The 2024 NHL Draft has come and gone.
And if there is one thing that has been proven year in and year out, it’s that the NHL knows how to put on a show. From the electric seven game series in the Stanley Cup Finals all the way to the NHL Awards Show, the NHL has been rocking over the past few weeks.
Taking place at The Sphere in Las Vegas, the first round of the NHL Draft was no exception to the theatrics. The new venue certainly provided the glitz and glamour that the NHL Draft truly deserved, and the first 10 picks did not disappoint.
PICK #1: San Jose Sharks – Macklin Celebrini, Center, Boston University (NCAA)
Easily the most anticipated prospect in this year’s draft, Macklin Celebrini was always a lock to go #1 to San Jose. As a freshman this past season at Boston University, Celebrini put up a monstrous stat line (32 goals, 32 assists, 38 games) which led to him being awarded the Hobey Baker Award (top player in Men’s College Hockey).
Based on his stats alone, it’s easy to see that Celebrini can do it all on offense. From being a creator to a finisher, he was always bound to be “The Guy” in this year’s draft.
But what might stand out most, according to BU Head Coach Jay Pandolfo, is his fierce competitiveness. His competitiveness has helped him to be not only an elite offensive playmaker, but a complete 200 foot gamer. And because of his elite 2-way play style, my NHL player comp is Jonathan Toews.
PICK #2: Chicago Blackhawks – Artyom Levshunov, Defense, Michigan State (NCAA)
Although he was not the top overall skater in the draft, Levshunov may easily be the top defenseman in the class. What stands out most according to NHL scouts is his ability to play a steady, mature game with uncanny poise on the ice for someone his age. Being only 18 years old, Artyom was the 3rd youngest player in the NCAA last season as a freshman at Michigan State.
Listed at 6’2, 205 lbs, the 2nd overall pick knows how to use his physicality to his advantage. He has the offensive prowess to take the puck up the ice and be involved in scoring. Racking up 35 points (9 goals, 26 assists) and an impressive +27 rating across 38 games, Levshunov has the makings of a leader on the powerplay alongside last year’s first overall selection, Connor Bedard.
Chicago now has several key young pieces on the roster, which many believe will lead the Blackhawks to a very bright future. Because of his ability to be a shot blocker with impressive defensive maturity, paired with the skating ability to be an offensive threat, my NHL player comp is Charlie McAvoy.
PICK #3: Anaheim Ducks – Beckett Sennecke, Right Wing, Oshawa (OHL)
Out of all the top picks in this years draft, the Anaheim Ducks selecting Beckett Sennecke was easily the biggest shocker of the night. Funny enough, no one seemed more shocked about this pick than Beckett himself.
The rumor mill suggested all along that the Ducks were focused on adding size early on in this year’s draft. And this pick did just that.
Standing at 6’3, Sennecke has a unique ability to make plays in tight spaces and has one of the top shots in the draft. He will need to fill into his tall frame as he’s listed at 182 lbs, so naturally it might take a few years before Beckett reaches his full potential.
Put simply, Sennecke has great size and an electric shot, and the Ducks are betting on him to use his dedicated work ethic to develop into the top 6 forward they expect him to be. And if he can develop, my player comp for Beckett is Andrei Svechnikov.
PICK #4: Columbus Blue Jackets – Cayden Lindstrom, Center, Medicine Hat (WHL)
As a prospect, Cayden Lindstrom was widely regarded as perhaps the 2nd best of this class.
He has tremendous size (6’3, 213 lbs), can skate with the best of them, and has proven to be a tremendous scorer during his time in the WHL. In 32 games Lindstrom put up an impressive 27 goals and 19 assists, and he’s known to to have a bit of a mean streak on the ice.
Lindstrom’s main concern as a prospect is his injury history, having missed 36 games last season from a back injury. His health is certainly something fans will be keeping an eye on in his first few years as a NHLer.
Leading up to the draft, teams were made aware that there is no long term issue with his back with very low risk of re-injury. If Lindstrom can stay healthy, expect him to be top line forward on the Blue Jackets for years to come. Based on his time in the WHL and his size and scoring ability, my player comp for Cayden is Joel Eriksson Ek.
PICK #5: Montreal Canadiens – Ivan Demidov, RW, SKA St. Petersburg Jr. (KHL)
In terms of pure skill and dynamic ability, Demidov is right up there with Celebrini at the top of this year’s class. The young Russian is known for his passing and shooting ability as well as his position versatility.
Don’t be surprised to see Demidov line up at all 3 forward spots throughout the season once he decides to make the move out of Russia. Currently playing in Russia’s junior league (MHL), Ivan is expected to step into the senior KHL next season and then will decide to head on over to the states following the KHL season.
The young prospect boasted an impressive stat line last season, 60 points in 30 games. Perhaps the most impressive stat is that he totaled 144 shots on goal in that same time span. And for a team like Montreal who need shooters, this seems to be a tremendous move.
Fans will be watching to see if his play in the KHL can translate to the North American game. Personally, I love Demidov as a prospect, and my player comp for him is very lofty… Nikita Kucherov.
PICK #6 Utah Hockey Club – Tij Iginla, Center, Kelowna (WHL)
Iginla… sounds familiar right?
Yes, Tij is the son of Hockey Hall of Famer and Flames legend Jarome Iginla. Standing at 6’0 and 191 lbs. Tij has a very similar stature to his father and has done a tremendous job trying to replicate his game.
Last year at Kelowna, Iginla put up an impressive 47 goals and 84 points, all in 64 games. There is a strong indication that his play style can translate at the NHL level.
Although he may not have the physicality that his father had, Tij’s shooting may be more advanced at his current age. And one thing that was certainly passed down from Jarome is his work ethic.
Utah now has a strong core with Iginla, Cooley, and Keller. Iginla still needs to work on his speed and overall skating, but do not bet against him to be an impact player for years to come. My player comp for Iginla is Chris Kreider.
PICK #7: Ottawa Senators – Carter Yakemchuk, Defense, Calgary (WHL)
Carter Yakemchuk will be an offensive threat as a blue liner.
Having put up 30 goals (most defensemen goals) and 71 points with the Calgary last season, Yakemchuk certainly knows how to shoot the puck.
And if all goes right, Yakenmchuk will produce big time numbers as a defenseman and lead the Senators powerplay for years to come.
However, some scouts question his ability on the defensive side and his discipline. He will need to sharpen his skills and learn to commit less penalties to take his game to the next level. One common critique is that he plays extremely hard (maybe too hard), which can cause his emotions to get in the way and lead to bad penalties.
Right now Carter can produce on the offensive side in the NHL, but he needs some work on defense. It may take a few years but he pencils in as a top D pairing for Ottawa and can lead the blue liners in point production. Buy stock in Carter Yakemchuk now. My player comp for Carter is Damon Severson.
PICK #8: Seattle Kraken – Berkly Catton, Center, Spokane (WHL)
Every draft has a few selections that come off as an A+ on paper. This pick is one of them.
The Seattle Kraken desperately needed to add offense to a roster that lacks major point production. Berkly Catton can certainly fill that void. Catton finished 4th with 116 points in 68 games this past season in the WHL, and showed a balanced offensive attack with 54 goals and 62 assists.
Not only does he put up points in volume, Catton is a complete 200 foot player. He can be an asset on the powerplay and a threat to score on the penalty kill.
I love this pick for the Kraken because they now have a legit 1-2 punch in their top 2 lines at center with Beniers and Catton. Cattion is still a bit “undersized”, listed at 5’10, 175 lbs, but his skill and skating ability are strong enough to help him succeed.
In terms of a player comp – although he was recently drafted himself, there are just way too many similarities between Catton and Zach Benson.
PICK #9: Calgary Flames – Zayne Parekh, Defense, Saginaw (OHL)
This seems like a huge upside selection for the Calgary Flames. Parekh is the high end point producer that so many franchises want nowadays.
The man from Saginaw is mature beyond his years and has the ability to lead a powerplay. Parekh put up a massive 96 points with 63 assists this past season with Saginaw. There is no question in his ability to produce on offense.
The other end of the ice, however, is a different story. He is a very offensive minded D-man and he tends to overlook the defensive game. Parekh will need to significantly improve his 5v5 defending in order to break into a significant role in the NHL. But his offensive production will certainly give him the playing time to develop his defensive ability.
Although this player comp is a bit lofty, there are just too many similarities with their games. Erik Karlsson.
PICK #10: New Jersey Devils – Anton Silayev, Defense, Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
The Devils were able to fill a massive hole that was left in the Markstrom trade with this pick. Emphasis on massive.
As part of the trade to acquire one of the top goalies in the league, New Jersey shipped away defenseman Kevin Bahl which left a big gap at the blue line. Fortunately, the Devils were able to draft Silayev who should be a pillar on the blue line for the Devils moving forward.
Silayev is a giant of a player. Standing at 6’7, 211 lbs, he plays with the physicality, and has the defensive maturity, that New Jersey desperately needs. There is no perfect pick, especially since he hasn’t stepped foot in Jersey yet, but Silayev fills a huge need for the Devils. And he should make an early impact.
He has consistently been compared to Victor Hedman, and based on his size and defensive ability, it seems like a decent comparison.
