Predicting the first 32 picks – Sportsnet.ca

The final in-person NHL draft is set for this Friday and Saturday at the Sphere in Las Vegas. It’s an exciting time of year for teams, prospects and their families.

One of my fondest draft memories occurred in 2019 in Vancouver when my youngest son, Kaden, was our runner for the Florida Panthers. Draft runners are responsible for keeping the snack basket full, the coffee cups topped up with fresh java, and most importantly joining the staff on stage to present the club’s first pick with his team hat and jersey.

The runner was a unique part of what the league does well. I will also miss the interactions the scouting fraternity has with each other on the draft floor, the stress and anticipation that comes over everyone in the building when a trade is announced, and especially the excitement bellowing from the stands when a player is selected.

I’ve recently published my final draft rankings, which is 70 names long. It’s now time to take my best guess on which players the NHL teams could be targeting in the first round.

With that, here’s my 2024 mock draft:

Note: I have not included any pick trades in this exercise, but I have a strong belief there will be some movement in the first-round on Friday.

No. 1 San Jose Sharks: Macklin Celebrini, F, Boston University (NCAA)
Height: 6-feet Weight: 190 pounds

Celebrini is the consensus top pick and the Sharks aren’t going off script with this selection. Celebrini will bring a combination of skill and will to the Bay Area. He’s a relentless competitor who doesn’t cheat to generate offence. He’s responsible in all three zones in addition to this elite skill set on offence.

No. 2 Chicago Blackhawks: Ivan Demidov, F, SKA St. Petersburg (MHL)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 181 pounds

Years ago, the Hawks drafted two cornerstone forwards in Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. They went on to make history in Chicago. Having Demidov and Connor Bedard on the roster is an exciting thought. Demidov is a threat off the rush. He’s aggressive taking the play to the net. The fact he also displays a willingness to battle below the goal line, and along the wall, makes him even more attractive as a prospect.

No. 3 Anaheim Ducks: Artyom Levshunov, D, Michigan State (NCAA)
Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 205 pounds

Anaheim traded right-shot defenceman Jamie Drysdale to the Philadelphia Flyers as part of the deal to acquire forward prospect Cutter Gauthier last January. The Ducks are flush with defence prospects, but adding Levshunov, who’s also a right shot, delivers a future two-way, transitional defenceman and potential power play quarterback to their organization.

No. 4 Columbus Blue Jackets: Cayden Lindstrom, F, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 213 pounds

Don Waddell is fresh on the scene in Columbus and he’s flanked by a former Blue Jacket star in Rick Nash who will likely, someday, be named GM of the franchise. It seems like he’s being groomed for the position if he wants it. Lindstrom seems like a pick that Nash would have his fingerprints on. He’s big (6-foot-3, 213 pounds), plays with pace, rips pucks from all angles, and pushes back physically.

No. 5 Montreal Canadiens: Beckett Sennecke, F, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 182 pounds

With Lindstrom off the board, but other excellent options remaining at the forward position, I could see Montreal trading back to still get a player they desire with their first pick. If all goes to plan, I see the Habs adding the size and scoring they are looking for by selecting Sennecke.

No. 6 Utah Hockey Club: Sam Dickinson, D, London Knights (OHL)
Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 203 pounds

Utah, formerly Arizona, values size and skill and have a ton of prospects on the horizon. Adding Dickinson to the fold ticks off several boxes. Dickinson brings the size they value and the skill set to produce offence and quarterback the power play.

No. 7 Ottawa Senators: Zayne Parekh, D, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
Height: 6-feet Weight: 178 pounds

Parekh’s style of play has been compared to a young Erik Karlsson. Ottawa adding Parekh provides the team a future play driver and power play quarterback. He’s fun to watch, but his style definitely comes with a risk/reward element, which is eerily similar to the way Karlsson has always approached the game.

No. 8 Seattle Kraken: Berkly Catton, F, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 163 pounds

Seattle would have seen Catton play live more than most NHL clubs because they are closest to Spokane. The Kraken are searching for offence and Catton fits the bill, producing 54G-62A in the WHL last season. Catton isn’t a big body, but he should top out around 185 pounds as he matures physically. His size isn’t an issue and his skill is too good to ignore.

No. 9 Calgary Flames: Tij Iginla, F, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
Height: 6-foot Weight: 185 pounds

If Iginla is available Calgary will be selecting the son of former Flames star Jarome. It would be exciting for the organization, and especially their fans, to witness another Iginla joining the franchise. Iginla’s a big game player. He produces offence in high leverage scenarios. His shot and goal scoring stands out, but I appreciate the way he manages the game. His hockey sense, combined with consistent compete, is outstanding.

No. 10 New Jersey Devils: Anton Silayev, D, Torpedo (KHL)
Height: 6-foot-7 Weight: 211 pounds

New Jersey’s pretty set on defence for the foreseeable future, with Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec on their NHL roster. I also really like the upside of right-shot defenceman Seamus Casey as well. But Silayev is a unicorn. There hasn’t been a prospect like him come along in several years. He has the size of Zdeno Chara, but skates like Jay Bouwmeester. Silayev is a defensive defenceman who will complement players like Hughes and Nemec in the future.

No. 11 Buffalo Sabres: Jett Luchanko, C, Guelph Storm (OHL)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight 170 pounds

The Sabres have a three-headed monster on their back end with defencemen Owen Power, Bowen Byram, and Rasmus Dahlin on the roster. I was splitting hairs considering drafting a defenceman with this selection, but it came down to the fact I couldn’t identify a player like Luchanko in the Sabres system. He’s Nick Suzuki like.

No. 12 Philadelphia Flyers: Zeev Buium, D, Denver (NCAA)
Height: 6-foot Weight: 186 pounds

I have Buium much higher on my personal list. Philadelphia gets an uber-competitive two-way defenceman who led the entire NCAA in defenceman scoring as a freshman (11G-39A). He won gold playing for Team USA at the World Junior Championships in Sweden and won an NCAA National Championship at Denver. Buium is reliable in all situations, plays fast, and never backs down from a challenge.

No. 13 Minnesota Wild: Carter Yakemchuk, D, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 202 pounds

Yakemchuk’s combination of size, skill, and physical push back lands him in Minnesota. A big right-shot defender, he scored 30 goals, is a threat off the rush and hard to play against. That type of package is hard to find.

No. 14 San Jose Sharks (via Pittsburgh): Cole Eiserman, F, USNTDP
Height: 6-feet Weight: 197 pounds

Eiserman is arguably the best pure shooter in the entire draft class. I have concerns about his defensive effort and awareness, but scoring goals is hard to do and he definitely delivers. The Sharks’ development staff will coach Eiserman to play with more detail. I’m envisioning Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith and Eiserman on the San Jose’s power play in the future.

No. 15 Detroit Red Wings: Stian Solberg, D, Valerenga (Norway)
Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 201 pounds

At the 2019 draft in Vancouver the Wings surprised some people by selecting defenceman Moritz Seider sixth overall. It feels like Detroit has been plugging holes on defence with veterans, so I’m envisioning Steve Yzerman stepping to the podium to select Solberg. He has been playing in Norway’s top pro league and is coming off a very productive men’s world championships. The two-way defenceman is scratching the surface of his offensive potential while defending with purpose.

No. 16 St. Louis Blues: Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, F, Mora (Allsvenskan)
Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 207 pounds

Brandsegg-Nygard had a very productive second half of the season and followed it up by being the leading goal scorer for Norway at the men’s worlds. Brandsegg-Nygard is quick out of the blocks and a threat to shoot the puck in motion off the rush. He’s sturdy/strong and his defensive detail has gone to another level as well.

No. 17 Washington Capitals: Konsta Helenius, F, Jukurit (Liiga)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 189 pounds

The Caps add speedster Helenius to their forward group. He’s the kind of forward who leads zone entries on the power play breakout, generally drives play in all situations, and makes the majority of his plays from the perimeter in the offensive zone. Helenius contributed 14G-22A playing in Finland’s top pro league (Liiga) and his coach at Jukurit is former NHL forward Olli Jokinen.

No. 18 Chicago Blackhawks (via NY Islanders): Yegor Surin, F, Yaroslavl (KHL-MHL)
Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 176 pounds

I was caught off guard when the Hawks and New York Islanders were involved in the following pre-draft trade:

Chicago clearly have targeted a player who they believe will be comfortably available at 18 and I believe it could be Russian forward Yegor Surin. Surin brings a combination of skill and push back. He has the potential to provide top six offence while keeping opponents honest with his physicality. He’s hard to play against and will complement the other skill players the Hawks have on the horizon.

No. 19 Vegas Golden Knights: Liam Greentree, F, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 215 pounds

The Golden Knights value a combination of skill and size on their roster, so adding Greentree fits their team building strategy. Greentree’s junior team is in the midst of a reset, and failed to qualify for the OHL playoffs, but the power forward still managed to produce 36G-54A in the regular season.

No. 20 New York Islanders (via Tampa Bay): Sacha Boisvert, F, Muskegon (USHL)
Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 183 pounds

One thing that’s predictable about the New York Islanders is they are unpredictable when it comes to forecasting who they value at the draft table. Boisvert has the potential to arrive at the NHL level when long-time Islanders forward Brock Nelson ages out of the organization. Boisvert is a sizeable scoring forward, producing 36G-32A for Muskegon this past season. He leans shooter more than playmaker, but I noticed an uptick in his creativity and pace off the rush in the second half of the season viewings.

No. 21 Los Angeles Kings: Michael Hage, F, Chicago Steel (USHL)
Height: 6-feet Weight: 188 pounds

Hage had a huge year offensively for the Steel, producing 33G-42A in 54 games and adding 2G-2A in four playoff contests. Hage is a threat off the rush and possesses high end hockey sense in the offensive zone. Like many prospects, he has work to do defensively but he has time on his side. Hage will eventually end up at the University of Michigan. His scoring element is too good to pass by at this stage of the first round.

No. 22 Nashville Predators: Terik Parascak, F, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 179 pounds

The Predators value character and relentless compete with their prospects. The group, led by Jeff Kealty, has provided a solid pipeline of prospects for several years. GM Barry Trotz has been quoted as saying he wants his team to create more offence and push the play. Parascak ticks off all the boxes for Nashville. He has fantastic character, makes plays, competes and consistently creates offence. Parascak produced 43G-62A in the regular season and followed it up with 6G-8A in 12 playoff games.

No. 23 Toronto Maple Leafs: Marek Vanacker, LW, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
Height: 6-foot Weight: 178 pounds

Vanacker developed into one of the top offensive threats in the OHL this season, but what I appreciate about him is that he provides more than just offence. He has the hockey sense and compete to be used in all situations. Vanacker plays with pace and has a fantastic release in scoring areas. Pucks are on and off his stick in a flash. He produced 36G-46A in the regular season and 3G-4A in six playoff games. Vanacker underwent off-season shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum, but will be ready to go in the fall. His statistics are even more impressive given the fact he played through the injury the entire season.

No. 24 Colorado Avalanche: Andrew Basha, F, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 185 pounds

Basha is one of my favourite players in the draft class. I always appreciate prospects who empty the tank every time their number is called. Basha plays with pace, relentless compete, can be deployed in all situations and produces offence. He can be thrust into a checking role or tapped for a spot on the top power play unit.

No. 25 Boston Bruins: Cole Hutson, D, USNTDP
Height: 5-foot-10 Weight: 165 pounds

Hutson is a dynamic offensive defenceman who’s elusive making plays on the offensive blue line and a potential future power play quarterback at the NHL level. Hutson makes up for his lack of size with anticipation and jump to kill plays in the defensive zone. What he provides offensively cannot be coached up. It’s a natural skill set. Hutson will be attending nearby Boston University this fall so the Bruins will keep close tabs on his progress.

No. 26 Montreal Canadiens (via Winnipeg): Igor Chernyshov, F, Dynamo Moscow (KHL-MHL)
Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 198 pounds

Montreal associate scouting director Nik Bobrov is dialled into Russian players and his contacts there run deep. Chernyshov is one of the best players available on the board at this stage of the draft and Montreal has time to wait on the prospect. He’s a big, rangy, skilled forward who sees the ice very well. Chernyshov exposes holes and finds quiet ice in the offensive zone very well.

No. 27 Carolina Hurricanes: Trevor Connelly, F, Tri-City Storm (USHL)
Height: 6-feet Weight: 160 pounds

Connelly has the talent to be selected before this slot, but his off-ice issues drove down his draft stock this season. He’s been working off the ice to improve his image and better understand the depth of his poor decisions. Connelly is a top 15 talent in this draft class. He’s an elusive, albeit light, offensive talent. He reminds me in many ways of Kyle Connor at the same age.

No. 28 Calgary Flames (via Vancouver): Adam Jiricek, D, Plzen HC (Czech)
Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 178 pounds

I don’t have access to Jiricek’s medical report, but all NHL clubs will request it ahead of selecting him in the draft. Jiricek missed the second half of the season due to a knee injury he suffered at the WJC in Sweden. A right-shot defenceman, Jiricek manages the game very well with the puck on his stick. He leans distributor more than shooter, but he does have the vision to slip behind checks and direct pucks on net. He wasn’t having a stellar season before his injury, but his body of work over the course of the past couple years provides me confidence to project him as a two-way NHL defenceman who can be used in all situations.

No. 29 Dallas Stars: Leo Sahlin-Wallenius, D, Vaxjo U20 (Sweden)
Height: 6-foot Weight: 180 pounds

The Stars add a two-way, transitional defenceman here in Wallenius. He’s an outstanding skater. Dallas has some fantastic pieces on the horizon and Wallenius will eventually provide a second layer of distribution and offence behind players like Miro Heiskanen.

No. 30 New York Rangers: Julius Miettinen, C, Everett Silvertips (WHL)
Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 201 pounds

Miettinen would provide a layer of power and goal scoring upside to the Rangers organization. He has a  powerful frame and the ability to play both the middle and the wing. Miettinen leans shooter more than distributor, but his size and length help him extend plays and makes him difficult to check in the trenches. Miettinen produced 31G-36A in the regular season.

No. 31 Anaheim Ducks (via Edmonton): Nikita Artamonov, F, Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 187 pounds

Artamonov is a crafty scoring forward. He has a stocky frame that provides plenty of core strength, and he has the confidence to take pucks to the middle of the ice to create high danger scoring chances. Artamonov isn’t a burner in open ice. He’s an average-plus skater. He makes up for his lack of dart and dash with his hockey sense and deceptive release. He catches opponents off guard with the way he directs plays on net. The seven goals and 16 assists he produced in the KHL are impressive for a young player at that level.

No. 32 Philadelphia Flyers (via Florida): Teddy Stiga, F, USNTDP
Height: 5-foot-10 Weight: 176 pounds

The Flyers acquired this pick from the Florida Panthers in March of 2022:

At the end of the day Philadelphia has to be very pleased with the return from this trade. Adding energetic forward Teddy Stiga to the organization would provide the Flyers with added forward depth. Stiga produces offence (36G-43A) and had a fantastic showing at the U18 world championships (6G-5A) showing complete effort the full 200 feet. Stiga was a plus-47 in games leading into the worlds. He was an incredible plus-15 in seven games played at the U18s. He competes and plays fast, the way the Flyers are trying to preach to their team.

It’s always interesting to look back on a transaction and follow the results. In this scenario Florida didn’t end up with any leftover assets from this specific trade. Giroux ended up being a rental in 2022 and eventually signed in Ottawa.

Meanwhile, the Flyers have goal scorer Owen Tippett, who’s trending towards being a 35-plus goal scorer, energetic forward Denver Barkey and potentially a player like Stiga on the horizon as a result of the trade.