The 2024 NHL Combine was one of the more interesting versions of the event in recent memory. Besides the intrigue of how the top-10 could play out later this month in Las Vegas, a few interesting questions were asked of some of the prospects.
Welcome to our annual emptying the NHL Combine Notebook piece. This is where we try to give you a sense of what it was like to be there and what some of the major storylines were. This will be a combination of news, quotes, opinion and some gut feelings after talking to people at the Combine as well as several of the prospects who completed the fitness testing.
Emptying the 2024 Combine Notebook
- The 2024 NHL Draft will not have any surprises when it comes to who the number-one pick will be. Macklin Celebrini looked and played the part all weekend. He’s well spoken and is going to be a major asset for the San Jose Sharks for many years to come. The one prevailing question seems to be where will he play next season? While he talked about the advantages of going back to school (very mature of him to speak on this by the way), the overwhelming feeling I got from people was that he would sign and play with the Sharks in 2024-25. It would be an upset if he returned to school. Let’s call it 95% in the NHL and 5% return to school. All parties will meet and decide at the appropriate time.
- A big theme at this Combine was the personality on some of these players. Celebrini showed it off when he was asked how disappointed he was that he wasn’t 6-feet tall. He’s 5-foot-11.75 according to the measurement at the Combine. Laughing, Celebrini said “Ah, so close.” He knows how to play to the crowd. Well done.
- You will notice another theme at the top. The fact that Ivan Demidov and Anton Silayev were not at the Combine will cast some doubt as to how the top of the draft will play out. The range of possibilities that exist involving these prospects makes it the top storyline of Las Vegas when we get there. It is not a slam dunk both go in the top-five, although it’s possible.
- The Chicago Blackhawks took top defensive prospect Artyom Levshunov out to dinner this week. It’s important to note that when a prospect meets with a team at the Combine, they get only 20 minutes thanks to how the schedule is made. Some teams therefore want and need more time. That’s why you’ll see some prospects go out to dinner. This allows the team more time and they get to see the prospect in that setting. How are they in that setting? Teams want to know as much as possible about the player and how they handle themselves in different situations. With that said, the overwhelming opinion is that Levshunov is the favorite to go second-overall to the Blackhawks. He said that was the only dinner he had with a team during the week.
- Levshunov is also very funny. He was asked what takeaways he had with his dinner with the Blackhawks. He said “it’s food, you guys” and we all laughed with him in the moment. Again the personalities were on display this week. It was nice to see the top prospects show themselves in this manner.
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- The Anaheim Ducks hold the third-overall pick. Should Levshunov go to the Blackhawks, many believe this is an ideal Demidov landing spot. I just wonder given that they traded Jamie Drysdale in the Cutter Gauthier deal that they look for a defenseman here. I asked native Californian Zeev Buium what he would think if the Ducks drafted him. He said it would be an honor and then laughed and said his brother would be jealous of him. Buium played roller hockey in California growing up. He also said some of his moves come from that experience in playing roller hockey. It would be a neat homecoming story should it happen. However there really isn’t much of a sense in what Pat Verbeek and staff are thinking with the third pick. Leo Carlsson over Adam Fantilli was just last season, so never say never.
- Then there are the Columbus Blue Jackets and the fourth pick. I came into the weekend thinking they’d love someone like Silayev on their blue line. They need a big, shutdown defender to join their other star defensive prospects. But there are some who believe Silayev might slip at the draft. I now come out of the Combine believing they have a chance to bolster center ice in a big way if they select Cayden Lindstrom. He had multiple dinners this week including with the Blue Jackets. He just said it was a getting to know him kind of dinner. He measured 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds on Saturday. He has declared himself good to go from a health standpoint. Plus with so many good defensemen available and one player in the mold of Lindstrom available, if he’s there at four, that’s where I believe the Blue Jackets will go. If it’s a forward, it’ll be Lindstrom. If it’s a defenseman, it will be Silayev. What do they have in common? They both have size.
- Beckett Sennecke confirmed to me he had dinner with the Blue Jackets this week. There are some who believe he’s the best winger available outside Demidov in this draft. He is recovering from injury and therefore didn’t test this week. He had a major growth spurt this season which has him shooting up draft boards. While 4OA seems like a major reach, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if he goes in the top-16. There is major interest in this player.
- One last note on the Blue Jackets. Former GM Jarmo Kekalainen was spotted sitting with Ville Siren and Trevor Timmins on Saturday. He is still helping the Blue Jackets from a scouting perspective. They had their training staff on the floor the entire day Saturday watching fitness testing results.
- Let’s transition to the infamous Combine questions. This year had some real doozies asked. Zayne Parekh shared that he was asked for his “Snapscore” and his “Uber rating.” Per the Atheltic’s Arpon Basu, the Uber rating question came from Utah. Parekh said his Uber rating was 4.92. When pressed why not a five, he laughed and said “that’s a great question.”
- The Colorado Avalanche played board games with prospects during interviews. One prospect shared it was a puck-slinging game. Teams are really trying to learn about prospects on the fly by presenting a unique situation with not much notice.
- The Nashville Predators asked an interesting question. If you were drafted into the war, would you be a sniper, a pilot or a medic? Very interesting.
- Another team asked prospects if they were a gambler, where would they draft themselves number wise? One prospect said “probably 58-62.” Gonna love a little honesty, right?
- The Montreal Canadiens asked which animal would you be and why. The most common animal I heard was some form of a whale. A couple prospects named animals stating they’d be “one of a kind.”
- I went around and asked some prospects if they were commissioner for a day, what rule change would you like to make. Most said they like it as it is. But I did get a few interesting responses. Among them, all high-sticking penalties are two minutes even if blood is drawn. They say there are high hits otherwise that could cause blood so why does high sticking have to be any different? Some prospects wanted icing eliminated while others wanted a full two-minute power play to score as often as possible.
- Several GM’s were at the Combine Saturday watching the fitness testing for themselves. Among those spotted were Mike Grier, Kyle Davidson, Bill Armstrong and Kyle Dubas.
- Berkly Catton should hear his name in the top-10. He measured 5-foot-10.25 and 175 pounds, bigger than some of his counterparts of draft’s past. Catton had 23 interviews this past week. Utah took him out to dinner.
- Tij Iginla is still just 17 years old. He doesn’t turn 18 until August 1. He’s already 6-feet and 190 pounds. Just imagine where he’ll be when he’s done growing. Draft him with confidence.
- Adam Jiricek did confirm he will be ready by training camp after having ACL surgery. He talks to brother David everyday and has helped him prepare for this draft. David still gets the best of Adam on the one timers though. Adam does not like that fact. “When he goes 10/10 and I go 9/10, I’m not in a good place.” Nothing like a good sibling rivalry.
- Speaking of Allan Walsh clients, Adam Jecho is going to make someone really happy. Being a 6-foot-5 center will do that.
- Liam Greentree is going to be a stud in Windsor upcoming. He had 25 interviews this week. Loved his answer to what did he learn about a tough season. He wants to help shape the culture of the Spitfires moving forward.
- Michael Brandsegg-Nygard is set to make NHL history. He is in line to become the first Norwegian player ever taken in the first round of the draft. He said he will play in the SHL next season and would come to North America after that.
- Besides Sennecke and Jiricek, Cole Hutson did not go through the fitness testing on Saturday. Word is he is recovering from injury.
- The Maple Leafs are hosting select prospects for their own event post Combine. This is allowed now that the Combine is over. This is another way teams can evaluate prospects in which the standard 20-minute interview is not enough.
- In the department of stuff you don’t see everyday, Stian Solberg shared a story. He became a defenseman when he was 14 and his teammate peed in a shower. The coach saw it and told him to take his place on defense. He’s expected to be a first or second-round pick.
- Trevor Connelly reportedly spoke to 21 teams this week. The on-ice talent is undeniable. But so is his past. He’s done work to show how remorseful he is. He will be the latest test in where someone gets drafted with a glaring mistake on his profile.
- Perhaps the most respectful prospect I spoke to this week: Niagara’s Kevin He. He stood up from his chair to shake my hand. It’s those little things that stand out that become memorable. He said that the Icedogs are very excited about their future given the young talent on the roster. Good for them. They need good things to happen. As for all the constant movement and trades, He says they just take things in stride and focus on who is there.
- Shoutout to my colleagues Peter Baracchini and Andrew Forbes. They were able to determine that the following players have spoken to the Maple Leafs this week: Cole Eiserman, Stian Solberg, Jack Pridham, Lucas Pettersson, EJ Emery and Andrew Basha. The Maple Leafs will pick 23rd overall in Las Vegas.
- The one prospect that stood out the most from the testing: EJ Emery. He’ll be a popular target as 30 teams spoke to him this week.
- Another Combine in the books. Buffalo as always does a great job hosting the event and making things as easy as possible for everyone. Just 19 days until the NHL Draft at the Sphere. Speaking of the Draft, there is a belief by some that we might not be done with centralized drafts despite how the vote went before. This will be something to watch over time if this gets revisited. But there is a desire to have everyone together in one place. There really is nothing quite like it.
