Arguably the purest offensive defenseman available in the draft, York combines speed and finesse to form a package perfectly suited to run the attack for one of the NTDP’s most heralded group of forwards in the program’s history. Finding a way to manage puck distribution with the likes of Jack Hughes, Trevor Zegras, Alex Turcotte, Matthew Boldy and Cole Caufield certainly is no small feat. But York makes it look relatively easy thanks to his impressive skating, vision and puck skills. He is on Team USA’s top pairing and quarterbacks the power play, although most of the time he acquiesces flow and tempo to Hughes. Still, York’s vision and crisp tape-to-tape passing make him an integral part of a machine that churns out scoring chance after scoring chance.

York has an excellent shot, as both his slapper and wrister are released quickly and accurately. He fires pucks on net in one motion, including off his back foot, and you rarely see him hesitate or wait until a lane is completely unobstructed. He keeps his feet moving at all times and looks to sneak in between the hashmarks for a rebound or one timer. To say York is a gambler would be an understatement – he always looks to move the puck deep into opposing territory and will support his forwards along the wall. His overall defensive game is predicated on smart reads and quick feet. York isn’t physical on a consistent basis, but he doesn’t shy away from contact and has thrown big open-ice hits every now and again, plus he battles hard for slot superiority. He does have quick enough feet to close on a puck carrier, but at times he affords them too much room by not standing up at his line. — Steve Kournianos

Cam York’s offensive game is adaptable. His elite ability to think the game allows him to read the play and make the proper play to ensure that the puck continues moving in the right direction. His passing is excellent and he is able to pace the pass appropriately in order to put the puck on his teammates stick while at top speed without issue. He does a good job moving the puck in the right direction and looks for the most aggressive play that won’t result in a turnover. Refusing to force passes that aren’t there, rather he makes the pass that is available. When the stretch pass is available, York is able to send a crisp pass to the forward. In the video below, York goes back to retrieve the puck in his own zone. Once the puck is on his stick he immediately recognizes the broken coverage and does an excellent job at putting the puck on the forwards stick, leading to a dangerous scoring chance and a goal.

York is a fluid skater who has good technical stride. He doesn’t possess the highest top-end speed, but he does an excellent job getting up to speed and working off his edges. He does a good job skating himself out of trouble with the puck on his stick. He has the ability to change directions both north-south and east-west. The top USNTDP blue-liner was a solid player in transition. Preferring to defer to his high-skill teammate, he puts crisp passes right on the tape of the low forward to transition the puck out of the defensive end. Despite the tendency to allow his teammates to do the work through the middle of the ice, he was very fluid when he decided to break the puck out himself through the neutral zone. A strong skater with good balance, he doesn’t lose the puck when pressured by opposing teams. He stays very poised when both exiting and entering the zone.

Everything that makes York a good player comes from his solid base. His ability to pivot and change direction with speed and efficiency is among the best of the rear guards in the draft. He has an advanced hockey IQ which allows him the ability to jump into a play or pinch from the point without finding himself out of position for the most part. When he does get caught too deep in the offensive zone, he is able to pivot and accelerate to get back into the play. He does a good job at pressuring from behind when the forward does get behind him on occasion. His extremely mature way of thinking the game allows him to adapt his game to what unfolds in the play at hand. — Tony Ferrari