RD Carter Yakemchuk - Calgary Hitmen, WHL (2024, 7th, OTT)

[Bubbles]

Not surprised he got taken early. He's very much like Brent Burns to me if he hits his ceiling.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Not thrilled. Was the WHL being a harder league this year a good degence for him or is it coping?

 

[majormajor]

Not thrilled. Was the WHL being a harder league this year a good degence for him or is it coping?

I don't know what you're trying to excuse. He had a very good year.

If there is an excuse it is that his team was bad, and they over-relied on him and that left him tired and exposed at times. He's a big body and not a graceful skater so he's not the kind of guy you want playing 25 minutes a night. You want to let Yakemchuk run up the score in ~22 minutes and then have Artem Zub handle the rest.

Anyways he had an impressive season so I don't think that making excuses is necessary here. This is just for context on the player.

 

[stevo61]

I don't know what you're trying to excuse. He had a very good year.

If there is an excuse it is that his team was bad, and they over-relied on him and that left him tired and exposed at times. He's a big body and not a graceful skater so he's not the kind of guy you want playing 25 minutes a night. You want to let Yakemchuk run up the score in ~22 minutes and then have Artem Zub handle the rest.

Anyways he had an impressive season so I don't think that making excuses is necessary here. This is just for context on the player.

How do you feel if I say hes a more controlled Phaneuf? Not as clean of an open ice hitter but hits the net more with a big shot and not shy in any part of the game

 

[majormajor]

How do you feel if I say hes a more controlled Phaneuf? Not as clean of an open ice hitter but hits the net more with a big shot and not shy in any part of the game

I can see that but I also don't remember Phaneuf ever showing the hands that Yakemchuk has. Yakemchuk's gift for making small area plays and passes will help his team create more offense, in a way that Phaneuf never did.

 

[Wondercarrot]

I like the Phaneuf with really good small area hand skills comparison.

“He’s the silkiest guy (Yakemchuk) I’ve seen,” said Berkly Catton, another projected first-round pick in 2024. “He almost plays like a smaller guy, but he is a big guy. He’s always a threat, especially in the offensive zone.”

 

[Seb]

Super jealous of Ottawa, I hate he's on a rival team now. I would've loved him in Montréal.

 

[57special]

I can see that but I also don't remember Phaneuf ever showing the hands that Yakemchuk has. Yakemchuk's gift for making small area plays and passes will help his team create more offense, in a way that Phaneuf never did.

Agreed. Has some surprisingly smooth moves. He also plays strongly in his own end, and is physical. Needs to work on his D overall, but isn't a disaster, and his length and strength are a nice place to start from. Seems like he'd pair well with Kleven and/or Sanderson.

I certainly prefer him to Parekh, at least as a guy that you can mold into a two way Dman.

 

[majormajor]

Agreed. Has some surprisingly smooth moves. He also plays strongly in his own end, and is physical. Needs to work on his D overall, but isn't a disaster, and his length and strength are a nice place to start from. Seems like he'd pair well with Kleven and/or Sanderson.

I certainly prefer him to Parekh, at least as a guy that you can mold into a two way Dman.

Yakemchuk's back skating and pivots are a big problem right now, but perhaps it can be improved on to the point that he can be used as an all situations blueliner. He defends in his own zone very well already.

Parekh's willowy build and lack of strength likely means he can never be used that way. He'll get run over on the cycle. I see Parekh like Erik Karlsson but without the speed that Karlsson showed in his prime.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Yakemchuk's back skating and pivots are a big problem right now, but perhaps it can be improved on to the point that he can be used as an all situations blueliner. He defends in his own zone very well already.

Parekh's willowy build and lack of strength likely means he can never be used that way. He'll get run over on the cycle. I see Parekh like Erik Karlsson but without the speed that Karlsson showed in his prime.

Isn’t his defence and decision making the biggest knock on him though?

He did play on a very weak team compared to Parekh, Buium, and Dickinson though so maybe that’s why his flaws stand out more.

 

[majormajor]

Isn’t his defence and decision making the biggest knock on him though?

Only the rush defense, which is straight up bad.

In zone defense he's like glue and can box out a huge area. No one gets behind him.

 

[TopC0rner]

Isn’t his defence and decision making the biggest knock on him though?

He did play on a very weak team compared to Parekh, Buium, and Dickinson though so maybe that’s why his flaws stand out more.

Yakemchuk's decision-making with the puck is above average IMO. However, I could see how conservative scouts would dislike his habit of stickhandling a lot. I don't mind it because it works for him.

Also, defensively, I think Yakemchuk is better than Parekh. Most of the defensemen at the top of the draft need a fair bit of work on defense (Levshunov, Parekh, Buium, Yakemchuk).

 

[S E P H]

This lad has a crazy stat line; 30 goals in 66 games as a defence, but adding 120 PIM on top of that. Pretty insane, not sure how sustainable that is long term though. He's probably more valuable being on the ice than in the penalty box for half the game lol.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

Love this kids game, good pick for the Sens imo, and he looks good in that jersey.

 

[KapG]

Idk why Ottawa fans aren’t liking this pick

 

[h2]

Idk why Ottawa fans aren’t liking this pick

I love it, but our fans are dumb sometimes.

I mean this is the fan base that was rioting when we passed on Zadina for Tkachuk. Factoring in draft uncertainty, I’ll never understand draft day outrage.

 

[CanadienShark]

Not who I expected, but I kind of like this for the Sens.

 

[NyQuil]

Idk why Ottawa fans aren’t liking this pick

We have PTSD for some of our 1st round choices in the last few decades.

I didn't really follow anyone for this draft so I'm just going to shrug and hope for the best.

 

[67 others]

Not surprised he got taken early. He's very much like Brent Burns to me if he hits his ceiling.

Burns is one of those rare guys whose skating wasn't good that worked on it until it was a strength. Hopefully Yakemchuk can do the same, but it's pretty rare to see skating improve THAT much.

 

[NyQuil]

Burns is one of those rare guys whose skating wasn't good that worked on it until it was a strength. Hopefully Yakemchuk can do the same, but it's pretty rare to see skating improve THAT much.

We’ve seen it plenty in Ottawa with guys like Mark Stone and Brady Tkachuk.

I think they’ve come a long way in terms of improving skating post-draft.

 

[hockey20000]

don't like the pick would of taken dickinson silayev and buium all before him but we stuck with him now so prove me wrong kid...

 

[NyQuil]

don't like the pick would of taken dickinson silayev and buium all before him but we stuck with him now so prove me wrong kid...

The fact that the three RD all went first is interesting.

 

[EK65IsAGod]

Idk why Ottawa fans aren’t liking this pick

Tyler Boucher messed us up.

 

[Micklebot]

Idk why Ottawa fans aren’t liking this pick

We're a fickle bunch...

 

[KapG]

We're a fickle bunch...

That’s fair and relatable lol

Tyler Boucher messed us up.

Fair