Now that the 2023-24 season is well underway in many leagues around the world I think it’s time to establish my first top-32 rankings for the 2024 NHL Draft. Although it’s nearly a year away, I believe it’s worth taking an early look at the top rated prospects for this year so you have an idea of who to look forward to for the next few months. Some of these prospect may compete in the World Junior Championship this December so this is a chance to get to know some of the top guys before that tourney begins.
This year’s group is headlined by Macklin Celebrini, a Canadian center who has just about every tool and skill you could ask for. Celebrini is set to join Boston University next season, along with his brother Aiden (drafted by the Canucks in 2023), where he will be 17 years old for his entire freshman season. Celebrini is followed closely by Cole Eiserman, an American sniper who has been scoring goals at will to start the year.
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Last year, a common theme was the lack of high end defensive prospects, with only eight defenders taken in the first round. That will not be a problem this year as there are a great deal of excellent prospects on the back end including a few near the top who could feasibly compete for a top-three spot when draft day rolls around. 14 of my 32 ranked prospects are defensemen at this point, with Anton Silayev, Sam Dickinson, and Artyom Levshunov highlighting the group.
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, goalscoring 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.
Celebrini scored an astounding 90 points in 52 USHL games as a rookie, setting the record for the most points by a 16-year-old in league history, surpassing the likes of Thomas Vanek, Adam Fantilli, and Andrei Svechnikov. 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 will be crucial, as few freshmen have the impact that he’s projected to next season, and even fewer manage to do so at age 17. There’s a clear path for Celebrini to become an excellent first-line center in the NHL and his six games in four NCAA games show that he’s well on his way.
2. 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 last season, earning himself a late-season call-up to the U18 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.
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Eiserman has committed to Boston University for the 2024-25 season, and will spend this year with the U18 team in the NTDP. He doesn’t have the skating or defensive game of Celebrini, but Eiserman’s shot and offensive instincts give him a realistic chance at competing for first overall. Eiserman has been off to a hot start with 27 goals and 33 points in just 16 games, putting him well on pace to break Caufield’s single-season goals record of 72. If he somehow managed to keep up his current pace, he could even threaten the century mark.
Obviously Eiserman is a great shooter, but he’s also a great goalscorer, meaning he has the x-factor when it comes to finding openings and soft spots in defensive coverage. He knows exactly where to go to best set himself up to score, and he finds that space especially well off the rush where defenses are in motion and can’t track him quite as well.
3. 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 borderline dominant as a 17-year-old rookie, scoring 64 points in 44 games (third most points in the league).
Demidov isn’t 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 earned very little ice time when he was dressed to play.
This has led to a strange start where he has scored zero points in seven games split between the KHL, VHL, and MHL. Demidov suffered a lower body injury in an MHL game in October and there are rumors that it will keep him out for at least two months. There’s no reason to be worried yet, Demidov hasn’t quite looked like himself yet this season and missing time certainly doesn’t help, but he’s still a phenomenal prospect.
4. Anton Silayev, LD, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
Anton Silayev has been the story of the 2024 Draft class 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 so small, but his potential is as high as any so I couldn’t justify putting him any lower than this.
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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 has scored eight points so far in 20 KHL games, making him the highest scoring U18 defender in the league’s history, plus he has until April to continue to build on that record number. There’s a very real chance that he ends up as the top defender in this class and he could even be a first overall candidate by the Summer, he’ll just have to prove that this isn’t a fluke and that he’s the real deal by continuing his great play.
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.
5. Sam Dickinson, LD, London Knights (OHL)
Sam Dickinson is my early pick as the biggest project player near the top of the 2024 Draft, with a tool kit that NHL General Managers dream of. He’s a 6-foot-3 defender who defends well, has shown 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 popped as well, putting him on pace to quadruple his point total from last year. He’ll need to show he can sustain it, but I see no reason why he couldn’t become at least a top-three pick in this draft. There’s tons of two-way, top-four defender potential in his game, and room for something more if early results are to be believed.
6. Berkly Catton, C, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
Berkly Catton was given the unenviable task of being a first line center in the WHL this season as a 17-year-old. The Spokane Chiefs lacked high-end talent and Catton, the first overall pick from the 2021 WHL Draft, was leaned upon heavily. Luckily for the Chiefs, Catton was more than up for the task, scoring 55 points in 63 games (the second most on the team) and winning over 50% of his faceoffs as a first-year player in the WHL.
Catton was phenomenal for Team Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup 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 spot, I think he will be an excellent pro player because of his offensive versatility and his potential while attacking off the rush.
7. 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 has 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 confidently, and intelligently, avoiding unnecessary risks while providing tons of two-way value to his team. If he can take as big of a step forward this year in the NCAA as he did this past season, then Levshunov could easily push for the top spot in the draft as a potential #1 defenseman.
8. Konsta Helenius, C/RW, Jukurit (Liiga)
Konsta Helenius is an excellent playmaker who competes hard enough to succeed in the Finnish Liiga as a 16-year-old. He finished last season with 11 points in 33 professional games, good enough for third among all U19 skaters. 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.
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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. It’s still early but he has been excellent in the Liiga so far this year, with six points in his first 13 games and his shot has looked far more dangerous so far as well. Hopefully we can get another look at him against his own age group at this year’s World Junior Championship where I expect he could be an important piece for Team Finland.
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 too young to be 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 produced a ton of offense in the WHL last season with the Calgary Hitmen.
His offensive game is impressive for a defender 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, 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.
10. Adam Jiricek, RD, HC Plzen (Czechia)
Adam Jiricek is going to be a difficult prospect to evaluate in his draft 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 who has a right-handed shot and is already 6-foot-2.
11. 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. Granted, his size advantage is part of what makes him a nearly immovable object in the WHL, but he also has great hands and really good puck protection instincts.
His two-way 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.
12. Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, 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 his first professional goal and should get quite a few more this year, especially if he earns some time on the power play where he excels from the bumper spot as a one-timer option. Although he began the year in the J20 Nationell, he has scored 10 points in five games and was quickly brought back up to the pro level where I expect he’ll spend most of his draft year.
13. 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.
14. 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 is putting the league on notice that he also has an excellent shot and isn’t afraid to use it. Obviously it’s still early, but he’s on pace to more than double his goal total from last year and to be an offensive leader across the entire WHL.
15. Aron Kiviharju, LD, HIFK (Liiga)
Aron Kiviharju has been the most talked about 2024 Draft eligible prospect over the last year or two, 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), 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 practice that is reportedly going to keep him out until February which will likely pull down his draft stock considerably. 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.
16. 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.
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Parekh is constantly involved on offense, willingly pinching in along the boards when needed, and his effort on defense is good enough that it’s not a big concern. 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.
17. 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 a 17-year-old. He currently has nine points in 21 games and has spent time on Torpedo’s top line at times. Artamonov is a hard-working winger with great speed and a willingness to battle for pucks in difficult areas that makes him a really fun player to watch. He plays a physical game and is borderline mean along the boards while still being relatively disciplined. Artamonov will be someone to keep an eye on in the KHL this year.
18. 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 is why his 19 points in 14 games was enough for Rögle to call him up to their SHL team where he has spent the past few weeks. 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 any amount of progress there should see him going quite early in the 2024 Draft.
19. Sacha Boisvert, C, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
Sacha Boisvert is yet another high-end Canadian prospect to opt 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. Boisvert is a big center (6-foot-2) with tons of skill with the puck and above average skating. If he can figure out how to get to the middle of the ice a bit more consistently, he will be a force to be reckoned with in the USHL this year.
20. Maxim Masse, RW, Chicoutimi Saguenéens
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 has had an excellent start to the year with Chicoutimi, scoring 17 points in just 12 games, tying him for 7th in league scoring. Masse’s skating is decidedly un-exciting, but it does look improved from last season so perhaps he’ll get to the point where he could be a good top-six winger in the NHL.
21. Cole Hutson, LD, USA U18 (NTDP)
Cole Hutson is an undersized offensive defenseman who skates beautifully and is the most exciting defender in the entire NTDP, including both the U17 and U18 squads. He looks pretty similar on the ice to his older brother Lane, but Cole is a more physical defender and has 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 yet so I don’t expect he’ll be a super early pick at this point.
22. 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 game looks well designed for the pro game with the ability to make strong plays and smart decisions at a higher pace than most teenagers.
23. 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. There’s not a ton of offense to Elick’s game at the moment, but if the team that drafts him can put him in the right situations to develop his playmaking (both passing and vision), then he could be an exceptionally valuable piece.
24. 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.
25. Tanner Howe, C, Regina Pats (WHL)
Tanner Howe will be a very interesting player to watch this season, as we get 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.
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However, Howe has looked excellent to start the year with 19 points in his first 13 games. He is a very tenacious player away from the puck, constantly forechecking and battling and there’s a good chance that Howe is a first rounder in this year’s draft.
26. 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 narrowly 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 found him to be a great rush defender, especially when it came to shutting plays down with a well-placed stick check.
27. EJ 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 to start the year, his ultimate draft position will likely be determined more by his potential rather than his current skill set.
28. Will Skahan, LD, USA U18 (NTDP)
Will Skahan is about as easy to find on the ice as Cole Hutson is when you watch the NTDP’s U18 squad, and their physical profiles couldn’t be much more different. Skahan is 6-foot-4 and skates quite well, which makes him very physically imposing against junior competition. He has a heavy shot (lots of strength for such a young kid) and can make a solid outlet pass, but will need to show some more offense with the U18 squad this year before I’m convinced he’ll produce offense at any valuable level
29. Michael Hage, C, Chicago Steel (USHL)
Michael Hage is a difficult prospect to place at this moment due to him missing nearly all of his pre-draft year due to an injury. In the small amount of games he played at the end of the year and what I’ve seen from him this season, I see a very talented scorer who projects to be able to make highly-skilled plays with the puck at NHL speeds. Hage is also a great skater and I hope that he continues to emerge this year as a high-end player following the tough year he had in 2022-23.
30. Terik Parascak, RW, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Terik Parascak has been one of the most pleasant surprises in the CHL early on 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. I don’t expect Parascak to keep up this level of production for long, but I do think it has done a lot of good for his draft stock. He’s not the best skater and his puck skills are okay but I like his hockey sense and he competes well.
31. Noel Fransén, LD, Farjestad BK J20 (J20 Nationell)
Noel Fransen is an offensive defenseman who is, as of the writing of this piece, leading all defensemen in scoring in the J20 Nationell with 21 points in 17 games, 13 of which are goals which is the third highest goal total of all skaters in the league. Last season, the highest goal total amongst defenders was 16 by Axel Sandin Pellikka and Rasmus Larsson, a mark that Fransen will likely surpass in the next week or two. He doesn’t have the most polished defensive game but he has an absolute rocket of a slap shot and I like his sense of timing offensively.
32. 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.
Honorable Mentions:
Anthony Cristoforo, RD, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Tij Iginla, LW/RW, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
Beckett Senecke, RW, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Veeti Vaisanan, LD, KooKoo (Liiga)
Liam Greentree, RW, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Alexander Zetterberg, C, Örebro HK J20 (J20 Nationell)
Zeev Buium, LD, University of Denver (NCAA)
Adam Jecho, RW, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
Maxim Velikov, LW/C, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)
Jakub Chromiak, RD, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
Karl Sterner, RW, Frölunda HC J20 (J20 Nationell)
Tomas Lavoie, RD, Cape Breton Eagles (QMJHL)
Yegor Surin, C/RW, Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)
Daniil Ustinkov, LD, ZSC Lions (NL)
Mac Swanson, LW, Fargo Force (USHL)
