NEWSLETTER
The 2024 NHL Draft is upon us, Blackhawks fans! The first round begins on Friday night, and I’m going to bring you every pick and my thoughts on the selections as the young men hear their names called and realize their dreams of getting drafted by an NHL franchise.
1 – 1. San Jose Sharks — Macklin Celebrini, C, Boston University
This pick was a no-brainer from the time the Sharks won the draft lottery. Celebrini was the No. 1 prospect throughout the process and the Sharks did little to leave any question who they were taking. He’s a special player who will help change the trajectory of the San Jose franchise.
1 – 2. Chicago Blackhawks — Artyom Levshunov, RHD, Michigan State University
The Blackhawks take their right-handed defenseman who projects as a top-pair d-man.
1 – 3. Anaheim Ducks — Beckett Sennecke, RW, Oshawa
One of the fastest rising prospects in the draft coming off a stellar OHL postseason, Sennecke climbs all the way to the third overall pick. Anaheim needs help on the back end, but their stockpile of forwards is very impressive right now.
1 – 4. Columbus Blue Jackets — Cayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat
One year after the Blue Jackets took a big center in Adam Fantilli, they come back with another power forward in Lindstrom. At this point, in a draft class that was hyped as being top-heavy on the blue line, it’s surprising that three of the first four picks have been used on forwards.
1 – 5. Montreal Canadiens — Ivan Demidov, RW, SKA St. Petersburg
The biggest “where will he go?” in the draft falls into the laps of the Habs at No. 5. He’s an electrifying forward with elite skill who will spend this coming season in the KHL and then plans to come to North America. Four of the top five picks have been forwards…
1 – 6. Utah HC — Tij Ignla, F, Kelowna
The run on forwards continues! The son of Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla climbs all the way to No. 6 overall and is the first draft pick in the history of the Utah Hockey Club franchise. He’s a skilled player who has played center and the wing.
1 – 7. Ottawa Senators — Carter Yakemchuk, RHD, Calgary
Finally a defenseman, and it’s Yakemchuk. A power play quarterback extraordinaire, the Sens likely view him as their next Erik Karlsson.
1 – 8. Seattle Kraken — Berkly Catton, C, Spokane
A lethal offensive threat who put up ridiculous numbers in juniors, he won’t have to move far to join Seattle.
1 – 9. Calgary Flames — Zayne Parekh, RHD, Saginaw
It appears the run on defensemen has begun, but we still haven’t heard Zeev Buium’s name called — which is a surprise. Parekh put up historic offensive numbers in the OHL this past season.
1 – 10. New Jersey Devils — Anton Silayev, LHD, Nizhny Novgorod
The Devils land an enormous defenseman to help add size to a young blue line. They have a nice crop of young forwards already. This pick was reportedly on the block but the defensemen falling might have changed the minds in New Jersey.
1 – 11. San Jose Sharks (from BUF) — Sam Dickinson, LHD, London
The Sharks moved up to get this pick in a trade with the Sabres on Thursday. This is a tremendous first round for the rebuilding Sharks, who add a top-line center and now a top-pair defenseman from the successful London Knights program.
1 – 12. ** TRADE ** Minnesota Wild (from PHI) — Zeev Buium, LHD, U. of Denver
The Flyers traded this pick to Minnesota, moving back one spot and adding a third-round pick in 2025 for the Wild to get one spot higher. This pick sucks for the rest of the Central Division because now the Wild can roll out a top pair of Faber-Buium for the next decade. They need a lot of help but they just got a really good defenseman who fell a lot more than most people thought he could/would.
1 – 13. Philadelphia Flyers (from MIN) — Jett Luchanko, C, Guelph
The Flyers moved down one spot, added a future pick and they have Matvei Michkov coming over earlier than anticipated. Luchanko was a named linked to the Blackhawks at 18 and was considered a riser, but him coming off the board this high is a bit of a surprise. He’s got a motor. Nice pick for the Flyers.
1 – 14. Buffalo Sabres (from PIT) — Konsta Helenius, C/RW, Jukurit
One of the more pro-ready players in the draft, the Sabres get a forward with some versatility and decent size. He played in the Finnish league this past year and has shown well internationally as well. Good add for the Sabres, who have a stocked blue line already.
1 – 15. Detroit Red Wings — Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, RW, Mora
The first Norwegian to be drafted in the first round of the NHL draft, the Red Wings snag a player I really liked for the Blackhawks. He’s a complete player who has a physical game and plays between the circles. Not a surprise Steve Yzerman takes a player who knows how to compete.
1 – 16. St. Louis Blues — Adam Jiricek, RHD, HC Plzeň
I had this pick in my most recent mock draft (blind squirrel I guess). The Blues need to rebuild their blue line and they get a good RHD here whose stock fell because of injuries this past season. A nice get for St. Louis.
1 – 17. Washington Capitals — Terik Parascak, RW, Prince George
A bit of a surprise here from Washington, who have been actively adding NHL veterans this week. He had 105 points in 68 games this past season, so clearly the Caps want to use their ownership of CapFriendly to get goals on the board.
1 – 18. Chicago Blackhawks (from NYI) — Sacha Boisvert, C, Muskegon
The Blackhawks got this pick from the Islanders with pick No. 50 overall for picks No. 20, 54 and 61 overall. Boisvert is a very good center with good size (6-2) who is headed to North Dakota. The Blackhawks have had great fortune with a couple other centers who went there.
1 – 19. Vegas Golden Knights — Trevor Connelly, LW, Tri-City
Connelly is one of the better offensive players in this class, but off-ice issued led to a slide in his stock. If Vegas is okay with his answers to those concerns, they got a really good hockey player here.
1 – 20. New York Islanders (from TB) — Cole Eiserman, LW, USNTDP
Eiserman might be the best pure goal scorer in this draft class. The reason his stock fell all the way to 20 (a legit shocker) is because that’s the only element of his game that stands out. He needs work, especially on the defensive end of the rink. The Isles need offense so this is a steal for them.
1 – 21. Montreal Canadiens (from LAK) — Michael Hage, C, Chicago Steel
The Canadiens got this pick from the Kings on Friday afternoon. Hage is headed to Michigan and put up really good offensive numbers in our backyard with the Steel. He’s a strong all-around center who will help the Habs. Getting Hage and Demidov make this first round a great one for Montreal.
1 – 22. Nashville Predators — Yegor Surin, C/RW, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Surin is a physical forward who will spend some more time in Russia. He has a big motor who has some sandpaper to his game. Nashville won’t get him right away but they got a fascinating prospect here.
1 – 23. ** TRADE** Anaheim Ducks (from TOR) — Stian Solberg, LHD, Vålerenga
The Ducks moved up to this spot in a trade with the Leafs; Toronto received picks No. 31 and 58. Solberg was considered a riser heading into the draft because he plays a physical blue line and competes. He’s played well against older players, including at the World Championship.
1 – 24. ** TRADE ** Utah HC (from COL) — Cole Beaudoin, C, Barrie
Utah traded back into the first round with Colorado here; the Avs received picks No. 38 and 71 in 2024 and the Rangers’ second-round pick in 2025. Beaudoin is a big center who plays a physical game. Utah adds a lot of bulk up front with Beaudoin and Iginla in their first round.
1 – 25. Boston Bruins — Dean Letourneau, C, St. Andrew’s College
A massive 6-7 center who is headed to Boston College, this is a player who was mocked anywhere between 24 and 40. The Bruins needs to rebuild their center depth and just got a guy who will remind their fans of an all-time great defenseman, Zdeno Chara, on the ice.
1 – 26. Los Angeles Kings (from WPG) — Liam Greentree, RW, Windsor
The Kings got this pick from the Habs on Friday; Montreal originally got it from the Jets in the Sean Monahan trade. This is a typical Kings-type player. Good size and skating who plays the game hard. ESPN compared him to Timo Meier. Many thought he’d be off the board by now.
1 – 27. ** TRADE ** Chicago Blackhawks (from CAR) — Marek Vanacker, LW, Brantford
The Blackhawks traded picks No. 34 and 50 to get back into the first round here and selected Vanacker, who scored 36 goals last year in the OHL. He maneuvers his way thru the ice well and is a good defensive forward as well with good instincts.
1 – 28. Calgary Flames (from VAN) — Matvei Gridin, RW, Muskegon
The Flames for this pick from the Canucks in the Elias Lindholm trade. Gridin is headed to Michigan this fall. He’s played center and on the wing and plays a strong all-around game.
1 – 29. Dallas Stars — Emil Hemming, RW, TPS
Hemming is a player I mocked to Dallas because he fits their game. He’s listed at 6-1 and 205 and played well in Finland on a number of levels. He plays bigger than his size. A nice fit for the Stars with one of their rare picks in this year’s draft.
1 – 30. New York Rangers — EJ Emery, RHD, USNTDP
The Rangers landed a BIG defenseman here (6-3) who plays with an edge. He’s headed to North Dakota this fall with Blackhawks’ pick Boisvert after performing very well for the USA at the U18 World Championship.
1 – 31. Toronto Maple Leafs (from EDM) — Ben Danford, RHD, Oshawa
The Leafs got this pick from the Ducks, who initially got this pick from the Oilers in the Adam Henrique trade. Danford is a good shut-down defender who most people had as a mid-second-round prospect. The Leafs need help on the back end and they got a very good defender here, even if it’s a bit of a reach.
1 – 32. ** TRADE ** Edmonton Oilers (from FLA) — Sam O’Reilly, RW, London
Well, this is awkward. The Oilers are making a selection that was originally owned by… the Panthers. Edmonton got the pick from the Flyers, who got it from the Panthers in the Claude Giroux trade. The Oilers gave up their first-round pick in either 2025 or 2026. The Oilers grabbed a nice forward who can do everything. His stock was rising late after a strong season with London in the OHL.
