2024 Entry Draft

[Ilunga]

11 hours ago, Diamonds said:

I'm surprised they have Eiserman all the way down at 5. I think he's going to be challenging Celebrini for 1st overall.

 

This is a way early mock that does put some names together.

 

I will start thinking about rankings in January myself.

Prospects need more games terms under their belts.

 

[Hammertime]

Sebastian Soini 6'2 rhd may be a player of interest. He's bounced around a lot so far between Liiga, J20, Mestis. Moves quite well makes a good first pass. He will be worth checking up on as a potential late round steal. 

Edited November 17, 2023 by Hammertime

[Blitz-Pix]

Early "Top 10" draft ranking evaluation. 

 

Sam Cosentino, published his November draft rankings. It’s an interesting group. Macklin Celebrini, in my opinion, is far and away the top-rated prospect. But I’m expecting a ton of movement in the rankings below him in the coming weeks and months.

 

Here’s a bit more of a deep dive into Sam’s top 10:

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No. 1 Macklin Celebrini, Boston University (Hockey East)

Top ranked player for 2024 NHL Draft who is equal parts play driver and shooter.

Sets up on his weak side flank on the PP. Quick catch and release. One times pucks with accuracy and authority.

Competes in all three zones. Works hard on and off the puck. Can be trusted in a variety of roles.

Tied for the lead in NCAA scoring despite playing fewer games than others. Celebrini has eight goals and 10 assists in nine games. He's averaging over 20 minutes of ice time per game, the bulk of which comes at even strength and PP1.

An elite talent who plays quick and fast. Similar trajectory to Columbus' Adam Fantilli.

 

No. 2 Cole Eiserman, LW: USNTDP

Eiserman is a pure goal scorer with a “shoot first and ask questions later” approach. He is on pace to score 1.5 goals per game this season. In the most recently completed Five Nations tournament in Finland he scored three goals and three assists in four games. Don’t be misled, however. His assists tend to come off rebounds when he has directed pucks on goal more than from him pulling up and looking to distribute. I absolutely love his offensive upside, but his attention to detail defensively is a concern more than it should be. He’s cutting corners, hoping pucks get turned over so he can go on the offensive, rather than digging deep on and off the play in the defensive zone. Eiserman is the kind of player who has to play in the top six forward group. There’s no question he has the skill to be a potential top line NHL scorer.

You can’t teach offence and defensive commitment is a choice.

 

No. 3 Ivan Demidov, RW: SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)

Demidov is dealing with a knee injury that he sustained in October. When healthy, I have a ton of time for this player. He brings a combination of size, speed, skill and will. Demidov can be dangerous off the rush. He also battles to extend plays from below the goal line, along the wall and he tracks back the full 200 feet. While offence is his upside, his overall compete also stands out. Coaches trust these kinds of players in a variety of roles. Demidov projects as a top six forward who will possibly spill over the boards in all situations. There’s always concerns about drafting Russian players and teams shy away from prospects who they don’t believe will be coming to North America anytime soon. Demidov has one year remaining on his contract with SKA St. Petersburg and he’s represented by Dan Milstein from Gold Star Hockey. Milstein has indicated Demidov is very much looking forward to coming to North America at the end of his current contract.

 

No. 4 Berkly Catton, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)

Catton is another offensive dynamo at the top of this draft class. He represented Team Canada at the Under-18 World Championships last spring as an under-age prospect, and also captained the summer team at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, leading the tournament in scoring with eight goals and two assists. So far this season he’s playing to his identity. He’s an assistant captain in Spokane where he’s scored 11 goals and 12 assists in 16 games. Catton isn’t a big or powerful forward but he’s quick off the rush and sees the ice very well. Like most goal scorers, especially in recent years, he is very aggressive directing pucks on net. He will rip pucks on goal from all quadrants of the ice surface, including along the goal line. He’s not likely to penalty kill at the pro level, but he has average plus commitment on the defensive side of the ledger. Catton projects as a top six NHL forward who will mostly be deployed at even strength and on the power play.

 

No. 5 Sam Dickinson, London Knights (OHL)

Dickinson could be the first defenceman off the board. The left shot defenceman brings a combination of size (6-foot-3, 194 pounds) and skill and he’s being used in all situations with London. Dickinson has the ability to skate pucks out of trouble from deep in his zone, and the awareness to chip the play to open space when under duress. He’s a capable play maker on the power play as well. He also has a booming shot from distance that can beat goalies clean.

Defensively, he is best described as solid, but not spectacular. His size and length are definitely assets that assist with keeping opponents to the perimeter, but he could be more physically assertive at times. Overall, there really aren’t any red flags with his game. Dickinson projects as a potential top pairing NHL defenceman who can be used in all situations.

 

No. 6 Artyom Levshunov, Michigan State (Big Ten)

Levshunov will give some of the names on this list a healthy dose of competition for a higher draft slot come June. Big, strong, right-shot defencemen are highly coveted throughout the NHL landscape and teams tend to overpay for them in trade. If an organization is in a position to draft and develop its own right-shot defenceman, it'll recognize the value in the pick. Levshunov is off to a fantastic start this season. It’s a difficult ask for a defenceman who’s only 18 years young to take a regular shift at the NCAA level. Levshunov isn’t shy about directing pucks on net. He’s been credited with 31 shots on goal and has contributed four goals and eight assists with a plus-13 rating. Levshunov is a solid skater with room to improve his small area escapes and agility (walking the offensive blue line for example). But he doesn’t cut corners in any zone, leans on opponents, and plays with a presence. He could end up finding a home as a top pairing NHL defenceman in time.

 

No. 7 Ryder Ritchie, RW: Prince Albert (WHL)

Ritchie is an interesting prospect. He’s not a big body, but he’s not small either. At 6-foot, 174 pounds I would expect him to at least add more weight as he matures and gets stronger. What I appreciate about his game is his effort tracking up and down the ice. When he suited up for Team Canada at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup in the summer, he was involved. He doesn’t cheat the game and his reads are responsible. Rarely does he get caught deep in the offensive zone. He’s above the play when his group doesn’t have control of the puck. Ritchie is the reigning WHL rookie of the year. He’s off to a strong start in Prince Albert again, scoring 12 goals and 13 assists in the first 23 games. He’s not shy about going to the net and he can also be a threat off the rush with the puck on his stick, or reading how the play is developing and making himself available arriving late on the scene.

 

No. 8 Anton Silayev, Torpedo (KHL)

Earlier on in this piece I mentioned that it’s hard to teach offence. It’s a gift to have that skill. The same can be said for size and Silayev is a mountain of a man. He stands 6-foot-7, weighs 207 pounds, and he’s only 17 years old! By the time he stops growing and fills out his frame, he could easily approach 225-230 pounds. Silayev is playing in the KHL where he’s being used in all situations. Although his offence has dropped off recently, he continues to contribute in a variety of roles. His long reach and huge frame will assist him with his defending on the smaller ice surface in North America. What impresses me most is how smooth his skating stride is and how agile he is walking the offensive blue line to distribute pucks or direct them on goal from range. Silayev has two assists in his most recent 10-game segment and he's getting between 13:30 and 15:40 of ice time, which is very impressive for a 17-year-old defenceman in the KHL.

 

No. 9 Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW: Mora (Allsvenskan)

Brandsegg-Nygard has a chance to become the first Norwegian-born first-round NHL pick. He’s a 6-foot-1 burner with an excellent shot and his catch and release is very quick. He shoots the puck in stride off the rush and has shown he can beat goalies from the top of the circles with an accurate snap shot. He’s more than just offence, though. Brandsegg-Nygard is committed defensively and recognizes his responsibilities before going on offence. He could be a riser as the season rolls along. Projects as a potential top six NHL forward who plays fast and has the hockey sense to be used in a variety of roles.

 

No. 10 Cayden Lindstrom, Medicine Hat (WHL)

Lindstrom has a bit of throwback in his game. The first thing that stands out is his stature, listed at 6-foot-3-and-a-half, 205 pounds. He brings a combination of size, skill, and push back. His three zone compete is reliable. Lindstrom can be physically imposing to play against. He isn’t shy about finishing his check and taking the play to the net. His long reach assists with keeping his check to the perimeter in his zone, and extending plays along the wall in the offensive zone.

Lindstrom’s a solid skater who leans goal scorer more than distributor, but he does have some deception off the rush. He sees the ice very well and keeps opponents on their toes with his change of speed (and routes to the net) on his zone entries. He projects as a goal scoring, power forward type as a pro.

 

 

[MatchesMalone]

12 hours ago, Blitz-Pix said:

Early "Top 10" draft ranking evaluation. 

 

Sam Cosentino, published his November draft rankings. It’s an interesting group. Macklin Celebrini, in my opinion, is far and away the top-rated prospect. But I’m expecting a ton of movement in the rankings below him in the coming weeks and months.

 

Here’s a bit more of a deep dive into Sam’s top 10:

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Broadcast Schedule

 

No. 1 Macklin Celebrini, Boston University (Hockey East)

Top ranked player for 2024 NHL Draft who is equal parts play driver and shooter.

Sets up on his weak side flank on the PP. Quick catch and release. One times pucks with accuracy and authority.

Competes in all three zones. Works hard on and off the puck. Can be trusted in a variety of roles.

Tied for the lead in NCAA scoring despite playing fewer games than others. Celebrini has eight goals and 10 assists in nine games. He's averaging over 20 minutes of ice time per game, the bulk of which comes at even strength and PP1.

An elite talent who plays quick and fast. Similar trajectory to Columbus' Adam Fantilli.

 

No. 2 Cole Eiserman, LW: USNTDP

Eiserman is a pure goal scorer with a “shoot first and ask questions later” approach. He is on pace to score 1.5 goals per game this season. In the most recently completed Five Nations tournament in Finland he scored three goals and three assists in four games. Don’t be misled, however. His assists tend to come off rebounds when he has directed pucks on goal more than from him pulling up and looking to distribute. I absolutely love his offensive upside, but his attention to detail defensively is a concern more than it should be. He’s cutting corners, hoping pucks get turned over so he can go on the offensive, rather than digging deep on and off the play in the defensive zone. Eiserman is the kind of player who has to play in the top six forward group. There’s no question he has the skill to be a potential top line NHL scorer.

You can’t teach offence and defensive commitment is a choice.

 

No. 3 Ivan Demidov, RW: SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)

Demidov is dealing with a knee injury that he sustained in October. When healthy, I have a ton of time for this player. He brings a combination of size, speed, skill and will. Demidov can be dangerous off the rush. He also battles to extend plays from below the goal line, along the wall and he tracks back the full 200 feet. While offence is his upside, his overall compete also stands out. Coaches trust these kinds of players in a variety of roles. Demidov projects as a top six forward who will possibly spill over the boards in all situations. There’s always concerns about drafting Russian players and teams shy away from prospects who they don’t believe will be coming to North America anytime soon. Demidov has one year remaining on his contract with SKA St. Petersburg and he’s represented by Dan Milstein from Gold Star Hockey. Milstein has indicated Demidov is very much looking forward to coming to North America at the end of his current contract.

 

No. 4 Berkly Catton, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)

Catton is another offensive dynamo at the top of this draft class. He represented Team Canada at the Under-18 World Championships last spring as an under-age prospect, and also captained the summer team at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, leading the tournament in scoring with eight goals and two assists. So far this season he’s playing to his identity. He’s an assistant captain in Spokane where he’s scored 11 goals and 12 assists in 16 games. Catton isn’t a big or powerful forward but he’s quick off the rush and sees the ice very well. Like most goal scorers, especially in recent years, he is very aggressive directing pucks on net. He will rip pucks on goal from all quadrants of the ice surface, including along the goal line. He’s not likely to penalty kill at the pro level, but he has average plus commitment on the defensive side of the ledger. Catton projects as a top six NHL forward who will mostly be deployed at even strength and on the power play.

 

No. 5 Sam Dickinson, London Knights (OHL)

Dickinson could be the first defenceman off the board. The left shot defenceman brings a combination of size (6-foot-3, 194 pounds) and skill and he’s being used in all situations with London. Dickinson has the ability to skate pucks out of trouble from deep in his zone, and the awareness to chip the play to open space when under duress. He’s a capable play maker on the power play as well. He also has a booming shot from distance that can beat goalies clean.

Defensively, he is best described as solid, but not spectacular. His size and length are definitely assets that assist with keeping opponents to the perimeter, but he could be more physically assertive at times. Overall, there really aren’t any red flags with his game. Dickinson projects as a potential top pairing NHL defenceman who can be used in all situations.

 

No. 6 Artyom Levshunov, Michigan State (Big Ten)

Levshunov will give some of the names on this list a healthy dose of competition for a higher draft slot come June. Big, strong, right-shot defencemen are highly coveted throughout the NHL landscape and teams tend to overpay for them in trade. If an organization is in a position to draft and develop its own right-shot defenceman, it'll recognize the value in the pick. Levshunov is off to a fantastic start this season. It’s a difficult ask for a defenceman who’s only 18 years young to take a regular shift at the NCAA level. Levshunov isn’t shy about directing pucks on net. He’s been credited with 31 shots on goal and has contributed four goals and eight assists with a plus-13 rating. Levshunov is a solid skater with room to improve his small area escapes and agility (walking the offensive blue line for example). But he doesn’t cut corners in any zone, leans on opponents, and plays with a presence. He could end up finding a home as a top pairing NHL defenceman in time.

 

No. 7 Ryder Ritchie, RW: Prince Albert (WHL)

Ritchie is an interesting prospect. He’s not a big body, but he’s not small either. At 6-foot, 174 pounds I would expect him to at least add more weight as he matures and gets stronger. What I appreciate about his game is his effort tracking up and down the ice. When he suited up for Team Canada at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup in the summer, he was involved. He doesn’t cheat the game and his reads are responsible. Rarely does he get caught deep in the offensive zone. He’s above the play when his group doesn’t have control of the puck. Ritchie is the reigning WHL rookie of the year. He’s off to a strong start in Prince Albert again, scoring 12 goals and 13 assists in the first 23 games. He’s not shy about going to the net and he can also be a threat off the rush with the puck on his stick, or reading how the play is developing and making himself available arriving late on the scene.

 

No. 8 Anton Silayev, Torpedo (KHL)

Earlier on in this piece I mentioned that it’s hard to teach offence. It’s a gift to have that skill. The same can be said for size and Silayev is a mountain of a man. He stands 6-foot-7, weighs 207 pounds, and he’s only 17 years old! By the time he stops growing and fills out his frame, he could easily approach 225-230 pounds. Silayev is playing in the KHL where he’s being used in all situations. Although his offence has dropped off recently, he continues to contribute in a variety of roles. His long reach and huge frame will assist him with his defending on the smaller ice surface in North America. What impresses me most is how smooth his skating stride is and how agile he is walking the offensive blue line to distribute pucks or direct them on goal from range. Silayev has two assists in his most recent 10-game segment and he's getting between 13:30 and 15:40 of ice time, which is very impressive for a 17-year-old defenceman in the KHL.

 

No. 9 Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW: Mora (Allsvenskan)

Brandsegg-Nygard has a chance to become the first Norwegian-born first-round NHL pick. He’s a 6-foot-1 burner with an excellent shot and his catch and release is very quick. He shoots the puck in stride off the rush and has shown he can beat goalies from the top of the circles with an accurate snap shot. He’s more than just offence, though. Brandsegg-Nygard is committed defensively and recognizes his responsibilities before going on offence. He could be a riser as the season rolls along. Projects as a potential top six NHL forward who plays fast and has the hockey sense to be used in a variety of roles.

 

No. 10 Cayden Lindstrom, Medicine Hat (WHL)

Lindstrom has a bit of throwback in his game. The first thing that stands out is his stature, listed at 6-foot-3-and-a-half, 205 pounds. He brings a combination of size, skill, and push back. His three zone compete is reliable. Lindstrom can be physically imposing to play against. He isn’t shy about finishing his check and taking the play to the net. His long reach assists with keeping his check to the perimeter in his zone, and extending plays along the wall in the offensive zone.

Lindstrom’s a solid skater who leans goal scorer more than distributor, but he does have some deception off the rush. He sees the ice very well and keeps opponents on their toes with his change of speed (and routes to the net) on his zone entries. He projects as a goal scoring, power forward type as a pro.

 

 

 

Ritchie and Silayev seem a little too early there for me. I might actually take Levshunov over Eiserman or Demidov so far.

[Smashian Kassian]

Here's my top 10 right now;

 

1. Celebrini 
2. Demidov 
3. Catton
4. Eiserman
5. Jiricek
6. Dickinson
7. Silayev
8. Nygard
9. Yakemchuk
10. Ritchie

 

2 things;

 

I had Helenius at 10 originally. Helenius is a C & playing great in the Ligga which many his age don't. But I do wonder what his long-run upside is. Ceiling is probably a 2-way 2C that leans playmaker, perhaps a Trocheck type. While Ritchie plays the less valuable position I think he's more of an offensive driver, he's a real talent. Still plenty of time to change things.

 

And I waffled between the 3 defenseman at 5-7, all 3 are potential #2/3D imo & you could have them in any order but this what I settled on for now. Again plenty of time to change. A thought on each;

Spoiler

- Jiricek is a right shot, good defensive awareness & defends aggressively. I also think he has offensive IQ & puck skills that hasn't shown in the stat-line. Potential to be a legit 2way RHD that plays big mins & contributes all situations.

 

- Dickinson seems like 'highest floor' type of the 3, but I tend to wonder if he's just further ahead of others at this point, and whether he has the highest upside. Don't think he's a PP1 guy & while he's very good defensively he's certainly not perfect. 

 

- Silayev is the huge upside swing. Fantastic skater & at 6'7 so rangey. But he's really raw & offensively I don't think he'll be a PP1 guy. He gets involved offensively but has a muffin of a shot & I wouldn't say he's a puck carrier/playmaking D. Pretty good defensively though lacks details, in an NHL system he could be a big minute 2way D that's a monster to matchup against. 

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by Smashian Kassian

[Smashian Kassian]

 

On 11/16/2023 at 10:13 AM, Diamonds said:

I'm surprised they have Eiserman all the way down at 5. I think he's going to be challenging Celebrini for 1st overall.

 

Im doubtful. I think Celebrini is separating himself, 2 ppg in the NCAA. 

 

I could see guys like Catton/Demidov/maybe Silayev challenging Eiserman for #2 easier than seeing Eiserman challenge for #1. Celebrini is a complete package offensive C, its a no brainer. 

[MatchesMalone]

1 hour ago, Smashian Kassian said:

 

 

Im doubtful. I think Celebrini is separating himself, 2 ppg in the NCAA. 

 

I could see guys like Catton/Demidov/maybe Silayev challenging Eiserman for #2 easier than seeing Eiserman challenge for #1. Celebrini is a complete package offensive C, its a no brainer. 

Silayev challenging for #2? That's bold.

[Smashian Kassian]

1 hour ago, MatchesMalone said:

Silayev challenging for #2? That's bold.

 

 

Its a real stretch, but if I was picking a Dman to skyrocket & be a position pick it would be him. Guys his size who can skate & handle the puck like that are unicorns & he's playing 2nd pair mins in the KHL at 17. 

 

If a team feels he's progressing well enough I could someone falling in love with him. #2 might still be too high but we'll see how things go. 

[Diamonds]

17 hours ago, Smashian Kassian said:

 

 

Its a real stretch, but if I was picking a Dman to skyrocket & be a position pick it would be him. Guys his size who can skate & handle the puck like that are unicorns & he's playing 2nd pair mins in the KHL at 17. 

 

If a team feels he's progressing well enough I could someone falling in love with him. #2 might still be too high but we'll see how things go. 

After his red hit start to the season, Silayev has really cooled off. He has just 1 point in his last 11 games and 3 points in his last 25 games. Obviously it's impressive that he's getting regular ice-time as a draft eligible player in the KHL, but his ice-time is also starting to get reduced a little and is now averaging 14:10 over the last 11 games.

 

Super intriguing package of big size and good skating that will likely have him going top 10, but going #2 definitely seems like a stretch to me.

[MatchesMalone]

4 hours ago, Diamonds said:

After his red hit start to the season, Silayev has really cooled off. He has just 1 point in his last 11 games and 3 points in his last 25 games. Obviously it's impressive that he's getting regular ice-time as a draft eligible player in the KHL, but his ice-time is also starting to get reduced a little and is now averaging 14:10 over the last 11 games.

 

Super intriguing package of big size and good skating that will likely have him going top 10, but going #2 definitely seems like a stretch to me.

 

Just noticed last night, Recrutes also has him at number 2, one spot ahead of Cayden Lindstrom. 

[Hammertime]

I really like the grouping around us on mynhldraft 

 

http://www.mynhldraft.com/nhl2006/Philadelphia.gif

27

Michael Hage

Ht/Wt:6' 1"/181 lbs
Position:C
Team: Chicago (USHL)

 

http://www.mynhldraft.com/nhl2006/Vancouver08.gif

28

EJ Emery

Ht/Wt:6' 3"/181 lbs
Position:RHD
Team: US NTDP

 

http://www.mynhldraft.com/nhl2006/Dallas-13-pres.gif

29

Tij Iginla

Ht/Wt:6' 0"/181 lbs
Position:F
Team: Kelowna (WHL)

 

 

Would be thrilled with any of these guys. Trying not to get my hopes up. These are the players we need to be drafting.  

Edited November 21, 2023 by Hammertime

[MatchesMalone]

As a precursor to trying to put together a full first round, I tried ranking the top ten by position, excluding goalies for now 

 

C

1. Macklin Celebrini

2. Cayden Lindstrom

3. Berkley Catton

4. Cole Beaudoin

5. Konsta Helenius

6. Sacha Boisvert

7. Michael Hage

8. Simon Zether

9. Yegor Surin

10. Lucas Pettersson

 

LW

1. Trevor Connelly

2. Cole Eiserman

3. Igor Chernyshov

4. Teddy Stiga

5. Tij Iginla

6. Tanner Howe

7. Matvei Gridin

8. Julius Miettinen

9. Alexandre Blais

10. Andrei Krutov

 

RW

1. Ivan Demidov

2. Emil Hemming

3. Michael Brandsegg-Nygaard

4. Liam Greentree

5. Beckett Sennecke

6. Ryder Ritchie

7. Nikita Artamonov

8. Tarik Parascak

9. Karl Sterner

10. Adam Jecho

 

LD

1. Sam Dickinson

2. Anton Silayev

3. Aron Kiviharju

4. Zeev Buium

5. Cole Hutson

6. Leo Sahlin Wallenius

7. Alfons Freij

8. Veeti Vaisaanen

9. Will Skahan

10. Stian Solberg

 

RD

1. Artyom Levshunov

2. Carter Yakemchuk

3. Adam Jiricek

4. Zayne Parekh

5. Henry Mews

6. Charlie Elick

7. Dominik Badinka

8. Ben Danford

9. E.J. Emery

10. Anthony Cristoforo

[Hammertime]

I'm sort of just in the process of compiling a list of players I like by round I'm not sure in what order just yet so far. 

 

I don't really expect us to have a 1st on draft day but if we do I'm excited about a few players in the bottom 20. 

 

1st at our pick hopefuls

C 

Simon Zether 

Michael Hage

Sacha Boisvert (I have some concerns with his IQ as I did Dvorsky last year but his toolbox is one of the best in class.)

 

W

Tij Iginla

Emil Hemming

Liam Greentree

 

D 

Cole Hutson

Charlie Elick

EJ Emry

 

Round 2

C

Lucas Pettersson not just for the meme.

Linus Eriksson no relation. Cerebral player contributes all over the ice.

Christian Humphreys He's going to get some good looks on the USNTDP it will take a high 2nd or 1st to get him. 

Max Plante C/W serious hockey/sports fam Max looks to be the cream. 

 

W 

Adam Jecho 

but honestly there will be a slough of W that drop out of the 1st round so if we do get a 2nd there's bound to be a few consensus BPA wingers on the board. I absolutely think Jecho would be a great 2nd round pick though. 

 

D I'm really hoping we land one of these guys I think all 6 are fantastic prospects worthy of top 45 consideration. Maybe we steal one in the 3rd a la Hunter B. I have sort of ordered them by upside. I wouldn't say that to Whipple, Pickford, Roberts face though. 

Noel Fransen

Leon Muggli

Daniil Ustinkov

John Whipple

Bryce Pickford 

Colton Roberts

 

 

Round 3 I think possibly overages and Ruskis come into play here.

FWD

Matvei Babenko I have meant to catch more of him. @MatchesMalone you seem to keep a close eye on the Russians curious if you have any opinions on this player. Surin also looks like one to wach. I see you've ranked him with Pettersson 

Kamil Bednarik another USNTDP guy it's a bit hard to tell because they have so many great players but I feel like he's been more catalyst than passenger. In saying that it probably means he won't be on the board in the 3rd. 

Jamiro Reber look out for the swiss at the U18 with potentially Ustinkov, Muggli, Reber, Kirsch.

Thomas Desruisseaux I did not think Luca Pinelli would be on the board in the 3rd crazier things have happened.

Tommasso De Luca  I thought he was worth a 3rd last year and I still do. 

Artyom Kashtanov Overage 

 

D 

Arseni Marchenko if we had a mid 2nd and used it on him I would be great with it. He's huge super young Sept 10 B day and a great project if we can get him over to NA which is the "if" that makes him a possible 3rd round steal.  

Adam Kral watch out for him on the Czechs

Daniil O Ivanov Overage beast D. 

Sebastian Soini not sure where to rank him yet. I've seen very different players depending on the league he's playing in and I mean that in a positive sense in terms of versatility theres a high floor and there's upside there how much upside is to be determined.

Mitja Jokinen waterbug with a dash of Finnish

 

Edited November 26, 2023 by Hammertime

[MatchesMalone]

18 hours ago, Hammertime said:

I'm sort of just in the process of compiling a list of players I like by round I'm not sure in what order just yet so far. 

 

I don't really expect us to have a 1st on draft day but if we do I'm excited about a few players in the bottom 20. 

 

1st at our pick hopefuls

C 

Simon Zether 

Michael Hage

Sacha Boisvert (I have some concerns with his IQ as I did Dvorsky last year but his toolbox is one of the best in class.)

 

W

Tij Iginla

Emil Hemming

Liam Greentree

 

D 

Cole Hutson

Charlie Elick

EJ Emry

 

Round 2

C

Lucas Pettersson not just for the meme.

Linus Eriksson no relation. Cerebral player contributes all over the ice.

Christian Humphreys He's going to get some good looks on the USNTDP it will take a high 2nd or 1st to get him. 

Max Plante C/W serious hockey/sports fam Max looks to be the cream. 

 

W 

Adam Jecho 

but honestly there will be a slough of W that drop out of the 1st round so if we do get a 2nd there's bound to be a few consensus BPA wingers on the board. I absolutely think Jecho would be a great 2nd round pick though. 

 

D I'm really hoping we land one of these guys I think all 6 are fantastic prospects worthy of top 45 consideration. Maybe we steal one in the 3rd a la Hunter B. I have sort of ordered them by upside. I wouldn't say that to Whipple, Pickford, Roberts face though. 

Noel Fransen

Leon Muggli

Daniil Ustinkov

John Whipple

Bryce Pickford 

Colton Roberts

 

 

Round 3 I think possibly overages and Ruskis come into play here.

FWD

Matvei Babenko I have meant to catch more of him. @MatchesMalone you seem to keep a close eye on the Russians curious if you have any opinions on this player. Surin also looks like one to wach. I see you've ranked him with Pettersson 

Kamil Bednarik another USNTDP guy it's a bit hard to tell because they have so many great players but I feel like he's been more catalyst than passenger. In saying that it probably means he won't be on the board in the 3rd. 

Jamiro Reber look out for the swiss at the U18 with potentially Ustinkov, Muggli, Reber, Kirsch.

Thomas Desruisseaux I did not think Luca Pinelli would be on the board in the 3rd crazier things have happened.

Tommasso De Luca  I thought he was worth a 3rd last year and I still do. 

Artyom Kashtanov Overage 

 

D 

Arseni Marchenko if we had a mid 2nd and used it on him I would be great with it. He's huge super young Sept 10 B day and a great project if we can get him over to NA which is the "if" that makes him a possible 3rd round steal.  

Adam Kral watch out for him on the Czechs

Daniil O Ivanov Overage beast D. 

Sebastian Soini not sure where to rank him yet. I've seen very different players depending on the league he's playing in and I mean that in a positive sense in terms of versatility theres a high floor and there's upside there how much upside is to be determined.

Mitja Jokinen waterbug with a dash of Finnish

 

 

I watched a couple Salavat Ufa games early this year so I did see some of Babenko, but he was only playing 6 or 7 minutes a night so can't say I'm an expert. The thing I remember noticing is how well he handled himself in puck battles. Not that he was winning a ton but holding his own, using his wit, good body positioning, momentum to not let himself be outmuscled easily by adult pro athletes.

 

I've been a pretty big Surin fan. Saw him a couple games at MHL. The thing that stands out is he's a heat-seeking missile. High-impact hitter. He's also strong on puck and loves to shoot.

 

I've been lukewarm on Boisvert. I've seen some sources have him as early as low teens. To me there's no way he's ahead of any of Lindstrom, Catton or Beaudoin.

[Hammertime]

3 hours ago, MatchesMalone said:

 

I watched a couple Salavat Ufa games early this year so I did see some of Babenko, but he was only playing 6 or 7 minutes a night so can't say I'm an expert. The thing I remember noticing is how well he handled himself in puck battles. Not that he was winning a ton but holding his own, using his wit, good body positioning, momentum to not let himself be outmuscled easily by adult pro athletes.

 

I've been a pretty big Surin fan. Saw him a couple games at MHL. The thing that stands out is he's a heat-seeking missile. High-impact hitter. He's also strong on puck and loves to shoot.

 

I've been lukewarm on Boisvert. I've seen some sources have him as early as low teens. To me there's no way he's ahead of any of Lindstrom, Catton or Beaudoin.

Re Boisvert he's got the package of 3 S's size speed shot he's also decent in the dot. I find myself frustrated watching him with the puck though he often hangs on too long or skates himself into no mans land. I think if he were processing the game faster and looking to distribute the puck with pace he would be in top 15 consideration. There's big upside with Sacha but he's going to need a coach to crawl in his ear. I have no issue taking on a project like Sacha with a late 1st.

[Hammertime]

Another overage that might get another look at the draft this year is 6'0 F Charlie Cerrato. The kid can skate and dish the sauce. He's put up 20 pts through 12 games on pace to lead the league in scoring. He's been an absolute weapon on the PP with 1g 7a coming on the PP. The Phantoms are sitting 2nd in the eastern conference right now with 19 gp. Cerrato with 7 fewer games played leads his team in points by 4 safe to say the he and Owen Bartoszkiewicz are carrying that team. His shooting has never been great but so far his shooting % of around 5% is unsustainably low down from around 12 last year. The good thing is shooting is a skill that can easily be improved upon he's got a lot of other tools in his box (Speed, Edges, Vision, Puck handling) already. Maybe he fell through the cracks at the draft last year. Seems like a good kid. 

 

 

 

 

[Smashian Kassian]

On 11/21/2023 at 4:08 PM, MatchesMalone said:

As a precursor to trying to put together a full first round, I tried ranking the top ten by position, excluding goalies for now 

 

C

1. Macklin Celebrini

2. Cayden Lindstrom

3. Berkley Catton

4. Cole Beaudoin

5. Konsta Helenius

6. Sacha Boisvert

7. Michael Hage

8. Simon Zether

9. Yegor Surin

10. Lucas Pettersson

 

LW

1. Trevor Connelly

2. Cole Eiserman

3. Igor Chernyshov

4. Teddy Stiga

5. Tij Iginla

6. Tanner Howe

7. Matvei Gridin

8. Julius Miettinen

9. Alexandre Blais

10. Andrei Krutov

 

RW

1. Ivan Demidov

2. Emil Hemming

3. Michael Brandsegg-Nygaard

4. Liam Greentree

5. Beckett Sennecke

6. Ryder Ritchie

7. Nikita Artamonov

8. Tarik Parascak

9. Karl Sterner

10. Adam Jecho

 

LD

1. Sam Dickinson

2. Anton Silayev

3. Aron Kiviharju

4. Zeev Buium

5. Cole Hutson

6. Leo Sahlin Wallenius

7. Alfons Freij

8. Veeti Vaisaanen

9. Will Skahan

10. Stian Solberg

 

RD

1. Artyom Levshunov

2. Carter Yakemchuk

3. Adam Jiricek

4. Zayne Parekh

5. Henry Mews

6. Charlie Elick

7. Dominik Badinka

8. Ben Danford

9. E.J. Emery

10. Anthony Cristoforo

 

Connelly over Eiserman is bold.

 

 

On 11/20/2023 at 8:18 PM, Hammertime said:

I really like the grouping around us on mynhldraft 

 

http://www.mynhldraft.com/nhl2006/Philadelphia.gif

27

Michael Hage

Ht/Wt:6' 1"/181 lbs
Position:C
Team: Chicago (USHL)

 

http://www.mynhldraft.com/nhl2006/Vancouver08.gif

28

EJ Emery

Ht/Wt:6' 3"/181 lbs
Position:RHD

 

http://www.mynhldraft.com/nhl2006/Dallas-13-pres.gif

29

Tij Iginla

Ht/Wt:6' 0"/181 lbs
Position:F
Team: Kelowna (WHL)

 

 

Would be thrilled with any of these guys. Trying not to get my hopes up. These are the players we need to be drafting.  

 

I'd be thrilled with Iginla. The more I see the more I'm impressed & think his game will translate well to the NHL.

 

It's very early to talk order/ranking but he'd be a guy worth holding onto our pick for imo, tho I do have him as a top 20 guy.

 

[Smashian Kassian]

 

Yakemchuk might be right there with Parekh as the best OFD in the class, but unlike Parekh he's pretty good defensively & he's flat out mean to play against. Everytime I watch CGY he makes things happen.

 

If I were to rank the Dmen he might be at the top now, or atleast in the top 3. 

 

[MatchesMalone]

On 11/28/2023 at 11:26 AM, Smashian Kassian said:

 

Connelly over Eiserman is bold.

 

 

 

I'd be thrilled with Iginla. The more I see the more I'm impressed & think his game will translate well to the NHL.

 

It's very early to talk order/ranking but he'd be a guy worth holding onto our pick for imo, tho I do have him as a top 20 guy.

 

 

Now it's a pun.

 

I had Connelly first overall in my pre-season rankings. Haven't watched him play since, but it's hard to imagine anyone over Celebrini at this point. I'll have my top five overall right now:

 

1. Macklin Celebrini

2. Artyom Levshunov

3. Trevor Connelly

4. Cole Eiserman

5. Ivan Demidov

[Diamonds]

2 hours ago, MatchesMalone said:

 

Now it's a pun.

 

I had Connelly first overall in my pre-season rankings. Haven't watched him play since, but it's hard to imagine anyone over Celebrini at this point. I'll have my top five overall right now:

 

1. Macklin Celebrini

2. Artyom Levshunov

3. Trevor Connelly

4. Cole Eiserman

5. Ivan Demidov

I haven't watched any of Levshunov's games, but he's definitely caught me attention. Putting up a PPG as a draft eligible defenseman in the NCAA is really impressive let alone that he's a RHD and 6'2" 200lbs.

[MatchesMalone]

1 hour ago, Diamonds said:

I haven't watched any of Levshunov's games, but he's definitely caught me attention. Putting up a PPG as a draft eligible defenseman in the NCAA is really impressive let alone that he's a RHD and 6'2" 200lbs.

 

Yeah. He, Yakemchuk, Silayev, Dickinson will all be highly sought-after on draft day. Wouldn't be shocking to see all four in the top ten.

[Smashian Kassian]

27 minutes ago, MatchesMalone said:

 

Yeah. He, Yakemchuk, Silayev, Dickinson will all be highly sought-after on draft day. Wouldn't be shocking to see all four in the top ten.

 

I'm curious to see if Buium could rise into that group too. Was named NCAA national player of the month in Nov after recording 14 pts in 8 games, pretty impressive start to his NCAA career. And he'll be at the World Junior too. 

[MatchesMalone]

16 minutes ago, Smashian Kassian said:

 

I'm curious to see if Buium could rise into that group too. Was named NCAA national player of the month in Nov after recording 14 pts in 8 games, pretty impressive start to his NCAA career. And he'll be at the World Junior too. 

Well I'm partly just making the point that NHL coaches, GMs, scouts don't want just good hockey players, but pro athletes, 6'2, 6'3, physical freaks.

 

If we're talking pure hockey players, Kiviharju, Mews, Parekh, Buium, Hutson are all fucking beauties.

[MatchesMalone]

Somewhere in this year's or last year's draft thread I specifically remember making a comment on something about Buium is an intelligent, well-rounded puck-moving defenseman but I'm not sure he has the dynamic offensive element to be a top 15 pick in this draft.

 

... I'm having second thoughts on that one.

Edited December 6, 2023 by MatchesMalone

[204CanucksFan]

19 hours ago, Diamonds said:

I haven't watched any of Levshunov's games, but he's definitely caught me attention. Putting up a PPG as a draft eligible defenseman in the NCAA is really impressive let alone that he's a RHD and 6'2" 200lbs.

What really impresses me about him is that he turned 18 just over a month ago and he's playing on the top pair of the 7th ranked team in the NCAA. He has also only been a minus (in which he was -1) in 1 of his 16 games played so far this season.