2024 NHL Draft Thread

[fotze2]

Made up trade proposals are the best. Who doesn’t love them?
#instaskip

If you have a trade in your mind, keep it there, no one cares.

[Royle9]

Bedard could stay winger on Celebrinis line no problem.
I can’t see a scenario outside of #2 and #3 picks for #1 and that would only work if Chicago didn’t feel like Celebrini wouldn’t help them lol.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Jeremie's Twin Edition):

The top goal-scorer in the Q at the present time is pocket-sized power-forward (and little brother of Flames prospect Jeremie), RW Justin Poirier, who leads the pack by an impressive 6 tallies, with 46 goals, and sits 7th in points overall, with 72 in just 61 games. It cannot be understated how impressive those numbers are, when one considers that Poirier is one of the youngest players in this year's Draft, missing the cut-off for next year by only 12 days, with a Setember 4th birthday. The 5'8" Poirier was taken 4th overall by Baie-Comeau in 2022, and went on to score 28 goals in 2022-23, which was first for goals by a rookie that year. I felt that JP's performance in the Hlinka Gretzky was a bit uneven, in that he managed to put up 4 points in 5 games, but missed the net a ton, and seemed to turn over the puck a lot. Still, he showed off his offensive acumen, his physicality, and his competitive fire. In the current season, Baie-Comeau is the best team in the Quebec League by a big margin, so we might be seeing more of Mr. Poirier in the Memorial Cup.

Poirier may be 5'8", but he's built like a fire-hydrant, at a stocky 181lbs, and plays a feisty, high-energy game that sees him getting under his opponents skin on a nighly basis. Obviously, he's much more shooter than playmaker, and is one of the best at his craft in this year's crop of draftees. With a goal-scorer's mentality, he sneaks in and out of holes in coverage, creates space to operate in, and slides into open lanes, looking to unleash from his elite shooting arsenal. He owns a laser of a wrist shot that explodes off his blade, coming with a stunning release, and a hard, heavy one-timer. He can fire in full stride, and uses defenders as screens effectively. Like a true power-forward, he's dangerous down low, as well as around the net, and unafraid to crash the crease. He works his way to the slot to shoot, but not always just to score- he also does it to create havok around the net, and create opportunities for teammates. Like his older brother, Justin is a high-end possession player, with tight puck-control and smooth handling, even in traffic- he's poised and calm with the puck on his blade, and has slick moves to weave through checkers. When he wants to push pace, he will switch to quick little give-and go passes with teammates.

Despite his stature, Poirier has a fire in his belly, and has a surprising physical dimension- he's highly aggressive on the forecheck, and is not at all afraid to get his nose dirty battling in the hard areas. He makes plenty of room for himself by using his body, and with his low center of gravity, and his stocky build, he's hard to knock off the puck. He absorbs hits to make plays, and can dish out some heavy hits of his own. Like a 6'2" power winger, he battles hard for pucks, goes to the front of the net, plays hard and heavy along the wall, and fights his way into opportune spaces. He's a pest, and an agitator, and does his best to get under his opponents' skin.

One could say that Poirier has decent offensive awareness and anticipation, but even though he can pull off difficult passes from time to time, he needs work on his playmaking game. It would make him less predictable, and give him a different dimension in the offensive zone. He will sometimes ignore the pass to take a low-percentage shot on net- he could stand to use his teammates better. There's plenty of instances where he tries to do too much, and makes poor decisions with the puck in both ends of the ice, resulting in untimely turnovers. Defensively, he can block passes, and clog lanes, but he lacks awareness, and sometimes doesn't compete very hard in his own zone- he can do a lot of puck-watching, makes high-risk plays, and cheats for offense. He holds plenty of value in his contributions to transition, but makes predictable entries- always entering from the outside lane. His effort can wane, and his compete is inconsistent, but his penchant for losing steam later in games has called his conditioning into question. Perhaps most worrying is his skating stride, which is decent and reasonably fluid in a straight line and at top speed, but severely lacking when it comes to edgework and lateral quickness. He loses speed in turns, and lacks strength in his crossovers- thankfully, his quick hands and stickhandling give him some escapability. If he can fix his deficiencies, he could be a second-line goal-scorer, as his style reminds me of both Brendan Gallagher, and Alex DeBrincat. I think a team will take a chance on him in the third round.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Draft Thoughts (Jeremie's Twin Edition):

The top goal-scorer in the Q at the present time is pocket-sized power-forward (and little brother of Flames prospect Jeremie), RW Justin Poirier, who leads the pack by an impressive 6 tallies, with 46 goals, and sits 7th in points overall, with 72 in just 61 games. It cannot be understated how impressive those numbers are, when one considers that Poirier is one of the youngest players in this year's Draft, missing the cut-off for next year by only 12 days, with a Setember 4th birthday. The 5'8" Poirier was taken 4th overall by Baie-Comeau in 2022, and went on to score 28 goals in 2022-23, which was first for goals by a rookie that year. I felt that JP's performance in the Hlinka Gretzky was a bit uneven, in that he managed to put up 4 points in 5 games, but missed the net a ton, and seemed to turn over the puck a lot. Still, he showed off his offensive acumen, his physicality, and his competitive fire. In the current season, Baie-Comeau is the best team in the Quebec League by a big margin, so we might be seeing more of Mr. Poirier in the Memorial Cup.

Poirier may be 5'8", but he's built like a fire-hydrant, at a stocky 181lbs, and plays a feisty, high-energy game that sees him getting under his opponents skin on a nighly basis. Obviously, he's much more shooter than playmaker, and is one of the best at his craft in this year's crop of draftees. With a goal-scorer's mentality, he sneaks in and out of holes in coverage, creates space to operate in, and slides into open lanes, looking to unleash from his elite shooting arsenal. He owns a laser of a wrist shot that explodes off his blade, coming with a stunning release, and a hard, heavy one-timer. He can fire in full stride, and uses defenders as screens effectively. Like a true power-forward, he's dangerous down low, as well as around the net, and unafraid to crash the crease. He works his way to the slot to shoot, but not always just to score- he also does it to create havok around the net, and create opportunities for teammates. Like his older brother, Justin is a high-end possession player, with tight puck-control and smooth handling, even in traffic- he's poised and calm with the puck on his blade, and has slick moves to weave through checkers. When he wants to push pace, he will switch to quick little give-and go passes with teammates.

Despite his stature, Poirier has a fire in his belly, and has a surprising physical dimension- he's highly aggressive on the forecheck, and is not at all afraid to get his nose dirty battling in the hard areas. He makes plenty of room for himself by using his body, and with his low center of gravity, and his stocky build, he's hard to knock off the puck. He absorbs hits to make plays, and can dish out some heavy hits of his own. Like a 6'2" power winger, he battles hard for pucks, goes to the front of the net, plays hard and heavy along the wall, and fights his way into opportune spaces. He's a pest, and an agitator, and does his best to get under his opponents' skin.

One could say that Poirier has decent offensive awareness and anticipation, but even though he can pull off difficult passes from time to time, he needs work on his playmaking game. It would make him less predictable, and give him a different dimension in the offensive zone. He will sometimes ignore the pass to take a low-percentage shot on net- he could stand to use his teammates better. There's plenty of instances where he tries to do too much, and makes poor decisions with the puck in both ends of the ice, resulting in untimely turnovers. Defensively, he can block passes, and clog lanes, but he lacks awareness, and sometimes doesn't compete very hard in his own zone- he can do a lot of puck-watching, makes high-risk plays, and cheats for offense. He holds plenty of value in his contributions to transition, but makes predictable entries- always entering from the outside lane. His effort can wane, and his compete is inconsistent, but his penchant for losing steam later in games has called his conditioning into question. Perhaps most worrying is his skating stride, which is decent and reasonably fluid in a straight line and at top speed, but severely lacking when it comes to edgework and lateral quickness. He loses speed in turns, and lacks strength in his crossovers- thankfully, his quick hands and stickhandling give him some escapability. If he can fix his deficiencies, he could be a second-line goal-scorer, as his style reminds me of both Brendan Gallagher, and Alex DeBrincat. I think a team will take a chance on him in the third round.

Sounds like a flames third round pick for sure.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Little Luch Edition):

I wonder, did RHC Jett Luchanko's parents have a premonition of his skating ability when they named him? Luchanko is young, with an August 21st birthday, which makes his 20 goals, and 64 points in 59 OHL games to date even more impressive. He's first in scoring for the 11th-placed Guelph Storm, 3 points ahead of second-leading scorer Braeden Bowman, and 18 points ahead of the third leading scorer on the team. Strangely enough, 30 of his points have come via the PP, and he's 3rd in the OHL for powerplay assists with 27. Luch was rated a "B" by Central Scouting at the beginning of the year, indicating a likely 2nd or 3rd round pick, but he was showing up briefly in mocks in the first round a short time ago.

Luch is perhaps more of an opportunist than a play-driver, but he definitely doesn't lack creativity. This is a player with high IQ and quick processing speed that matches his fast feet. His playmaking game is strong, and he manufactures opportunities for teammates in positions to capitalize. Speed-wise, he's close to elite in a straight-line, with the ability to separate in open-ice, and push the pace. His edges are smooth and strong, and help him move around checkers, or put them on their heels when combined with his array of 1-on-1 moves. In the on-ice testing leading up to the CHL Top Prospects Game (where he picked up an assist), he finished first overall in the skating drills. His shot is strong and accurate, but could use more power and velocity- most of his scoring comes from in-close, and from capitalizing on tips and rebounds. Luchanko has a good understanding of how to find open space to move to, and open seams to pass through, by drawing defenders towards him. He's engaged without the puck in all 3 zones, capitalizing on loose pucks and broken plays, turning them into offensive chances. Even at top speed, he exhibits confident handling and control, and is able to carry through the neutral zone to make smooth entries- he's an impactful transitional player, and works his way to open ice to outrun defenders. Though his speed is one of the pillars of his game, his success is built off of his compete- he works with a high-end motor, and can outwork bigger opponents along the boards, and in front of the net. He's a passionate and ferocious competitor, who is not afraid to drive the middle, or crash the net.

Defensively, Luch is inconsistent, and though the effort is always there, he can sometimes appear lost and out of position. He will still compete in his own zone, using his stick and body to block lanes, and disrupt plays, but he must improve this area of his game. His even-strength production is another question mark, but I believe he'll be chosen late in the second round, and could make a good middle-6 forward in the NHL.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Soldier Edition):

RW Ethan Procyszyn is still a young man, with a July birthday, but stands 6'3", weighs in at 189 lbs, and best of all- he can skate like the wind. Earlier this season, he was given a "B" rating by Central Scouting, indicating a second-or third round pick, and he currently sits at 14 goals and 32 points in 55 games, having been pushed down the lineup on a deep North Bay squad, who sit 5th in the OHL for goals-scored. It is believed that he could post much better numbers if he was given better minutes.

Procyszyn is a power-forward who can dominate with his size, though he also plays an intelligent all-around, pro-style game. He forechecks with authority, and dishes out hits that not only pressure opponents and dislodge pucks, but also energize his team. He is an excellent skater, not only for his size, but for any size, and covers a lot of ice in a hurry with his long, powerful stride. In on-ice testing leading up to the CHL Top Prospects Game, he finished 2nd in Reaction, and 2nd in Reaction With Puck, then showed off his speed in the game. He's decently skilled with the puck, and has the vision to make high-end passes, with the anticipation to see plays before they unfold in both ends of the ice. He's excellent around the net, with the hands to finish in-tight, and will park himself in front to set up the screen on PP2. Procyszyn is dominant along the boards, and in the corners, playing a very physical brand of hockey.

In transition, Procyszyn holds value, and is quite hard to stop with his skating and high-end puck control. He brings a high work ethic and compete level, and is difficult to beat in 50/50 battles for the puck. He brings energy in all 3 zones, and plays the PK, but it's his stalwart defensive zone play that might just be his ticket to the pros. He has a talent for cutting off lanes, and intercepting passes, thereby cutting off huge swaths of ice and turning defense into offense. He intimidates with his size, speed, and reach- pressuring opponents into getting rid of the puck by taking away time and space. He is often capable of killing the play in the neutral zone, before the puck even reaches his blueline. Procyzsyn is a hard player to go up against, and displays high-end defensive awareness, and the anticipation to disrupt plays in their early stages.

Though he plays a physical game, he has been criticized for not always finishing every check- but he can hardly be blamed for this in my opinion, as anyone who was flat-out hitting every opponent in every shift would break down physically quite quickly. Still, he could be more intense, and play with much more of an edge. In the next two years, he'll be able to show much more, and will unlock a lot more offense. He will need to work on his shot, as it lacks some power- all of his goals come from in-tight, and he doesn't really shoot from beyond the hash marks. I see him as a potential 3rd/4th rounder, with the NHL floor of a bottom-6 defensive specialist, with PK duties. If he works on his shot, and further develops his offense, he has a chance to play as high as the second line, IMO.

[Flames1217]

Originally Posted by Fan69

Sounds like a flames third round pick for sure.

I doubt he makes it past the mid second round.

I know he's lacking size but he is a pure pest with high end skill who attacks the middle of the ice and can shoot as well as anyone in the draft.

I've only seen him play twice but you can tell he's going to be a player. Wouldn't be mad at all if the flames took him with their second rounder but even then I am not sure he is still going to be around.

Going to be one of the steals of the draft due to size.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

My view is that this is a strong draft for d. Unusually strong even
Weaker up front and awful in goal
Overall average to above average
But it presents an excellent chance to get a blue chip d prospect

This draft is stacked with dmen. Next draft looks like it could have 3-5 really good centers available in the first 10 picks. The decision process seems obvious to me (with the caveat that you obviously pick BPA this year for sure).

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Flames1217

I doubt he makes it past the mid second round.

I know he's lacking size but he is a pure pest with high end skill who attacks the middle of the ice and can shoot as well as anyone in the draft.

I've only seen him play twice but you can tell he's going to be a player. Wouldn't be mad at all if the flames took him with their second rounder but even then I am not sure he is still going to be around.

Going to be one of the steals of the draft due to size.

5 8 and 180 now which means his playing weight would be about 190 to 195. On that frame thats a brick.

Seems to me that every pick the flames make lately has some kind of specialty. Shot, iq, skating whatever it happens to be but the approach seems to be much better but takes longer. If the scouts pick him with the second im good

[Ashes]

If there's an early run on defensemen then I'm hoping Helenius/Catton is still there for the Flames and gives us a top Center prospect. If all of the Defensemen with top pair potential are off the board, and Lindstrom/Catton/Helenius are gone by the time we get to our pick, I hope we take Tij even though he's another winger.

Order of preference for me:

1) Celebrini (C)
2) Lindstrom (C)
3) Demidov (C/LW)
4) Levshunov (D)
5) Silayev (D)
6) Dickinson (D)
7) Parekh (D)
8) Buium (D)
9) Helenius (C)
10) Catton (C)
11) Iginla (LW/RW)

Without a doubt a #8 overall pick would fantastic if we could get it. IMO there's still an outside chance that Demidov or Lindstrom drop to that pick because of an run on defensemen, and if not the Flames are still left with a top-pair potential D by that pick. I also have a feeling that Eiserman will get picked alot higher than he's been projected. My money is on Arizona or Columbus taking a gamble on the scoring pedigree and ignoring the warts.

[Solstice]

Originally Posted by Ashes

If there's an early run on defensemen then I'm hoping Helenius/Catton is still there for the Flames and gives us a top Center prospect. If all of the Defensemen with top pair potential are off the board, and Lindstrom/Catton/Helenius are gone by the time we get to our pick, I hope we take Tij even though he's another winger.

Order of preference for me:

1) Celebrini (C)
2) Lindstrom (C)
3) Demidov (C/LW)
4) Levshunov (D)
5) Silayev (D)
6) Dickinson (D)
7) Parekh (D)
8) Buium (D)
9) Helenius (C)
10) Catton (C)
11) Iginla (LW/RW)

Without a doubt a #8 overall pick would fantastic if we could get it. IMO there's still an outside chance that Demidov or Lindstrom drop to that pick because of an run on defensemen, and if not the Flames are still left with a top-pair potential D by that pick. I also have a feeling that Eiserman will get picked alot higher than he's been projected. My money is on Arizona or Columbus taking a gamble on the scoring pedigree and ignoring the warts.

Tij is actually listed as a C/LW. He plays C rn doesn’t he?

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Solstice

Tij is actually listed as a C/LW. He plays C rn doesn’t he?

He doesn't take many draws (6th on the team) so I'm gonna say no.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Fan69

Flames miss the playoffs. Pick 13. Win draft lottery. Celebrini scores 700 goals 1400 points. 150! against the oilers.

You heard it here first.

They only can move up 10 spots.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by CalgarySames

Can't remember the source on this but I recall reading that this years draft basically shapes up like this:

Macklin Celebrini is the run away number one pick this year, though he doesn't stack up to the top three from last year in Bedard, Fantili, Carlsson

Dropoff to 2-9 who still shape up well and are projected to be top line/pair potential or solid 2nd line/pair players on the low end

Bigger drop off to 10-40, projected for second line/pair potential or solid 3rd line/pair players on the lower end.

If this is for the most part accurate, and the Flames don't end up with one of the top 9 picks. I would be interested in seeing if the Flames could potentially make a trade to get the number one pick. Obviously it would require a fairly steep cost, but if Chicago gets the number one pick I could see them being open to a deal considering they already have Bedard. Would Celebrini be worth making a move for? What would the cost be? Our two 2024 1st round picks, plus a 2025 2nd, and maybe one of our recently aquired defense prospects?

Personally I'd be open to taking a chance like that (assuming we don't have one of those picks in the top 9). I think the Flames are fairly well stocked with guys who can play 2nd and 3rd line rolls, so I don't think we are missing out too much on guys from 10-40.

Celebrini would give us our number 1 center who could really benefit playing with a guy like Huberdeau and likely get the best out of Hubby too.

Zary could potentially fill in that slot if given the chance but Celebrini would be more of a "sure thing". Zary has also been phenomenal on the second line and would still slot well there. Zary could also be used as a future third line Center when Backlund either leaves or retires.

Coronato has 1st line potential with how deadly a shot he has, with development I think he could really be a top end contributor.

I think Pelletier has second line potential as well but could be a really good third liner if we move or move on from Mangiapane during or after the 2024-25 season.

Been liking Pospisil a lot but he realistically slots as a 4th line player long term (a very good 4th line player mind you)

If we do pull the trigger for Celebrini the following lines could look very very good!

Huberdeau-Celebrini-Coronato
Zary-Kadri-Sharangovich
Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman
Pelletier-Rooney/Duehr-Pospisil

Kuzmenko the odd man out here

or

Huberdeau-Celebrini-Coronato
Kuzmenko-Kadri-Sharangovich
Mangiapane-Backlund-Kadri
Pelletier-Zary-Pospisil

Again this is all based on what I've heard about this years draft, but what are your thoughts on making a bold deal for Celebrini?

Chicago, or whomever, is not giving up Celebrini. You win with elite talent. The cost would be so exorbitant Calgary could not afford it. Chicago is the last team that needs extra picks.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Ashes

If there's an early run on defensemen then I'm hoping Helenius/Catton is still there for the Flames and gives us a top Center prospect. If all of the Defensemen with top pair potential are off the board, and Lindstrom/Catton/Helenius are gone by the time we get to our pick, I hope we take Tij even though he's another winger.

Order of preference for me:

1) Celebrini (C)
2) Lindstrom (C)
3) Demidov (C/LW)
4) Levshunov (D)
5) Silayev (D)
6) Dickinson (D)
7) Parekh (D)
8) Buium (D)
9) Helenius (C)
10) Catton (C)
11) Iginla (LW/RW)

Without a doubt a #8 overall pick would fantastic if we could get it. IMO there's still an outside chance that Demidov or Lindstrom drop to that pick because of an run on defensemen, and if not the Flames are still left with a top-pair potential D by that pick. I also have a feeling that Eiserman will get picked alot higher than he's been projected. My money is on Arizona or Columbus taking a gamble on the scoring pedigree and ignoring the warts.

I think they guy you are missing in that list is Yakemchuk who also could go top 10.
So to me that starts to shape up to being a top 13 that is very compelling - which includes Iginla and Eiserman probalby near the end of that.
I would prefer top 10 to have a chance at one of the better Dmen.

[Ashes]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I think they guy you are missing in that list is Yakemchuk who also could go top 10.
So to me that starts to shape up to being a top 13 that is very compelling - which includes Iginla and Eiserman probalby near the end of that.
I would prefer top 10 to have a chance at one of the better Dmen.

Yeah I purposely left Yakemchuk out of my top 11, maybe I'm way out to lunch but I find all the other defensemen on the list more appealing, and I'd rather take one of them or one of the forwards I have listed. If we went on a run at the end of the season and picked 12th I'd have Yakemchuk and Eiserman as the next guys up.

I don't have much to base it off other than watching videos and reading scouting reports, but I agree on the top 13 being the cream of the crop IMO. Interesting that many of the scouting experts on the Fan say that the drop off is at 16, not sure the other 3 names they have included in that ledge.

I still wonder if Eiserman slips, or if a team can't resist the goal scoring stats he's putting up.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Ashes

Yeah I purposely left Yakemchuk out of my top 11, maybe I'm way out to lunch but I find all the other defensemen on the list more appealing, and I'd rather take one of them or one of the forwards I have listed. If we went on a run at the end of the season and picked 12th I'd have Yakemchuk and Eiserman as the next guys up.

I don't have much to base it off other than watching videos and reading scouting reports, but I agree on the top 13 being the cream of the crop IMO. Interesting that many of the scouting experts on the Fan say that the drop off is at 16, not sure the other 3 names they have included in that ledge.

I still wonder if Eiserman slips, or if a team can't resist the goal scoring stats he's putting up.

16? Interesting.

I've got the 13 (not a specific order just listing them):
Celibrini
Silayev
Levshunov
Lindstrom
Demidov
Eiserman
Dickison
Parekh
Helenius
Catton
Yakemchuk
Buium
Iginla

That's the 13 in my view. Of course it probably won't finish that way.
Jiricek would have been in that group prior to his injury. So that's 14.

Connelly in there if not for the off-ice concerns? So that's 15.

i don't know who the 16th would be.

I think there's a top 13. If the Flames don't get one of those guys, I know I will be dissapointed.

[cral12]

Originally Posted by 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

Holy Update at Upside Hockey, Batman!

I've been away for 2 weeks and finally caught up to Sandman's prolific profiling. Stellar work as you all know. Now all easy to find at Upside:
(well over 80 profiles already!)

Alphabetical for now with a table of contents at the top.

https://bit.ly/2024nhldraftprofiles

[Paulie Walnuts]

What is wrong with Yakemchuks game that has him so low for some people? PPG, right shot, 6'3, 26 goals. He has a lot of penalty minutes.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

What is wrong with Yakemchuks game that has him so low for some people? PPG, right shot, 6'3, 26 goals. He has a lot of penalty minutes.

Defensive game needs work.