2024 NHL Draft Profile: Carter Yakemchuk
A deep dive into 2024 NHL Draft prospect and Calgary Hitmen defenceman Carter Yakemchuk.
The WHL is set to play a significant role in this year's 2024 NHL Draft. 57 players were included on NHL Central Scouting's final rankings, with a handful expected to be drafted in the first round. Today's draft profile is of Calgary Hitmen's Carter Yakemchuk who enters the draft as the 11th-ranked North American Skater.
Yakemchuk enters the draft as one of the best offensive defencemen available. Listed at 6'3", 203 pounds, he scored 30 goals and averaged over 24 minutes a night. Few players can match Yakemchuk's offensive capabilities, essentially making him a fourth forward when the puck is on his stick.
While Yakemchuk is a decent playmaker, his game centers around his shot and mobility. He loves to have the puck on his stick and is always moving in order to change angles and create scoring chances. Yakemchuk is also a great puck handler, making it very difficult for the opposition to knock the puck off his stick.
As for the transition game, this is another area where Yakemchuk thrives. More often than not, he chooses to lead the rush and loves to carry the puck into the offensive zone. The transition game is another area where Yakemchuk shows his passing as he often draws the attention of the opposition, which opens up teammates for passes and clear lanes into the offensive zone.
Yakemchuk is also a player who loves to play a physical game. He isn't afraid to throw opponents to the ice and has been known to drop the gloves from time to time. Ultimately, Yakemchuk plays a hard-hitting game and will make opponents pay once they enter his area of the ice.
As Yakemchuk continues to develop, one area of focus needs to be his play in the defensive zone. While he can win physical matchups, his ability to read the play does need some work. The good news is the 18-year-old has plenty of time to work on his overall defensive game, which did see improvements as the year progressed.
Come draft night, Yakemchuk shouldn't have to wait long before hearing his name called. The right-shot defender is projected to go in the middle of the first round but could go higher based on the fact that he plays a premier position, has size and is offensively gifted. If Yakemchuk continues to develop there, he has the potential to be a top-pair defender who is dominant on the power play. He is one of the WHL's elite players, and if he can improve on his performance from last year, Yakemchuk should be in the conversation for WHL Defenceman of the Year at the end of the 2024-25 season.
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