2024 NHL Draft Thread (CBJ to pick 4th)

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

Wouldn't mind picking a high ceiling project type of guy at this point of the rebuild. No need to rush anyone up next year. Dont know much about this years talent, but from outside view Demidov seems like a good option considering his size and assuming he'll be staying in KHL for a couple of years anyways.

 

[stevo61]

Wouldn't mind picking a high ceiling project type of guy at this point of the rebuild. No need to rush anyone up next year. Dont know much about this years talent, but from outside view Demidov seems like a good option considering his size and assuming he'll be staying in KHL for a couple of years anyways.

doesnt he only have 1 year left on that KHL deal?

 

[cbjthrowaway]

demidov has the potential to be the next kucherov imo. whether or not he fits the current roster needs is irrelevant, especially given that there's a new FO regime coming in.

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

doesnt he only have 1 year left on that KHL deal?

Even if so, there was some talk earlier that Putin is putting on some pressure to keep young players longer in KHL. Demidov isnt making NHL right away, so new KHL contract seems probable to me.

Putin sends directive to KHL teams ordering all young Russian players to remain in Russia

https://dose.ca/2023/12/25/russia-president-orders-young-players-to-stay-there/ There are quite a few teams with young Russian prospects that would be impacted by this. At best, it looks like this will freeze any international movement until players have played 4-5 years in the KHL, but...

forums.hfboards.com

Edit. Ah, there was a clarification after the initial news came out. Never mind that then. I guess he could come over right away then. I kinda just assumed he was going the Michkov path when I had read the news about KHL keeping young players

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Unless Lindstrom gets a clean bill of health from multiple doctors I can’t pick him in the top 5. Too risky

 

[Aaaarrgghh]

Unless Lindstrom gets a clean bill of health from multiple doctors I can’t pick him in the top 5. Too risky

Here I was hoping that the hype would build up so that someone would take Lindstrom at #2 or #3 so that Columbus could at least have a chance at Demidov if they pick at #4.

 

[EspenK]

Unless Lindstrom gets a clean bill of health from multiple doctors I can’t pick him in the top 5. Too risky

As far as I know he is doing fine after returning to action. Is there an update on his condition or are you just fearing Nathan Horton 2.0?

 

[CBJWerenski8]

As far as I know he is doing fine after returning to action. Is there an update on his condition or are you just fearing Nathan Horton 2.0?

Nothing is based off my own opinion (yet) per se, but lots of people I’m seeing are saying his skating stride looks worse after returning (which is not surprise considering it’s a back injury). It’s just a risk

 

[squashmaple]

major, how are you feeling about Iginla? Seems to be raising his stock late (six goals in the WHL playoffs so far), and he's one of the youngest players in this draft. Especially if we slide back to sixth.

(also can you imagine the screams from Calgary if we drafted him? delicious)

 

[Xoggz22]

major, how are you feeling about Iginla? Seems to be raising his stock late (six goals in the WHL playoffs so far), and he's one of the youngest players in this draft. Especially if we slide back to sixth.

(also can you imagine the screams from Calgary if we drafted him? delicious)

If we're drafting Iginla 6th overall I'm going to be very disappointed. He's a guy you draft in the teens.

 

[squashmaple]

If we're drafting Iginla 6th overall I'm going to be very disappointed. He's a guy you draft in the teens.

He's getting a lot of attention recently as a late riser, like Slafkovsky in 2022.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

He's getting a lot of attention recently as a late riser, like Slafkovsky in 2022.

he has some very desirable traits (high-end compete, good skating, good shot, good skill) but to me he's in a (large) batch of guys in this draft who profile more as complimentary top-six/top-four players.

the goal, assuming they pick in the top 5, should be to get a player who controls play and can be a building block, rather than someone who will be a useful but ultimately supporting piece.

to me, the guys who profile as that are:

1. celebrini (duh) – reminds me a lot of a brayden point type
2. demidov – panarin-level possession/creation monster
3. parkeh – boom-or-bust, but the upshot is an adam fox type monster top-pair, PP1 defenseman (imo mateychuk could be the toews to his makar)
4. dickinson – not dynamic enough to be an NHL PP1 guy, but looks like he will control play in all three zones at the next level
5. levshunov – a more dynamic but less refined dickinson, but right handed

the next cohort of prospects profiles, to me, as being more complimentary pieces in the top half of a lineup, rather than guys who stir the drink, so to speak. i have lindstrom, silayev, eiserman, etc. in that tier.

that said, seeing as i am supremely unqualified to be passing any of this off as expertise, i will 100% be talking myself into whoever they end up picking. so if that ends up being someone like berkly catton, i will absolutely ride or die for that kid.

 

[majormajor]

major, how are you feeling about Iginla? Seems to be raising his stock late (six goals in the WHL playoffs so far), and he's one of the youngest players in this draft. Especially if we slide back to sixth.

(also can you imagine the screams from Calgary if we drafted him? delicious)

If we're drafting Iginla 6th overall I'm going to be very disappointed. He's a guy you draft in the teens.

I initially focused less on Iginla because he's a goal scoring winger, not an elite playdriver and certainly not a power forward, despite the name.

But the goal scoring tools look like they might be elite. Fantastic shot arsenal, very agile and smart about finding his spots. I can easily see him becoming a 30-30-60 winger, which is not the hardest piece to get but then again we don't currently have any of them.

I'll be focused more on five or six rarer pieces at the top but after that I like Iginla a lot. Dickinson is probably just a second pair guy, and I think Levshunov might end up with similar value to that as well. And I might actually have Iginla over them, a 60 pt winger vs a middle pair D is an open debate for me, and Iginla's seeming clutch qualities might tilt things his way.

he has some very desirable traits (high-end compete, good skating, good shot, good skill) but to me he's in a (large) batch of guys in this draft who profile more as complimentary top-six/top-four players.

the goal, assuming they pick in the top 5, should be to get a player who controls play and can be a building block, rather than someone who will be a useful but ultimately supporting piece.

to me, the guys who profile as that are:

1. celebrini (duh) – reminds me a lot of a brayden point type
2. demidov – panarin-level possession/creation monster
3. parkeh – boom-or-bust, but the upshot is an adam fox type monster top-pair, PP1 defenseman (imo mateychuk could be the toews to his makar)
4. dickinson – not dynamic enough to be an NHL PP1 guy, but looks like he will control play in all three zones at the next level
5. levshunov – a more dynamic but less refined dickinson, but right handed

the next cohort of prospects profiles, to me, as being more complimentary pieces in the top half of a lineup, rather than guys who stir the drink, so to speak. i have lindstrom, silayev, eiserman, etc. in that tier.

that said, seeing as i am supremely unqualified to be passing any of this off as expertise, i will 100% be talking myself into whoever they end up picking. so if that ends up being someone like berkly catton, i will absolutely ride or die for that kid.

I have my doubts that Dickinson will be stirring any drinks. Levshunov as well, though he will probably mix in some drink stirring along with screwing up.

Parekh will definitely be creating goals for both teams. I'd be curious what he'd look like as a forward. I can see him becoming a 2023 Erik Karlsson type player, big big time scorer, I'm just less sure I want to build a team that way. I don't even think of him as boom/bust, he'll score, I just wonder if a team built around him could ever be a great team.

As you all know I'm more enamored with Buium and Yakemchuk. I can see each of them as building block pieces.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

I have my doubts that Dickinson will be stirring any drinks. Levshunov as well, though he will probably mix in some drink stirring along with screwing up.

of the guys i listed, those are the ones i was a bit hesitant to include in that tier, although i think they do belong there.

i've gone back and forth on dickinson. generally speaking, i don't think a big, burly defenseman in junior, no matter how effective, is going to translate to NHL stardom, since it's harder to differentiate with physicality against NHL players.

that said, i think dickinson has been lazily profiled as just a physical shutdown guy to an extent. he has plus NHL size and some jam to his game, yes, but he combines it with plus four-way mobility and a plus shot. he's also assertive and plays with a good hockey IQ.

to me, that total package adds up to potentially be a jaccob slavin type player, which absolutely is a difference-maker.

from a tools perspective, levshunov is the total package. he's a bit raw, but definitely moved the needle this year in huge minutes for a very good MSU team. the upside there (in my eyes, anyway) is a two-way monster with a nasty streak and PP1 skill.

Parekh will definitely be creating goals for both teams. I'd be curious what he'd look like as a forward. I can see him becoming a 2023 Erik Karlsson type player, big big time scorer, I'm just less sure I want to build a team that way.

having a small-ish, hyper-aggressive, offensively-inclined defenseman as a cornerstone is working out great for the rangers, avs and canucks right now.

to me, he's far more of a quinn hughes or adam fox type – someone you can build around and play big minutes – than a tony deangelo. the offensive skill is special, the skating is outstanding and the hockey IQ is high-end. i'm confident that the defense will come around. he doesn't need to be a big, burly guy to be effective – jared spurgeon had a long stretch where he was an outstanding defender leaning on very similar tools.

As you all know I'm more enamored with Buium and Yakemchuk. I can see each of them as building block pieces.

i don't mind either of those guys – i just see them as having less upside. but if the jackets pick either one of them, i'll change my tune really fast.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Celebrini, projected No. 1 pick in 2024 draft, could have NHL impact like Toews as rookie | NHL.com

Boston University freshman has size, 200-foot game to 'have an impact in the NHL fairly quickly'

www.nhl.com

Interesting write up on Celebrini for someone who doesn't follow junior or college (like me).

 

[cbjthrowaway]

Celebrini, projected No. 1 pick in 2024 draft, could have NHL impact like Toews as rookie | NHL.com

Boston University freshman has size, 200-foot game to 'have an impact in the NHL fairly quickly'

www.nhl.com

Interesting write up on Celebrini for someone who doesn't follow junior or college (like me).

i want celebrini so bad. not gonna get my hopes up because, well, you know. it's the blue jackets.

the toews comp is an interesting one. i think it was scott wheeler who said that, purely in terms of his play style, celebrini has a lot of crosby in his game. not the generational talent part but just the play style.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

i want celebrini so bad. not gonna get my hopes up because, well, you know. it's the blue jackets.

the toews comp is an interesting one. i think it was scott wheeler who said that, purely in terms of his play style, celebrini has a lot of crosby in his game. not the generational talent part but just the play style.

From article:

Celebrini is second among NCAA players with 32 goals and is tied for second with 64 points in 37 games for Boston University. He was named Hockey East Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year, joining Jack Eichel (2015), Paul Kariya (1993) and Brian Leetch (1987) as the only players to win the awards in the same season.

I can see why you'd want him. Very heavy company to be a part of.

 

[CharlotteJacket]

demidov has the potential to be the next kucherov imo. whether or not he fits the current roster needs is irrelevant, especially given that there's a new FO regime coming in.

We're 8th from the bottom with 219 goals. Let's not pretend we've solved our problems on offense with the youngsters. If he's available and we think he's the best offensive player remaining, grab him.

 

[majormajor]

of the guys i listed, those are the ones i was a bit hesitant to include in that tier, although i think they do belong there.

i've gone back and forth on dickinson. generally speaking, i don't think a big, burly defenseman in junior, no matter how effective, is going to translate to NHL stardom, since it's harder to differentiate with physicality against NHL players.

that said, i think dickinson has been lazily profiled as just a physical shutdown guy to an extent. he has plus NHL size and some jam to his game, yes, but he combines it with plus four-way mobility and a plus shot. he's also assertive and plays with a good hockey IQ.

I don't think Dickinson is a physical player or plays with jam, not even superficially. He's a 6'3 puck mover with elite skating, that's his calling card. I don't think his decision making is very good. He's 17 so that's fine but a lot depends on his trajectory. EP's OHL scout said on their recent rankings that he hasn't shown much progress this year. I'll keep watching him, going to watch this game later from earlier in the week:

having a small-ish, hyper-aggressive, offensively-inclined defenseman as a cornerstone is working out great for the rangers, avs and canucks right now.

to me, he's far more of a quinn hughes or adam fox type – someone you can build around and play big minutes – than a tony deangelo. the offensive skill is special, the skating is outstanding and the hockey IQ is high-end. i'm confident that the defense will come around. he doesn't need to be a big, burly guy to be effective – jared spurgeon had a long stretch where he was an outstanding defender leaning on very similar tools.

Fox was always a good defender. Cale Makar was always a good defender even as a junior prospect, people were only concerned about him because he was coming from the AJHL. Those guys are in a separate category. Quinn Hughes and Erik Karlsson were offense only at that age and that's the kind of trajectory you hope for from Parekh.

Parekh's hockey IQ is incredible with the puck and incredibly bad without it, he doesn't seem to understand where the scoring threats are around him. It's not just about technique.

He also has an unathletic posture standing super straight on his skates, and opponents can skate right through him on the rush or absolutely crush him on the boards if they want to.

i don't mind either of those guys – i just see them as having less upside. but if the jackets pick either one of them, i'll change my tune really fast.

The high upside case for Buium is more along the lines of Adam Fox, all about the processing speed. But that's a rare player type, there's only one Fox, it's a harder case to make.

Yakemchuk should have huge upside. Maybe the highest offensive upside after Parekh. He looks like Burns out there. He scored 1/8th of his teams goals this year, as a D-man (higher than Parekh). His hands are incredible. Offensive reads, shot, it all looks elite.

 

[Jovavic]

Dickinson sounds like Ryan Murray pre draft. Great skater, good at everything else, might not have the ceiling as the other defensemen but the floor is great.

 

[Cowumbus]

Arizona helping the tank

 

[Cowumbus]

A CBJ loss of any kind guarantees 5OA at worst.
A CBJ loss of any kind + a Montreal win of any kind results in 4OA.

 

[EspenK]

2 CBJ losses guarantees 4OA and cements the 2 people who voted Jackets picking 1-4 as GOATs of pessimism.

Lottery results don't matter cuz we gonna win that and pick Celebrini

 

[Xoggz22]

Lottery results don't matter cuz we gonna win that and pick Celebrini

Here we go! I'm in.... I've just been waiting for someone to start the wheel of optimism! I couldn't go there myself this year.

 

[Cheddarcheese]

if they get 4th they got to be thinking Lindstrom. Eiserman if they want a project
but if they somehow win the draft that would be insane lol.

would trading away the pick be out if the question ? honestly in this draft i wouldn't mind trading down. Konsta Helenius interest me