Prospect Info: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[Unknown Caller]

Let's say the Devils stay at 10 & the top 9 goes something like this:

Celebrini
Demidov
Levshunov
Lindstrom
Catton
Silayev
Parekh
Dickinson
Iginla

Who do you take, Helenius or Buium?

Buium is the better player, Helenius is the better fit for the Devils roster. Depends if you want to load up on BPA with Buium knowing that you're going to have a ton of long term cap space already committed on defense to Luke/Nemec/probably Casey or if you want to take the better roster fit with Helenius (who's still a hell of a player but not quite Buium level).

If the Devils are going forward in that spot, I'm going Helenius 10 times out of 10 over Brandsegg-Nygard. He's not close to the other guys on my list.

 

[My3Sons]

Buium is the better player, Helenius is the better fit for the Devils roster. Depends if you want to load up on BPA with Buium knowing that you're going to have a ton of long term cap space already committed on defense to Luke/Nemec/probably Casey or if you want to take the better roster fit with Helenius (who's still a hell of a player but not quite Buium level).

If the Devils are going forward in that spot, I'm going Helenius 10 times out of 10 over Brandsegg-Nygard. He's not close to the other guys on my list.

What about Helenius skews him so heavily over B-N in your view?

 

[longislanddevil]

Here’s a mock that has the Devils selecting Buium at 10OA.

2024 NHL Mock Draft 1.0: Macklin Celebrini heads top 16 picks before May 7 lottery

Here's our 2024 NHL Mock Draft 1.0, before the NHL Draft Lottery in May.

sportsnaut.com

 

[Guadana]

Here’s a mock that has the Devils selecting Buium at 10OA.

2024 NHL Mock Draft 1.0: Macklin Celebrini heads top 16 picks before May 7 lottery

Here's our 2024 NHL Mock Draft 1.0, before the NHL Draft Lottery in May.

sportsnaut.com

Buium, Dickinson, Nygard and Helenius are all available. Dream case scenario.

Its too bad any mock draft mean something. Different gms, scout, teams have different view, needs and visions. I still think in our case Fitz will draft Helenius as a pick for more obvious need, because Holtz and Mercer were pick for needs - Mercer was more about consensus BPA in the moment, Holtz was more about needs, Shakir was pick more for ceiling but still for big needs, Luke Hughes was pick for ceiling but for need at the same time, Stillman was pick for needs, there are(and were) no real argument he was picked for ceiling(and I hate the thing our bigger need was RD and Morrow was a player for bigger need with higher ceiling), Nemec was pick for need and ceiling, I think scouts studied him a lot, but still between him and Cooley in the moment Nemec was more obvious need and less visible BPA.
So I think Fitz is more of a GM who will try to find better piece for his puzzle by higher pick between very talented players. I think his vision is about "if player is very talented, he will be better on his natural spot with better partners", not "I will draft every talented player no matter where he is playing, and I will figure it out where I will use them and how". Our center depth doesnt exist. Our NHL team have big problems when Nico or Jack getting hurt. So I think he wants to find potential third line center/top-6 winger , who will be ready and good enough to play second line role when we need to.
And Im telling that because I have little to no hope Buium will be available. If Dickinson and Helenius are available - than its interesting question what Fitz is thinking about that.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Draft Capsule:

RW/LW Ivan Demidov, SKA-ST. Petersburg MHL
I wanted to write Demidov up first, because to me he's the most fascinating and unique prospect in the entire 2024 class. Quite simply, he is the very best in this entire draft when it comes to stick handling and passing vision, and his offensive IQ is -- quite frankly -- genius, not just the best in this crop of prospects but one of the best you'll ever see.

Routinely, Demidov not only makes the type of miraculous thinking-four-steps-ahead-and-aware-of-all-10-skaters type passes you'd expect out of a future NHL point-scoring leader, but he makes them with the calmness and savvy of Nikolai Tesla taking a 4th grade arithmetic quiz.

Demidov's elite hands allow him to separate from multiple defenders simultaneously while his elite brain allows him to manipulate his immediate surroundings so that the pass he wanted to make all along -- and sometimes they are just uncannily creative -- opens up for him. It's a rare ability which will allow him to produce offense at every level.

Unlike most players of his ilk, Demidov is also competitive and dogged and willing to retrieve pucks himself, even in dirty areas down low against defenders who tower over his 5'11-170 frame. He's pretty decent in his own zone despite being a scoring machine that put up a remarkable two-points-per-game in the underrated MHL.

Demidov's size and speed are the two factors keeping him out of the discussion for #1 overall. He's a decent skater with excellent edges, but I think if his feet were close to the level of his hands he would be in the #1 overall conversation with Celebrini. He's that good.

Ivan Demidov is a joy to watch, and despite the fact you'll have to wait 4-5 years to get him over from Russia to the NHL, he's worth a pick at #2 and will certainly go in the top 5. He's as close as you'll get to a slam-dunk when predicting a future perennial 100+ point forward.

 

[Xirik]

Draft Capsule:

RW/LW Ivan Demidov, SKA-ST. Petersburg MHL
I wanted to write Demidov up first, because to me he's the most fascinating and unique prospect in the entire 2024 class. Quite simply, he is the very best in this entire draft when it comes to stick handling and passing vision, and his offensive IQ is -- quite frankly -- genius, not just the best in this crop of prospects but one of the best you'll ever see.

Routinely, Demidov not only makes the type of miraculous thinking-four-steps-ahead-and-aware-of-all-10-skaters type passes you'd expect out of a future NHL point-scoring leader, but he makes them with the calmness and savvy of Nikolai Tesla taking a 4th grade arithmetic quiz.

Demidov's elite hands allow him to separate from multiple defenders simultaneously while his elite brain allows him to manipulate his immediate surroundings so that the pass he wanted to make all along -- and sometimes they are just uncannily creative -- opens up for him. It's a rare ability which will allow him to produce offense at every level.

Unlike most players of his ilk, Demidov is also competitive and dogged and willing to retrieve pucks himself, even in dirty areas down low against defenders who tower over his 5'11-170 frame. He's pretty decent in his own zone despite being a scoring machine that put up a remarkable two-points-per-game in the underrated MHL.

Demidov's size and speed are the two factors keeping him out of the discussion for #1 overall. He's a decent skater with excellent edges, but I think if his feet were close to the level of his hands he would be in the #1 overall conversation with Celebrini. He's that good.

Ivan Demidov is a joy to watch, and despite the fact you'll have to wait 4-5 years to get him over from Russia to the NHL, he's worth a pick at #2 and will certainly go in the top 5. He's as close as you'll get to a slam-dunk when predicting a future perennial 100+ point forward.

How for sure are we that Demidov is going to be staying in Russia?

 

[Guadana]

How for sure are we that Demidov is going to be staying in Russia?

He will stay in Russia. Forever. May be for not so forever as Michkov, who looks like his forever is less than everybody expected before.

Ivan Demidov is a joy to watch, and despite the fact you'll have to wait 4-5 years to get him over from Russia to the NHL, he's worth a pick at #2 and will certainly go in the top 5. He's as close as you'll get to a slam-dunk when predicting a future perennial 100+ point forward.

He signed for only one more year and he was vocal he wants to play NHL as soon as he can. Even if he will sign new deal, it will be shorter in term.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Draft Capsule:

C Macklin Celebrini, Boston University NCAA
Make no mistake, Macklin Celebrini is the #1 player in the 2024 draft class. While not as fun to watch or offensively skilled as Ivan Demidov, Celebrini is as easy to project as your future #1 center as any player in recent memory.

Quite simply, Celebrini is awesome at absolutely everything hockey.

While he lacks the "super-power" type singular talent of many #1 picks -- for instance, Bedard's shot or Hughes' skating/puck-handling or Dahlin's sheer athleticism -- he checks literally every box on the scouting sheet at an elite or near-elite level.

Celebrini is almost boring in his general flawlessness. He's a great shooter with great hands and great vision who plays a high-IQ, two-way game with the type of high-compete and character which oozes "future NHL captain". His skating is very good, not great, but with a player of his completeness and intelligence, it plays up as a higher-end tool. As I often say, when you can combine near-perfect positioning with a high-level anticipation of the game, you're often in the right place to begin with and your skating destinations are never as far. But again, he's also a very good skater -- I just don't want anyone to confuse him with a Hughes brother in this respect.

Celebrini's downside is probably a point-per-game, two-way second-line center. I mean, that's if he's a complete bust. He's that good. His upside? I'd say a top-line, all-situations center who captains his team to perennial Cup contention with multiple 100-point seasons. He's the best player in the draft, and the type of franchise player you build your team around.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Draft Capsule:

C/RW Cayden Lindstrom, Medicine Hat WHL
True power/interior forwards are a rare commodity in today's NHL, and to put it in the most basic context Cayden Lindstrom has the ability to become one of the best we've ever seen.

Here we have a kid who is 6'4-200, an incredible skater with high-end shooting and hands in tight and one of the best compete levels in the 2024 class. Bodies bounce off him like a video game when he's driving to the net, and he plays every puck like his life depended on it.

The best thing about Lindstrom is that, in my estimation, he's further from his ultimate talent ceiling than anyone in the 2024 draft class. Though his skating is high-end and just shy of elite, he has some mechanic kinks in his stride that, with proper coaching, could probably see him scratch the elite level. Looking at his frame, he's likely to put on 20+ pounds of muscle as his body evolves into manhood. This will also increase both his skating explosiveness and his already-elite shooting. And his only flaws are the most easily coachable ones -- like flaws in positioning or trying to do too much himself, esxpecially when his team his trailing on the scoreboard.

Lindstrom is routinely underrated for his passing vision and offensive IQ, both of which are excellent. He's actually a creative player with many dimensions to his offensive mindset, though I surmise that because of his high-end shooting and ability to skate through WHL defenders, many coaches have just instructed him to "take it to the net and fire away". But he's the rare power forward with the ability to through, around, or blow by defenders which is very encouraging -- as many young power forwards become over-reliant on their strength advantage versus teenaged defenders. With Lindstrom, I do not foresee this becoming an issue.

Adding to Lindstrom's excellence is a mix of his versatility with his all-situations potential. Though his positioning needs work, he's actually quite good in the defensive zone, most due to his eagerness to battle and his mix of hands, smarts and strength. He's shown to be very good on both the wing and center, and NHL coaches might use him as a net-front wing on the PP while deploying him regularly as a 1/2 center.

In a nutshell, Cayden Lindstrom is the best power forward in the 2024 class and his ceiling is absolutely huge. I don't see him getting out of the top 3, much less the top 5.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2024 Draft Capsule:

RD Artyom Levshunov, Michigan State NCAA
Levshunov is a player whom people like more for what he has the potential to be than for the player he actually is, but that doesn't mean a team should not consider drafting him in the top 5.

The obvious attributes are there. Levshunov is a 6'2-210 player at the coveted RD position who skates like the wind, lives to produce offense and has a rare combination of hands and feet which enable him to back off defenders and beat the opposition one-on-one. He features a terrific shot and the ability to make high-end, jaw-dropping passes in space. He also possesses the athleticism and physical strength to win puck battles and net front battles and one day blossom into a very good defender.

The problem is this is also one of the older players in the 2024 draft class, and he's extremely mistake prone. As great as his ability is to create high-danger scoring opportunities for his team, his often ill-advised risks and often flawed reads lead to an equivalent amount of high-danger scoring opportunities against his team.

If Levshunov were a low-compete or low-IQ player, I would worry about this. However, I think Levshunov is just a kid who has celebrated for his gifted ability in the offensive zone to a degree where it stunted his awareness that, for a defenseman, preventing goals is equally important to producing them. I have never doubted his work ethic or his potential.

Ultimately, you have an incredibly athletic kid who is probably the highest-upside offensive defenseman in the 2024 class after only Parekh and Buium. And he is not -- like Parekh -- "lost" on the other side of the puck, he's just prone to mistakes and in need of coaching and development. Though today Buium is a superior defender to Levshunov, I'd say Levshunov has similar upside in that respect because, even though Buium displays a far higher understanding of the game, Levshunov is stronger and faster.

To close, I'd say Artyom Levshunov is worthy of a top 10 pick in this draft, but I'd be a bit nervous of taking him in the top 5 where many have mentioned him. If it all comes together, Levshunov could be a top-pairing, gamebreaking, high-scoring RD who also functions as an above-average-to-good defender. But I think we should all be careful of simply assuming he's destined to hit this ceiling, because watching him now it's pretty clear he's a whole lot of progress away from becoming such a player.

 

[Alex NJD]

Draft Capsule:

C/RW Cayden Lindstrom, Medicine Hat WHL
True power/interior forwards are a rare commodity in today's NHL, and to put it in the most basic context Cayden Lindstrom has the ability to become one of the best we've ever seen.

Here we have a kid who is 6'4-200, an incredible skater with high-end shooting and hands in tight and one of the best compete levels in the 2024 class. Bodies bounce off him like a video game when he's driving to the net, and he plays every puck like his life depended on it.

The best thing about Lindstrom is that, in my estimation, he's further from his ultimate talent ceiling than anyone in the 2024 draft class. Though his skating is high-end and just shy of elite, he has some mechanic kinks in his stride that, with proper coaching, could probably see him scratch the elite level. Looking at his frame, he's likely to put on 20+ pounds of muscle as his body evolves into manhood. This will also increase both his skating explosiveness and his already-elite shooting. And his only flaws are the most easily coachable ones -- like flaws in positioning or trying to do too much himself, esxpecially when his team his trailing on the scoreboard.

Lindstrom is routinely underrated for his passing vision and offensive IQ, both of which are excellent. He's actually a creative player with many dimensions to his offensive mindset, though I surmise that because of his high-end shooting and ability to skate through WHL defenders, many coaches have just instructed him to "take it to the net and fire away". But he's the rare power forward with the ability to through, around, or blow by defenders which is very encouraging -- as many young power forwards become over-reliant on their strength advantage versus teenaged defenders. With Lindstrom, I do not foresee this becoming an issue.

Adding to Lindstrom's excellence is a mix of his versatility with his all-situations potential. Though his positioning needs work, he's actually quite good in the defensive zone, most due to his eagerness to battle and his mix of hands, smarts and strength. He's shown to be very good on both the wing and center, and NHL coaches might use him as a net-front wing on the PP while deploying him regularly as a 1/2 center.

In a nutshell, Cayden Lindstrom is the best power forward in the 2024 class and his ceiling is absolutely huge. I don't see him getting out of the top 3, much less the top 5.

In terms of top power forward prospects how would you compare him to Slaf at a pre-draft level

 

[StevenToddIves]

In terms of top power forward prospects how would you compare him to Slaf at a pre-draft level

Not even remotely similar players except for the size and both being high-compete players with an abundance of skill.

As most on here know, I'm a big fan of Slafkovsky. Though he took some undue heat for being the arguable best forward in a relatively weak draft class, Slafkovsky is well on his way to being a PPG+ power forward who can shine both on the interior and perimeter. I'm not sure if he's the first player I would take in a 2022 re-draft, but he's probably the first forward I would take still.

Honestly, if I had to compare Lindstrom to an NHLer? It would be tough. There's a lot of Jason Arnott to his game and potential, to be honest. As far as NHLers right now I'd say my closest comparable would be "Chris Kreider, but a center". Comparisons are tough. But I think most would agree that Slafkovsky is a poor one for Cayden Lindstrom.

More importantly, when it comes to rankings for the 2024 draft Cayden Lindstrom is a very easy call for me at #3 overall, behind only Celebrini and Demidov. I'd also add there's a sizable gap between Lindstrom at #3 and my #4 overall, which right now is a battle between Dickinson and Buium. And I'm fairly certain those players will round out my final top 5 come draft day 2024.

Hope this helps you even though I never really answered your question.

 

[Alex NJD]

Not even remotely similar players except for the size and both being high-compete players with an abundance of skill.

As most on here know, I'm a big fan of Slafkovsky. Though he took some undue heat for being the arguable best forward in a relatively weak draft class, Slafkovsky is well on his way to being a PPG+ power forward who can shine both on the interior and perimeter. I'm not sure if he's the first player I would take in a 2022 re-draft, but he's probably the first forward I would take still.

Honestly, if I had to compare Lindstrom to an NHLer? It would be tough. There's a lot of Jason Arnott to his game and potential, to be honest. As far as NHLers right now I'd say my closest comparable would be "Chris Kreider, but a center". Comparisons are tough. But I think most would agree that Slafkovsky is a poor one for Cayden Lindstrom.

More importantly, when it comes to rankings for the 2024 draft Cayden Lindstrom is a very easy call for me at #3 overall, behind only Celebrini and Demidov. I'd also add there's a sizable gap between Lindstrom at #3 and my #4 overall, which right now is a battle between Dickinson and Buium. And I'm fairly certain those players will round out my final top 5 come draft day 2024.

Hope this helps you even though I never really answered your question.

Absolutely. I think the player comparison's are generally most helpful

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

I saw Celebrini play back in November when I was in Boston. BU played Maine and I don't remember him standing out a ton that night but he quietly had a 3 assist game. Look how good Eichel is after leading all of NCAA in scoring the year he was drafted. Celebrini did the same this year. Ironically they both did it playing for BU as well. The NHL is swimming in young talent nowadays , it's insane.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2024 Draft Capsule:

RD Zayne Parekh, Saginaw OHL
I'm going to try to keep this positive and focus on what makes Parekh a special player. Quite simply, he's the best offense-generator from the blueline in the 2024 class and it's probably not even debatable. Parekh topped 30 goals and flirted with 100 points, simply astounding numbers for an OHL blueliner. Parekh achieved this by utilizing a combination of rare abilities -- incredible edge work and elusiveness, elite hands, a blistering and accurate shot, and spectacular vision and anticipation once he possesses the puck in the offensive zone, and especially on the power play. Parekh is, quite simply, a special offensive player.

But. As good as Parekh is on the offensive side of the sport of hockey, he is equivalently concerning on the defensive side. This is not a Levshunov-type who shows promise and effort defensively but is prone to mistakes. This is a player who is absolutely a liability in every sense of the word when the opposition has the puck.

Parekh is poor at puck battles, inconsistent in his reads, needs great work in positioning, and maybe the least physical defender being even considered for the first 4 rounds of the 2024 class. It almost seems as if he is skating in circles hoping a teammate gets the puck so he can go on offense again. This is troublesome for a young forward, but for a young defenseman it's, uh... alarming.

But again, Parekh is not just good on offense, he's special. He oozes every skill in the book. He's not small at 6'0-180, and though his skating speed is not terrific, his edges could probably be considered elite which, combined with a high offensive IQ and an elite set of hands, makes him almost uncannily elusive with the puck. This kid is a true ankle-breaker, which forces many defenders to simply back off and wave their sticks, giving Parekh even more time to work his passing and shooting magic from the blueline.

But again, Parekh is prone to taking unnecessary chances and trying to force offense, regardless of the score on the scoreboard or the game situation. This is where his one physical weakness hurts him, as he coughs the puck up to the opposition quite often and often in dangerous areas, and unlike a Makar or Luke Hughes he lacks the skating explosiveness and straightaway speed to recover from these mistakes. You can't watch Parekh for two games without seeing him give up a two-on-one or breakaway against and simply watch the play unfold from behind.

Would I draft Zayne Parekh? Sure, in the 25-40 range as a project who you keep in the AHL un til he's 22 and learns two-way hockey. But I've seen him ranked in the top 5 by people who value analytic charts more than actually watching actual hockey. Though I again must stress that Zayne Parekh has more than just *good* offensive potential -- this is a kid who could hit the 80-90 point range as an NHL defenseman if he puts it all together -- there is no evidence or curve of improvement (as was the case with Luke Hughes or Evan Bouchard, for example) indicating he will ever be even passable defensively, much less effective.

There is no difference between a defenseman who is excellent at defending but terrible with the puck and a defenseman who is awful at defending but stellar with the puck. Either player ends up being a wash, creating the same amount of high-danger chances for his team as against it. If there is a difference, it's that the all-defense guy can be drafted in rounds 5-7 and the all-offense guy usually goes in the first round. Though I hold out hope that Parekh will figure it out at higher levels and become the all-star he can potentially become, I'd prefer to let some other team take that chance.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2024 Draft Capsule:

RD Carter Yakemchuk, Calgary WHL
In terms of "fun to watch", I'd argue Yakemchuk is tops among all defensemen in the 2024 class. This is a big (6'3-195) offense-first defender who can stickhandle like an all-star finesse forward, can absolutely blast the puck, skates very well, and is one of the biggest and hardest open-ice hitters we've seen in years. Though not the best defender in the 2024 class, he certainly can boast the most entertaining highlight reel.

Offensively, his hands are so silky and his puck skills are so shifty, Yakemchuk has to be considered elite in those respects. His shot from the point is an absolute cannon and often elite. His passing in space is also outstanding, though there is a steep decline in this ability when he is under pressure. But give him time for an outlet pass or a cross ice feed in the offensive zone, and Yakemchuk is downright deadly.

Yakemchuk's skating is good but there is room for improvement in several areas. His balance is exceptional, and once he gets a head of steam he's a faster straight-line skater than Parekh or Buium. However, he is not very explosive and needs a lot of work on his acceleration. He takes a while to get going and his stops also need work. Is he good enough to skate with NHLers? Absolutely, but he'll never be an elite skater and needs work to be a notably *good* skater at the highest levels.

I have to repeat how exceptional Yakemchuk's physical game is. This is a true intimidator -- he stands up for his teammates, clears creases with authority and is an absolute beast in tight puck battles. His open ice hitting is reminiscent of a young Dion Phaneuf -- not coincidentally, the player I'd compare Yakemchuk the most to. However, Yakemchuk certainly has to work on his propensity to take himself out of position or the play entirely in order to make a highlight-reel hit.

Yakemchuk's problems all come down to reads, positioning and decision making. This is a very mistake prone defender, so much so that he may never develop into the type of shut-down defender you'd expect from a player with his pure physical abilities. As mentioned earlier, when pressured he can cough up pucks or make very, very ill-advised, high-danger passes. In order to fulfill his enormous potential, Yakemchuk absolutely *must* improve the speed of his reading the play and decision making with the puck, it's that simple.

What's encouraging is that he showed a great improvement curve in these respects during his draft-eligible campaign. Watching the Hitmen at the outset of the year, I'd have called Yakemchuk's overall defensive game as "poor". By the end of the year, he had improved every area to the point where he was at least passable. This is in stark contrast to another 2024-eligible RD in Zayne Parekh, who showed no defensive strides whatsoever during the past season. And it's important to reiterate that with his size, skating, strength and hands there is a great deal of potential in his defensive game if he can improve the reads and mental aspects of the position.

In conclusion, this is a player I really like, just maybe not in the top 10 where some have ranked him. He's fun to watch, he sticks up for his teammates and displays great character, he can be electrifying with the puck and he hits like a Mack truck. He needs a lot of work, but he's certainly worth taking because of the obviously immense potential.

 

[Guadana]

2024 Draft Capsule:

RD Zayne Parekh, Saginaw OHL
I'm going to try to keep this positive and focus on what makes Parekh a special player. Quite simply, he's the best offense-generator from the blueline in the 2024 class and it's probably not even debatable. Parekh topped 30 goals and flirted with 100 points, simply astounding numbers for an OHL blueliner. Parekh achieved this by utilizing a combination of rare abilities -- incredible edge work and elusiveness, elite hands, a blistering and accurate shot, and spectacular vision and anticipation once he possesses the puck in the offensive zone, and especially on the power play. Parekh is, quite simply, a special offensive player.

But. As good as Parekh is on the offensive side of the sport of hockey, he is equivalently concerning on the defensive side. This is not a Levshunov-type who shows promise and effort defensively but is prone to mistakes. This is a player who is absolutely a liability in every sense of the word when the opposition has the puck.

Parekh is poor at puck battles, inconsistent in his reads, needs great work in positioning, and maybe the least physical defender being even considered for the first 4 rounds of the 2024 class. It almost seems as if he is skating in circles hoping a teammate gets the puck so he can go on offense again. This is troublesome for a young forward, but for a young defenseman it's, uh... alarming.

But again, Parekh is not just good on offense, he's special. He oozes every skill in the book. He's not small at 6'0-180, and though his skating speed is not terrific, his edges could probably be considered elite which, combined with a high offensive IQ and an elite set of hands, makes him almost uncannily elusive with the puck. This kid is a true ankle-breaker, which forces many defenders to simply back off and wave their sticks, giving Parekh even more time to work his passing and shooting magic from the blueline.

But again, Parekh is prone to taking unnecessary chances and trying to force offense, regardless of the score on the scoreboard or the game situation. This is where his one physical weakness hurts him, as he coughs the puck up to the opposition quite often and often in dangerous areas, and unlike a Makar or Luke Hughes he lacks the skating explosiveness and straightaway speed to recover from these mistakes. You can't watch Parekh for two games without seeing him give up a two-on-one or breakaway against and simply watch the play unfold from behind.

Would I draft Zayne Parekh? Sure, in the 25-40 range as a project who you keep in the AHL un til he's 22 and learns two-way hockey. But I've seen him ranked in the top 5 by people who value analytic charts more than actually watching actual hockey. Though I again must stress that Zayne Parekh has more than just *good* offensive potential -- this is a kid who could hit the 80-90 point range as an NHL defenseman if he puts it all together -- there is no evidence or curve of improvement (as was the case with Luke Hughes or Evan Bouchard, for example) indicating he will ever be even passable defensively, much less effective.

There is no difference between a defenseman who is excellent at defending but terrible with the puck and a defenseman who is awful at defending but stellar with the puck. Either player ends up being a wash, creating the same amount of high-danger chances for his team as against it. If there is a difference, it's that the all-defense guy can be drafted in rounds 5-7 and the all-offense guy usually goes in the first round. Though I hold out hope that Parekh will figure it out at higher levels and become the all-star he can potentially become, I'd prefer to let some other team take that chance.

2024 Draft Capsule:

RD Carter Yakemchuk, Calgary WHL
In terms of "fun to watch", I'd argue Yakemchuk is tops among all defensemen in the 2024 class. This is a big (6'3-195) offense-first defender who can stickhandle like an all-star finesse forward, can absolutely blast the puck, skates very well, and is one of the biggest and hardest open-ice hitters we've seen in years. Though not the best defender in the 2024 class, he certainly can boast the most entertaining highlight reel.

Offensively, his hands are so silky and his puck skills are so shifty, Yakemchuk has to be considered elite in those respects. His shot from the point is an absolute cannon and often elite. His passing in space is also outstanding, though there is a steep decline in this ability when he is under pressure. But give him time for an outlet pass or a cross ice feed in the offensive zone, and Yakemchuk is downright deadly.

Yakemchuk's skating is good but there is room for improvement in several areas. His balance is exceptional, and once he gets a head of steam he's a faster straight-line skater than Parekh or Buium. However, he is not very explosive and needs a lot of work on his acceleration. He takes a while to get going and his stops also need work. Is he good enough to skate with NHLers? Absolutely, but he'll never be an elite skater and needs work to be a notably *good* skater at the highest levels.

I have to repeat how exceptional Yakemchuk's physical game is. This is a true intimidator -- he stands up for his teammates, clears creases with authority and is an absolute beast in tight puck battles. His open ice hitting is reminiscent of a young Dion Phaneuf -- not coincidentally, the player I'd compare Yakemchuk the most to. However, Yakemchuk certainly has to work on his propensity to take himself out of position or the play entirely in order to make a highlight-reel hit.

Yakemchuk's problems all come down to reads, positioning and decision making. This is a very mistake prone defender, so much so that he may never develop into the type of shut-down defender you'd expect from a player with his pure physical abilities. As mentioned earlier, when pressured he can cough up pucks or make very, very ill-advised, high-danger passes. In order to fulfill his enormous potential, Yakemchuk absolutely *must* improve the speed of his reading the play and decision making with the puck, it's that simple.

What's encouraging is that he showed a great improvement curve in these respects during his draft-eligible campaign. Watching the Hitmen at the outset of the year, I'd have called Yakemchuk's overall defensive game as "poor". By the end of the year, he had improved every area to the point where he was at least passable. This is in stark contrast to another 2024-eligible RD in Zayne Parekh, who showed no defensive strides whatsoever during the past season. And it's important to reiterate that with his size, skating, strength and hands there is a great deal of potential in his defensive game if he can improve the reads and mental aspects of the position.

In conclusion, this is a player I really like, just maybe not in the top 10 where some have ranked him. He's fun to watch, he sticks up for his teammates and displays great character, he can be electrifying with the puck and he hits like a Mack truck. He needs a lot of work, but he's certainly worth taking because of the obviously immense potential.

I think both deserve to be picked in top 10. At least from perspective of average draft where you have 3-4 defensemen for potential top 10 pick. Both would be good enough to draft in top 10 in 2020 or 2022. Thats visible potential of top 4 offensive defensemen at least for both.
From the Devils perspective I don't want to see Fitz draft one of them, I don't want Parekh at all and will dislike his pick, I can live with Yakemchuk pick, even if I would prefer many other players.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I think both deserve to be picked in top 10. At least from perspective of average draft where you have 3-4 defensemen for potential top 10 pick. Both would be good enough to draft in top 10 in 2020 or 2022. Thats visible potential of top 4 offensive defensemen at least for both.
From the Devils perspective I don't want to see Fitz draft one of them, I don't want Parekh at all and will dislike his pick, I can live with Yakemchuk pick, even if I would prefer many other players.

I'll do a more intense ranking later, but as for today I'd say:

1 C Celebrini
2 W Demidov
3 C/RW Lindstrom
4 LD Dickinson
5 LD Buium
6 LW Catton
7 RW Brantsegg-Nygard
8 C Helenius
9 W Chernyshov
10 W Iginla
11 RD Levshunov
12 RD Yakemchuk
13 LD Silayev
14 C Hage
15 RD Jiricek

Yakemchuk is around the top 10 for me, I really like him. Parekh probably won't crack my final top 20 but he'll be in my first round towards the end.

 

[Guadana]

I'll do a more intense ranking later, but as for today I'd say:

1 C Celebrini
2 W Demidov
3 C/RW Lindstrom
4 LD Dickinson
5 LD Buium
6 LW Catton
7 RW Brantsegg-Nygard
8 C Helenius
9 W Chernyshov
10 W Iginla
11 RD Levshunov
12 RD Yakemchuk
13 LD Silayev
14 C Hage
15 RD Jiricek

Yakemchuk is around the top 10 for me, I really like him. Parekh probably won't crack my final top 20 but he'll be in my first round towards the end.

You are very low on Levshunov on my taste. We can't put him outside top 10 with all of his tools. He is making mistakes, he isn't lazy or lack of effort or regular out of position. He still making mistakes but less than it was in the first half. Overall he us too dynamic.

Dickinson is making mistakes too. And sometimes he is out of position.
Reason why I have Buium over him. Buium is smarter. I think his ceiling is much higher and he has tools to be on the level with Dickinson in D zone. Overall Buium and Levshunov faced much harder competition.
Defensive discourse is always fun.

I don't know what I'm thinking about Catton still. Its safer to say he will produce more than forwards after him, but I have a feeling at least one will be a better player overall. May be its just only my problem where I like two way players who can play interior game more than perimeter playmakers.

 

[evnted]

I'll do a more intense ranking later, but as for today I'd say:

1 C Celebrini
2 W Demidov
3 C/RW Lindstrom
4 LD Dickinson
5 LD Buium
6 LW Catton
7 RW Brantsegg-Nygard
8 C Helenius
9 W Chernyshov
10 W Iginla
11 RD Levshunov
12 RD Yakemchuk
13 LD Silayev
14 C Hage
15 RD Jiricek

Yakemchuk is around the top 10 for me, I really like him. Parekh probably won't crack my final top 20 but he'll be in my first round towards the end.

basically the same top 15 here albeit w minor shuffling (yak/lev up a touch, catton/chernyshov down a touch). i suppose the alignment is not too surprising given that it definitely feels like a gap starts to form around the end of lotto range. im a big surin fan, for example, and i like him just outside of that top 16 but people have this kid all over the place (granted, his birth certificate does him no favors here)

i think the only real divergence i have is i like sennecke in that 12-15 grouping (although given your post on him the other day, it sounds like he very narrowly missed your top 15). even prior to him scorching the ohl playoffs i really loved his progression over the season and how he seemed to get more and more comfortable in his frame. smarts+hands+size+mobility is a lethal combo for a prospect

 

[My3Sons]

You are very low on Levshunov on my taste. We can't put him outside top 10 with all of his tools. He is making mistakes, he isn't lazy or lack of effort or regular out of position. He still making mistakes but less than it was in the first half. Overall he us too dynamic.

Dickinson is making mistakes too. And sometimes he is out of position.
Reason why I have Buium over him. Buium is smarter. I think his ceiling is much higher and he has tools to be on the level with Dickinson in D zone. Overall Buium and Levshunov faced much harder competition.
Defensive discourse is always fun.

I don't know what I'm thinking about Catton still. Its safer to say he will produce more than forwards after him, but I have a feeling at least one will be a better player overall. May be its just only my problem where I like two way players who can play interior game more than perimeter playmakers.

So what’s the deal with Chernyshov?

 

[Guadana]

So what’s the deal with Chernyshov?

He is Russian(may take longer time before joining NHL, political side) and he is right winger. I think he has... some potential of center but its not as close as Nygard. With Bratt and Meier on the long term deal, Mercer, Holtz(even if we will trade him) and Lenny I don't see Fitz drafting right winger. I have hard believing he will draft Nygard for the same reasons. Thats why I think Helenius will be our pick. Or LD if someone still available. If Helenius isn't available I prey Gods to turn Fitz face on our board and figure Nygard center potential if he and his scouts didn't do that already.

Chernyshov is very fun no matter how we are looking at him.
Big? Check. Bigger than Catton, Helenius, Iginla and Nygard.
Physical?? Check. Already good in puck battles in KHL. Physical in all three zones. He is on the level or better than any of this forwards.
Good skater? Check. Better than Iginla, as good as Helenius and Nygard.
Fast skater? Check. Best separation speed.
Good passing? Check. He is very accurate and fast in passing. More accurate than Helenius.
Playmaking? Playable. He isn't the best or average as high iq playmaker, but again - he is a part of fast and accurate draws in mhl, doing everything right for winger. He is just not the player who will take spot with the puck on the perimeter and will lead the draw.
Shooting? Check. He is good shooter. All of them are good shooters. May be Nygard is better. May be Iginla.
Compete level? Check. He is playing in all three zones, making beck checks, understand changing of the position, making very good defensive and offensive forechecking job. Nygard is better in O zone, but Chernyshov is better in D zone, Helenius is better, but Chernyshov is better 200 foot player than Catton or Iginla. Better understanding of positional play in all three zones.
Puckhandling? Freaking check. He is best puckhandler through traffic. He is doing things in khl when pros are smoking how they were outplayed and what was that what was happened moment ago.
Defensive play? Check. Again - forecheckung, positioning. With his nice hands he capable to take the puck away. Helenius is better, but he is on the level or better than other players.


I think he limits only by his IQ. He isn't stupid at all, but his decision making isn't consistent - again playing against tough competition. Its very fun to praise Iginla who is playing against kids when Chernyshov should survive in KHL. In MHL Chernyshov did everything good. Again hard to compare from competition level point of view - Helenius playing against pros, still level below KHL, Nygard played in second pro league - below Liiga and KHL, but still much harder competition than OHL or WHL.

What I'm thinking overall? His skating, speed, defensive game, compete level, physicals and puck battling, passing, shooting, great puckhandling and good enough IQ are screaming "top 6 two way scoring forward" with real top line potential. Can he drives play on NHL level? He has all the tools. Can he lead the draw on nhl level? I'm not so sure, reason why I have Catton, Helenius and Nygard higher now. I like Chernyshov more than Catton because of his better two way game and physical level. But its personal preferences, i understand that playmaking centers or top line playmaking wingers who drive the play are more important in nhl. May be he will not produce on the same rate but he should be more consistent 200 foot player. Does he have ppg potential? Its a high mark, Meier isn't consistent ppg player. I like to compare him with Nichushkin. But Chernyshov is better puckhandler and already good in positioning, Nichushkin spent time to learn positional game.

Chernyshov signed for next season, but I believe he will signed 1-3 more years deal.

 

[Guttersniped]

I think both deserve to be picked in top 10. At least from perspective of average draft where you have 3-4 defensemen for potential top 10 pick. Both would be good enough to draft in top 10 in 2020 or 2022. Thats visible potential of top 4 offensive defensemen at least for both.
From the Devils perspective I don't want to see Fitz draft one of them, I don't want Parekh at all and will dislike his pick, I can live with Yakemchuk pick, even if I would prefer many other players.

Which of these defensemen do they pass to make the top 10 in 2022?
2/ Nemec
6/ Jiricek
7/ Korchinski
10/ Mintyukov

None for me, not even close. I arguably liked Mintyukov more in 2022 than I like any of the defensemen in 2024.

Pretty sure the 2024 pair go after Mateychuk (12) as well.

2020 is harder to gauge because it was so thin at defense after Sanderson/Drysdale. Only 4 defensemen are taken from #7-#31 (16, 19, 20, 25).

So maybe they go in the top 10 in 2020 because a team is desperate for a defense. Not sure that’s much of a sale’s pitch for them.

I would be unhappy with Yakemchuk and I f***ing dread it happening lol.

 

[My3Sons]

He is Russian(may take longer time before joining NHL, political side) and he is right winger. I think he has... some potential of center but its not as close as Nygard. With Bratt and Meier on the long term deal, Mercer, Holtz(even if we will trade him) and Lenny I don't see Fitz drafting right winger. I have hard believing he will draft Nygard for the same reasons. Thats why I think Helenius will be our pick. Or LD if someone still available. If Helenius isn't available I prey Gods to turn Fitz face on our board and figure Nygard center potential if he and his scouts didn't do that already.

Chernyshov is very fun no matter how we are looking at him.
Big? Check. Bigger than Catton, Helenius, Iginla and Nygard.
Physical?? Check. Already good in puck battles in KHL. Physical in all three zones. He is on the level or better than any of this forwards.
Good skater? Check. Better than Iginla, as good as Helenius and Nygard.
Fast skater? Check. Best separation speed.
Good passing? Check. He is very accurate and fast in passing. More accurate than Helenius.
Playmaking? Playable. He isn't the best or average as high iq playmaker, but again - he is a part of fast and accurate draws in mhl, doing everything right for winger. He is just not the player who will take spot with the puck on the perimeter and will lead the draw.
Shooting? Check. He is good shooter. All of them are good shooters. May be Nygard is better. May be Iginla.
Compete level? Check. He is playing in all three zones, making beck checks, understand changing of the position, making very good defensive and offensive forechecking job. Nygard is better in O zone, but Chernyshov is better in D zone, Helenius is better, but Chernyshov is better 200 foot player than Catton or Iginla. Better understanding of positional play in all three zones.
Puckhandling? Freaking check. He is best puckhandler through traffic. He is doing things in khl when pros are smoking how they were outplayed and what was that what was happened moment ago.
Defensive play? Check. Again - forecheckung, positioning. With his nice hands he capable to take the puck away. Helenius is better, but he is on the level or better than other players.


I think he limits only by his IQ. He isn't stupid at all, but his decision making isn't consistent - again playing against tough competition. Its very fun to praise Iginla who is playing against kids when Chernyshov should survive in KHL. In MHL Chernyshov did everything good. Again hard to compare from competition level point of view - Helenius playing against pros, still level below KHL, Nygard played in second pro league - below Liiga and KHL, but still much harder competition than OHL or WHL.

What I'm thinking overall? His skating, speed, defensive game, compete level, physicals and puck battling, passing, shooting, great puckhandling and good enough IQ are screaming "top 6 two way scoring forward" with real top line potential. Can he drives play on NHL level? He has all the tools. Can he lead the draw on nhl level? I'm not so sure, reason why I have Catton, Helenius and Nygard higher now. I like Chernyshov more than Catton because of his better two way game and physical level. But its personal preferences, i understand that playmaking centers or top line playmaking wingers who drive the play are more important in nhl. May be he will not produce on the same rate but he should be more consistent 200 foot player. Does he have ppg potential? Its a high mark, Meier isn't consistent ppg player. I like to compare him with Nichushkin. But Chernyshov is better puckhandler and already good in positioning, Nichushkin spent time to learn positional game.

Chernyshov signed for next season, but I believe he will signed 1-3 more years deal.

He sounds like a heck of a player. RW or not I’d consider him and look really closely at him and interview him.

 

[StevenToddIves]

basically the same top 15 here albeit w minor shuffling (yak/lev up a touch, catton/chernyshov down a touch). i suppose the alignment is not too surprising given that it definitely feels like a gap starts to form around the end of lotto range. im a big surin fan, for example, and i like him just outside of that top 16 but people have this kid all over the place (granted, his birth certificate does him no favors here)

i think the only real divergence i have is i like sennecke in that 12-15 grouping (although given your post on him the other day, it sounds like he very narrowly missed your top 15). even prior to him scorching the ohl playoffs i really loved his progression over the season and how he seemed to get more and more comfortable in his frame. smarts+hands+size+mobility is a lethal combo for a prospect

I think you like Sennecke like I like Hage.

I'm a huge fan of Catton, I'll write him up tomorrow. I was higher on Seth Jarvis and Zack Benson than pretty much anyone and I consider Catton to be in the same sphere, although I would rank him third of the three.

How you mix up defensemen and forwards in draft rankings is less relevant than people would have you believe. If I ruled the world, there would be separate draft rankings for forwards, defensemen and goalies. I mean, who the hell am I to say who is better, Dickinson or Brantsegg-Nygard? They are both can't miss at different positions, it really depends more on what your team is looking for.

This is to say that if I rank a D 6 and a F 7, I basically have them ranked about the same. I'm flipping a coin. But if I have a LW ranked 6 and a LW ranked 7, I'm making a statement that I like one better, even if it's not by a wide margin.

Lastly, I really like Chernyshov. His mix of skills is something I would honestly call *rare*. If he lasts into the 20s -- which is possible -- he'll be the steal of the 2024 draft.