Prospect Info: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[Just A Bit Outside]

To me, this is shaping up to be another above-average draft. It'll be a lot less interesting for the Canucks though, as they won't have a top-half pick in the first round.

I just want them to keep the pick.

Then I can atleast enjoy the discussions.

 

[Vector]

Spoiler: Full List Except Honourable Mentions

Tier 1:
1) Macklin Celebrini

Tier 2:
2) Cole Eiserman
3) Artyom Levshunov
4) Ivan Demidov

Tier 3:
5) Konsta Helenius
6) Anton Silayev
7) Sam Dickinson
8) Berkly Catton

Tier 4:
9) Zayne Parekh
10) Carter Yakemchuk
11) Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
12) Aron Kiviharju
13) Cayden Lindstrom
14) Emil Hemming
15) Maxime Masse
16) Henry Mews
17) Zeev Buium
18) Igor Chernyshov
19) Adam Jiricek
20) Cole Hutson
21) Ryder Ritchie
22) Tanner Howe
23) Charlie Elick
24) Michael Hage
25) Sacha Boisvert
26) Veeti Vaisanen
27) Trevor Connelly

Tier 5:
28) Leo Sahlin Wallenius
29) Anthony Cristoforo
30) E.J. Emery
31) Nikita Artamonov
32) Beckette Sennecke
33) Tij Iginla
34) Liam Greentree
35) Simon Zether
36) Terik Parascak
37) Christian Humphreys
38) Domninik Badinka
39) Alfons Freij
40) Daniil Ustinkov
41) Luke Misa
42) Cole Beaudoin
43) Lucas Pettersson
44) Will Felicio
45) Kamil Bednarik
46) Will Skahan
47) Yegor Surin
48) Melvin Fernstrom
49) Will Zellers
50) Adam Jecho
51) Andrew Basha
52) Matvei Shuravin
53) Matvei Gridin
54) Max Plante
55) Aidan Park
56) John Whipple
57) Alexander Zetterberg
58) Oskar Vuollet
59) Tomas Lavoie
60) Tomas Galvas
61) Clarke Caswell
62) Riley Patterson
63) Eriks Mateiko
64) Ben Danford

 

[PuckMunchkin]

Could. Not. Give. Less. f***s.

I want them to trade the 1st rounder to push more chips in right now.

If Hughes is now a top 5 player in the league, its go time. No time to wait for a 22nd overall to make an impact.

Its go time.

 

[ziploc]

The first should be in play for a top 4 RD. Yeah it makes draft day a little boring, but so what.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

So far this seems like an average class to me but its still early. I have some thoughts on a number of guys.

From the WHL;

1) I like Ryder Ritchie alot. Not that he's torching the league necessarily but the high skill level is evident both as a shooter & playmaker. He could be a really good offensive player in time. I'd have him as a top 10 guy atm

2) Cayden Lindstrom; not as sold on him being a lottery pick as others. I do like his game but wonder about the offensive ceiling. Don't think he's the most creative nor has the greatest offensive awareness. He does have great hands & a good shot though. Uses his size well. Whether he could be a definite top 6 player or middle 6 I'm not so sure, but with his size he'll be valuable either way.

3) Andrew Basha I like alot. High energy, skates well, good playmaker, great hands, overall high IQ player. Could see him being a riser.

4) Berkley Catton is great attacking player. Keller-like ceiling imo. I do wonder if he'd be better as a Winger long-term but no doubt he'll be top 10. Great talent.

5) Tij Iginla is really smart, and very engaged in the game. Good hands & protects the puck well. Has definite pro-elements. I'm interested to see if/how high he'll rise; 16th on Dailyfaceoff's latest list (mid-Nov), wasn't on SN's 1st list (Oct).

6) Carter Yakemchuck; I see where people could get a Myers comp from. He makes great plays by himself, then other times seems to lose the play defensively. Probably a 2nd pair D if he hits but the one thing I like is he plays physical & really battles, very competitive.

A few non-WHL guys;

Sam Dickinson - I like him, definite top 10 pick, though as far as upside I do wonder if his skills are sort of 'good not great' & he's just ahead of most other guys at this point. Top 4 matchup D potential imo.

Zayne Parekh - To me he's a 1-way defenseman right now, always thinking offense. Dunno if I'm crazy about him/that profile but he skates well & does make some really good plays. Had a hattrick tonight so..

Michael Brandsegg Nygard - Really like him, complete player & I don't mean that in the 'limited upside' sense. Only seen 1 full game so far but he showed great awareness with & without the puck, and scored with a laser beam shot from distance.

 

[Knight53]

Stian Solberg
Daniil Ustinkov
Lukas Fischer
Matvei Shuravin
Leo Sahlin Wallenius
Alfons Freij

Some intriguing defenceman that could be available in the 20-25 range. Could really soldify the defenceman pool with this draft.

 

[MS]

I'm expecting to not have this pick.

 

[Izzy Goodenough]

This is a decent composite site to follow that is matches Draft rankings to standings.

They currently have the Canucks picking A Basha which is probably what they need.

2024 NHL Mock Draft | 2024 NHL Draft | NHL Draft

2024 NHL Mock Draft and NHL Draft History. 2024 NHL Draft prospect videos, stats, and written profiles updated throughout the year.

www.mynhldraft.com

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Really need a C but not opposed to another D given how many could go in Round 1.

No to a W in any shape or form.

 

[F A N]

I'm expecting to not have this pick.

Hopefully not traded for a 32+ year old.

This is a decent composite site to follow that is matches Draft rankings to standings.

They currently have the Canucks picking A Basha which is probably what they need.

2024 NHL Mock Draft | 2024 NHL Draft | NHL Draft

2024 NHL Mock Draft and NHL Draft History. 2024 NHL Draft prospect videos, stats, and written profiles updated throughout the year.

www.mynhldraft.com

I'm more intrigued by his teammate "C Lindstrom."

 

[MS]

Hopefully not traded for a 32+ year old.



I'm more intrigued by his teammate "C Lindstrom."

Lindstrom is going to be gone in the first 5 picks.

 

[StreetHawk]

I'm expecting to not have this pick.

depends on what they get for it. But seeing the Avs once your top guys get paid and we will have that soon with Petey, Miller, Quinn, Hronek, That is close to $35 mill if it’s $19 mill total for Petey and Hronek, you needs guys to fill in the rest of the roster. Hard decisions will be needed. Figure out the window to push cause this isn’t a team stacked with prospects. Already used a lot to 202x draft capital.

 

[LemonSauceD]

Wouldn’t mind keeping our 2024 1st to draft a centerman. Always a chance that a center could be in the league within 1-2 years of being drafted. Similar to Boston with Poitras, Dallas with Johnston, and New Jersey with Mercer. Unlikely a winger/defenseman tracks that quickly.

Based off the comments of management, they don’t like to trade their own 1st round picks, at least as of right now. Rutherford also has mentioned he expects to have guys on their ELC’s playing up in Vancouver if they continue to track towards their projection. It seems to me management prefers to go this route to save significant cap in the coming years.

It would make sense to hold onto this years 1st if that’s the planned route. In the event we trade our 1st, the most likely scenario is that it’s dealt at the draft. It’ll probably come right down to the moment of when our own selection is announced.

This team needs a centerman with 2C potential. Miller won’t be good forever. Better to draft a potential centerman now and have him cook rather than address this later on. Teams are likely to outbid us in any trade scenario for an established player anyways.

 

[Bojack Horvatman]

I'm expecting to not have this pick.

I wouldn’t be surprised either way. Management isn’t going to trade the pick for the sake of trading the pick. If they do use a first it’s probably going to be for a top 6/top 4 or 3c that fits our age group, and has some term. I don’t think they will use it to auction for rentals.

 

[MS]

I wouldn’t be surprised either way. Management isn’t going to trade the pick for the sake of trading the pick. If they do use a first it’s probably going to be for a top 6/top 4 or 3c that fits our age group, and has some term. I don’t think they will use it to auction for rentals.

No, I don't think so either. But where we're at that 20-something pick is more useful as a trade chip than a 4-5 year prospect.

 

[StreetHawk]

No, I don't think so either. But where we're at that 20-something pick is more useful as a trade chip than a 4-5 year prospect.

So long as it’s not a rental that they are going for. In 4 drafts in the 2020’s, moved 2 firsts and 3 seconds and 1 third. Plus their 2024 2nd belongs to Chicago.

Jurmo, Klimovich, Lekky, Petey, Wallinder, Bryz, Mynio are their top 3 round picks in the 2020's.

After Petey, Hronek get paid this summer, they have to be able to consistently find supporting players to surround them with their remaining cap room. Will have around $35 mill committed to Petey, Miller, Hughes, Hronek starting next season. Remainder of the $52 mill or so needs to cover 19 players. Have to spend that wisely and will need a few cheaper contract.

 

[Knight53]

Stian Solberg looking really good for Norway at the WJC. That physical smart defensive player that I can see our scouting team love.

 

[kcunac]

Doesn’t look like much first rounders coming from Swe this year.

 

[LemonSauceD]

A couple of overagers I’d look into are Jesse Pulkinnen (6’6 LHD) and Hannes Hellberg (6’3 W)

Pulkinnen in particular might actually be a 1st rounder with the way he’s played so far this season. Absolutely dominated the juniors there. He’s got some real good mobility and is surprisingly highly skilled with an absolute mean streak. He had poor draft year and followed it up with an incredible turnaround to start his overager season. Possibly a late bloomer type.

Hellberg has been passed over twice now. He was barely eligible for the 2022 draft being a Sep 3 born and was again passed in the 2023 draft (someone I wanted us to grab with one of our later picks). He’s a real strong kid with a nice raw blend of skill, size, and athleticism. Decent hockey IQ. Skating is his weaker point as well his overall defensive ability. Bit of a one trick pony as well offensively but he has a lot of things going for him and will be interesting to see who selects him in this draft as he’ll be drafted without a doubt in my mind.

 

[VanJack]

Canucks 2024 first rounder will definitely be into the back half of the draft--anywhere from 21-27. Obviously that's a much different proposition than drafting in the top-10 or even in the top-15.

Wouldn't be a big shock if the Canucks packaged the pick at the TDL to beef up their current roster. If they could ever acquire another right shot d-man like Hronek, using their first rounder as an incentive, it would be a home run for sure.

One thing is for sure. I feel a lot more comfortable having Allvin dangle the Canucks first rounder as trade bait, instead of Benning.

 

[MarkMM]

Wouldn’t mind keeping our 2024 1st to draft a centerman. Always a chance that a center could be in the league within 1-2 years of being drafted. Similar to Boston with Poitras, Dallas with Johnston, and New Jersey with Mercer. Unlikely a winger/defenseman tracks that quickly.

Based off the comments of management, they don’t like to trade their own 1st round picks, at least as of right now. Rutherford also has mentioned he expects to have guys on their ELC’s playing up in Vancouver if they continue to track towards their projection. It seems to me management prefers to go this route to save significant cap in the coming years.

It would make sense to hold onto this years 1st if that’s the planned route. In the event we trade our 1st, the most likely scenario is that it’s dealt at the draft. It’ll probably come right down to the moment of when our own selection is announced.

This team needs a centerman with 2C potential. Miller won’t be good forever. Better to draft a potential centerman now and have him cook rather than address this later on. Teams are likely to outbid us in any trade scenario for an established player anyways.

Are we giving up any hope that Raty could be that 2C?

 

[LemonSauceD]

Are we giving up any hope that Raty could be that 2C?

I haven’t wanted an Abby game since early November so I don’t know how much he’s progressed besides seeing his point totals increase.

IMO his skating is going to hold him back. He’s got the skill, smarts, size, and two way ability but the skating is just severely lacking from where it needs to be even at the AHL level. I wouldn’t pencil him in as a future 2C. Safe bet he turns into a solid 3C.

Max Sasson on the other hand I’ve always been impressed by his overall toolset. Not saying he’s higher up than Raty on the depth chart, but he’s someone I envision being with the Canucks much sooner than Raty.

 

[Vector]

Are we giving up any hope that Raty could be that 2C?

I never had hope. He’s always most realistically profiled as a 3rd line centre.

 

[MS]

Are we giving up any hope that Raty could be that 2C?

Absolutely nothing about Raty projects as a 2C.

A couple of overagers I’d look into are Jesse Pulkinnen (6’6 LHD) and Hannes Hellberg (6’3 W)

Pulkinnen in particular might actually be a 1st rounder with the way he’s played so far this season. Absolutely dominated the juniors there. He’s got some real good mobility and is surprisingly highly skilled with an absolute mean streak. He had poor draft year and followed it up with an incredible turnaround to start his overager season. Possibly a late bloomer type.

Hellberg has been passed over twice now. He was barely eligible for the 2022 draft being a Sep 3 born and was again passed in the 2023 draft (someone I wanted us to grab with one of our later picks). He’s a real strong kid with a nice raw blend of skill, size, and athleticism. Decent hockey IQ. Skating is his weaker point as well his overall defensive ability. Bit of a one trick pony as well offensively but he has a lot of things going for him and will be interesting to see who selects him in this draft as he’ll be drafted without a doubt in my mind.

Pulkkinen is definitely an interesting player in the range of our #1 pick, and the fact that he's probably contributing sooner is a plus.

 

[LemonSauceD]

Absolutely nothing about Raty projects as a 2C.



Pulkkinen is definitely an interesting player in the range of our #1 pick, and the fact that he's probably contributing sooner is a plus.

Agreed. He’s having a poor world juniors (team Finland is as a whole) but he in particular has looked immensely rough if anyone is interested in watching him.

The skillset he has is tantalizing though. He comes into the Liiga and starts dances through 30 year old defenders like a 5’10 playmaker and in just a few games is playing top pairing minutes.