Carter Yakemchuk
2023-24 Team: Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
Date of Birth: September 29, 2005
Place of Birth: Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada
Height: 6-foot-3, Weight: 194 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Right Defense
NHL Draft Eligibility: First Year Eligible
Rankings
- Daily Faceoff: 12th
- TSN/Bob McKenzie: 12th
- The Athletic/Pronman: 3rd
- THW/Baracchini: 15th
- THW/Forbes: 20th
- THW/Horn: 9th
Carter Yakemchuk is one of the oldest first-year eligible prospects in the 2024 Draft class, being just a few days too young to make the cut for the 2023 Draft. I’m of the belief that he would have been a first round pick in last year’s draft had he been eligible, and I’m a firm believer he’ll be taken within the first 10 picks in this year’s draft.
Yakemchuk is a big, offensive defenseman with a right-handed shot and great skill with the puck. He was phenomenal for the Calgary Hitmen this season, a team that seriously lacked offensive firepower. As a result, Yakemchuk sometimes simply decided the team needed some offense and would slice through the entire opposing team to create a great chance off the blueline.
Puck skills are one thing in situations like this, but another reason he is so successful while cutting through traffic is how well he protects the puck. Standing at 6-foot-3, Yakemchuk’s reach serves him well and he’s great at manipulating checkers’ sticks while under pressure. He’s also a major goal scoring threat from the blueline where he can score with a heavy and accurate point shot.
Yakemchuk isn’t the most agile skater, but his top speed is solid and that, when combined with his reach, makes him a solid rush defender, even when he over-commits in the offensive zone. He has the willingness to battle on defense and boxes out opposing forwards well, not giving up an inch around the crease. Yakemchuk is a great physical player at the junior level.
Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide
While his skating is a very minor concern in my eyes, I’d say the biggest question surrounding Yakemchuk is if his brain will be able to keep up in the NHL. He plays at a high pace decently well, but his decision making is what gives me pause at times. It usually manifests itself in offensive over commitment and leaning a bit too hard into being the lead offensive creator for the Hitmen.
I do think some of his questionable decision-making could be reduced on a better team where he can take a little bit of a step back and allow his teammates to lead the push on offense a bit more, however, this is the style he’s likely being asked to play for a junior team in need of any amount of dynamic offense it can get.
Last season, Yakemchuk had the third-most goals among all WHL defenseman with 19. This year, he led all defensemen league-wide in goals with 30. That number makes him the first WHL defender to score at least 30 goals in their first draft eligible season since Ian White did it back in the 2001-02 season, 22 years ago!
Yakemchuk scored 71 points in 66 games which made him the team’s second highest scorer despite being an 18-year-old defenseman. He also finished the regular season as the fifth-highest scoring defender in the WHL, behind players like Luca Cagnoni and Denton Mateychuk.
Other THW Draft Profiles
Carter Yakemchuk – NHL Draft Projection
There is a consensus top group in this year’s draft class that is developing, made up of either 12 or 13 players, depending on who you ask. Yakemchuk is in that group according to the vast majority of prospect evaluators, but I think he’ll go even higher than that on draft day. His offensive potential should be enough for him to easily be a top-10 pick considering his size and position. I think he will end up as a top-six pick in the 2024 Draft given his dynamic offense, size and position.
Quotables
“It’s always fun to see a big defender dangle an opponent at the offensive blueline, drive down the wall, and cut to the net for a scoring chance. If you’ve seen Yakemchuk this year, you’ve probably seen him do exactly that.” – Tony Ferrari, The Hockey News
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“Yakemchuk has really started to take strides, and his game continues to round itself out. Yakemchuk has a nice blend of size, skill, and aggressiveness that allow him to be a force all over the ice. His instincts are great, and he joins the rush when he feels he can contribute to the play. He holds his own in the defensive zone with his size and ability to separate puck carriers from the puck to quick start offense the other way for his side. ” – Ben Jordan, Smaht Scouting
“Led by his instincts, plenty of confidence and legit skill for a D his size, he has generated a lot from the back end for a Hitmen team that has generated little. While his game in the WHL does come with some give and take, he’s got pro size, a pro shot (maybe an understatement given his gaudy goal totals) and an attack mentality that is complemented by good instincts on when to eagerly jump off the line or into the rush and when to hold it or outlet it. ” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic (2024 NHL Draft ranking: Macklin Celebrini leads Scott Wheeler’s March top 64 prospects, March 25, 2024)
Strengths
- Size/strength
- Excellent point shot
- Good instincts when attacking at the blueline
- Great skill with the puck
Under Construction – Improvements to Make
- Timing on defensive recoveries
- Consistency of decision making defensively
NHL Potential
I think Yakemchuk has some of the highest offensive potential on the back-end in this draft class. His offense won’t need to develop much for him to have a good chance at playing on an NHL team’s top power play, and I can easily see him scoring 15 goals in the NHL during his prime. If his defensive game can catch up a bit over the next few years, then I think Yakemchuk has the potential to be a top-pairing, all-star level defenseman whose calling card is offense, in the mold of Brent Burns.
Risk-Reward
Risk – 2/5, Reward – 5/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offense – 10/10, Defense – 7/10
Interviews/Links
Yakemchuk Brings Sought-After Skill Set to Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
