After an onslaught of injuries plagued the Philadelphia Flyers defense this past season, it became clear that some reinforcements were needed in order to bolster the backline and keep players from getting too hurt or burnt out. That's where a defenseman like Carter Yakemchuk could come in handy.
After an onslaught of injuries plagued the Philadelphia Flyers defense this past season, it became clear that some reinforcements were needed in order to bolster the backline and keep players from getting too hurt or burnt out. That's where a defenseman like Carter Yakemchuk could come in handy.
Described as a "hard-shooting, confident-handling defenseman" by trainer Doug Crashley, Yakemchuk has shown himself to be a passionate player, if still a bit rough around the edges. A profile from The Athletic describes how seriously Yakemchuk is taking his development, and while he still needs refining, he has all of the pieces of the puzzle laid out on the table—he just needs to put them together.
"He's quiet, he's an introvert," Crashley said. "He lets his play do the talking."
Despite his soft-spoken nature, once Yakemchuk gets fired up, you don't want to be the person he's angry at. While this has resulted in quite a few penalty minutes for the 18-year-old, Crashley is taking the outbursts of emotion as a positive sign.
"We'd try to goad him a little bit and he'd get so mad, and he's a strong guy, but we'd stir the pot with him a little bit, and when he finally fought in the [Western Hockey League], it was like he'd dropped all this weight off of his shoulders," he said. "From that point on from about a year ago, his progression just skyrocketed."
An offensive-minded defenseman renowned for his puck handling and shooting abilities, Yakemchuk tallied a seriously impressive 71 points (including 30 goals) in 66 games during the 2023-24 WHL season. He lead all defensemen in goalscoring, and recorded the fifth most overall points for a blueliner.
And, to circle back to Yakemchuk's temper, his penalty minutes saw quite the uptick as well, jumping from 31 minutes in 2022-23 to 120 minutes in 2023-24. It's something that definitely needs to be reined in a bit, but could be a huge injection of energy if applied correctly, due to his six-foot-three, 194-pound frame.
"He's going to be quietly very, very strong and a little nasty," Crashley said. "That's going to be very good for his pro career. And even physically, he's not even close...he might a grow a bit more, so that's part of his process now. I think he's working his way up the curve and not near the peak whatsoever."
While his defensive game needs some work—mainly his discipline—Yakemchuk's confidence and work ethic make him appealing, although Luke Sweeney of DobberProspects noted that the 18-year-old will require "time, patience, and a long leash."
Crashley attributes many of Yakemchuk's shortcomings to the fact that he's a young kid that doesn't love the spotlight, but is being prodded toward center stage regardless. It's not some insurmountable, unchangeable character flaw—he's just a pearl that needs a bit more polishing.
"I think he's only just getting comfortable with how good he's becoming," Crashley explained. "It's not easy. He's getting a lot of attention, it's a heavy spotlight, and he has always been a good player but now he's working towards a goal of being a great player. It's a world-changer when it starts to happen and you get NHL guys calling."
While the Flyers aren't exactly fiending for a right-side defenseman after drafting Oliver Bonk in 2023 and acquiring Jamie Drysdale in January, Yakemchuk is a great physical presence, and a moldable player with a desire to be the best he can be. It would certainly be a risk for Danny Briere to pick Yakemchuk over the other players on the board when the 12th pick rolls around, but he has a number of assets that would complement the vision the Flyers have for their defense going forward.
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