The 2024 NHL Entry Draft has come and gone. Over the two-day event from June 28-29 at The Sphere in Las Vegas, 225 players from around the world heard their names get called on the NHL’s biggest stage. They know where their rights will be held over the next few seasons, and the teams who drafted them are stockpiling the prospect cupboards, hoping some, if not all, of their selections are home runs. The Carolina Hurricanes had 10 picks over the event, all on Day 2 after trading their 27th overall pick to the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night (June 28). General Manager Eric Tulsky and his staff kept themselves busy by trading back a few times during the draft to collect picks throughout the day.
Related: Busy Day 2 Ahead for Hurricanes at 2024 NHL Entry Draft
When it was all said and done, they managed to draft six Russians, two Swedish, one Czech, and one Canadian player as Rounds 2-7 went on during the Saturday of the draft. Grading players the day they get drafted is tough, and it generally takes four to six years to figure out how they pan out. Despite the draft grades on each team and their prospects, this will mainly just recap who the Hurricanes selected throughout the draft. Without further ado, who are calling themselves Carolina Hurricanes prospects after the 2024 NHL Draft?
Fresh Faces in Raleighwood
Round 2, 34th Overall – Dominik Badinka, RHD, Malmo (Sweden)
After trading the 27th overall pick the night before to the Blackhawks, the Hurricanes selected right defenseman Dominik Badinka of the Malmo Redhawks of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). The Chomutov, Czechia native tallied one goal and four points in 33 SHL games with Malmo during the 2023-24 season. Badinka was one of three defensemen aged 19 or younger to earn a point in the SHL last season. He represented Czechia internationally and posted two assists in five games at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. The 18-year-old puck-moving defenseman was ranked 14th among International Skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Related: Carolina Hurricanes Draft Dominik Badinka 34th Overall
When asked about Badinka, Assistant General Manager Darren Yorke stated, “He’s 18 years old and playing in a hard league. He has the ability to play fast and to really end plays off the rush. I think that’s something that when you look at the way the game is played and how we want to play, you’ve got to be able to play fast and play defensively. His length and his mobility that he’s able to play with against men, and the way he shuts it down is impressive. His puck-moving game, his transition, and his ability to play in the defensive zone and quickly get the puck up is something he excels at doing. I’m really excited to get that type of player.”
Badinka plans on playing for Malmo in the SHL during the 2024-25 season.
Round 2, 50th Overall – Nikita Artamonov, LW, Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
The other pick that the Hurricanes acquired for the 27th overall pick was the 50th pick from the Blackhawks. Ultimately, they selected left-winger Nikita Artamonov of Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the KHL. The native of Nizhnekamsk, Russia, finished the 2023-24 season at Torpedo with seven goals and 23 points in 54 games. He was projected for the first round but fell to the 50th overall pick, where the Hurricanes were more than happy to snap him up. When he debuted with Torpedo in 2022-23, he had 0.42 points per game, which tied for the sixth-highest scoring rate in KHL history before turning 19. Artamonov was ranked 19th among International Skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Related: Carolina Hurricanes Draft Nikita Artamonov 50th Overall
Yorke stated when talking about Artamonov, “He’s playing in a very good league, and it’s very challenging to produce the way he did. You have this incredibly energy-driven player who can play a bunch of different styles. He can play a bunch of different styles. He can get in on the forecheck; he can go and make plays. Look at how we play and how aggressive we play, that’s a style that fits incredibly well. Then you add his skill level on top of it, and it was great for us that we were able to pick up a talented player who also likes to play hard and fast.”
He expects to play with Torpedo in the KHL for the 2024-25 season.
Round 3, 69th Overall – Noel Fransen, LHD, Farjestad Jr. (Sweden Jr.)
Initially, Carolina had the 60th overall pick but traded it to the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 69th and 133rd overall picks. When they got to the 69th overall pick, they selected defenseman Noel Fransen of Farjestad BK J20 of the J20 Swedish League. The Karlstad, Sweden native tallied 20 goals and 44 points in 45 games for Farjestad’s junior team during the 2023-24 season. He finished the season ranked first in goals and points and fifth in assists among all defensemen in the junior league. The puck-moving defenseman has a scoring touch that the Hurricanes would love to see grow over time. Fransen even played four games for the SHL side and scored a goal in his SHL debut against MoDo on Dec. 19. He was ranked 48th overall among International Skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Yorke said about Fransen, “Noel’s a player who maybe doesn’t get the recognition that he deserved because he didn’t make some of the international teams. He’s an incredibly offensively gifted player. He’s able to do almost whatever he wanted when he was playing in the Swedish junior league, whether it’s skate around guys, skate through guys, skate underneath them with the skill, or even score from the blue line. At the same point, he’s still able to defend. He’s a really highly offensive player, but that’s not to take away from some of the defensive style of his game.”
He is expected to rejoin with Farjestad for the 2024-25 season.
Round 4, 124th Overall – Alexander Siryatsky, LHD, Magnitogorsk Jr. (Russia Jr.)
The first pick in the draft that the Hurricanes initially owned and didn’t trade away was the 142nd overall selection in Round 4. They selected defenseman Alexander Siryatsky of Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk in the MHL. He went on to tally five goals and 19 points in 36 games in the top Russian junior league. The Omsk, Russia native will definitely need to bulk up over the next few seasons, being under 160 pounds for a defenseman. The 17-year-old takes pride in his hockey IQ and is looking to become a full-time KHL player in the fall. He was ranked 66th among International Skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Yorke stated on Siryatsky, “The development that he had over the last 12 months is incredible. He came on playing in the MHL and then going on and playing through all the Russian leagues; he started to add more offensive elements to his game. He’s a guy who on the offensive zone blue line, he is able to create space, whether it’s with his mobility or with his hands. It’s not something you always see from younger defensemen who have to play against men. The higher-end offensive thinking that he’s shown has been great.”
He is expected to play with Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk for the 2024-25 season.
Round 5, 133rd Overall – Oskar Vuollet, LW, Skelleftea Jr. (Sweden Jr.)
The second of two picks that the Hurricanes got in the trade for the 60th overall pick from the Blue Jackets came at the 133rd overall pick in round five. They selected left-winger Oskar Vuollet of Skelleftea AIK J20 of the J20 Swedish League. The Skelleftea, Sweden native, was voted the Best Forward in Sweden’s top junior league last season. He tallied 29 goals and 61 points in 41 games. Furthermore, he finished second in goals and tied fifth in points among all league skaters in the 2023-24 season. Vuollet even played 15 games for the main Skelleftea team in the SHL despite finishing with zero points. However, it was enough to impress the Hurricanes scouts and front office. Vuollet was ranked 90th among International Skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
When talking about the impressive Vuollet, Yorke stated, “Maybe a little underappreciated for what he’s accomplished. For two years in a row, all he’s done is produce at the junior level. Then he gets called up for 15 games toward the end of the year and plays the exact same way against men. He’s an incredibly smart player. He’s been able to play fast offensively, whether it’s been skating with the puck, 1-on-1 skills, moving the puck, being able to move with the puck, playing a give-and-go game. Put him on the power play and he can run your half-wall and still be a dual threat. He’s a really high-end offensive player who was able to do what he did at the junior level and show it against men, even if he didn’t have the same production.”
He is expected to play with either Skelleftea J20 or the main Skelleftea AIK team for the 2024-25 season.
Round 5, 156th Overall – Justin Poirier, RW, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)
The lone Canadian selected in the Hurricanes’ draft was right-winger Justin Poirier of Baie-Comeau Drakkar in the QMJHL. The 17-year-old Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec native, had himself a 2023-24 season. Poirier tallied 51 goals and 82 points in 68 regular-season games, adding 18 goals and 27 points in 17 postseason games. He is one of the most prolific scorers that Carolina drafted. The season saw him reach some benchmarks as he became the first 17-year-old to reach the 50-goal mark in the QMJHL since Sidney Crosby. Plus, he became the first QMJHL skater in 10 years to lead the league in goals during the regular season and playoffs. Poirier is considered someone with a hard shot who can snipe the puck at will on the net. He was ranked 82nd among North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Yorke stated while talking about Poirier, “Goal-scorer. There are very few people who have scored as many goals as he had over the last two years in the CHL during their draft years. He was probably a little undervalued, unfortunately, because he’s not very tall, but all he does is score. It really doesn’t matter the games that he’s playing against bigger players, didn’t matter. He just scores. It’s an incredible shot. He’s able to find open space, and he does not need much room. If you want to watch some of the goals he scored, he’s able to sneak some of these shots in right underneath the bar. He’s somehow able to find the top corner of the net. He’s a high-end goal-scorer.”
As of right now, it is not certain what Poirier’s next season will bring, whether he will return to the QMJHL, or what the Hurricanes will want him to do for the 2024-25 season.
Round 6, 168th Overall – Timur Kol, LHD, Omsk Jr. (Russia Jr.)
The Hurricanes went back to selecting Russian defensemen as they selected Timor Kol with the 168th overall pick. Tol was mainly with Omskie Krylia of the VHL for the 2023-24 season. The Moscow, Russia native tallied five goals and eight points in 23 games, along with two goals and eight points in 14 MHL games with Omskie Yastreby. Kol was ranked 36th among International Skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Yorke said about Kol, “He’s great defensively, similar to how we were describing Badinka. You have to be able to play fast and defend fast, and being able to do that is what he’s done this season. It’s pretty special.”
He is expected to play with SKA-1946 St. Petersburg of the MHL for the 2024-25 season.
Round 6, 184th Overall – Roman Shokhrin, LHD, Loko-76 Yaroslavl (Russia Jr.)
Carolina kept on the Russian train in the sixth round with another defenseman from the MHL, Roman Shokhrin. The Nizhny Novgorod, Russia native, tallied two goals and 14 points in 36 MHL games with Loko-76 Yaroslavl during the 2023-24 season. He was ranked 39th overall among International Skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Yorke stated about Shokhrin, “He’s an incredibly gifted skater. He’s got great mobility. Even though they have to play on the bigger ice he’s showed his ability to defend versus the rush. He’s probably got a bit more offensive game to him [than Timur Kol]. We want him to use those edges and be able to open up space. His ability to create has been pretty good.”
He is expected to rejoin Loko-76 Yaroslavl for the 2024-25 season in the MHL.
Round 6, 188th Overall – Fyodor Avramov, LW, Stupino Jr. (Russia Jr.)
On their third of four straight Russian-drafted players, the Hurricanes selected left-winger Fyodor Avramov of Kapitan Stupino. The St. Petersburg, Russia native tallied 23 goals and 44 points in 49 MHL games during the 2023-24 season. Avramov led his team in goals, assists, and points for the season. At one point in the season, he went on a 14-game point streak from Dec. 10 to Jan. 27. Avramov is a big and physical 20-goal scorer with a lot of raw offensive potential early on in his career and ranked 53rd among International Skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Yorke stated about Avramov, “He can shoot. He has a massive shot that he’s able to get off and to beat goalies from distance. Then you put him in one-on-one space; he has those skills to make guys miss. His size is really valuable. We hope to develop the rest of his game, but from an offensive standpoint, his game is pretty high-end.”
He is expected to rejoin Kapitan Stupino for the 2024-25 season in the MHL.
Round 7, 220th Overall – Andrey Krutov, LW, Nizhny Novgorod Jr. (Russia Jr.)
The final pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft for the Hurricanes was their fourth-straight Russian, left-winger Andrey Krutov of Chaika Nizhny Novgorod in the MHL. The Togliatti, Russia, native tallied 21 goals and 50 points in 41 games. Krutov led the team in points while ranking second in both goals and assists for the 2023-24 season. After a stellar regular season, he added seven goals and 10 points in 14 playoff games. He is seen as a creative spark up front with the ability to have good playmaking and vision to go along with his creativity. Krutov was ranked 97th among International Skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
On their last draft pick in Krutov, Yorke stated, “A really high-quality offensive thinker. It’s hard to say whether he’s a better shooter or a playmaker, but he’s able to see everything and make guys around him better. He’s got to get a little quicker, but the value of how he sees the ice and the ability he has to make others around him better is probably his best asset.”
He is expected to rejoin Chaika Nizhny Novgorod for the 2024-25 season in the MHL.
Final Thoughts
The Hurricanes had a busy 2024 NHL Draft as they traded picks with the Blackhawks and the Blue Jackets to acquire more draft picks over the two days. They had an even split of five forwards and five defensemen over the 10 picks on Day 2 of the draft. Carolina selected six Russians, two Swedes, one Czech, and one Canadian, all with different skill sets, and the team hopes to grow over the next few seasons. It’ll be interesting to keep an eye on the development of these players as the years go by.
Now, all eyes turn to the free agency period and re-sign phase, which begins on Monday, July 1. Teams have one day to travel back to their respective cities and get a breather before the next big event starts on the NHL schedule. Do not expect it to slow down over the next couple of weeks, so make sure to strap in as the wild ride continues for the NHL offseason that isn’t a week past Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
