2024 NHL Draft Potential Steals (3rd Round or Later)

[Hrabal the Giant]

Who do you have in the 3rd round or later? I am putting together draft board and I wanted to see who others had beyond the 2nd round.

3rd round standouts for me is Simon Zether & Hiroki Gojsic

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[Castle8130]

Miroslav Holinka comes to mind. Didn’t get a ton of exposure, good numbers, solid size. Players with solid statistical numbers that don’t get a ton of looks are always intriguing because there is more of an unknown factor to them

 

[Gnashville]

Can we wait until the draft so everyone can argue all their team picks from the 3rd round through the 7th are the next Pavel Datsyuk?

 

[dr1234]

If Miroslav Satan jr can continue his upward progression despite starting to play hockey 5 years ago, then him.

I also don’t know if Tarin Smith will slip, but I think if so it’ll be because he lost so much time last year. Pretty sold on him being an NHL contributor

 

[Teemu]

Noel Fransén, although I could see a team like Carolina snatching him earlier than expected.

 

[Bubbles]

Who do you have in the 3rd round or later? I am putting together draft board and I wanted to see who others had beyond the 2nd round.

3rd round standouts for me is Simon Zether & Hiroki Gojsic

Good pick. He really came on in the 2nd half of the season. Emerging power forward with good speed.

Logan Sawyer is having a great playoffs in the BCHL and would be a great value pick in the lower rounds.

 

[wetcoast]

No one as my Canucks are going to send that 3rd round pick to Calgary tonight and then their first pick will be in the 4th round.

The reality is that the "steals in the 3rd round or later" are really only steals in their D+1 and D+2 years then fade away when and if those players reach the NHL.

Maybe every 4 or 5 drafts you have a late bloomer taken in the 3rd round that really pushes the needle anywhere.

 

[Hrabal the Giant]

No one as my Canucks are going to send that 3rd round pick to Calgary tonight and then their first pick will be in the 4th round.

The reality is that the "steals in the 3rd round or later" are really only steals in their D+1 and D+2 years then fade away when and if those players reach the NHL.

Maybe every 4 or 5 drafts you have a late bloomer taken in the 3rd round that really pushes the needle anywhere.

That's half the fun is finding those diamonds in the rough - recognizing their skill set, work ethic, and overall talent to make that push to the highest level. Many players in the NHL today weren't 1st or 2nd round picks so it's not uncommon by any means.

Noel Fransén, although I could see a team like Carolina snatching him earlier than expected.

What round do you think he will project to go in? I haven't heard his name yet in my scouting.

If Miroslav Satan jr can continue his upward progression despite starting to play hockey 5 years ago, then him.

I also don’t know if Tarin Smith will slip, but I think if so it’ll be because he lost so much time last year. Pretty sold on him being an NHL contributor

For Satan, what round do you project he will go in?

Tarin Smith is a bubble 2nd/3rd rounder in most lists I see but I could see him fall as far as the 4th round honestly.

 

[wetcoast]

That's half the fun is finding those diamonds in the rough - recognizing their skill set, work ethic, and overall talent to make that push to the highest level. Many players in the NHL today weren't 1st or 2nd round picks so it's not uncommon by any means.

Sure it's a fun exercise but how many of those players are actually making any difference, most teams position players that make any difference are first and second rounders.

I see it all the time with my team, the Canucks, this 4th, 5th, 6th rounder looks really good then man nothing and it's the same for most teams.

Every once in a while a long term guy matures in the College system or europe for for every one of those hits there are probably 20 or 30 misses.

What round do you think he will project to go in? I haven't heard his name yet in my scouting.


For Satan, what round do you project he will go in?

Tarin Smith is a bubble 2nd/3rd rounder in most lists I see but I could see him fall as far as the 4th round honestly.

 

[Hrabal the Giant]

Sure it's a fun exercise but how many of those players are actually making any difference, most teams position players that make any difference are first and second rounders.

I see it all the time with my team, the Canucks, this 4th, 5th, 6th rounder looks really good then man nothing and it's the same for most teams.

Every once in a while a long term guy matures in the College system or europe for for every one of those hits there are probably 20 or 30 misses.

I do fantasy hockey too so I do it for the fun of my own dynasty league drafts also. Gives me a reason to look up guys and see who people are high on with some potential draft steals. Yes, it's slim chances but 1st rounders are also only 30% likely to make the NHL full time. So doesn't always matter what round but sometimes you can get some of those Russians/Euros/Late bloomers for value picks and those are the guys I'm really looking for.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Mac Swanson. He’s 5’8, but won literally just about everything, individual and team, he could possibly win in the USHL this past season (1st Team All-Star, Forward of the Year, Player of the Year, Regular season Title, Playoff Title, Playoff MVP).

He should go no later than Cole Caufield went, but he will probably be about a third round pick.

 

[Kevin Musto]

I like Kevin He.

He's fast and has a really good shot.

 

[Guadana]

Cole Eiserman should be potential steal from the third round.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Kam Hendrickson

 

[Hrabal the Giant]

Kam Hendrickson

When do you think he will go? I haven't heard his name yet so I want more information!

 

[Hockeyville USA]

When do you think he will go? I haven't heard his name yet so I want more information!

Rounds 4-7. Doesn't have an NCAA commitment yet and really didn't get onto the radar until later in the season. Seems like a good bet for teams with a shallow goalie pool

 

[Hrabal the Giant]

Rounds 4-7. Doesn't have an NCAA commitment yet and really didn't get onto the radar until later in the season. Seems like a good bet for teams with a shallow goalie pool

Doesn't seem like there's a ton of hype on the goalies this year... at least not compared to last years as there was 5-6 solid prospects.

 

[MichaelFarrell]

It’s funny to think about the steals of the 2023 draft looking back. I never would’ve thought Riley Heidt, Hunter Brzustewicz, Jayden Perron, William Whitelaw, Andrew Strathmann, Alexander Rykov, and Luca Cagnoni would’ve fallen so far in the draft. I had most of those guys going 1st round and they all fell pretty far.

You never know who is going to fall.

 

[Castle8130]

It’s funny to think about the steals of the 2023 draft looking back. I never would’ve thought Riley Heidt, Hunter Brzustewicz, Jayden Perron, William Whitelaw, Andrew Strathmann, Alexander Rykov, and Luca Cagnoni would’ve fallen so far in the draft. I had most of those guys going 1st round and they all fell pretty far.

You never know who is going to fall.

All due to size issues. Watch for Basha, Stiga, Parascak, and Mac Swanson to fall hard on draft day

 

[MichaelFarrell]

All due to size issues. Watch for Basha, Stiga, Parascak, and Mac Swanson to fall hard on draft day

There is a real possibility that Mac Swanson actually goes undrafted. I’m not as high on him as some of the posters here, but he’ll probably be drafted in rounds 6-7 if at all imo.

i think the other guys will ultimately go late first/early second.

Stiga is a wildcard to me. I feel like he’s a late first rounder but he could slip to mid second.

 

[BerthMania]

Justin Poirier will probably go in the 3rd round and I believe he might be one of the best scorers of the class. 51 goals in the QMJHL, highest number by a 17 year old since Crosby if I remember correctly. The reason why he might go super low is that he's 5'8. It's true, but he's not at all a ''weak'' pleayer, or a player that can't fight in the corner. He's super strong and already weighs 181 pounds at 5'8. Also, he might be the youngest player in the dradft, he's born september 4th 2006 which makes him one of the youngest players in the draft and a couple days away of being a 2025 draft eligible. To give you an example, Carter Yakemchuk is born september 29th 2005, he's basically a year older.

 

[neelynugs]

i'm gonna go matyas melovsky here, in his 3rd time through. he checks a lot of boxes for a nice middle to later round steal.
good size. righthanded center. sees the ice really well. soft hands. kills penalties. i assume his impressive play at the WJC
sealed him being drafted, but he was also good in the QMJHL playoffs.

 

[Blueston]

Justin Poirier will probably go in the 3rd round and I believe he might be one of the best scorers of the class. 51 goals in the QMJHL, highest number by a 17 year old since Crosby if I remember correctly. The reason why he might go super low is that he's 5'8. It's true, but he's not at all a ''weak'' pleayer, or a player that can't fight in the corner. He's super strong and already weighs 181 pounds at 5'8. Also, he might be the youngest player in the dradft, he's born september 4th 2006 which makes him one of the youngest players in the draft and a couple days away of being a 2025 draft eligible. To give you an example, Carter Yakemchuk is born september 29th 2005, he's basically a year older.

what are chances he too grows to 6'3" in that year? at which point folks would be talking about him as top 10 pick too.

 

[rt]

3rd round or later? Tyler Thorpe and Nate Misskey are my picks. Tomas Lavoie if he falls that far but I don’t think he will. Romani could be a 3rd/4th round steal, too. Simon Pier Brunet as a possible late rounder that might carve out a role. I like his size/skating/snarl combo. Not much offensive upside but I think he’s better with the puck on his stick than similar players ranked much higher. Like Elick and Roberts. They’ve got better overall tools, which is why they’re ranked earlier. But I like Brunet.

 

[Hrabal the Giant]

what are chances he too grows to 6'3" in that year? at which point folks would be talking about him as top 10 pick too.

Sadly size plays a significant role if they get to the NHL or not. I think statistically they go less which is why most teams don't draft them until later.

If Miroslav Satan jr can continue his upward progression despite starting to play hockey 5 years ago, then him.

I just looked him up, he's 6'7! What a giant. May take him with my late round pick for the hell of it haha