2024 NHL Draft-eligible defenceman Yakemchuk named Tempo WHL Player of the Week
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Carter Yakemchuk of the Calgary Hitmen has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending January 28, 2024.
The 2024 NHL Entry Draft-eligible defenceman led his team with two goals and three assists as the Hitmen went 1-0-1-0 to climb into a playoff position.
Yakemchuk returned from his trip to the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects game with some jump in his step on January 26. The Calgary, Alta. blueliner showed off his edgework behind the net to evade a Wheat Kings defender and set up Tyson Greenway in the slot for the second goal of the match. In the middle frame, Yakemchuk would tee up Ben Kindel for a powerplay blast to take the game into blowout territory. He capped off the night by springing Brandon Gorzynski and Carson Wetsch on a two-on-one that saw Wetsch bury his 15th of the season. The 8-0 victory marks Calgary’s first shutout win of the season.
The 18-year-old’s goal-scoring prowess would take center stage in a January 28 match against the visiting Regina Pats. Shortly after a disallowed Pats goal that would have extended the score to 3-0 for the visitors, Yakemchuk snapped a bouncing puck past Ewan Huet to cut the deficit in half for the Hitmen. In the third period, with Calgary trailing 3-1, Yakemchuk grabbed the puck and curled off the half-wall to cut in, muscling a backhand shot over the shoulder of Huet for his 20th goal of the season. Calgary would go on to earn a single point in a 4-3 overtime loss, with Yakemchuk leading all defencemen with six shots on net.
Yakemchuk leads all WHL defencemen with 20 goals on the season and sits fourth in the points race with 47 in 42 games. The 6-foot-3 right-shot defender is on pace for a career-best season in his third year in the league, already reaching his 2022-23-point total in 25 fewer games.
NHL Central Scouting has ranked Yakemchuk sixth among all North American skaters heading into the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The Hitmen selected him in the third round, 65th overall in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft.
He was named a WHL Central Division Second Team All-Star in 2022-23 and represented Canada at the 2023 U18 World Championship, where he suited up for seven games en route to a bronze medal.
Calgary (19-18-6-1) has points in nine of its past 10 games to overtake the Prince Albert Raiders and slide into the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Hitmen head up the highway to face Edmonton (16-26-1-1) on January 2.
2023-24 Tempo WHL Player of the Week
January 22, 2024: Luca Cagnoni, Portland Winterhawks (San Jose Sharks)
January 15, 2024: Matthew Savoie, Moose Jaw Warriors (Buffalo Sabres)
January 8, 2024: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
January 2, 2024: Chase Bertholet, Spokane Chiefs
December 18, 2023: Tij Iginla, Kelowna Rockets
December 11, 2023: Dominik Rymon, Everett Silvertips
December 4, 2023: Conor Geekie, Wenatchee Wild (Arizona Coyotes)
November 27, 2023: Andrew Basha, Medicine Hat Tigers
November 20, 2023: Koehn Ziemmer, Prince George Cougars (Los Angeles Kings)
November 13, 2023: Gabe Klassen, Portland Winterhawks
November 6, 2023: Trevor Wong, Saskatoon Blades
October 30, 2023: Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors (Seattle Kraken)
October 23, 2023: Andrew Cristall, Kelowna Rockets (Washington Capitals)
October 16, 2023: Ryder Ritchie, Prince Albert Raiders
October 10, 2023: Easton Armstrong, Wenatchee Wild
October 2, 2023: Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors (Seattle Kraken)
September 25, 2023: Zac Funk, Prince George Cougars
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for close to 60 years. The WHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.
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