Now that the 2023-24 season is well underway, it’s time to dive back into some rankings for the 2024 NHL Draft. Some of these prospects competed in the World Junior Championship this December so this is an early chance to react to their play on the big stage as well as the play of some other prospects through the first half of their draft years.
At this point, the high-end of the 2024 Draft class seems pretty strong, with a great number one prospect and a really solid group of talent through the first 12 or 13 picks. I’d say it’s an above average group, with at least six or seven guys who look like they could absolutely be future stars in the NHL.
Macklin Celebrini was the easiest person to rank on this whole list since his play at the World Juniors and in the NCAA have combined to give him a sizable lead as the top prospect this year. He’s not quite on the Connor Bedard level, but he’s an excellent prospect to land at first overall and should be a dominant force in the NHL for whoever wins this year’s lottery.
Picks 2-13 were much harder to rank and I would listen to arguments that someone I’ve got closer to 10 should be as high as picks three or four. This is a really good year to be picking around 10th overall as there will be significant talent left on the board if you’re willing to swing on someone like Carter Yakemchuk or Michael Brandsegg-Nygård.
Related: The NHL’s Top 100 Prospects – Midseason Update
After last year’s weaker group of top defensive prospects, many NHL teams will be very happy with the group of defenders available this year. Eight of my top-16 prospects are defensemen, and I would comfortably rank at least the top two of them above any defender from the 2023 Draft class.
Once again there aren’t any high-end goaltending prospects at this point in the draft process, which could make this the third consecutive draft with zero goaltenders selected in the first round. Marcus Gidlöf should have a chance by the time the draft rolls around considering his size and success in Sweden’s top junior league, but only time will tell.
First Round:
1. Macklin Celebrini, C, Boston University (NCAA)
Macklin “Mack” Celebrini is the favorite to go first overall when the 2024 draft arrives. He’s a center with a June birthday, meaning he’s one of the younger players in the 2024 class. Celebrini excels at everything, with great skating, goal scoring ability, off-puck play, defensive effort, confidence, and just about every other attribute you could dream of. After tearing up the United States high school prep circuit with Shattuck St. Mary’s, Celebrini tried his hand in the USHL last season with the Chicago Steel and was immediately the best player in the league.
He was so good, in fact, that he has made the choice to enter the NCAA early, playing as a 17-year-old for Boston University this season. His play in the NCAA has been wildly impressive, with him already stacking up well against the best talent in all of college hockey. Celebrini’s performance for Team Canada at the 2024 World Juniors was borderline dominant, as he was their best player in the entire tournament despite his age. There’s a clear path for Celebrini to become an excellent first-line center in the NHL for whichever team is lucky enough to land the first overall pick.
2. Anton Silayev, LD, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
Anton Silayev was the story of the year early on this season, going from an unknown defender in Russia’s junior system last year to a potentially elite prospect who is tearing up the KHL. He’s a difficult player to rank because the sample size of his great play is still relatively small, but his potential is as high as any defense prospect we’ve seen in the past few years so I couldn’t put him any lower.
Silayev is 6-foot-7, but he moves like he’s 6-foot-2, and he has shown great two-way play so far in the KHL. He scored six points in his first six games, but has since slowed down significantly, sitting at 11 points in 55 games. There’s a very real chance that he ends up as the top defender in this class given the massive potential his frame and agility provide.
I see a lot of Simon Edvinsson in Silayev’s game. In their draft year’s both were super-sized defenders who showed excellent skating and two-way potential, though Silayev has already shown more defensive potential and skill with the puck than Edvinsson did at the same age. He’s a unicorn, and one who I expect will be a big difference maker in the NHL someday.
3. Artyom Levshunov, RD, Michigan State University (NCAA)
Artyom Levshunov currently has one of the most exciting tool kits in this draft as a big, right-handed defender who skates incredibly well. The Belarussian tore up the USHL last season, with 42 points in 61 games, making him the league’s fifth highest scoring defender as a 17-year-old. His physical and statistical profile reminds me a lot of Owen Power, though Levshunov produced more points than Power did at the same age in the USHL.
Levshunov has a very projectable game, with the size, skating, and offense to be a great NHL defender. He plays with a ton of confidence, which isn’t always a positive. Levshunov’s offensive game is dynamic, with his smooth skating serving as the catalyst for each thing he does well. He’s strong in breakout/entry situations, has some clever stretch passes in his toolkit, and walks the blueline with confidence. There’s definitely a lot of room for growth in his game, but Levhusnov has a ton of potential and will be selected very early this year.
4. Ivan Demidov, RW, SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)
Ivan Demidov is an incredibly talented offensive player, with great hands, a shot that projects to beat NHL goaltenders with some added strength, and some sneaky-good playmaking instincts. He spent last season in the MHL, Russia’s top junior league, where he was dominant as a 17-year-old rookie, scoring 64 points in 44 games (third most points in the league).
Demidov isn’t quite at the same level as top 2023 Draft prospect Matvei Michkov, but he is a legit top-end talent who has clear top-line potential in the NHL. One thing he and Michkov have in common is a difficulty earning serious minutes in the KHL as a draft eligible player. Demidov sat out many games to start the year and has played full time in the MHL ever since returning from an injury. He has dominated that level so far, but we’ve seen him do that already so it’s no surprise. I’d really love to see him against pros full-time this season, probably in the VHL, but it seems unlikely at this point.
5. Cole Eiserman, LW, USA U18 (NTDP)
Cole Eiserman is the 2024 Draft’s premier goal scoring prospect, with the shot and goal numbers to rival Cole Caufield’s production in the NTDP. Eiserman was dominant for the U17 team last season, earning himself a late-season call-up to the U18 level where he scored 16 goals and 20 points in just 12 games on the second line. His late August birthday makes him one of the youngest players in the draft class, just 17 days away from being eligible for the 2025 Draft.
Eiserman has also committed to Boston University for the 2024-25 season. He doesn’t have the skating or defensive game of Celebrini, but Eiserman’s shot and offensive instincts give him a realistic chance of being a great offensive player in the NHL someday. He hasn’t really taken much of a step forward so far this season, showing the same skills and deficiencies as we already saw. Eiserman can play physically, but usually does so by chasing hits and losing track of defensive coverage. He isn’t often engaged defensively and isn’t the best offensive player without the puck. Give him the puck and he makes great things happen, but he’ll need to diversify his skill set if he wants to reach his full potential.
6. Cayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Cayden Lindstrom is an early favorite for me in the 2024 Draft class. He’s a massive power forward (6-foot-5, 205 pounds) who is incredibly quick and difficult to knock off the puck. After a few rough seasons the Medicine Hat Tigers are finally emerging on the other side as a serious contender, with Lindstrom standing out as one of their most important pieces.
His size advantage is part of what makes him a nearly immovable object in the WHL, but he also has great hands, a strong shot, and really good puck protection instincts. His defensive game has looked significantly improved early this year and I think his offensive totals will draw lots of attention before the season is done. His size, skating, and skill will make him an early pick on draft day, book it.
7. Berkly Catton, C, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
Berkly Catton is a remarkably intelligent player, creating chances and advantages for his teammates through clever manipulations rather than through physical force. The Spokane Chiefs have a lack of high-end talent and Catton, the first overall pick from the 2021 WHL Draft, has been leaned upon heavily for the past two seasons. Luckily for the Chiefs, Catton has more than been up to the task this year, scoring points at an absurdly high rate. At the time of writing, there are only four players on the Chiefs who have reached at least 25 points on the season, and Catton leads the team with 78!
Catton was phenomenal for Team Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup as well where he scored 10 points in just five games while captaining Canada to the gold medal. He is a very skilled player with a ton of speed and a high-end motor. While his lack of size may limit his draft stock among some NHL General Managers, I think his offensive versatility and his potential while attacking off the rush will make him a very early pick.
8. Zeev Buium, LD, University of Denver (NCAA)
Zeev Buium is an offensive defenseman who has had a ton of success early in his collegiate career, scoring above a point-per-game as a freshman defender. Buium has grown at least one inch since last season which bodes well for his draft stock since his biggest weakness at this point is his physical play. Luckily for Buium, he is an excellent skater and has plenty of hockey sense which allows him to defend incredibly well in the NCAA, and will likely help him in the NHL as well. It’s becoming increasingly common to see NHL defenders succeed through puck skills and clever positioning rather than simply through physicality and I think Buium could fit that mold.
Buium has a great motor and always finds himself in the thick of the action on both ends of the ice. He has good skill with the puck but his calling card will be his skating and sense which he uses to his advantage best on the rush both as a passer and a scoring threat. His performance for the Gold medal winning American team was great and I think that level of success from an 18-year-old will draw a ton of NHL attention.
9. Carter Yakemchuk, RD, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
Carter Yakemchuk is one of the oldest first-time eligible prospects in the 2024 Draft, roughly a week away from being eligible for the 2023 Draft. If he had been eligible in last year’s draft, I believe he would have been a first round pick. Yakemchuk has an enviable physical makeup as a right-shot defender who already measures at 6-foot-2, 194 pounds and he produces a ton of offense for the Calgary Hitmen.
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His offensive game is impressive for a defender of his size and his skating makes him even more intriguing as an NHL prospect. Yakemchuk has a rocket of a shot, scoring 19 goals last season, something that makes him a true goal scoring threat from the point. He’s a well rounded defender who can play both a very physical defensive game and then turn around and deke through half of a team on his way to the net. Yakemchuk is someone to watch this season in the WHL as a strong second-half could land him in the top-five on Draft day.
10. Sam Dickinson, LD, London Knights (OHL)
Sam Dickinson is a big two-way defender with a tool kit that NHL General Managers dream of. He’s a 6-foot-3 defender who defends well, has shown flashes of great puck skills, and competes incredibly hard. Dickinson skates well for his size which bodes well for his NHL projection, though he will need to put in some work for his offensive game to be worthy of power play minutes in the NHL someday.
Dickinson’s defensive game has shone early on this year and his offense has improved as well, putting him on pace to roughly triple his point total from last year. He’ll need to show he can sustain it, but I see him as the exact type of player that NHL teams love. There’s tons of two-way, top-four defender potential in his game, and room for something more if his early offensive results are to be believed.
11. Zayne Parekh, RD, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
Zayne Parekh was a fun player to follow last year, especially once it became clear that he was going to set the record for the most goals in OHL history by a U17 defenseman. The final count was 21 goals in 50 games (even though he missed a few weeks toward the end of the season), and he earned those goals with his confidence and willingness to carry the puck over the opposing team’s blueline himself before trying a shot.
Parekh is constantly involved on offense, willingly pinching in along the boards when needed, and creating a ton of chances for himself and his teammates as a result. He’s without a doubt the most talented offensive creator on the backend in the 2024 Draft for me. So why is he not rated higher? Well, Parekh cheats for offense so regularly that there are times he looks like a winger out there. He’s got a good stick and competes well on defense, but he regularly puts himself in a really tough position to defend from and will need to make some changes if he wants to be a strong top-four defender and not just a third pairing guy with a ton of power play value.
He’s got a ton of offensive potential and will likely earn the opportunity to show that off if he can improve his defensive positioning and gap control a bit.
12. Konsta Helenius, C/RW, Jukurit (Liiga)
Konsta Helenius is an excellent playmaker who competes hard enough to succeed in the Finnish Liiga as a 17-year-old. Helenius is level-headed under pressure and makes remarkable passes look routine, setting his teammates up for success. He was one of Finland’s best players at the 2023 U18 WJC, driving play on offense and showing an encouraging amount of engagement defensively. He was also good for Finland at the recent World Juniors, though the stat sheet might not give you the best idea of how impactful he was.
Helenius’ two-way play against pros as a teenager has been very impressive, especially in transition where he is able to keep up with the pace of play both physically and mentally. The biggest question with Helenius is if he has more skill to show. He has shown flashes of skill against his peers that make you think he could be a top-line player in the NHL, but then whenever he plays against men he plays a more reserved and safe game. Is he simply doing that in order to earn minutes as a young pro or does he not have enough skill to beat men? That’s the question that’ll decide if he’s a top-five pick or closer to top-10.
13. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW, Mora IK (HockeyAllsvenskan)
Michael Brandsegg-Nydard is a Norwegian winger who was excellent in the top Swedish junior league last year, scoring 38 points in 35 games and earning a try-out in the second-tier Swedish pro league HockeyAllsvenskan. He isn’t going to produce a ton of highlight reel plays with his skill, but he’s got enough skill with the puck to compete in the NHL, and he works hard all over the ice.
Brandsegg-Nygard’s best attribute is his shot, which is quite heavy. He’s already scored several goals this year as a first time pro and should score quite a few more as the season goes on, especially if he earns some time on the power play where he excels from the bumper spot as a one-timer option. He has spent a small part of the season in Sweden’s J20 league where he has been clearly ahead of his peers so I expect he’ll spend most of the final months of the season against pro competition.
14. Adam Jiricek, RD, HC Plzen (Czechia)
Adam Jiricek has proven to be a difficult prospect to evaluate this year, much like his older brother David was. He plays a similar style to his brother, with lots of physical engagement and a penchant for taking big point shots, but he appears to be a better and more confident skater at the same age. Adam produces a ton of chances on offense from the blueline, readily activating into play to support his teammates and keep the puck moving.
Unfortunately, his excitement to join the play offensively means that he takes a lot of risks, leaving himself in really poor positions to recover defensively if things don’t go according to plan. Jiricek is really great at scanning the play off puck and he persists through pressure quite well so I think he will be able to cut down on the over-the-top risks in time. I like him as a two-way defensive prospect and his right-handed shot and 6-foot-2 frame will help him out on draft day.
15. Aron Kiviharju, LD, HIFK (Liiga)
Aron Kiviharju has been the most talked about 2024 Draft eligible prospect over the two or three years, after playing most of his age-15 season in the top U20 junior league in Finland, scoring roughly a point per game as a small defenseman. Kiviharju’s stature (5-foot-10) will likely go a long way to dictate his draft position next summer (unless he gains another inch or two by then), but that would be doing him a disservice as he’s one of the smartest players in this draft class. He is an excellent puck handler in transition and walks the blue-line very confidently in the offensive zone.
Kiviharju suffered a knee injury in a practice this Fall that led him to miss the majority of his draft year.. He will need to come back swinging this Winter if he wants to be drafted early in the first round, but if not, someone is going to get a super valuable pick with him a bit later into the first round. Kiviharju has lots of potential to become a top-four offensive defenseman who provides most of his value on the power play, though his defensive play will likely be the biggest determining factor in his NHL success.
16. Tij Iginla, C, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
Tij Iginla has been a very pleasant surprise in the WHL this season. After scoring just 18 points with the Seattle Thunderbirds last season, spending portions of the season being scratched, Iginla has flourished early on with the Kelowna Rockets. His game relies heavily on speed and he’s able to do a ton of damage on the rush at the junior level because of it. Iginla has an excellent wrist shot as well, but he isn’t the most gifted playmaker or physical guy. Regardless, he works hard and is often the first guy in on the forecheck.
17. Ryder Ritchie, C, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
Ryder Ritchie is getting shockingly little attention for someone who was the WHL’s rookie of the year last year before being one of Canada’s offensive leaders at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He played the role of playmaker for his rookie year in the WHL but early on this year he put the league on notice that he also has an excellent shot and isn’t afraid to use it. He has missed significant time this season but he gained a few inches of height over the past year and has significant offensive potential so I think he’s worthy of an early pick.
18. Trevor Connelly, LW, Tri-City Storm (USHL)
Trevor Connelly is a skilled winger with dynamic skating and a high-effort two way game. His hands are really quick and he plays with a ton of deception which makes him one of the most dangerous offensive players in the entire USHL this season. Many NHL teams have reportedly expressed concern in drafting him due to an incident involving him posting a picture of a swastika on social media a little over a year ago. Connelly has apologized and explained what he’s doing to make up for the mistake but it’s tough to gauge the character of a prospect in this situation. He’s a first rounder on talent with clear top-six potential, but the off-ice noise is loud enough still that his ultimate draft slot is completely up in the air.
19. Henry Mews, RD, Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
Henry Mews is a two-way defender who skates very well, allowing him to make calculated risks at both ends of the ice. He isn’t all that dynamic offensively, but he makes smart plays with and without the puck that helps his team out consistently. Mews’ best defensive attribute is his compete level, which always gives him a chance to win puck battles or to make up ground on a back-check. He’s got a good shot, average size (6-feet), and a right-handed shot so I expect we’ll hear a lot about him in the leadup to the 2024 Draft.
20. Michael Hage, C, Chicago Steel (USHL)
Despite missing nearly all of his draft-1 season to injury, Michael Hage has established himself as a near lock for the first round of the 2024 Draft. He has a really well-rounded tool kit as a 6-foot-1 center who skates well, has excellent skill with the puck and can create chances at will in the USHL. Hage doesn’t have the most dangerous shot but it’s not a weakness by any means, and he competes well on defense and through traffic in the offensive zone. Ultimately, a lack of elite traits holds him back a little but Hage certainly has a chance to be a top-six forward in the NHL.
21. Emil Hemming, RW, TPS (Liiga)
Emil Hemming is a confident puck carrier who is thinking “shoot the puck!” far more often than he’s not. He absolutely dominated the Finnish U20 league to start the year and earned a callup to the Liiga where he has already scored a handful of pro goals. Hemming is great at skating through contact and protecting the puck, and his shot is very strong at this point. If he can find his defensive game and/or playmaking in the Liiga this year, he will rise up this list significantly.
22. Sacha Boisvert, C, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
Sacha Boisvert is yet another high-end Canadian prospect who opted for the USHL/NCAA route rather than playing in the CHL. The 12th overall pick in the 2022 QMJHL Draft was excellent in the USHL last year as a rookie with 45 points in 57 games, and he looks poised to improve on those numbers significantly this season.
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Boisvert is a big center (6-foot-2) with tons of skill with the puck and above average skating. He looks like a pro and has a ton of qualities, including a really dangerous shot, that make me confident he’ll find a role in the middle-six forward group of an NHL team someday.
23. Igor Chernyshov, LW, MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)
Igor Chernyshov is a strong winger with great size, skating and puck skill. He was great in the MHL last year, even earning himself a five game tryout in the KHL as a 17-year-old. Chernyshov plays a very direct style, charging the net frequently whether he has the puck or not. He has had a rather slow start to this year production-wise, but his skill set looks well designed for the pro game with the ability to make strong plays and smart decisions at a higher pace than most teenagers.
24. Liam Greentree, RW, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Liam Greentree is a big winger who looks like he could be a great all-round player in the NHL someday if he can make some improvements to his acceleration. Greentree has been excellent in the OHL this season for a rebuilding Windsor Spitfires team. He’s currently in the top 10 for goals and points in the OHL which is really impressive for a draft eligible player on a weaker team.
Greentree does most things well, fighting hard in puck battles, making smart passes, and handling defensive responsibilities well. His greatest strength is his shot which looks like a quality NHL tool though his skill with the puck is noteworthy as well. The biggest barrier in the way of NHL success for Greentree at the moment is his skating. He’s got decent speed once he gets going, but his first few steps are sluggish and he could use some explosiveness to help him accelerate more quickly.
25. Andrew Basha, LW/RW, Medicine Hat Tigers
Andrew Basha is an excellent playmaker who plays with a ton of skill. He likely won’t get as much attention as teammates Cayden Lindstrom and Gavin McKenna (2026 Draft), but Basha is a very talented prospect and one who I think will be competing for a spot in the first round for most of this year. He can get pushed to the perimeter a bit but I think his skill and vision will be significant enough to offset that. Basha gets lumped in with the “undersized winger who scores a ton of points” play style but that’s only partially correct because he has continued to grow through the years, currently standing at 6-feet tall. The points are starting to add up and I think they’ll be hard to ignore by June.
26. Cole Hutson, LD, USA U18 (NTDP)
Cole Hutson is an undersized offensive defenseman who skates beautifully and is the most exciting defender on the U18 NTDP team. He looks pretty similar on the ice to his older brother Lane, but Cole is a more physical defender and scored more points with the U17 team than Lane did, despite having a significantly later birthday. Hutson measured at 5-foot-8 with the NTDP in the Fall, but was measured at 5-foot-10 by the IIHF for the U18 World Junior Championship last month. At his size, Hutson will need to score a ton if he wants to be a first rounder and he hasn’t really done that this season. Obviously defense will likely never be one of his strengths, but I think Hutson’s offensive contributions are strong enough that he could be a great power play type someday.
27. Nikita Artamonov, RW, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
Nikita Artamonov is another prospect who has really burst onto the scene early this year, earning serious ice time in the KHL as one of the league’s youngest players. He’s likely to surpass the 20 point mark as a KHL rookie and has spent time on Torpedo’s top line at times. Artamonov is a skilled winger with good speed and a willingness to battle for pucks in difficult areas that makes him a really fun player to watch. He’s got great hockey sense, mapping the ice out well with frequent shoulder checks.
28. Charlie Elick, RD, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
Charlie Elick is another project in this draft class, as a big (6-foot-3), right-handed defender who defends well but hasn’t shown a ton when it comes to moving the puck himself. He plays physically, and uses his frame well when defending (which isn’t always the case for young players), not to mention his great skating. Elick is one of the best skaters among WHL defenders for my money, and a 6-foot-3, right-shot defenseman who skates like he can will always have a place in the NHL. He will need to take several steps forward offensively if he wants to provide two-way impact as a pro, but I think he’ll be drafted early and given every chance to prove he can succeed.
29. Leo Sahlin Wallenius, LD, Växjo J20 (J20 Nationell)
Leo Sahlin Wallenius is a two-way defender who skates well and competes harder than most. He just barely measured in at 6-feet tall this season but he plays like someone several inches taller, constantly moving his feet and battling for possession along the boards and in front of his own net. While he shoots left, Sahlin Wallenius has experience playing both sides on defense which will surely attract some NHL teams. He was great for Sweden at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup where I thought he defended the rush really well, especially when it came to shutting plays down with a well-placed stick check.
30. Maxim Masse, RW, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
Maxim Masse is a shoot-first winger with tons of skill who scored 29 goals and 62 points as a 16-year-old rookie in the QMJHL last year. He had an excellent start to the year with Chicoutimi, scoring 17 points in just 12 games, but has since slowed down and looks to be on the same scoring pace as last season. Masse’s skating is decidedly un-exciting, but it does look improved from last season so there’s some hope he can continue to develop there. Although the offense hasn’t really grown a ton since last year, Masse is still a strong defensive player, killing tons of penalties in junior.
31. Simon Zether, C, Rögle BK J20 (J20 Nationell)
Simon Zether is a big centerman who has dominated the top junior league in Sweden so far this year. He plays a remarkably mature two-way game which was enough for Rögle to call him up to their SHL team where he has already played over 30 games. He is a 6-foot-3, right-shot center who plays a relatively mistake-free game with a ton of puck skill and a really high compete level. Zether’s only weakness right now is a bit of a sluggish skating stride but he has already made some progress there. Zether could shoot up draft boards if he plays and shows well for Sweden at the U18 World Juniors in May so keep an eye on him.
32. Terik Parascak, RW, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Terik Parascak has been one of the most pleasant surprises in the CHL this season, bursting out of the gates with 15 goals and 25 points in his first 12 games. He spent the 2022-23 season in Canada’s high school prep circuit before playing four games with the Prince George Cougars to end the year, going pointless. Nobody expected Parascak to keep it up for long but he’s done just that, currently sitting in the top-10 for scoring in the WHL. He’s not the best skater and his puck skills aren’t exceptional, but his finishing touch and his sense of timing offensively have been excellent this season.
Second Round:
33. Tanner Howe, C, Regina Pats (WHL)
Tanner Howe has been a very interesting player to watch this season, as we’ve had our first chance to see what he can do in the WHL without the help of Connor Bedard. He spent a lot of time centering his own line with the Pats last year so there was always a chance that his production could be maintained without the best player in junior hockey, but that didn’t seem particularly likely.
However, Howe has looked excellent this year, scoring at a similar rate despite losing last year’s WHL MVP. He is a very tenacious player away from the puck, constantly forechecking and battling and his size might be the only thing that could hold him back from becoming a hard-working middle-six winger in the NHL.
34. Jett Luchanko, C, Guelph Storm (OHL)
Jett Luchanko is going to be a fan favorite in the NHL someday, with an impressive level of tenacity and work ethic. Luchanko has good skill with the puck and skates quite well, making him a dangerous player with the puck. However, he’s always willing to give up some of the glory by making another pass and finding a better option if it’s there. Luchanko reads plays really well and has that knack for timing and finding openings in defensive coverage that is difficult to teach. The reason he’s not higher on this list is because he hasn’t really shown any dynamic trait to this point that makes you think he could be a high-in-the-lineup type player in the NHL.
35. Cole Beaudoin, C, Barrie Colts (OHL)
Cole Beaudoin is a solid two-way center who has shown good offense at the junior level but has some questions about his future offense as a pro given his heavy skating stride. Beaudoin accelerates quite slowly, but once he’s in motion he is a dangerous player on both sides of the puck. His hockey sense and stick checking often make up for his lack of footspeed in forechecking and backchecking situations, but he will need to get quicker to be as successful in the NHL someday. He’s got the size, athleticism, and two-way commitment to be a good pro and I think he could be a good fit as a third-line center in the NHL.
36. Beckett Sennecke, RW, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Beckett Sennecke is a big winger with very impressive puck skill that allows him to regularly deke through several layers of defense. However, he can get a bit of tunnel vision and try to play hero-puck a bit, losing sight of the best play and turning the puck over by trying to deke too much. When Sennecke can take off his blinders, he has a solid playmaking game, with good enough sense to spot difficult lanes and make smart passes. He has some work to do filling out his rather skinny 6-foot-3 frame, but there is some real promise in his offensive game.
37. Lucas Pettersson, C, MoDo Hockey J20 (J20 Nationell)
Lucas Pettersson is a center prospect who skates quickly, works hard, and has shown a good scoring touch in Sweden’s top junior league this year. Pettersson was a leader for Sweden at last Summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup, scoring four points in as many games, and should be a major factor for their U18 team in May. He has a quick and accurate snapshot that has served him well in the J20 league this year, but his skating and work ethic are the most exciting attributes he has. At just 17 years old he has already played a handful of games in the SHL and Pettersson is someone who I could easily see sliding into the first round on my board later on this season.
38. Luke Misa, C, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
Luke Misa was a standout in the combine testing at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, a set of tests that really let him highlight his best attribute, his skating. Misa looks really quick in junior, winning tons of puck races and beating defenders out wide on the rush regularly. His shot and hands aren’t particularly great so while he creates lots of chances with his speed, he doesn’t finish as many as he could. The biggest barrier for Misa at this point is simply his size. At 5-foot-10 he struggles to play through contact against larger competitors and relies heavily on his speed, which, to his credit, does work quite well in the OHL.
39. Matvei Shuravin, LD, CSKA Jr. (MHL)
Matvei Shuravin’s performance so far in his draft year has reminded me a lot of Dmitri Simashev in the 2023 Draft. He’s a big defender (6-foot-3) who skates really well, defends well enough to have earned a run of play in the KHL at age 17, and doesn’t score a ton of points. Shuravin’s mobility and physical play have been really solid and he has enough skill to make a ton of controlled zone exits and entries. Shuravin is someone I could see rising up in the final months leading up to the draft because a mobile defenseman of his size with great defensive potential is very valuable, even if his offense never shines.
40. Dominik Badinka, RD, Malmo J20 (J20 Nationell)
Dominik Badinka is an offensive defender who has played hockey in three different countries in three years. He spent the 2021-22 season in his homeland of Czechia, the 2022-23 season in Finland’s top junior league, and is playing his draft season in Sweden. Badinka got off to a hot start in Sweden’s top junior league this season, even earning himself a callup to the SHL. Standing at 6-foot-3, Badinka isn’t your typical offensive defender, though his skating and puck moving is high-end, especially for his size. There is some room for growth defensively, but the size and mobility will get him a good portion of the way there.
41. Adam Jecho, C, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
Adam Jecho is a massive center with a good shot and a great motor. Jecho isn’t the fastest player in the WHL by a long shot, but he moves fairly well in zone and is mobile despite a lack of speed in straight lines. He hasn’t been great in the faceoff circle in the WHL this year, and is probably best suited to play on the wing as he has for much of his career thus far. Jecho would absolutely be a project player, but the size and work ethic will excite NHL GMs and both his hands and shot are good enough that you can see him becoming a bottom-six guy in the NHL.
42. Dean Letourneau, C, St. Andrew’s College (PHC)
Dean Letourneau is a fascinating prospect as a 6-foot-6 center who handles the puck really well in tight to his skates and can blow up opponents with massive hits. Letourneau is a great skater for someone of his size, and he moves well enough that I don’t think he’d be left behind at the pro level someday. He reminds me a bit of Red Wings prospect Elmer Söderblom who is a similarly large forward whose playstyle defies the typical box that giant players are put in. Letourneau has shown some good physicality, but his defensive game is definitely lacking. He’s definitely a bit of a wildcard considering the league he’s playing in, but he’s committed to Boston College and that program has had a great track record of development recently so it could be a great spot for him to prove he can be a real factor in the NHL.
43. Veeti Vaisanen, LD, KooKoo (Liiga)
Veeit Vaisanen is a solid two-way defender who isn’t flashy, but rather plays a safe and smart style of game. Vaisanen skates well, being quick enough to carry the puck on the rush and agile enough to maintain good gaps while defending. He’s also got a heavy slap shot and is a smart passer, both of which have served him well as a full-time pro this year in the Liiga. Vaisanen doesn’t have any one skill that really blows you away (probably in part because he wants to earn minutes through safe plays), but he’s consistently making small plays that move the puck in the right direction.
44. Marcus Gidlöf, G, Leksands IF J20 (J20 Nationell)
Marcus Gidlöf is a massive 6-foot-6 goaltending prospect who has dominated Sweden’s top junior league this season. Gidlöf had a .928 save percentage after his first 19 starts, which becomes even more impressive when you see that no other goalie in the league is saving above .915%. We haven’t seen a goaltender go in the first round since the 2021 Draft with Sebastian Cossa and Jesper Wallstedt, but I think Gidlöf is building a really solid case to be the first goalie to break that streak.
45. E.J. Emery, RD, USA U18 (NTDP)
EJ Emery is a big, right-shot defender who moves well which means that he has a near perfect physical toolkit as most NHL teams are concerned. He’s difficult to play against mostly because of his mobility and large frame rather than because of his smarts, though he has shown some promise on breakout passes after separating an attacking forward from the puck. While he hasn’t been scoring a whole lot this year, his ultimate draft position will likely be determined more by his potential rather than his current performance.
46. Marek Vanacker, LW, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
Marek Vanacker is a strong two-way wing prospect who skates really well and understands his role better than most players his age. Many junior players play a top-line style but don’t have the skill or speed to play that way as a pro, and they can’t find much of a fit in a pro lineup as a result. Vanacker understands what he does well and plays a very adaptable game that I think could translate well in a middle-six role someday. He’s a really strong skater, has NHL size, and takes the puck to the middle of the ice whenever possible.
- Alfons Freij, LD, Vaxjo J20 (J20 Nationell)
- Leon Muggli, LD, EV Zug (NL)
- Daniil Ustinkov, LD, Zurich (NL)
- Tomas Galvas, LD, Bílí Tygri Liberec (Czechia)
- Melvin Fernstrom, C/RW, Örebro HK J20 (J20 Nationell)
- Tomas Lavoie, RD, Cape Breton Eagles (QMJHL)
- John Mustard, C/W, Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
- Sam O’Reilly, C/RW, London Knights (OHL)
- Matvei Gridin, RW, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
- Maxmilian Curran, C, Tri-City Americans (WHL)
- Yegor Surin, C/RW, Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)
- William Zellers, C, Shattuck St. Mary’s (USHS-prep)
- Jesse Pulkkinen, LD, JYP U20 (U20 SM-sarja)
- Spencer Gill, RD, Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL)
- Kamil Bednarik, C, USA U18 (NTDP)
- Miguel Marques, C/W, Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
- Will Skahan, LD, USA U18 (NTDP)
- Noel Fransén, LD, Farjestad BK J20 (J20 Nationell)
Third Round:
- Stian Sølberg, LD, Vålerenga (Norway)
- Alexander Zetterberg, C, Örebro HK J20 (J20 Nationell)
- Christian Humphreys, C, USA U18 (NTDP)
- Oskar Vuollet, C/LW, Skellefteå AIK J20 (J20 Nationell)
- Anthony Cristoforo, RD, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
- Karl Sterner, RW, Frölunda HC J20 (J20 Nationell)
- Alexandre Blais, LW, Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL)
- Clarke Caswell, LW, Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
- Ben Danford, RD, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
- Riley Patterson, C, Barrie Colts (OHL)
- Eriks Mateiko, LW/RW, Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
- Aidan Park, C, Shattuck St. Mary’s (USHS-prep)
- Colton Roberts, RD, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
- Max Plante, C, USA U18 (NTDP)
- Mac Swanson, LW, Fargo Force (USHL)
- Teddy Stiga, LW, USA U18 (NTDP)
- Gabriel Frasca, C, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
- Carter George, G, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
- Sebastian Soini, RD, KOOVEE (Mestis)
- Ryerson Leenders, G, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
- Matvei Babenko, RW, Toros Neftekamsk (VHL)
- Tuomas Suoniemi, C, Kiekko-Espoo U20 (U20 SM-sarja)
- Ondrej Kos, LW, KOOVEE (Mestis)
- Owen Allard, C, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
- John Whipple, LD, USA U18 (NTDP)
- Maxim Velikov, LW/RW, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)
- Thomas Desruisseaux, C, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
- Eric Bürger, LD, Örebro HK J20 (J20 Nationell)
- Jakub Chromiak, RD, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
- Matvei Babenko, RW, Toros Neftekamsk (VHL)
- Austin Baker, C/W, USA U18 (NTDP)
- Will Felicio, LD, Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
Fourth Round:
- Felix Lacerte, RW, Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)
- Ilya Nabokov, G, Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)
- Artyom Shchuchinov, LD, Traktor Chelyabinsk (KHL)
- Joona Saarelainen, C, KalPa U20 (U20 SM-sarja)
