Now that the draft lottery has come and gone and we know the draft order for the top-16 picks in the first round, as well as the winner of the first overall pick, I wanted to do a quick top-16 mock draft. Since many of the picks in the back-half of the first round are still up in the air, I’ll hold off on doing another full first round mock until the playoffs are over.
There have been quite a few changes in the scouting world since my last mock, with the U18 World Junior Championship being one of the biggest events on the draft year calendar. Some of the biggest name prospects in this year’s draft weren’t in attendance (Macklin Celebrini, Artyom Levshunov, etc.), but there were still plenty of exciting names competing in this year’s tournament, and several prospects did themselves some big favors.
Tij Iginla stands out as someone who was on the fringes of the top-16 conversation for the past few months before giving himself a real chance to go in the top-10 after showing his goal scoring and forechecking habits on the big stage.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft Guide
Unlike some years, it’s unlikely that many high-end prospects changed their draft position much at this year’s tournament, though some players have established themselves as being worthy of a first round pick such as Canadian centers Marek Vanacker and Cole Beaudoin, who both look like hard-working pivots who could comfortably project as NHL centers. Teddy Stiga was also phenomenal for Team USA, which should solidify him as a first round caliber talent.
Without further ado, let’s dive into a post-draft lottery mock draft!
1. San Jose Sharks: Macklin Celebrini, C, Boston University (NCAA)
The San Jose Sharks are the winners of the first overall pick in the 2024 Draft. They will certainly select Macklin Celebrini, a two-way center prospect who is the youngest ever winner of the Hobey Baker Award as the best player in college hockey. He isn’t going to single-handedly end their rebuild, but having him will solve a lot of issues that rebuilding teams often face.
Celebrini has stated that he’s comfortable returning to the NCAA next season if his NHL team wishes, and that could certainly be in play with the Sharks rather than parading him out to get shelled for 20 minutes a game next season in the NHL.
2. Chicago Blackhawks: Ivan Demidov, RW, SKA St. Petersburg (MHL)
With the second overall pick, the Chicago Blackhawks are going to need to take a big swing. Landing Celebrini and Bedard in back-to-back drafts was too much to ask for clearly, though the amount of talent available at this next pick is significant. They could go for a defender like Anton Silayev or Artyom Levshunov, but I’ve got them taking the player who I believe has the single highest offensive ceiling in the draft class, Ivan Demidov. Demidov’s game has some quirks, and he’s a little small by NHL standards, but nobody in this draft can handle the puck like him. He’s electric.
3. Anaheim Ducks: Artyom Levshunov, RD, Michigan State University (NCAA)
Artyom Levshunov has spent the past two seasons adjusting to the North American game and has done so admirably. He is a primarily offensive defender who has the size and mobility to become a more well-rounded two-way player. Levshunov has shown serious defensive growth over the past 18 months, and another year or two spent in the NCAA/AHL should help him hone his craft a bit. The Ducks aren’t in any rush to get him into the NHL considering youngsters like Olen Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov are NHL regulars already.
4. Columbus Blue Jackets: Cayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Cayden Lindstrom would have received a lot more attention this season if he hadn’t spent much of the year fighting through multiple injuries. Regardless, he has established himself as a modern power-forward with the strength and speed to bowl through opponents and the shot to be a threat from long range. Lindstrom would add some much needed speed and size to Columbus’ forward group as well. I also think it would be a good thing that there’s no expectation for him to be a top-line center with Adam Fantilli already in Columbus, so he could either excel as a second option or he could shift over to the wing.
5. Montreal Canadiens: Berkly Catton, C, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
Montreal Canadiens fans have heard lots of jokes about how the team could have drafted Logan Cooley first overall back in the 2022 Draft (though I think they’re more than happy with Juraj Slafkovsky), so why not go get a Cooley-type player of your own? Berkly Catton is a very well-rounded prospect, with the edgework and hockey sense to make a ton of successful plays in transition. Catton has a strong defensive game, at least against junior competition, wins tons of face-offs, and kills penalties really well. The only real gripe with him is his 5-foot-10 frame, but his skill set is too much for the Habs to pass up on here.
6. Utah Hockey Club: Anton Silayev, LD, Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
Just a year after selecting a big, Russian, defensive defenseman with the sixth overall pick, I have them going right back to that well with Anton Silayev. Here’s the thing though, Silayev is bigger than Dmitri Simashev, and is even better defensively. I’ve never seen a 6-foot-7 defenseman who can move like Silayev does and I am a believer in his offensive game, at least at the basic level.
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He doesn’t make a ton of dynamic passes or plays with the puck, but he makes smart moves and gets into position well. In an ideal world, he becomes a Zdeno Chara-type player who can absolutely smother opposing defences while providing some good first-pass offense.
7. Ottawa Senators: Carter Yakemchuk, RD, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
Something just feels right to me about Carter Yakemchuk landing with the Ottawa Senators but I just can’t place it. Is it that they don’t have a whole lot of talent in their prospect pool and he represents a home-run swing on talent? Maybe. Is it him becoming the first draft-eligible WHL defender to score 30 goals in a season in over 20 years? Maybe. Is it his large frame, penchant for violence and 120 penalty minutes in just over 60 games? Oh, I think I found it!
8. Seattle Kraken: Zeev Buium, LD, University of Denver (NCAA)
Zeev Buium is an incredibly gifted defenseman who makes good things happen constantly. His skating and deception are reminiscent of Quinn Hughes, faking and juking opposing forwards out of his path entirely. He is a remarkably skilled puck carrier, and makes difficult passes look trivial. Buium’s size was a slight factor against him, but he’s up to 6-feet now and has a smart defensive game so I think he’ll fit in very well in the NHL in the near future.
9. Calgary Flames: Sam Dickinson, LD, London Knights (OHL)
After moving several big pieces last season at the trade deadline, the Calgary Flames are looking ahead to their future. Tij Iginla is on the board here, and wouldn’t simply be a legacy pick based on his last name. However, I have the Flames taking a strong two-way defender in Sam Dickinson, who is one of the best skaters in the draft class. Dickinson has a ton of tools that scream long-term top-four defender, and his offensive game took a huge leap ahead this season. If he can maintain, or build upon, that offensive development, I could easily see Dickinson becoming a number one defender in Calgary.
10. New Jersey Devils: Tij Iginla, C/RW, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
Tij Iginla has established himself as one of the best prospects in the hockey world this year, just a season removed from being a frequent scratch in the WHL. Iginla was traded early on in his draft year to the Kelowna Rockets and has excelled ever since. He scored a remarkable 47 goals and proved himself as a hard-working forward that never gives up on a check. I can easily picture him scoring plenty of goals in the NHL next to Jack Hughes somewhere down the road.
11. Buffalo Sabres: Zayne Parekh, RD, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
With a massive amount of young forward talent, and a pair of left-handed first overall draft picks, I’ve got the Buffalo Sabres nabbing the best offensive defender in the draft at 11th overall. Zayne Parekh is the full package offensively, capable of creating offense at the blueline, off the rush, and as he attacks along the boards.
There are questions about his defensive game, but lining up next to someone like Owen Power would certainly help to mitigate any defensive warts and free him up to do what he does best, manufacture offense at an unbelievable rate.
12. Philadelphia Flyers: Beckett Sennecke, RW, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Beckett Sennecke has been a riser all season, and his play in the OHL playoffs has only served to launch him up draft boards even more. He’s a 6-foot-2 winger with incredible puck skills and an excellent shot, what’s not to love? I think he would be a nice complementary piece with Matvei Michkov eventually as well, with the elite puck skills and a lot more size and strength than the Russian phenom.
13. Minnesota Wild: Konsta Helenius, C, Jukurit (Liiga)
The Minnesota Wild have been searching for a future top-six center in the draft for so long now that it’s become a running joke in some draft circles. In this mock, I think they’ve finally got their guy in Konsta Helenius, a Finnish center who plays a really projectable pro game and scored a ton of points in the Finnish Liiga this season.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft Rankings – Horn’s Top 100 for April
Helenius plays a great defensive game and doesn’t make a ton of costly mistakes. A so-so U18s and questions about his ultimate offensive potential are the only things that could hold him back from being selected higher than this.
14. San Jose Sharks (via. Pittsburgh Penguins): Adam Jiricek, RD, Plzen (Czechia)
With the addition of Macklin Celebrini, the Sharks now have him, Will Smith, Quentin Musty, William Eklund, Filip Bydstedt, David Edstrom, and more in their future forward group, without a ton of high-end talent on the backend. I think they’ll do something to mitigate that this year with someone like Adam Jiricek, who was seen as a potential top-10 pick until he missed most of his draft year to an injury. Jiricek has the potential to be a high-end two-way defender much like his older brother David does with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
15. Detroit Red Wings: Cole Eiserman, LW, USA U18 (NTDP)
I’m not sold that Cole Eiserman will drop this far in the draft, but it does feel like a distinct possibility despite his ridiculous goal totals. Eiserman has been the most polarizing prospect this season bar-none, as a result of the questions around the completeness of his game. He can often get tunnel-vision when he has the puck, deciding to shoot before considering other options. Eiserman has an incredible shot, but he could absolutely learn to use his teammates better.
He is an elite goalscorer, and I mean that, but there are significant questions about his playmaking and defensive commitment that could prevent him from being a top pick. The Detroit Red Wings are in need of high-end goal scoring so I think they’d be thrilled to take a chance on Eiserman.
16. St. Louis Blues: Michael Hage, C, Chicago Steel (USHL)
In Michael Hage, the St. Louis Blues land one of the biggest late risers in this draft class. Hage was a highly touted prospect joining the Chicago Steel last season, but he missed the majority of the year due to injury. This season, his skill with the puck and shot have been on full display, and his draft stock has consistently risen as well. There’s some top-six potential here, and his skating/size are good enough that I expect he will be a good NHL center.
