Which Yankees would make the best hockey players?

01/10/2025 10:00 AM

Who on the current roster would be able to lace 'em up?

It's the coldest time of year, both outside and in the baseball world. The biggest free agents have signed and beyond arbitration, we're all just spitballing about which marginal, win-and-a-half player the Yankees could add. Meanwhile, both pro and college football are in their playoffs, and we're smack-dab in the middle of the NHL season. While the Maple Leafs look great — and so my dad is happy — the Canucks are awfully mediocre, so instead of looking for players the Yankees can add, let's look at which Yankees the Canucks could add and pull themselves out of a beige season.

DJ LeMahieu

Starting off with the obvious pick, DJ grew up in Wisconsin and Michigan and spent almost as much time on the ice as he did between the lines. He's a far cry from his peak 2019-2020 seasons, but I see DJ as that offensive defenseman, not quite as fast as a Cale Makar or Quinn Hughes, but jumping up into the rush and creating mismatches in the other team's zone. We know he shoots from the right, which makes him a solid fit already.

Devin Williams

Hitting 99 on the radar gun will make any pitcher jump out, just the same as a slapshot from the point on the powerplay will. Then again, sometimes you'll have Tommy Kahnle throwing 18 changeups in a row because it's just that damn good. Williams has an even better offspeed offering than Tommy Tightpants, and speaking as a former goalie, a good, rising wrist shot is harder to stop than most one-timers.

The similarities should be obvious. Auston Matthews doesn't care about playing defense, Devin Williams is only going to pitch one inning, but what they bring to the table is an elite, elite weapon.

Paul Goldschmidt

Is there anyone who better sums up the veteran defenseman who still logs 16 minutes a game while working the second powerplay unit like Goldy? The former MVP isn't being brought to the Yankees to be the star, as he's solidly in the supporting cast phase of his career. Still, the aptitude he brings to first base should compliment what's a solid defensive infield, and being able to add any offensive support will be a plus given the dearth the Yankees had at that spot in 2024.

Gerrit Cole

You need your topline center. You might think this would be Aaron Judge's slot, but I think he's so much more a football player than hockey. Cole fits the bill in a Mats Sundin-type, big enough to protect the puck while being enough of a student of the game to retain his edge — see his adjustments over the past few seasons to control the home run ball. Moreover, your No. 1 center has to be a leader of men, and Cole's already become something like a pitching coach with the younger arms in the rotation, a huge boost to Michael King's starting prowess among others.

Austin Wells

It's a cliché to put the backstop in net — as someone who did both, trust me, they are not the same. Still, Wells' first full season behind the dish reminds me a lot of seeing rookie goalies. There were some spots of genuine brilliance; with Wells immediately being one of the best defensive catchers and being a big piece of protection for Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. Then, as you often see with netminders, the adjustment to all that playing time eventually wore Wells down and he finished the season fairly gassed.

The Yankees were running a catching tandem until Jose Trevino got hurt, a strategy more and more common in the NHL with goalies. Now that Trevino has been dealt though, the spot is Wells', and we'll have to see what he can do in his sophomore season after a commendable rookie showing.