2024 NHL Draft Thread

[the-rasta-masta]

Am I correct that the Flames will now pick either 8th or 9th (pending draft lottery)? Tankathon is showing Ottawa locked in at 7th and NJ locked in at 10th.

[1qqaaz]

Four of the teams picking just ahead of Calgary, Columbus, Arizona, Montreal, and Ottawa, are notorious for making odd and off-the-board picks.

[BrownDrake]

Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta

Am I correct that the Flames will now pick either 8th or 9th (pending draft lottery)? Tankathon is showing Ottawa locked in at 7th and NJ locked in at 10th.

Looks that way, Devils have more regulation wins even if we win tonight and tie them we are below them. We get less points tonight than Seattle then we are in 8th.

[Ped]

Cosentino's update (Sportsnet)


1. Celebrini
2. Levshunov
3. Demidov
4. Silayev
5. Yakemchuk
6. Parekh
7. Buium
8. Dickinson
9. Catton
10. Tij


https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...april-edition/


Think Silayev is going to be a real wild card.

[Icon]

Kinda surprised to see Yakemchuk moving ahead of some of the other D options.

And agree Silayev could go anywhere from 4-24. Personally I hope we pick someone with more offensive upside.

[stemit14]

Silayev is an interesting prospect to rank. Also interesting to try and figure which teams might be more likely or less likely to pick him. The Coyotes, for example, took Simashev last year at 6th overall… which was higher than he was projected to go. So they are not afraid to reach for a big, smooth-skating Russian defenceman. Would be funny if they doubled-down on that and got Silayev… him and Simashev could be quite the pairing in a few years.

Montreal could use size up front and on defence so they are a bit of a wild card to me. Hoping they don’t take Iginla.

[Icon]

Originally Posted by stemit14

Montreal could use size up front and on defence so they are a bit of a wild card to me. Hoping they don’t take Iginla.

I have no inside information or anything really beyond speculation, but a gut feel MTL takes Eiserman

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Icon

I have no inside information or anything really beyond speculation, but a gut feel MTL takes Eiserman

I believe it will be either him or Lindstrom if he is still on the board.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by renny

Is Iginla a C or a W? On the WHL site he's listed as C, I've also seen him listed as C on central scouting. But when I watch him play he's playing W.

He played mostly wing with Cristall this year, last year in Seattle as a 16 year old he played center

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta

Am I correct that the Flames will now pick either 8th or 9th (pending draft lottery)? Tankathon is showing Ottawa locked in at 7th and NJ locked in at 10th.

Comes down to Thursday now for the Flames. The good thing is that Seattle plays Minny and they should be in the 3rd period before the puck drops against SJ. If Seattle picks up more points then Calgary on that day, then Flames will move to 8th.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Icon

I have no inside information or anything really beyond speculation, but a gut feel MTL takes Eiserman

But don't they kinda have that guy already with Caufield?

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Spitting Fire Edition):

LW Cole Davis is a bit diminutive at 5'10",174lb, and though he plays for Windsor of the OHL, he might be the human embodiment of the word, "Spitfire". This season, he garnered 41 points in 63 games which, for a player on the Spits, is quite a feat. Windsor is the Liam Greentree show this season, but there's been a lot of tumult surrounding the team. Head Coach Jerrod Smith was fired four months into the season with the team in the OHL basement, after taking over for Marc Savard in the summer, leaving interim coach Casey Torres in charge of mopping up the mess. Windsor finished second-last in the league, with Greentree leading the scoring by 27 points over the next-best Spitfire, and Davis finishing 4th in scoring on the team. Davis was chosen in the 4th round of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, 65th overall by the Spits. With a June 22nd birthday, he is still quite young and a rookie, having played only 5 games for Windsor in 2022-23, wtih most of his time spent in Junior A with the GOJHL. It's a pretty big step up to Major Junior but Davis handled it well, even being named the OHL Rookie of the Month for November with 12 points in 13 games. He was also named the OHL West Academic Player of the Month for December.

Davis isn't a specialist in any one area as he's not a high-end playmaker, and doesn't own an overwhelming shot- he's just simply a good hockey player who can play in all situations, and both special teams. He has a supreme work ethic, and is a high-energy player who is always active on the ice and pushing the pace of the game. Few can match his never-ending motor or his compete level, and despite his size he wins more than his fair share of battles in the hard areas. He's a fantastic skater, and an aggressive one, who can manouver through the neutral zone while separating from attackers, and beat defenders wide for scoring chances. On the forecheck, he gives opponents fits with how much he cuts down their space and time, and how rough and tumble he is in performance of this task. Davis' 55 penalty minutes shows he's not out to win any sportsmanship awards, and his physicality helps him win battles. He plays without fear, and throws his weight around like a bowling ball. Earlier in the season, he dropped the gloves against 6'4", 210-lb defenseman David Bedkowski, but thankfully the refs intervened- possibly saving his life. In another incident, Saginaw Spirits' center Ethan Hay, who measures 6'1"and 190lbs, dropped his gloves and pummeled him off the faceoff before he even knew what was happening. To say the least, he gets under the skin of opponents. Davis fights through checks, attacks the middle of the ice, and will drive the net to cause havok, set up the screen, and open space for teammates.

Davis has good hands around the net, and likes to beat goalies in-close with his slick moves and his ability to pick corners from the slot. He has a fairly good shot-and-release combo, but most of his goals are scored within 10 feet of the net. His puck skills and deception give him room, with good control, and puck-protection. He has some nice moves to get around the ice through traffic, with some clever dekes and dangles that make defenders look silly, and the spatial awareness to find open lanes to move through. He's an off-puck force, and one of the Spitfires' best defensive performers, displaying moxie and a physical approach. As he does on the forecheck, he hounds puck-carriers relentlessly, and removes all space and time. Davis could still be considered a raw prospect as he didn't have the head start of playing Major Junior in his draft-minus-one year, as most kids do. Though he plays on a poor team, his offensive game needs further development, with his shot and playmaking in need of an upgrade. If he also adds significant strength, he could develop into a middle-6 energy winger. I think he'll be off the board in round 5 or 6.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

But don't they kinda have that guy already with Caufield?

Caufield is a RW, Eiserman is a LW. Nothing wrong with having two elite snipers on the wing. The more I think about it though the more I think if Lindstrom isn't the pick I think it might be Catton. They really could use a 2nd line future C behind Suzuki.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (McCheese Edition):

LHD Eric Burger finished 11th overall in the J20 league for scoring by defensemen, with 26 points in 46 games for Orebro, and added 51 penalty-minutes, which tells you something about the kind of player he is. The 6'0",181lb rearguard sees a ton of ice in all situations, and plays a rugged, hard-nosed game. He seems to make a positive impact for his team whenever he takes to the ice. Burger is difficult to play against, with a hard-nosed style, and constantly contributes with his physical play. He is competitive and determined to win puck battles- he separates man from puck, then steals possession. He has excellent puck-skill, and it's hard to rob him of possession. He's strong on the puck, and handles smoothly. Most of the time, he's calm and composed when it comes to his decision-making, but he can sometimes be pressured into making mistakes. With regards to his playmaking, he keeps things simple and risk-free, and takes the same approach to his first-pass. His shot is fairly hard and heavy, and he uses it as another playmaking tool to facilitate second-chance opportunities for teammates, and uses screens effectively. His numbers are strong, but some say he is a benefactor of the team he plays for, and the quality of teammates around him.

Burger thrives in his own zone, and he is always in the right position to be disruptive. He exerts tight gap control, with the ability to match footwork with attackers, and neutralizes opponents along the wall with physicality. He keeps opponents at bay with an active stick, that he also uses to block lanes. He could stand to be meaner in front of his net though, as he's not afraid to rough up opponents in other areas of the ice. Though he could use more explosiveness and an extra gear, he's a good skater with mobility in all directions. He owns a powerful stride, and keeps a low center of gravity for better balance, and to make himself hard to knock off the puck. He employs good edges for extra manoverability, and quickness in turns, with smooth transitions to be able to switch from offense to defense seamlessly. With work on his decision-making, strength, and speed, he could make it as a bottom-pairing defenseman in the NHL. Look for him in the later rounds.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

Four of the teams picking just ahead of Calgary, Columbus, Arizona, Montreal, and Ottawa, are notorious for making odd and off-the-board picks.

Two of those teams fired their GMs this season and I wouldn't be surprised if Smith cleans house once he takes over the Coyotes.

[dustygoon]

I think Montreal needs everything. They just take whatever the best is. Prob ends up being a D.

[the-rasta-masta]

Originally Posted by Icon

Kinda surprised to see Yakemchuk moving ahead of some of the other D options.

And agree Silayev could go anywhere from 4-24. Personally I hope we pick someone with more offensive upside.

Obviously I’m not a scout by any means so this doesn’t mean much, but Yakemchuk would be my pick as best D in the draft in my viewings. Just seems to have so much potential and I felt skating issues are overblown.I guess that’s my bold take.

[FlamesAddiction]

Wasn't Yakemchuk considered a possible 2024 top 3 or 5 pick way back when people first started thinking about the 2024 draft? I seem to recall chatter about him before the 2023 draft as a player to watch in 2024. I could be misremembering.

[Bourque's Twin]

I don’t know the Habs system intimately but they seem to have good young forwards. It would make sense for them to take a guy like Parekh or Buium to me.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Draft Thoughts (Spitting Fire Edition):

LW Cole Davis is a bit diminutive at 5'10",174lb, and though he plays for Windsor of the OHL, he might be the human embodiment of the word, "Spitfire". This season, he garnered 41 points in 63 games which, for a player on the Spits, is quite a feat. Windsor is the Liam Greentree show this season, but there's been a lot of tumult surrounding the team. Head Coach Jerrod Smith was fired four months into the season with the team in the OHL basement, after taking over for Marc Savard in the summer, leaving interim coach Casey Torres in charge of mopping up the mess. Windsor finished second-last in the league, with Greentree leading the scoring by 27 points over the next-best Spitfire, and Davis finishing 4th in scoring on the team. Davis was chosen in the 4th round of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, 65th overall by the Spits. With a June 22nd birthday, he is still quite young and a rookie, having played only 5 games for Windsor in 2022-23, wtih most of his time spent in Junior A with the GOJHL. It's a pretty big step up to Major Junior but Davis handled it well, even being named the OHL Rookie of the Month for November with 12 points in 13 games. He was also named the OHL West Academic Player of the Month for December.

Davis isn't a specialist in any one area as he's not a high-end playmaker, and doesn't own an overwhelming shot- he's just simply a good hockey player who can play in all situations, and both special teams. He has a supreme work ethic, and is a high-energy player who is always active on the ice and pushing the pace of the game. Few can match his never-ending motor or his compete level, and despite his size he wins more than his fair share of battles in the hard areas. He's a fantastic skater, and an aggressive one, who can manouver through the neutral zone while separating from attackers, and beat defenders wide for scoring chances. On the forecheck, he gives opponents fits with how much he cuts down their space and time, and how rough and tumble he is in performance of this task. Davis' 55 penalty minutes shows he's not out to win any sportsmanship awards, and his physicality helps him win battles. He plays without fear, and throws his weight around like a bowling ball. Earlier in the season, he dropped the gloves against 6'4", 210-lb defenseman David Bedkowski, but thankfully the refs intervened- possibly saving his life. In another incident, Saginaw Spirits' center Ethan Hay, who measures 6'1"and 190lbs, dropped his gloves and pummeled him off the faceoff before he even knew what was happening. To say the least, he gets under the skin of opponents. Davis fights through checks, attacks the middle of the ice, and will drive the net to cause havok, set up the screen, and open space for teammates.

Davis has good hands around the net, and likes to beat goalies in-close with his slick moves and his ability to pick corners from the slot. He has a fairly good shot-and-release combo, but most of his goals are scored within 10 feet of the net. His puck skills and deception give him room, with good control, and puck-protection. He has some nice moves to get around the ice through traffic, with some clever dekes and dangles that make defenders look silly, and the spatial awareness to find open lanes to move through. He's an off-puck force, and one of the Spitfires' best defensive performers, displaying moxie and a physical approach. As he does on the forecheck, he hounds puck-carriers relentlessly, and removes all space and time. Davis could still be considered a raw prospect as he didn't have the head start of playing Major Junior in his draft-minus-one year, as most kids do. Though he plays on a poor team, his offensive game needs further development, with his shot and playmaking in need of an upgrade. If he also adds significant strength, he could develop into a middle-6 energy winger. I think he'll be off the board in round 5 or 6.

Seems like these types of good at everything not great at anything guys are the guys we used to draft but it seems like most of the picks they make excel at least at something ( boltmans aside). This is just a personal observation dont have anything to back it up.


As always appreciate your write ups good sir!