2024 NHL draft - A New Hope

[cberg]

58 minutes ago, cross16 said:

 

At his current level no but as he moves up I don't think I'd agree with this. That's my concern with Yakemchuk. As he moves up and the game gets faster I think that's where he has the potential to struggle. Can he 1 on 1 defend in zone when the puck moves faster? Can he handle outside speed without having to give up a larger gap?

 

At least for me it doesn't make him a bad prospect or a bust but IMO his ceiling is not as high as the other dman being talked about in the top half of the draft. I'm personally not a fan of the Flames taking him.  it wouldn't  be a "WFT are you doing" type of reaction but I think there are better options for them. 

If we are drafting #1 or #2, yes certainly.  If we are drafting #9, #10 or #11, not so much.  

[The_People1]

57 minutes ago, cross16 said:

 

At his current level no but as he moves up I don't think I'd agree with this. That's my concern with Yakemchuk. As he moves up and the game gets faster I think that's where he has the potential to struggle. Can he 1 on 1 defend in zone when the puck moves faster? Can he handle outside speed without having to give up a larger gap?

 

At least for me it doesn't make him a bad prospect or a bust but IMO his ceiling is not as high as the other dman being talked about in the top half of the draft. I'm personally not a fan of the Flames taking him.  it wouldn't  be a "WFT are you doing" type of reaction but I think there are better options for them. 

 

"At his current level"... But isn't that the thing?  Every prospect looks like a super star against their peer group right now but every prospect would only be a 3rd liner at the NHL level.  They all have to gain more XP, add more ATT, DEF, and STA points.  Yakemchuk is no different.  He's 3-years away from NHL ready and his skating can improve in 3-years.

 

What's great is he's got grit/intangibles that many of the other top prospects don't have so you get a special prospect to work with.

[cross16]

33 minutes ago, The_People1 said:

 

"At his current level"... But isn't that the thing?  Every prospect looks like a super star against their peer group right now but every prospect would only be a 3rd liner at the NHL level.  They all have to gain more XP, add more ATT, DEF, and STA points.  Yakemchuk is no different.  He's 3-years away from NHL ready and his skating can improve in 3-years.

 

What's great is he's got grit/intangibles that many of the other top prospects don't have so you get a special prospect to work with.

 

Agility problems like his don't tend to go away in my experience, not to mention the specific problem I have with his skating will get exposed as he moves up. That's not always the case for all weaknesses. 

[robrob74]

3 hours ago, The_People1 said:

 

"At his current level"... But isn't that the thing?  Every prospect looks like a super star against their peer group right now but every prospect would only be a 3rd liner at the NHL level.  They all have to gain more XP, add more ATT, DEF, and STA points.  Yakemchuk is no different.  He's 3-years away from NHL ready and his skating can improve in 3-years.

 

What's great is he's got grit/intangibles that many of the other top prospects don't have so you get a special prospect to work with.

I'm kind of tired of getting guys who have to work on skating, or they tend to be small, just want guys who don't need to concentrate on having to build as a skater. I think it keeps our team full of pluggers. While gaining NHLers, we aren't getting super top end talent, enough required to compete for cups.

[jjgallow]

50 minutes ago, robrob74 said:

I'm kind of tired of getting guys who have to work on skating, or they tend to be small, just want guys who don't need to concentrate on having to build as a skater. I think it keeps our team full of pluggers. While gaining NHLers, we aren't getting super top end talent, enough required to compete for cups.

 

The reality is that we needed to trade Markstrom or one more player ahead of the tdl if we were gonna get top end talent this draft without warts.

 

The way I see it, we are currently just under that cutoff and will need to either upgrade our pick, take someone who drops unexpectedly ( a lot ), or...

 

Choose

 

Between top end talent with warts

And safe players without top end talent 

 

If we want top end, elite talent with our 1st pick,  we will have to compromise on one or several of:

Size

Position 

Defensive play

Skating

 

If we are unwilling to compromise on any of those then we will have to pick a "balanced" player who is good at everything and great at nothing.

 

There will be no quick fixes....  I don't think we can avoid the projects.  But they can be exciting projects all the same

 

[The_People1]

5 hours ago, cross16 said:

Agility problems like his don't tend to go away in my experience, not to mention the specific problem I have with his skating will get exposed as he moves up. That's not always the case for all weaknesses. 

 

I agree Yakemchuk is not elite at skating but i just feel his style of play doesn't require level 10 elite skating.  Something like 7 is good enough.  Right now he's a 5 and still needs work.  I think the gap to get from 5 to 7 is not as difficult than going from 7 to 9... I think Yakemchuk can get to NHL-levels. 

 

In terms of agility, again, his style of player isn't ever going to be agile.  6'-3" 220 lbs... grit, intimidation, clear front of net, etc.  That's like asking Johnny Gaudreau to be physical.  It's not what he needs to play his game.

[jjgallow]

8 hours ago, The_People1 said:

 

I agree Yakemchuk is not elite at skating but i just feel his style of play doesn't require level 10 elite skating.  Something like 7 is good enough.  Right now he's a 5 and still needs work.  I think the gap to get from 5 to 7 is not as difficult than going from 7 to 9... I think Yakemchuk can get to NHL-levels. 

 

In terms of agility, again, his style of player isn't ever going to be agile.  6'-3" 220 lbs... grit, intimidation, clear front of net, etc.  That's like asking Johnny Gaudreau to be physical.  It's not what he needs to play his game.

 

Totally with you man. We know this style of player well and have had great success with them.   Maybe not off ice lol.   But character wise Yakemchuk seems solid.

 

I am not set on him, but I am set on getting elite Something.    And that means warts at our pick.   I would be disappointed with a player that is just good at all things without any elite skills.     

 

On top of the elite offense, Yakemchuk has the size, position, compete that would be ideal for us, plus I would actually be Really PO'd of if we passed over 2 Calgarians and then saw them  both out-perform our pick.   Very real chance of that.

 

If he's really as bad a skater as some feel on here, then I would say pick Tij with our first pick (sorry), and then upgrade our our 1st pick to get Yakemchuk.     

 

But...I think it would have to be one hella big upgrade, because I really don't think that assessment of him is ubiquitus.   I think there is a lot of interest and a lot of teams that actually have good player development who are more than happy to work on his skating with him.

 

[The_People1]

17 hours ago, jjgallow said:

 

Totally with you man. We know this style of player well and have had great success with them.   Maybe not off ice lol.   But character wise Yakemchuk seems solid.

 

I am not set on him, but I am set on getting elite Something.    And that means warts at our pick.   I would be disappointed with a player that is just good at all things without any elite skills.     

 

On top of the elite offense, Yakemchuk has the size, position, compete that would be ideal for us, plus I would actually be Really PO'd of if we passed over 2 Calgarians and then saw them  both out-perform our pick.   Very real chance of that.

 

If he's really as bad a skater as some feel on here, then I would say pick Tij with our first pick (sorry), and then upgrade our our 1st pick to get Yakemchuk.     

 

But...I think it would have to be one hella big upgrade, because I really don't think that assessment of him is ubiquitus.   I think there is a lot of interest and a lot of teams that actually have good player development who are more than happy to work on his skating with him.

 

 

I want Buium and Dickinson the most and I would be mad if we pass on them to take Yakemchuk or Tij.  But at 9, it's probable both Buium and Dickinson are gone.  In that case, Yakemchuk and Tij have as good a chance as Silayev/Parekh/Catton/etc.  

 

Let's not forget, RHS RD with size/grit and can score.  There's value there if it translates to the NHL.  Yakemchuk has homerun potential.

[jjgallow]

7 hours ago, The_People1 said:

 

I want Buium and Dickinson the most and I would be mad if we pass on them to take Yakemchuk or Tij.  But at 9, it's probable both Buium and Dickinson are gone.  In that case, Yakemchuk and Tij have as good a chance as Silayev/Parekh/Catton/etc.  

 

Let's not forget, RHS RD with size/grit and can score.  There's value there if it translates to the NHL.  Yakemchuk has homerun potential.

 

I just hope we swing, yeah.   I admit there will be others with homerun potential.   But, the homerun potentials are All going to have warts in our spot.   Most likely.   Take the "best one", and get actively involved in their development.   Get them a skating coach they wouldn't be able to afford, etc.

 

I won't be upset, as long as they don't reach into the 2nd round and pick someone never discussed here.   I want to believe that's impossible LOL.    

If we upgraded our other 1st rounder and got both Tij/Yakemchuk, I don't think we would regret it.    Depending...on how Tij felt about it as others pointed out.  

[conundrumed]

Carter George with THAT save. OMFG.

[Thebrewcrew]

Fun game.

 

George was great. Worth considering at pick 41. Lots of tools there.

 

Tij with the GWG. He’s not going to be on the board at 9. 
 

Would be lovely to pick 1st in 2026…

[conundrumed]

3 minutes ago, Thebrewcrew said:

Fun game.

Amazing game, had everything. Sorry to those that missed. Tons of great performances.

[conundrumed]

Oof Parekh on the PP. Totally flat-footed and Cowan just blew past him like nothing for the 1-0 lead.

Plays getting tighter, Parekh is melting away...

[The_People1]

14 minutes ago, conundrumed said:

Oof Parekh on the PP. Totally flat-footed and Cowan just blew past him like nothing for the 1-0 lead.

Plays getting tighter, Parekh is melting away...

 

Good thing OTT or UTAH will take Parekh before the Flames at 9.

[conundrumed]

3 minutes ago, The_People1 said:

 

Good thing OTT or UTAH will take Parekh before the Flames at 9.

Cowan right passed him for a breakaway from the red line too. Goalie save.

Some youtube scouts defend his D-play as, "not as bad"....

They can watch this game. It's awful.

[The_People1]

So when is the draft lottery?  May 7 or 8?

[conundrumed]

Just now, The_People1 said:

So when is the draft lottery?  May 7 or 8?

Tuesday, the 7th.

Nothing good ever happened on a Tuesday.

[The_People1]

5 hours ago, jjgallow said:

If we upgraded our other 1st rounder and got both Tij/Yakemchuk, I don't think we would regret it.    Depending...on how Tij felt about it as others pointed out.  

 

I would love to get another top 10 pick... Yakemchuk might still be there 10-15... So maybe a trade with NJD or BUF for Markstrom.  Maybe BUF wants Weegar badly enough... Package Weegar + Canucks 1st to move into 12.  BUF gets a top pair complementary RD and still gets to draft first round.

 

NJD... Hope can work something out for Markstrom.

 

OTT also wants G and RD... What if the Flames trade Weegar for Chychrun + OTT's BOS 1st round pick.  I think Weegar is worth a lot more than Chychrun.  So OTT gets a complementary top pair RD.  Flames get another late first this draft... And also flip Chychrun next TDL for another late first.

[The_People1]

5 minutes ago, conundrumed said:

Tuesday, the 7th.

Nothing good ever happened on a Tuesday.

 

🙏

[conundrumed]

Just now, The_People1 said:

 

🙏

To whom?

It won't matter. These draft lotteries are a sideshow. NHL is run by 70yo carnies. Don't get excited by smoke and mirrors.

[The_People1]

1 minute ago, conundrumed said:

To whom?

It won't matter. These draft lotteries are a sideshow. NHL is run by 70yo carnies. Don't get excited by smoke and mirrors.

 

Are you suggesting it's rigged?

 

Would make for great business if Utah got the #1 overall pick for their very first NHL season. Right??

[sak22]

31 minutes ago, The_People1 said:

 

Are you suggesting it's rigged?

 

Would make for great business if Utah got the #1 overall pick for their very first NHL season. Right??

But yet they spent years trying to save them in Arizona and the best shot they had at a franchise player they “rigged” to go to a small Canadian market.  Makes perfect sense.

[The_People1]

5 hours ago, sak22 said:

But yet they spent years trying to save them in Arizona and the best shot they had at a franchise player they “rigged” to go to a small Canadian market.  Makes perfect sense.

 

[robrob74]

Looks like Dallas is going to win. 5 min left.

[jjgallow]

6 hours ago, conundrumed said:

Tuesday, the 7th.

Nothing good ever happened on a Tuesday.

 

I was born on a Tuesday