by When the Ottawa Senators selected Carter Yakemchuk seventh overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, many thought it was a bit over the top. He was among a group of six defensemen projected to go in the top 15, but most draft experts had him ranked lower than seventh.
With the Senators’ nine-game road trip passing through Calgary this week, Yakemchuk had the opportunity to visit the Saddledome on Thursday morning and reacquaint himself with some of his preseason teammates and the club’s management types.
Much of the recent discussion surrounding Yakemchuk has revolved around his unexpected exclusion from Canada’s World Junior Championships. So we may have forgotten how he stole the show in the NHL preseason by scoring points per game over a seven-game stretch.
It’s hard to say what criteria Hockey Canada officials use to select the most qualified U-20 players for the annual best-on-best tournament, but draft pedigree doesn’t seem to play much of a role. Of the seven Canadian players taken in the top 10 of the 2024 NHL Draft, only one (Berkly Catton) was selected for this year’s team. Macklin Celebrini probably could have done it too, but he has more pressing priorities these days.
We know that none of the Canadian defensemen who will be patrolling the WJC team’s blue line this year have had an impact during training camp or preseason with their NHL affiliates this year – at least not close to Yakemchuk’s performance.
As with last year’s WJC teams, some of the players representing Canada this year will struggle to break into the NHL or fail to make it at all. The skills that make players successful at youth level do not always translate seamlessly to professional men’s leagues.
Despite the obvious talent, big, offensive-minded defensemen like Hockey Canada’s Yakemchuk could be viewed as risky picks in a short tournament with a one-game elimination playoff format. But as we know, the NHL is very different, with its 82 games and four-round playoff structure.
So if you’re fully invested in this year’s two-week WJC event, you’ll be disappointed by the lack of yak.
Don’t worry if your broader focus is on what he can bring to the Ottawa Senators over the next 10 to 15 years compared to the other Canadian defensemen selected for this year’s WJC team.
The early results of Carter Yakemchuk’s election look good.
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