It is NHL Draft season right now, and our readers should prepare for all kinds of big boards, mock drafts and debates in the coming weeks ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft.
Today I give my first projection for the first round. At this stage, many teams have not had their amateur meetings and don’t even have a list formed, so there isn’t great intel out there on who may take who. Thus for this mock, it’s more about giving our readers an idea of the range I think prospects are going to go in and trying to find fits for needs and team philosophies.
1. San Jose Sharks: Macklin Celebrini, C, Boston University-Hockey East
Celebrini is the consensus No. 1 pick. The Sharks GM has basically said that’s who they’re taking. We can move on.
2. Chicago Blackhawks: Artyom Levshunov, RHD, Michigan State-Big Ten
Our colleague Scott Powers believes it’s down to Levshunov or SKA winger Ivan Demidov for Chicago. Both are great prospects, but history has shown if it’s close the NHL team often will lean to the big defenseman over the smaller winger.
GO DEEPERAt No. 2, should Blackhawks draft Demidov, Levshunov or neither?3. Anaheim Ducks: Anton Silayev, LHD, Torpedo-KHL
Anaheim is sitting in a great position because of how talented their group of young forwards are and the collection of high-end defense prospects at the top of this draft. Whether it’s Levshunov, Silayev or Sam Dickinson, the Ducks are in a great spot to leave with a big, mobile defenseman. Silayev as a huge and mean defender fits in very well with the kind of team GM Pat Verbeek wants to build. The league thinks if they go forward it would be for Cayden Lindstrom.
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4. Columbus Blue Jackets: Sam Dickinson, LHD, London-OHL
The Blue Jackets could go in a few different directions. They’ve added forwards and defensem*n high in the draft in recent years although if I had to pick a need for them it would be more defensive depth. Silayev or Dickinson feel like ideal adds for them for that reason based on need and best player available. They’re not in such a bind on defense though that this pick could easily be Ivan Demidov or Cayden Lindstrom up front.
Ivan Demidov is considered a top forward in the 2024 draft. (Maksim Konstantinov/ SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images)
5. Montreal Canadiens: Ivan Demidov, LW, SKA-KHL
The draft breaking this way would be ideal for the Canadiens, who many in the league believe want to add a forward in this draft. They would have their pick of Demidov, Cayden Lindstrom, Beckett Sennecke and others. Demidov is considered the second-best forward in the draft by many and would fit a need for the Habs.
6. NHL Utah: Cayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat-WHL
Utah has targeted premium athletes in recent drafts and Lindstrom fits that profile in spades. He’s huge, fast and highly physical while being able to provide some offense. Lindstrom or Dickinson fits their profile.
7. Ottawa Senators: Zayne Parekh, RHD, Saginaw-OHL
The Senators have a massive need to add a premium puck-mover and if the draft goes like this they would have their pick between Parekh and Zeev Buium. Parekh could have a lot of success next to someone like Jake Sanderson for the next decade.
8. Seattle Kraken: Zeev Buium, LHD, Denver-NCHC
The Kraken are in a similar position to Ottawa where in an ideal world, they would add a defenseman and they could be in a prime position to do so. Buium or Parekh would make a lot of sense for their organization and add a lot of skill to their team.
9. Calgary Flames: Konsta Helenius, C, Jukurit-Liiga
The Flames have drafted a lot of wingers high in recent years so any center or defenseman would be ideal for their pick. It’s tempting to slot in Tij Iginla here for obvious reasons, but they really need someone like Helenius, Carter Yakemchuk or Buium/Parekh in their organization.
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10. New Jersey Devils: Beckett Sennecke, RW, Oshawa-OHL
Sennecke is a fast riser right now in the draft after a great OHL playoff. He’s 6-2, can skate and is one of the most skilled players in the class. Some in the league think he has a chance to go higher than where I have him currently slotted. New Jersey has a ton of young talent at center and defense so they can afford to take a super talented winger, especially one who has some size.
11. Buffalo Sabres: Berkly Catton, C, Spokane-WHL
I feel a little off projecting another small forward being picked by the Sabres this high, but they’ve shown no hesitancy to draft smaller players, especially when they are super talented. Catton has every tool except size. I could see Helenius or Iginla as an option here as well.
12. Philadelphia Flyers: Carter Yakemchuk, RHD, Calgary-WHL
Yakemchuk has a wide range of opinions within teams, some have him as their No. 1 defenseman, some as their 6th or 7th ranked blueliner. That said the big-time skill and upside fit the profile Philadelphia would be likely to target. Catton and Iginla make a lot of sense here as well.
13. Minnesota Wild: Tij Iginla, LW, Kelowna-WHL
Iginla is a riser within teams so I could see him be long gone by 13. If he is here he checks the skill and compete boxes Bill Guerin would be looking for. Michael Brandsegg Nygard or Adam Jiricek make sense for the Wild as well.
14. San Jose Sharks: Adam Jiricek, RHD, Plzen-Czechia
This would be an ideal scenario for the Sharks to walk away with a potential top-four defenseman in Jiricek to go with Celebrini given how badly their system needs top blue-line prospects.
15. Detroit Red Wings: Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW, Mora-Allsvenskan
When I think Detroit, I think compete types and Brandsegg Nygard has that in spades. Jett Luchanko, Cole Beaudoin and Igor Chernyshov also fit here with Detroit feeling like a floor for Iginla.
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16. St. Louis Blues: Stian Solberg, LHD, Valerenga-Norway
Solberg had a great playoff and opening to his World Championships for Norway. He ticks a lot of boxes NHL teams seek in his size, mobility and physicality and his offensive game has developed. He’s the kind of defenseman the Blues would like to target and need in their pipeline.
17. Washington Capitals: Cole Eiserman, LW, U.S. NTDP-USHL
Eiserman has been a point of debate all season but I still expect him to be a top-20 pick. Ideally, the Capitals would add a center or defenseman here but Eiserman’s offense would be too much to pass up at No. 17.
18. New York Islanders: Jett Luchanko, C, Guelph-OHL
Luchanko’s stock has been going sharply upward in the second half of the season into a likely mid-first due to his speed, compete and playmaking. He gives some needed center depth to the Islanders system.
19. Vegas Golden Knights: Trevor Connelly, LW, Tri-City-USHL
Connelly’s eventual landing spot will be one of the most interesting parts of draft weekend. Vegas is one of the spots some speculate he could land at because they are not afraid to take risks or take on bad PR.
20. Chicago Blackhawks: Igor Chernyshov, RW, Dynamo Moscow-KHL
Teams have Chernyshov rated a bit higher than this on talent but because he is Russian, I could see him get to around the 20 spot. His size, speed, skill and compete could be highly intriguing to Chicago.
21. Los Angeles Kings: Liam Greentree, LW, Windsor-OHL
Greentree’s stock was rising all season and then went in the other direction following a so-so U18 worlds. He’s still a big winger with a ton of skill and he’ll likely go in the 20s even though scouts have concerns about the pace of his game.
22. Nashville Predators: Dominik Badinka, RHD, Malmo-SHL
Badinka impressed scouts with his second-half play in Sweden. He’s a big, mobile right-shot who showed enough puck play versus men to make you think he can make passes in the NHL. He would provide a big boost to Nashville’s system which is light on defensem*n.
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23. Toronto Maple Leafs: Yegor Surin, C, Yaroslavl-MHL
Surin had a big postseason in Russia and I think has played his way into the first round due to being a hyper-competitive forward who can score as well. He fits what Toronto has looked for in recent drafts.
24. Anaheim Ducks: Charlie Elick, RHD, Brandon-WHL
I presume the Ducks will want to continue to get bigger and heavier, and adding a punishing defender like Elick at No. 24 to go with Silayev at No. 3 would make their future blue line a lot harder to play against. EJ Emery makes a lot of sense here for similar reasons as well.
25. Colorado Avalanche: Nikita Artamonov, LW, Torpedo-KHL
Artamonov had a very good season in the KHL and could be a late first/early second due to how high his skill level is. In a thin Colorado system, he would vault right toward the top in terms of offensive abilities and playmaking.
26. Ottawa Senators: Cole Beaudoin, C, Barrie-OHL
Beaudoin’s name is buzzing in scout circles after a great U18 worlds where he displayed a super likable style of play with his size and high-end compete. I expect his name to be called comfortably into round one as he looks like an all-day third-line center in the NHL with a chance to be more.
27. Montreal Canadiens: Sacha Boisvert, C, Muskegon-USHL
Boisvert had a strong year in the USHL. As a 6-2 center who can skate and has some offense, he would provide some essential center depth to the Habs pipeline.
28. Carolina Hurricanes: Michael Hage, C, Chicago-USHL
Hage is a highly talented forward with the speed and high-end skill to take over a shift and would fit the profile of the type of player Carolina tends to target. He was one of the top forwards in the USHL last season.
29. Calgary Flames: Dean Letourneau, C, St. Andrew’s College-Ontario High School
Letourneau is one of the most interesting prospects in this year’s class. He’s a 6-6 center who skates well for a big man and has legit offensive abilities. Someone is going to gamble on that type of talent, and with two first-rounders, Calgary takes the swing in this projection.
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30. Philadelphia Flyers: EJ Emery, RHD, U.S. NTDP-USHL
Emery had a strong end to his season at the U18 worlds. He scored zero goals on the season, but he’s a big, mobile, high-impact defenseman that Philly can project to make a lot of stops.
31. Dallas Stars: Sam O’Reilly, C, London-OHL
O’Reilly has played a big role in London’s strong season and playoff run. He’s not the flashiest player, but he does a lot well. He plays with pace, works hard and has good offensive touch while projecting as a pro center.
32. New York Rangers: Linus Eriksson, C, Djurgarden-Allsvenskan
Eriksson wouldn’t be the sexiest first-round pick, but he’s a 200-foot center who has shown well versus men this season and has good offensive traits as well. The Rangers could use some quality depth down the middle and he would help.
(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic. Photos: David Berding, Michael Miller / ISI Photos / Getty Images, Maksim Konstantinov / SOPA Images / Sipa USA / Sipa via Associated Press)
