Charlie Elick – 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

by

Charlie Elick

2023-24 Team: Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
Date of Birth: Jan. 17, 2006
Place of Birth: Calgary, AB, CAN
Ht: 6-foot-3, Wt: 200 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Defence
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2024 first-year eligible

Rankings

Charlie Elick is a reliable presence on the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Wheat Kings defence. He can push opposing attackers to the outside during the rush and then punish them with big hits and hard-fought puck battles along the boards. Elick uses his size advantage to lean on opponents along the boards, pinning them and giving him an edge in recovering and handling the puck. He is fearless in absorbing hits to make plays on puck recoveries below the goal line, always looking to make the simple, safe play.

Charlie Elick Brandon Wheat Kings
Charlie Elick, Brandon Wheat Kings (Photo Credit: Rick Elvin)

Elick is an excellent defender in front of the net. He has a significant presence and knows how to tie up sticks and push players out of his goalie’s sightlines. He prefers to defend the front of the net – it almost seems like his home base. When he needs to win a puck battle in the corner or protect an open shooter at the faceoff dot, he can do it effortlessly and then quickly return to the net front to ensure it is clear.

Elick tends to play a conservative game, except when throwing hits. He can be very aggressive in that aspect. However, sometimes, he tries to chase a big hit, which makes him vulnerable to being beaten. In one particular play, he attempted a big hit in the neutral zone, but the opposing player slipped past him. Elick hit the boards, leaving the attacker open with a two-on-one. Although it resulted in a good chance, they did not score.

Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide

On the penalty kill, Elick can be an unstoppable force. He expertly defends the rush with his stick and delivers massive hits on opponents. His positioning is sound as he blocks shots and quickly clears the puck whenever it is on his stick. In the offensive zone, he showcases his skill by making impressive plays from the blue line, looking to hit seams across the ice. He is also quite effective at getting his shot on net, ensuring it is low to create a rebound.

Erlick has four goals and a career-high 27 points in his third year with the Wheat Kings. He is tenth in team scoring but third among defensemen. He continues to grow his offensive game, and with players like Brett Hyland and Nate Danielson, he helped the team finish sixth in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, the Wheat Kings were not strong enough to hold back the Moose Jaw Warriors and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs with a 4-0 series loss. In four games, Elick had 10 shots on goal and three assists, tied for most assists and points by a defenceman on the team.

Other Draft Profiles

Charlie Elick Draft Projection 

Elick’s defence, gap-closing tools, and being mobile for his size have helped Elick move up in many mock draft rankings, but his current offensive game has also hurt his stock. He has the potential to grow his offence, but it is uncertain whether he will develop and master both sides of the puck. With defencemen like Artyom Levshunov, Sam Dickinson, and Zayne Parekh potentially leading the defencemen class, expect Elick to be a late first-round pick or a potentially early second; if he falls later, many teams might want to scoop him up.

Quotables

“Elick is one of the best skaters in this draft class and doesn’t need to put much effort to get up to full speed. The fact he can do that at 6-foot-3? Awesome. His puck-play brings him down a bit, though. Elick isn’t much of a puck-mover and needs to clean up his passing before he turns pro, but he’s got a good base to be a solid value pick in the first round.” – Steven Ellis, DailyFaceoff

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“He’s got a good stick and feet defending the rush, but can also step up and lay the body, which he does with force (he’s one of the hardest-hitting players in the draft, regularly driving through players to sit them down along the wall, and occasionally even leaving his feet). He’s also a really strong skater moving forward, which he’s using to be more involved in the rush this year.” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic

“He uses his skating ability to close gaps and deny the defensive blueline, as well as using his strength and athleticism to box-out the netfront, win battles below the goal-line, and crush the opposition with body checks. Though his offensive game is coming along and still might not translate to higher levels even if refined, it would not be a surprise to see a player of this profile come off the board even earlier.” – Luke Sweeney, Dobberprospects

Strengths

  • Physicality
  • Size
  • Skating
  • Defence

Under Construction – Improvements to Make

  • Puck Movement
  • Shooting
  • Offensive IQ

NHL Potential

Fully utilizing his size, skating ability, and defensive nature, Elick could become that reliable defenseman we see in the NHL. Every team would love a top-four blueliner who can carry their defensive responsibilities while having the size to play physically and not force them to be the primary puck-mover on the line. A top-four pairing is easily attainable for Elick if he continues to develop his game further.

Awards/Achievements

  • 2021-2022 CSSHL U18 Top Freshman
  • 2023-2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Gold Medal

Interviews/Links

Videos