2024 NHL Draft Thread

[Sandman]

I wonder if Uncle Craig has been asked to not draft Iggy Jr., because of the extra added pressure. Didn’t someone infer that the Hitmen were told something similar?

[Sandman]

It will be interesting to see where Parekh goes, as he’s top-10 on many lists, and ahead of Buium. I personally like Buium better, but that’s just me.

I’m doing a profile of Buium tonight…

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Tbull8

Top 10 seems to be shaking out as some order of

Celebrini
Levshunov
Lindstrom
Demidov
Eiserman
Silyaev
Catton
Dickinson
Buium
Helenius

Barring any surprise picks or lottery luck, flames are currently projected to pick 11/12. Iginla has to be the guy there, right?

I would add to that list Yakemchuk, Parekh, Jiricik, and a few others potentially in the mix.
I don't think Iginla at 11/12 is a slam dunk.

I think there would still be a very high end D available there that I would probably take instead.

[Tbull8]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I would add to that list Yakemchuk, Parekh, Jiricik, and a few others potentially in the mix.
I don't think Iginla at 11/12 is a slam dunk.

I think there would still be a very high end D available there that I would probably take instead.

Fair enough! Personally I don’t have Helenius in my top 10, just going based on a lot of lists/insider rankings. Could definitely see one of those guys sliding up into the top 10

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Shai's Brother Edition):

The "experts" keep saying that LHD Zeev Buium's torrid scoring pace in the NCAA is just an anomaly, and the numbers will soon come back down to earth- but there doesn't seem to be any sign of a slide any time soon. So far to date, Buium is tearing up the college ranks at Denver U, with 34 points in just 26 games, which would put him in the top ten all-time for pts/gp by an 18 year-old D if he can maintain that pace, with 1.31- ahead of names like Brian Leetch (1.27), Adam Fox (1.14), Zach Werenski (1.00), Luke Hughes (0.95), Seamus Casey (.78), and Quinn Hughes (.78). Buium was 5th overall in scoring for defensemen in the U-18's, with 6 points in 7 games, and 8th in scoring for defensemen in the WJC, with 5 points in 7 games.

Buium is a supremely talented two-way blueliner, who obviously leans heavily to offense, and plays big minutes against the best opponents. He's very well-rounded, but not overly flashy, like some of his contemporaries. The first pillar of Buium's game is his otherworldly skating- he can be beaten in a straight-line race by some of the faster skaters out there, but very few can match his elite edgework and agility. He can go wherever he wants to on the ice with full possession, without getting slowed down, due to his footwork- he's highly evasive and shifty, makes quick turns and changes of direction and pace on a dime, and shakes off pressure in the D zone. He can weave in and out of traffic, which helps him with another pillar in his game- his highly valuable work in transition. Buium is consistently involved in the breakout, either with a crisp pass, or by carrying it himself through layers of defenders. He's facilitates zone exits and entries with control at a high success rate, and is a lightning bolt on the rush, pushing the pace and putting defenders on their heels. His first-pass is hard and accurate, and he can connect to streaking teammates with stretch passes. He's a master of deception, and employs every little toe-drag, deke, fake, and look-off to manipulate defenses, along with changes to the angle of his stick blade and feet. He also has excellent lateral mobility, and shiftiness as another layer of deception to throw opponents off. When Buium is on the ice, defense is quickly turned into offense. Despite not being the absolute fastest player out there, his feet stay moving, and he pushes pace while driving play.

Buium thinks the game at an elite level, and may be the smartest player in the Draft- his top-tier IQ is the third pillar of his game, and is his best asset. He's highly creative, and his processing speed is faster than most- he's often a few steps ahead of the play, and is a problem-solver on the fly. He likes to jump into the rush when the opportunity presents itself, and he attacks high danger- or generates high danger chances from the slot. His wrister is quick and accurate, and he likes to cut to the middle to unleash it. He walks the line to look for an avenue to dissect coverage by opening seams, while dodging defenders- and he knows when to pinch into the play without leaving his partner hanging out to dry. He's the ideal powerplay quarterback, with poise and patience.

Unlike some other offensive defensemen, Buium has a defensive conscience, and though he is always in constant motion, he's a calming presence on the backend for his teammates. He's an asset in his own zone, hounding puck-carriers, staying stapled to his man to eliminate time and space, and separate man from puck. He understands space and angles, uses a well-timed stick, and keeps tight gaps against the rush. Buium is feisty, but not the most physical player- he will throw hits when necessary, but seems to prefer to use his speed and skill to win pucks. He doesn't shy away from the rough-going though, and will gladly take a hit to make a play, or pin an opponent to the boards. Big minutes are never a problem for him- he stays active, and has a high motor.

Buium is listed on most sites as being 6'0",183lbs- but he's listed on the NCAA website as measuring 6'2", and some writers describe him as having size. It wouldn't surprise me, as both of his brothers are above 6'3", but either way, he needs to get a lot stronger to win more board battles, and be much harder to play against. His shot is accurate, and he gets great whip on his wrister, but could use more power and velocity in his shooting arsenal. If he truly is 6'2", we will see his draft stock rise dramatically. He has excellent mobility, but has room to improve his straight-line top speed- otherwise, he's a pretty complete player and a future top-pairing defenseman, who may go top-10 in the Draft.

[Tacoman]

Great job, Sandman. I’ve watched every shift of Zeev’s college career and concur with your analysis. Zeev is so young that he still doesn’t fully know how he can take over games. When he does put his mind to it and doesn’t defer to his teammates, he’s an absolute game changer. And cute tidbit, his height measurement this year was done with shoes on! He’s 6’0.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Tacoman

Great job, Sandman. I’ve watched every shift of Zeev’s college career and concur with your analysis. Zeev is so young that he still doesn’t fully know how he can take over games. When he does put his mind to it and doesn’t defer to his teammates, he’s an absolute game changer. And cute tidbit, his height measurement this year was done with shoes on! He’s 6’0.

Thanks Tacoman! And thanks for clearing that up. I still think he may have some growing to do though. Do you live in Denver?

[Tacoman]

No. My son is Carter King, who is Zeev’s teammate in Denver. As an aside, my son has agreed to attend Flames prospect camp this year so it would be very cool if the Flmes picked Zeev as well.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Tacoman

No. My son is Carter King, who is Zeev’s teammate in Denver. As an aside, my son has agreed to attend Flames prospect camp this year so it would be very cool if the Flmes picked Zeev as well.

Wow! I didn't expect that answer! Congratulations, he's having an excellent year!

[Tacoman]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Wow! I didn't expect that answer! Congratulations, he's having an excellent year!

Thanks! His progression has been a little mind blowing. NHL teams love that he’s been able to produce so much offence while being Denver’s shutdown centre. Leading the country in shorties has been very cool.

Conroy has done an awesome job in going after Carter. His personal involvement made the difference in choosing the Flames camp over the other teams.

[bdubbs]

Originally Posted by Tacoman

Thanks! His progression has been a little mind blowing. NHL teams love that he’s been able to produce so much offence while being Denver’s shutdown centre. Leading the country in shorties has been very cool.

Conroy has done an awesome job in going after Carter. His personal involvement made the difference in choosing the Flames camp over the other teams.

This is awesome! I hope he shines for the rest of the year and during camp and earns a spot! Would be a really cool story for the team. And our Centre pipeline needs an injection anyways.

[fotze2]

Originally Posted by Tacoman

Thanks! His progression has been a little mind blowing. NHL teams love that he’s been able to produce so much offence while being Denver’s shutdown centre. Leading the country in shorties has been very cool.

Conroy has done an awesome job in going after Carter. His personal involvement made the difference in choosing the Flames camp over the other teams.

Good ole boy from Bonavista Newfound….. community hockey! Proof it’s an objectively better community again.

[Sandman]

More Draft Thoughts:

It's a Draft year for big-time D, and perhaps the most electrifying of the 2024 crop is 6'0",181lb righty, Zayne Parekh- who is dominating the OHL with the Saginaw Spirit, amassing an incredible 74 points in just 49 games. Those numbers put him on pace to reach 100 points, which would be the most by a draft-eligible defenseman since Ryan Ellis in 2008-09, who had 89 points in 57 games. Another impressive stat is Parekh's 21 goals in 2022-23, which set an OHL record for goals by a 16 year-old blueliner. Watching him at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, he looked very one-dimensional to me, and was trying to do too much on his own away from the team- abandoning the team concept a bit in favor of a pond-hockey style, while turning over the puck, and missing the net many times. It would appear that the coaches saw things they didn't like as well, as his ice-time was often sporadic to say the least- as low as 8:40 against Slovakia, and only 17:20 in the Gold Medal game against Czechia, which went almost a full period into OT. More ice-time and responsibility was given to players like Sam Dickinson, Charlie Elick, Frankie Marrelli, and Henry Mews. Still, he ended up tied for second on team Canada in points from the blueline, with Dickinson and Marrelli, putting up a respectable 3 points in 5 games. Parekh leads Saginaw in scoring by an incredible 17 points currently.
Obviously, Parekh is an elite offensive defenseman, who is uber aggressive, with a relentless attack mentality. He's a high octane machine, but most of the components of his game are less than dynamic, other than his brain, and the confidence he has in his skills. He's a fluid skater in all directions- not elite, but well above average with smooth edges and agility. His exceptional vision and instincts make him dangerous at all times, and he's a threat when either passing or shooting. He's always got his next few options mapped out due to his quick processing speed, but can problem-solve on the fly. On the PP, he's the ideal quarterback, and likes to run the offense from the blueline where he walks the line with his head up to identify lanes as they open, in order to exploit them with a high-danger pass. Quite often, he will create off the rush like a forward, and has no problem activating to the slot, or to the net-front, as he's an excellent finisher. His passes are crisp and hard, often tape-to-tape, and laced with plenty of deception in his hips, head, and feet to misdirect opponents, along with a multitude of fakes, look-offs, and dekes. His shot is another above-average tool- it's hard and accurate with a stunning release, and his wrister has a good whip that he can pick corners with. He can get the puck on net through traffic, and it's another nice weapon to have on the PP. Parekh has excellent puck skills, but his stickhandling is said to be in need of refinement- he can sometimes be lackadaisical, and lose control. Still, he can spearhead the rush, driving the play northward up the ice, or he will transition using give-and-go's- once he touches the puck in the defensive zone, he's off to the races. He can also make a clean first-pass, or connect on a stretch pass to further push the pace. Once in the zone, he will put defenders on their heels by activating into the play with regularity. The confidence and swagger he displays with the puck is one of his best assets, and elevates his offensive game, as he's never afraid to try anything in order to get on the board, and he stays calm and poised under pressure.
Parekh has a strong work-ethic, with high motor and tenaciousness. He's not overly strong, but will engage physically, and battle for pucks. He doesn't get credit for the sandpaper in his game- he's known to be a pest and an agitator, who likes to get under the skin of his opponents, with a ton of action between whistles, and some trash talk. He was suspended 2 games for his actions post-whistle against Kingston on January 12th (I think he may have spit on somebody, but I'm not sure), so he could use more restraint- he's known to lose his temper sometimes.
The opinions on Parekh's defensive contributions vary a bit, depending on which game of his is being watched, but it's pretty unanimous that his effort can wane shift-to-shift, his off-puck game is lacking in the defensive zone, and his awareness is deficient. He often cheats for offense, and his gap-control, decision-making, and positioning need work. He's a bit slight, so he can lose battles to bigger players, and sometimes struggles to defend the net-front, so he needs to get a lot stronger. There's work to do to get more explosive, and increase the power in his shot. In the other end of the rink, he often tries to do too much by himself, and will hold on to pucks for too long, causing dangerous turnovers. In summary, Parekh is a high risk/high reward player, who may be one dimensional, but it's a HELL of a dimension.

[Sandman]

More Draft Thoughts:

LHC Kamil Bednarik is not a Czech Import, but rather an American, born in Elmhurst, Illinois, and is currently one of the top-5 players in scoring in the USDP- given a "B" rating by Central Scouting. The 6'0",185lb Bednarik is not a flashy player, or dynamic- he's one of those "good at everything, but not great in any one thing" types, who doesn't hold any real gamebreaking qualities. Still, he's an all-situations player, with an all-around skillset, and smarts.
Bednarik has very good mobility, and is smooth and strong on his skates- he can drive through checks, and with his excellent puck control is very difficult to knock off the puck. He keeps it simple, and doesn't gamble on edge-of-your-seat plays, preferring to keep things safe and tidy. He has good anticipation, and reads the play well, exhibiting a plus-passing game, and a coolness under pressure. Bednarik is a balanced attacker, being equal parts playmaker and shooter, with good hands to generate chances off the rush, and the cycle. Where he really makes his mark is with his grit, and his ability to play a heavy game. He's ferocious, hard-working, and has endless motor- he doesn't give up on plays, or slow down. He will dish out big hits, and has a chip on his shoulder. Defensively, he's a stalwart, and backchecks hard.
Bednarik is a pretty safe bet to make it to the NHL, as he's already suited to bottom-6 duties, with his defensive acumen and physicality. He reminds me a little bit of Colin White when he was drafted, but offers the potential of more to come as he develops. There's a long runway to come for him in College to grow as a player, as he's committed to Boston University. Look for him to be picked in the 2nd, or 3rd round.

[cral12]

Caught up with Sandman again (for now!) on profiles - we must be approaching 60.

Apologies for possibly cheesy graphic in the tweet - kind of playing on the dark side theme with Upside Hockey...playing around with AI Art during the super bowl lol

Please enjoy...

https://twitter.com/user/status/1756827200081256889

[Wastedyouth]

Not to be a whiner Sandman, but could you format your posts just a little.

They are hard to read, and I do want to read them.

Or don't, it's all good.

But do... please....

[fotze2]

One player from Calgary (I only follow Calgary based players) that has been under the radar and is really heating up is Nathan Free. I think he's listed in potential late rounds.

Plays for the Brooks Bandits past few years, rare for players from Canada let alone Calgary to play there and he was the only '06 there last year IIRC. The hockey guys know what he is. He's starting to heat up. Point a game in AJ and is 2-3 PPG the last bunch of games after the move.

He is pure skill, he's always looked like Johnny Gaudreau. Calgarypuck fans wet draft dream type pick. The Mathias Tedenby. Listed at 5'9"...but his dad is absolutely a unit, he is definitely growing more.

Had a 5 point game today.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

How do you write a profile on a prospect that has everything, and no real weaknesses? LHD Sam Dickinson is one of my favorites in this year's draft, so this write-up should be classified as more of a "fluff piece", than a profile. Dickinson- who is fairly young, with a June birthday- is currently 4th in OHL scoring for defensemen, with 53 points in 52 games with the London Knights, and second in the league with a plus-42. My first viewing of Dickinson was in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he helped lead team Canada to a Gold Medal, with 3 points in 5 games. He is blessed with size (6'3",194lbs), speed, and skill, and is a minute-munching workhorse who plays against the best competition every night, and can do so in any situation. He is a calming presence on the backend, composed and never in a rush, and plays the right way- never cheating the game. Dickinson was selected 4th overall in the OHL Draft by Niagara, who traded him to London for 3 seconds, 3 thirds, and a 5th- a shrewd move by the Knights, as Dickinson helped lead them to the OHL Finals in his first season, and was selected to the OHL First All-Rookie Team.

Dickinson is a smooth, powerful skater in all directions, blessed with speed that's near-elite- at 6'3", he can can separate from opponents on the rush, and win races to pucks against smaller players. It's almost impossible to get around him, with his quickness and size, combined with his wingspan and stick. He can carry through transition, spearheading the rush, after initiating the play in the defensive end. He has to be the most calm, poised, and patient defender I've ever seen- those words don't even begin to describe his smooth demeanor on the ice. He is never in a rush- he has the patience to hold on to the puck until the best play becomes available, and consistently makes smart decisions with the puck. He's a treat to watch for that reason- he sometimes looks likes he's not doing much, when in reality, his game is so smooth and fluid, and his moves are just so calculated. Dickinson's usual defense partner in London is Oliver Bonk, who is a rover and likes to activate early and often, so Dickinson is usually relegated to being the conservative one in the pairing- which suits his game just fine, as he seldom goes below the hashmarks in the offensive zone. Dickinson stays high, smoothly walking the blueline, distributing high-danger passes, and keeping the puck in the zone- thereby extending zone time. He will not sacrifice quality defense for offense. He's highly intelligent, with top-tier IQ, and the ability to problem-solve on the fly. Off the puck, he is always in position to recieve passes, and support his teammates. He's a dynamic playmaker, and his passes are hard, crisp, and accurate- he can get them through traffic, under sticks, and between legs. He can connect on some pretty stretch passes, when he wants to push the pace. He owns a booming point shot, and an accurate wrister.

Though Dickinson is seen as an offensive type, he is one of the best defensive blueliners in the CHL, and most likely in this year's Draft- he defends at an elite level. His defensive awareness and IQ are off the charts, and when combined with his physical gifts, make him extremely hard to play against. He's a menace in the D zone, and the kiss of death to an oncoming rush with his feet, stick, and physicality- he can often stop it before it ever comes near his blueline. His gap-control is perfect, and he guides attackers to the boards where the play is terminated, and he wins possession. In-zone, he boxes opponents out of the crease, giving his goalie a clear line of sight, and takes their sticks so they can't get tips or rebounds. He hounds puck carriers, suffocates them of time and space, and blocks shots with aplomb. Off-puck, he's as good defensively as he is in the other end of the rink, and is always in position to intercept passes, and clog lanes. At the Hlinka, he showed his penalty-killing talents off- he was excellent. Dickinson plays hard, and is a strong competitor who plays a physical brand of hockey. He uses his size well to body opponents off the puck, win battles, and bully his way around the ice- and when he dishes out a hit, he hits hard.

There's precious little to nitpick in Dickinson's game, but there are times he could show a little more urgency, as he can sometimes hold on to the puck too long, while waiting for the perfect play to develop, which can paint him into a corner- resulting in turnovers of the more dangerous variety. There's also instances where he can go down to early, or too low, to block a shot, thereby taking himself out of the play. Dickinson is the third D available on most lists, but I wouldn't blame a team for taking him as the first defenseman chosen in the Draft. This kid is abolute stud, with a very high floor. At the very least, he ends up riding shotgun on a top-pairing in the NHL, much like a Brent Seabrook- but I think this kid is better.

[Sandman]

More Draft Thoughts:

RHD Carter Yakemchuk is a whirlwhind in the offensive zone, currently 4th in scoring by defensemen in the entire WHL, with 53 points in 49 games- an accomplishment even more impressive when considering that he's putting up these stats with the Hitmen, who are 16th in the league (although they are 9th in goals-for). At this time, he leads the Hitmen's blueline by a whopping 34 points. Yakemchuk is a bit older, with a September 29th birthday, meaning he missed being in last year's draft by only a few weeks, but he still had 47 points in 67 games in 2022-23. He had no points at the U-18's, and was mostly used in a background role, but he's a workhorse, capable of playing big minutes.

Yakemchuk is a play-driving force in the offensive zone. He activates quite often, rarely staying static at the point for very long, and will roam around the zone, with or without the puck, to make himself an option for a pass, or to exploit open spaces. He's highly aggressive, and plays with pace, applying pressure on defenders. He's a top-tier playmaker with outstanding vision, and processes the game at a high level. When working the point in the offensive zone, he stalks along the line, looking to pounce on seams as they open up- for a hard, accurate pass to high-danger, or the chance to unleash his lethal, NHL-caliber point shot. He's a crisp, accurate passer who can successfully thread the needle through layers of traffic, and he consistently makes good decisions with the puck. Yakemchuk has the high-IQ to problem-solve, and adapt to whatever unfolds in front of him. As one would guess, he can quarterback a PP very effectively.

Yak's skating is slightly above average, but might be considered fairly good for a player who measures 6'3", and 194lbs- he could stand to work on his first-step quickness, and explosiveness. His edgework and agility are excellent though, giving him good escapability. His puck-control is good enough that he can barge his way through traffic with full possession, and he can beat attackers with his slick 1-on-1 moves, and tight protection skills. If he can't make room for himself by being elusive, he can always rely on his mean, nasty disposition, and his heavy physical game. Yakemchuk is 3rd in the WHL for penalty-minutes, with 99- so he obviously doesn't care about winning any sportsmanship awards. He will hack, whack, and crosscheck opponents, and will mix it up between whistles- he will even drop the gloves on occasion. He makes himself a miserable opponent to play against, and was even showing his meanness at the CHL Top Prospects Game. He's highly competitive, has a good motor, and when he hits, he hits hard.

Defensively, Yak is quick to win possession to get the puck out of the zone, and excels at breakouts and stretch-passes. He's also very effective in transition, either by carrying it out and spearheading the rush, or by employing quick, short passes, and give-and-go's to turn the defense into offense. With his size and reach, combined with the use of his active stick, he is adept at keeping the crease clear, and boxing attackers out. He shows some defensive awareness, and is even trusted with PK duties for the Hitmen, but his play in the zone is spotty. There is not as much quickness or energy on the backcheck as there is when the puck is going North, and to his detriment, he's as much a rover in his own zone as he is when trying to create in the offensive zone. His positioning is a negative, his decision-making can be lacking, and he needs to learn better habits- he sometimes cheats for offense, leaving his man uncovered. He skates well, but needs to develop more quickness in going forward, and backward, although I thought his gap-control and overall defensive awareness looked ok at the U-18's. I still like this kid very much, and I think he'll iron out his deficiencies to make a fine top-pairing defenseman in the NHL. He'll go top-15 in the Draft.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Tacoman

No. My son is Carter King, who is Zeev’s teammate in Denver. As an aside, my son has agreed to attend Flames prospect camp this year so it would be very cool if the Flmes picked Zeev as well.

That's really cool. Hopefully he can earn an NHL contract, assuming that is what he wants.