswell

 

[bicboi64]

The organization must really have believed in our LD depth for the foreseeable future to take Yak over Dickinson, Silayev, and Buium. Really hope Yakemchuk ends up being a legit top 4 guy for us given how some of his peers look.

 

[Micklebot]

The organization must really have believed in our LD depth for the foreseeable future to take Yak over Dickinson, Silayev, and Buium. Really hope Yakemchuk ends up being a legit top 4 guy for us given how some of his peers look.

Alternatively, they just had Yakemchuk ahead of those guys.

The degree to which opinions on Yakemchuk differ reminds me of Tkachuk when he was drafted.

 

[PlayOn]

Yak at his highest potential is very likely the most valuable dman of the bunch. RD who drive offense while playing a really physical game are basically unheard of.

There are more questions as to whether he will reach that potential, but if the Sens believe there are no major obstacles (ie the hockey sense is there and he will work to improve the rest), then it’s not hard to envision why they would pick him.

 

[GoodinOsgoode]

Sanderson also wasn't as big as Yakemchuk is, sometimes prospects need to grow into NHL size & that can take a yr or two while Yak is already big & has NHL size & physicality & may not need to wait unless there is a particular skill they want him to work on in Belleville.

I think it's quite possible that Yak starts in Belleville & by Xmas if he is ready that they start giving him NHL games & getting him ready. He could replace a RD who is injured or needs a break or they could just sit out Matinpalo & bring in Yak to give him game experience in limited 3rd pairing minutes slowly increasing his responsibilities & ice minutes.

This is how I see it as well.
They will give Yak a good long look at training camp and pre-season games.

If he plays again like he did last pre-season, they will possibly let him start the season in Ottawa to see where he is at. Ultimately, he likely will split the season between Belleville & Ottawa, just not sure what that ratio is going to be.

All players are different in their development.
Chabot played 2 more seasons of QMJHL after being drafted, with an AHL call-up in the second season + 1 NHL game. Karlsson went back for another year in Sweden and then in his D+2 season, started in the AHL, played 12 games, got called up and stayed in Ottawa for 60 games of that season. Kleven played 3 years at North Dakota after being drafted and then got a taste of the NHL at the end of the third season and then in his D+4 season, played most of the year in the AHL before coming up.

 

[aragorn]

This is how I see it as well.
They will give Yak a good long look at training camp and pre-season games.

If he plays again like he did last pre-season, they will possibly let him start the season in Ottawa to see where he is at. Ultimately, he likely will split the season between Belleville & Ottawa, just not sure what that ratio is going to be.

All players are different in their development.
Chabot played 2 more seasons of QMJHL after being drafted, with an AHL call-up in the second season + 1 NHL game. Karlsson went back for another year in Sweden and then in his D+2 season, started in the AHL, played 12 games, got called up and stayed in Ottawa for 60 games of that season. Kleven played 3 years at North Dakota after being drafted and then got a taste of the NHL at the end of the third season and then in his D+4 season, played most of the year in the AHL before coming up.

The thing that is different with Yakemchuk is that he is bigger than both Chabot & Karlsson were when they were drafted & he doesn't have to grow into his body, he is already a big kid with an NHL body. And while Kleven is big he didn't have Yakemchuk's offensive ability, the only thing holding Yak back will be if there is something about his game they think he needs to work on in Belleville & of course, if Jensen is healthy then they already have six D. I agree, he will likely see a number of NHL games especially when injuries happen & when they want to rest guys.

 

[Laphroaig]

The way I se it is that Dickinson is better than Yak both defensively and offensively but Yak plays the right side and takes more penalties. Classic case of drafting for need instead of best player available. Always a mistake.

 

[Norris4Norris]

The way I se it is that Dickinson is better than Yak both defensively and offensively but Yak plays the right side and takes more penalties. Classic case of drafting for need instead of best player available. Always a mistake.

I am just hoping that the 2024 draft class for defenceman was super deep. Yak turns into Shea Weber, Dickinson turns into Drew Doughty, Buium turns into Duncan Keith and Parekh turns into Erik Karlsson.

 

[Golden_Jet]

The way I se it is that Dickinson is better than Yak both defensively and offensively but Yak plays the right side and takes more penalties. Classic case of drafting for need instead of best player available. Always a mistake.

lol you have no idea yet, if it’s a mistake, none of these guys have a played a regular season game yet.
Yak has actually shown the most in exhibition of the bunch.