What are the best attributes of Carter Yakemchuk’s game?
If you’re in the cohort of fans labeling the Blues current lineup as “boring,” you at least won’t be saying the same about their prospect pool if Yakemchuk becomes part of the organization. Entertaining is an understatement here, so perhaps electrifying is the best adjective to use regarding Yakemchuk’s game.
When you watch his shot, you’ll see why I’m labeling some aspects of his offensive game as such. He can easily sneak the puck past an opposing goaltender from the point or the blue line, and it’s zooming by opponents before they can even set themselves up to get in front of the shot.
Yakemchuk also has more than one technique in his playbook, as his ability to adequately time his shot with a drag-release will also throw off opponents and opposing goaltenders. It also doesn’t matter if a shooting lane is closing; Yakemchuk will find a way to not just time the shot well, but will also fit it through the narrowest spaces.
It’s either coming off of his stick quickly from the point, behind the circle, or just in front of the blue line, or he’s waiting, waiting, waiting, and bam, the puck’s off his stick, and everyone on the other team knows there’s no hope in stopping it.
His puck control is also special, and it’s like he’s got a magnet in his stick at times, thanks to the way he dekes out opponents, and the puck either sticks to or momentarily leaves his stick before it’s once again seemingly connected to it before he gets off a shot.
Other times, there’s nothing supposedly magnetic about it, and the puck’s bouncing off an opponent’s skates before it lands back on his stick. The key takeaway is the sheer variety Yakemchuk possesses for something like puck control.