Prospect Info: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

Camille the Eel

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That young Boston College goalie, freshman Jacob Fowler, would have been a tempting 1st round pick for us this year. Only I see that Montreal snagged him with a third round choice in the 2023 draft.

Nice move by Montreal, last year when he had yet to play a college game. Something I’d never thought I would see myself typing. The kid has been lights out this year and absolutely took over the Hockey East final against BU tonight at TD Garden.
 

Guttersniped

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That young Boston College goalie, freshman Jacob Fowler, would have been a tempting 1st round pick for us this year. Only I see that Montreal snagged him with a third round choice in the 2023 draft.

Nice move by Montreal, last year when he had yet to play a college game. Something I’d never thought I would see myself typing. The kid has been lights out this year and absolutely took over the Hockey East final against BU tonight at TD Garden.

The 2023 draft was great, and that includes goalies in the 2nd & 3rd round.

It was unfortunate that we only had 1 pick in the first 3 rounds. Oh well.
 

forceten

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And perhaps equally as important, a great name too.

1711476292925.png
 
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Brodeur

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Feb 27, 2002
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I know I shouldn't make judgments off of highlight reels, but I got some Travis Zajac North Dakota vibes from a few Michael Hage videos. But maybe just my brain associating that with a RH center wearing #19.

Seems like he's been rising in the 2nd half (8 goals - 12 assists in his last 10 games) and maybe will have his stock boost playing for Canada at April's U18s. Given the lack of center prospects after Catton/Helenius, I wonder if Hage gets drafted a bit earlier?

Scott Wheeler pushed Hage up to #14 on his updated list from yesterday. Hage is slated to go to Michigan, so that might be a nice excuse to continue to follow the Wolverines.
 

evnted

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I know I shouldn't make judgments off of highlight reels, but I got some Travis Zajac North Dakota vibes from a few Michael Hage videos. But maybe just my brain associating that with a RH center wearing #19.

Seems like he's been rising in the 2nd half (8 goals - 12 assists in his last 10 games) and maybe will have his stock boost playing for Canada at April's U18s. Given the lack of center prospects after Catton/Helenius, I wonder if Hage gets drafted a bit earlier?

Scott Wheeler pushed Hage up to #14 on his updated list from yesterday. Hage is slated to go to Michigan, so that might be a nice excuse to continue to follow the Wolverines.

hage has had a great 2nd half for sure. seemed like he really struggled to find his footing after a near season long injury last year and a rough start to the season this year on a much weaker steel team than we're typically used to seeing. this was a player who, maybe a year or two ago, was seen as an early-ish 1st rounder

14 is high for me at this point, i still like a number of defenders in this class more and think the likes of the iginla/mbn type prospects make more sense for our roster (not to sound like a broken record lol) but theres plenty to like with hage. great skater. fluid, fast, and more than willing to attack opposing defenses. a solid, dual offensive threat albeit not really elite anywhere. wrister is quick, accurate, and can score from range. good ability to get the puck off in tight if hes driving the net off the rush as well. playmaking vision is strong and hes probably too overzealous with what he tries to connect on but theres usually decent intent. great handling as well, he can beat defenders cleanly one on one

my main complaint with hage right now is that, as great as the mobility and the skill and the frame looks as a total package, i think theres a couple key facets to his game that could really hold him back from hitting as a multipurpose center. his compete can be inconsistent. id say its better now than it was early season, but especially off puck, you can see him coast and look disengaged at times. hes also not great about driving the middle of the ice. youll definitely see it happen, mainly coming in with space though you will see him go in tight for a redirect or something, but a lot of what hes generating off the rush is coming from the wing, and a lot of his offensive zone setup can be perimeter-based. i also find his decision making on the puck to be inconsistent. im not sure if i think its a byproduct of trying to do too much on a not-so-great team or if its an inability to really read play at a high level and basically default to relying on skating/skill to force plays through (or both). either way, i dont think hes as effective as his skillset should warrant, again with the caveat that hes been better down the stretch

in any case, in a draft without super clear top 2 line upside in many forwards, i certainly get the appeal in the player and totally understand how his good moments can look exceptionally good. in spite of me saying this steel team isnt that great, its pretty easy to make the ushl playoffs and i intend to catch a game or two to see how well he can clean things up when it truly matters
 

Forge

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We all know this first rounder is getting traded for a goalie right lol

I do not see this pick getting moved for Markstrom or Ullmark, tbh. I think if we secure Markstrom, which is what I expect, I think it's much more likely to be a protected 25 pick that gets moved.

Saros, yes. I think we would move this pick for him. But he's also the least likely of the three I expect to acquire at this point.
 

Brodeur

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Maybe more of a mid-round consideration, but the main board had a thread on 21 year old Russian goalie Ilya Nabokov who's in his final year of draft eligibility. He had a .930 sv% as a first year KHL starter and has a robust .944 sv% in the playoffs. On the flip side, he's below average size (6'1) by NHL standards.

Edmonton used a 2019 3rd rounder on 21 year old Igor Konovalov after he posted a .930 sv% as a first year starter. Konovalov struggled in his lone season in the AHL and decided to go back to the KHL. So maybe not the most optimistic comparison for Nabokov.
 
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Guadana

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Mar 7, 2012
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St Petersburg
Maybe more of a mid-round consideration, but the main board had a thread on 21 year old Russian goalie Ilya Nabokov who's in his final year of draft eligibility. He had a .930 sv% as a first year KHL starter and has a robust .944 sv% in the playoffs. On the flip side, he's below average size (6'1) by NHL standards.

Edmonton used a 2019 3rd rounder on 21 year old Igor Konovalov after he posted a .930 sv% as a first year starter. Konovalov struggled in his lone season in the AHL and decided to go back to the KHL. So maybe not the most optimistic comparison for Nabokov.

same thread.

We have some little issues with goaltending. I hope THIS TIME Fitz will prefer to spend at least one pick for goalie from the country where he isnt afraid to draft and where good goalies are manufactured at the factory.

Dmitri Gamzin at eliteprospects.com
Gamzin - mobile but strong goalie, but from the good team. Numbers could deceive. I would prefer to draft other goalie. His career isnt as promising as I could want.

Moiseevich - big, young reactive goalie. He is 19 yo and play solid on every level he played. He is my "want to draft" pick. But I will be happy with other two candidates.

Nabokov is 20 yo goalie who played 40+ games in KHL this season and has very good numbers for this amount of games. He is smaller than I want but skills are there. His career is really intriguing.

Saranchuk isnt big but has okay size, his career is good but he didnt prove himself at KHL level yet. He is 19 yo so it okay for him, he is playing really well in second adult league in Russia. Saranchuk has top-10 all time % for 19 yo, better than Kochetkov, Tarasov and Askarov.

Columbus drafted Ivanov as 18 yo without adult experience. Now he is starter in Admiral with nice numbers 93%. I would prefer to spend middle pick for more proven KHL\VHL goalie and some late pick for younger goalie with good attributes. Would be great to spend one pick for Russian goalie at least. I m not interesting in some average forwards\defensemen with average skill and meh perspectives from junior leagues where they will develop their mediocrity for the next 1-2 years in junior environment.

Anyway, who cares until Fitz will start to draft Russian goalies. Looks like he dont want to do it. Even when all of the metro opponents have good starters or good goalie prospects from Russia.
I have a feeling Nabokov will be drafted higher than our third round.
 

NJDfan86

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Dec 29, 2021
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Button has released his updated list and as usual it will generate some discussion:

1) Celebrini
2) Demidov
3) Parekh
4) Buium
5) Levshunov
6) Dickinson
7) Helenius
8) Eiserman
9) Lindstrom
10) Iginla

Other notables: Silayev #12, Catton #15, and MBN down at #29. Hopefully the injury for Lindstrom and the big numbers for some other players drop him down the board but I don't think its likely.


 
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Guadana

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Button has released his updated list and as usual it will generate some discussion:

1) Celebrini
2) Demidov
3) Parekh
4) Buium
5) Levshunov
6) Dickinson
7) Helenius
8) Eiserman
9) Lindstrom
10) Iginla

Other notables: Silayev #12, Catton #15, and MBN down at #29. Hopefully the injury for Lindstrom and the big numbers for some other players drop him down the board but I don't think its likely.


Button doesnt know what he is talking about. As always. Parekh - average size defenseman without great skating, zero defensive game. He will not be drafted higher than bigger defensemen with better skating. In compare to Buium - who is more physical, better skater, better defensively, with good offensive iq.
Lindstrom will not drop as low as we will pick.
 

NJDfan86

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Dec 29, 2021
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Button doesnt know what he is talking about. As always. Parekh - average size defenseman without great skating, zero defensive game. He will not be drafted higher than bigger defensemen with better skating. In compare to Buium - who is more physical, better skater, better defensively, with good offensive iq.
Lindstrom will not drop as low as we will pick.

In all fairness this is his personal ranking, not a mock - though I agree with you on Parekh in particular.

My current top 10 isn't that far off - I have 7 of the same players (some different spots) and the 3 I don't are in the 10-15 range right now.

1) Celebrini
2) Demidov
3) Lindstrom
4) Levshunov
5) Dickinson
6) Silayev
7) Buium
8) Catton
9) Iginla
10) Yakemchuk
 

Guadana

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In all fairness this is his personal ranking, not a mock - though I agree with you on Parekh in particular.

My current top 10 isn't that far off - I have 7 of the same players (some different spots) and the 3 I don't are in the 10-15 range right now.

1) Celebrini
2) Demidov
3) Lindstrom
4) Levshunov
5) Dickinson
6) Silayev
7) Buium
8) Catton
9) Iginla
10) Yakemchuk
On my taste - its a great list. Im more critical about Silayev and Levshunov, but overall its the same top-3, same top-8. And this is how I tier this top draft. Im lower on Yakemchuk, but I understand why he can be top-10 or even better player from this draft.
 

NJDfan86

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Dec 29, 2021
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On my taste - its a great list. Im more critical about Silayev and Levshunov, but overall its the same top-3, same top-8. And this is how I tier this top draft. Im lower on Yakemchuk, but I understand why he can be top-10 or even better player from this draft.

Yakemchuk to me just has too much upside to fall out of the top 10 - if everything goes right he could be Evan Bouchard.

Silayev I see as a high floor player with the skills to play the modern defensive game once the puck crosses out of the opponent's end - his upside is dependent on how the play in the Ozone improves.

I actually love Levshunov - he is so unique in his background. I think that despite him being a bit older he still has more development runway than older draft eligibles do. His 4 way mobility, offensive instincts, and aggressiveness in a 6'2 200lb defender create a great package. I go back and forth on whether Dickinson is the perfect partner for Nemec, or if I just want to watch Luke and Levshunov cook - even though getting either is unlikely :(
 

longislanddevil

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Jun 16, 2011
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Button doesnt know what he is talking about. As always. Parekh - average size defenseman without great skating, zero defensive game. He will not be drafted higher than bigger defensemen with better skating. In compare to Buium - who is more physical, better skater, better defensively, with good offensive iq.
Lindstrom will not drop as low as we will pick.

I have never put much credence into Button’s rankings. He seems to be wildly different than the consensus. Not a fan of his work.
 
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Guadana

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Yakemchuk to me just has too much upside to fall out of the top 10 - if everything goes right he could be Evan Bouchard.

Silayev I see as a high floor player with the skills to play the modern defensive game once the puck crosses out of the opponent's end - his upside is dependent on how the play in the Ozone improves.

I actually love Levshunov - he is so unique in his background. I think that despite him being a bit older he still has more development runway than older draft eligibles do. His 4 way mobility, offensive instincts, and aggressiveness in a 6'2 200lb defender create a great package. I go back and forth on whether Dickinson is the perfect partner for Nemec, or if I just want to watch Luke and Levshunov cook - even though getting either is unlikely :(
In Yakemchuk's case I dont like his transition game, escaping and defense. Of course upside is intriguing, but he should make a lot of work.
In case of Silayev - he is still in my top-8. As Levshunov. Silayev is potentially very defensive oriented, Levshunov is very offensive oriented and with some tunnel vision. But I think Levshunov has more two way upside. Both are great skaters. I believe both will develop their game enough to play their roles competently. Floor is much better. Reason why both are in 3-8 tier #2 and Yakemchuk isnt in the same tier with them on my taste. Even if in some theoretical theory he could be better than Silayev(if Silayev will not develop his playmaking game at all, and in the same time Yakemchuk will start to play better under pressure with the puck in D zone, will develop his positional game without the puck, will start to make better playes for escaping. Is it possible? yeah. But it is possible that some 7th rounder will develop better than Celebrini. Its just the small chance of it will gonna happened).

I have never put much credence into Button’s rankings. He seems to be wildly different than the consensus. Not a fan of his work.
I like to watch his list to focus my attention on the players I didnt focused before. He is good in what he is looking at. But he is watching mostly world juniors. And a couple of games in specific circumstances isnt good way to analyze prospects.
 

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