2024 NHL Draft Thread

[dammage79]

Some folk won't mind it because while this player was a good player for Calgary, all I see is Dion Phaneuf 2.0 in Yakemchuk. Is that a good thing at 9th OA? Meh. I wasn't overa
Ly a fan of Phaneuf even as a Flame.

[Icon]

Yak's in the category of a pick I'll say "fine" to. It's just not the most exciting as I think you already probably know what he is.

But I'm all for upside in the top 10, swing for the fences. I really hope Lindstrom falls to us, but Catton, Iginla, Parekh, sign me up!

I think unless we try to be "smartest in the room" and do something wild, whoever we get at 9 is likely fine. I do hope we grab another top15. If we can do it without moving the 28 pick, even better!

[Royle9]

There’s just way more skilled guys that should be available at 9 in comparison to Yak.

Yak firmly sits at 15-20 for me.
At 9 there’s not a chance I’d take him over one of the consensus top 10.

[DropIt]

Still holding out hope for Zeev.

Then Catton/Iginla/Dickenson

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Some folk won't mind it because while this player was a good player for Calgary, all I see is Dion Phaneuf 2.0 in Yakemchuk. Is that a good thing at 9th OA? Meh. I wasn't overa
Ly a fan of Phaneuf even as a Flame.

The NHL Draft Pros video of Yakemchuk is full of B-roll of him getting beaten and losing coverage after Ill-advised rushes up ice, when they aren’t even talking about his defensive game/gap control.

As a mid-late 1st, whatever, roll the dice.

Top 10, take a walk.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Some folk won't mind it because while this player was a good player for Calgary, all I see is Dion Phaneuf 2.0 in Yakemchuk. Is that a good thing at 9th OA? Meh. I wasn't overa
Ly a fan of Phaneuf even as a Flame.

Nothing like phaneuf. Phaneuf doest have yaks stick work or his close in shots. Yak will be a better skater and doesnt come with the as long as im scoring. I don’t care attitude.

Yak is going to surprise a lot if people.

[Niemo]

For me, it’s Iginla = Helenius > Catton = Sennecke > Yakemchuk.

But seeing how many scouts had these guys in the top 5 here and there, I’m holding out hope that Dickinson, Buium, or Silayev fall to us.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Fan69

Nothing like phaneuf. Phaneuf doest have yaks stick work or his close in shots. Yak will be a better skater and doesnt come with the as long as im scoring. I don’t care attitude.

Yak is going to surprise a lot if people.

I watched a profile on Yak a few weeks ago that had an interesting stat… Amongst the top-ranked defencemen in this draft, Yak had by far the highest rate of one-vs-one stick handling attempts when he had the puck. I might be describing that wrong but the overall message was that he tries to beat players with his hands/skills more than most other defencemen… at a rate more equivalent to skilled forwards. Not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing as far as projecting his future but it was an interesting perspective taken on him.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by stemit14

I watched a profile on Yak a few weeks ago that had an interesting stat… Amongst the top-ranked defencemen in this draft, Yak had by far the highest rate of one-vs-one stick handling attempts when he had the puck. I might be describing that wrong but the overall message was that he tries to beat players with his hands/skills more than most other defencemen… at a rate more equivalent to skilled forwards. Not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing as far as projecting his future but it was an interesting perspective taken on him.

One of the first things every Defenseman is taught is “don’t try and stick handle through everyone”.

[Niemo]

I find Sam OReilly at 32 in McKenzies ratings interesting though. Was hoping he’d be our 2nd round and didn’t think it’d be a problem at all. Was looking at the Russian Surov(?) for the 28th - slight reach.

[Ped]

I have no thoughts on Yak's potential, but we are starting to see more D that are willing to try stick-handling - like Makar and Hughes.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by stemit14

I watched a profile on Yak a few weeks ago that had an interesting stat… Amongst the top-ranked defencemen in this draft, Yak had by far the highest rate of one-vs-one stick handling attempts when he had the puck. I might be describing that wrong but the overall message was that he tries to beat players with his hands/skills more than most other defencemen… at a rate more equivalent to skilled forwards. Not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing as far as projecting his future but it was an interesting perspective taken on him.

He is on a crap team trying to do too much.

[868904]

Originally Posted by Fan69

Nothing like phaneuf. Phaneuf doest have yaks stick work or his close in shots. Yak will be a better skater and doesnt come with the as long as im scoring. I don’t care attitude.

Yak is going to surprise a lot if people.

Before the injuries, Dion was a great player, great skater, unbelievable sense of timing and one of the hardest shots with an ability to get it off quick. If Yak is as good as or better than Dion, he should be a top 10 pick.

[Royle9]

He looked more like that kid in peewee who had to have the puck all the time and 1 man show it 90% of the season. People want to knock Parekhs defensive game yet ignore the fact Yak played like a 4th forward most of the season.

I’d wager he has more defensive warts. The only thing that set him apart was the fact he was an overager and trusted with more ice time.

With that said, I am more critical on him and I’ll be the first to admit it only because I witnessed many of Hitmen games this year. I think he could be a solid 3-4 in the NHL but I don’t see him becoming an offensive threat, more of a 2 way guy with some offence.

[Fan69]

Yes yak has some issues in his own end like a lot of young players but he has the hands of a skilled forward. He is literally a unicorn in a defensively heavy draft.

I look at what players bring to the table.
Skating: good not great going to get better.
Size: 6.3
Play style: offensively very aggressive to a fault. Plays with a physical edge. Doesnt seem to be a player that coasts. All That can be coached.
Defence: mediocre but may be doing too much on a bad team. Coachable.
Stick work: has the hands of a skilled forward.
Shot: excellent wrister and slap shot.
Iq: over a point a game on a bad tesm shows he sees the ice and reads plays reasonably well.

I think in any other draft people would be drooling over his potential.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Royle9

With that said, I am more critical on him and I’ll be the first to admit it only because I witnessed many of Hitmen games this year. I think he could be a solid 3-4 in the NHL but I don’t see him becoming an offensive threat, more of a 2 way guy with some offence.

The one Hitmen game I made it to this year, Yakemchuk really stood out to me. He was the only player putting in a real effort in a laugher of a loss. His defensive work seemed just fine one-on-one, but it's tough to play good D when your teammates are running around the ice with their heads cut off.

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by Fan69

Yes yak has some issues in his own end like a lot of young players but he has the hands of a skilled forward. He is literally a unicorn in a defensively heavy draft.

I look at what players bring to the table.
Skating: good not great going to get better.
Size: 6.3
Play style: offensively very aggressive to a fault. Plays with a physical edge. Doesnt seem to be a player that coasts. All That can be coached.
Defence: mediocre but may be doing too much on a bad team. Coachable.
Stick work: has the hands of a skilled forward.
Shot: excellent wrister and slap shot.
Iq: over a point a game on a bad tesm shows he sees the ice and reads plays reasonably well.

I think in any other draft people would be drooling over his potential.

And he's old.

[CsInMyBlood]

Tij Iginla will end up being the second best center behind Celebrini taken in this draft.

Yeah, I believe that.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by shotinthebacklund

When its you bringing up Eiserman I get a little nervous, he is one of the guys I would truly be disappointed if the flames selected him. Not my kind of player.

What if he corrected the spelling of his last name to Yzerman?

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Some folk won't mind it because while this player was a good player for Calgary, all I see is Dion Phaneuf 2.0 in Yakemchuk. Is that a good thing at 9th OA? Meh. I wasn't overa
Ly a fan of Phaneuf even as a Flame.

Getting a do over on Dion Phaneuf would be awesome. Guy was one of the most dominant, physical, offensive defenceman at that time before he lost focus and seemed to fall in love with himself.

Even the Dion Calgary got was good value at number 9 for what he did in his career..