2024 NHL Draft Thread

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Button not as big on Hage as some of you

Good. I feel more confident then that he will be an impact guy.

[The Fonz]

In defense of Craig Button, I remember the draft year (2014?) where everyone's rankings had Virtanen as a 5-12 pick, then Craig's list came out and had him around #40, IIRC. It was pretty damn bold at the time, but hindsight suggests he was right.

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by Ba'alzamon

It really doesn't. I've seen people make that claim before but last year's draft pretty much completely refutes that. He had Honzek 21st, Pellikka 5th, and Barlow 10th. Clearly very little similarity to the Flames' list.

I agree with you as it wouldn't be smart if the head of the Flames scouting department was giving a reporter detailed info about Flames' thinking.

But on the very, very small chance that the brothers do talk a lot about prospects and they share a similar list, it could also mean that Conroy went his own way with the pick, rather than listening to his scouts like Treleving and Feaster seemed to do.

That would be pretty concerning and a quick path back to the dark drafting days of the Sutter era.

[Ped]

Jason Bukala of Sportsnet's latest ranking has Tij at 11


Top 10:
Celebrini
Demidov
Levshunov
Silayev
Yakemchuk
Dickinson
Catton
Buium
Parekh
Lindstrom


https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...024-nhl-draft/

[Jiri Hrdina]

Lindstrom suddenly being available to the Flames, because of an injury-based dropped, is exciting to me. That's the type of situation where you get your hands on a #1 center.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Ped

Jason Bukala of Sportsnet's latest ranking has Tij at 11


Top 10:
Celebrini
Demidov
Levshunov
Silayev
Yakemchuk
Dickinson
Catton
Buium
Parekh
Lindstrom


https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...024-nhl-draft/

Any of the bottom five on that list im good.

[1qqaaz]

I just can't see any scenario where 9 GMs go up to the podium and pass on a 6'4 center, even with the injuries. Historically, these guys go quickly. Guys like Johansen, Dubois, Carlsson and Dach were all taken higher than many had them ranked, likely for this reason.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

I just can't see any scenario where 9 GMs go up to the podium and pass on a 6'4 center, even with the injuries. Historically, these guys go quickly. Guys like Johansen, Dubois, Carlsson and Dach were all taken higher than many had them ranked, likely for this reason.

Hopefully there is a run on forwards early. Would not mind forwards being the first 5 players picked.

[Tbull8]

I’m curious who other think will play in the nhl next season.

For me it’s
Celebrini
Levshunov
Maybe helenius (3rd line sheltered role)

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Tbull8

I’m curious who other think will play in the nhl next season.

For me it’s
Celebrini
Levshunov
Maybe helenius (3rd line sheltered role)

Dickinson. Has all the tools

[Badgers Nose]

We're going to have a Dallas style turn around.

Starting with a high first pick that gets upgraded when we win the lottery, then our scouts will find us a ton of gems. Book it!

[albertGQ]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

In defense of Craig Button, I remember the draft year (2014?) where everyone's rankings had Virtanen as a 5-12 pick, then Craig's list came out and had him around #40, IIRC. It was pretty damn bold at the time, but hindsight suggests he was right.

He also had Zach Fucale in the top 10 in 2013. He ended up going in the 2nd round where most had him ranked. He's played 4 career NHL games and may not get a 5th.

[Ped]

Button's mock draft had Virtanen going 6th - and Nylander 11th.


https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2014/...-craig-button/

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Ped

Button's mock draft had Virtanen going 6th - and Nylander 11th.


https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2014/...-craig-button/

Mock v. Rankings. He does both.
Mock is where he thinks players will go
Ranking is his own personal stack rank of the players.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Frankenstein Edition):

If you haven't already heard of LHD Gabriel Eliasson, he's a 6'6",205lb monster who is pretty high on some lists- McKenzie has him at #55, and McKeen's has him at #96, just to name a few. Eliasson is one of the youngest players in this year's draft class, with a September 9th birthday, and he put up 6 points in 36 games for HV71 of the J20 this season, to go with 103 penalty-minutes. He participated in Sweden's entry in the Hlinka, with no points and 12 PIM in 4 games, but he drew some attention at the 5 Nations, where he was one of the culprits that started a bit of a brawl after the game ended against Team USA.

Chances are, you will be told at some point that Eliasson fits the old adage that, "he's a good skater for his size", which usually means, "he has average speed at best when compared to smaller players". From a technical standpoint, his technique looks smooth and fluid with long strides, so I have no doubt that his mobility will improve as he gets stronger, but he needs plenty of improvement in all areas. The real reason he's getting so much attention from scouts is the intimidation factor he brings- he's hard to go up against, with his surly disposition, and his nasty physical game. Eliasson plays a borderline dirty game, but sometimes steps over that line, with questionable hits, elbows, crosschecks, and various other shenanigans. He doesn't have to be told to finish his checks, as he hits every chance he gets, and engages physically along the boards, and in the corners. He's a force down low, and keeps the crease clear. He keeps his play with the puck very plain and simple- he doesn't pinch in from the point, or join the rush very often, and makes very basic outlets. Eliasson offers next to nothing in terms of offense.

Eliasson is called a "stay at home" type, or a "defensive defenseman", and while he passes the eye test, the underlying stats say that he doesn't make a significant impact in this end of the ice. One issue that hurts him in this area, apart from his skating, is that he gives his opponents too much room in regards to his gap control, and another is his stickhandling, which is said to be rough- he often loses the handle on the puck, and can commit fumbles. It also affects his passing game. Discipline is a problem as well, and he can hurt his team with bad penalties. If you're selecting Eliasson, it means you accept the fact that he will be a long-term project, as he's extremely raw, and there's so much to work on. His skating needs to be upgraded, but his puck skills need significant improvement. Eliasson reminds me a bit of Bruins' 2023 7th-rounder Kristian Kostadinski, and Flames' 7th-rounder from the same year, Axel Hurtig- both of whom, after one of last year's International tournaments, I referred to as looking like Frankenstein's Monster on the ice. In my opinion, both of these players had much more game than Eliasson does now. I have a feeling, though, that Eliasson gets picked in the 4th, or 5th round by a team that sees him for what he could be in the future, and not for what he is now.

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by Fan69

Dickinson. Has all the tools

As much as I rave about Buium and Parekh's point totals, I think a strong argument can be made that Dickinson is the best defenseman in the draft.
I can see teams wanting to pair their offensive defensemen with him. Chicago would probably be excited at the chance of having Korchinski and Dickinson together for years to come.
I was questioning if the upside was their for him to be a good top pairing guy, but there just aren't enough holes in his game to have these doubts.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

As much as I rave about Buium and Parekh's point totals, I think a strong argument can be made that Dickinson is the best defenseman in the draft.
I can see teams wanting to pair their offensive defensemen with him. Chicago would probably be excited at the chance of having Korchinski and Dickinson together for years to come.
I was questioning if the upside was their for him to be a good top pairing guy, but there just aren't enough holes in his game to have these doubts.

Of the defencemen at the top of the draft… he seems like the safest pick to me. He does everything well and has all the tools. He might not be as elite offensively as some others but I don’t see him ending up anything less than a top 3 defenceman in the NHL… with potential to be a number 1. Reminds me a lot of Pietrangelo. Smart hockey player with a complete game.

[stemit14]

Still a few games left to sort out the season but if the flames don’t get their game back in the next 2-3 games, they could end up dropping below Ottawa and Montreal who are both playing some of their best hockey of the season and both are 3 points back of the flames. That would put them at picking 6th overall. Arizona is 4 points back so they could catch the flames as well.

At 5th/6th overall, the flames are going to be in that range of picking a player that has a good chance to be the 3rd best player in this draft (behind Celebrini and Demidov). Guaranteed at least one of Dickinson, Helenius, Lindstrom, Yakemchuk, Levshunov and Catton are there. Iginla is not ranked that high right now but I wouldn’t count him out either… and not just for the flames… teams will be tempted by his skill set and pedigree.

If you told me 2 months ago there was a good chance the flames could get Lindstrom in this draft, I would have considered that a home run for them if they did. He’s still probably my top choice of that group but the injuries are starting to concern me. I wonder if the flames will be hesitant to pick him as well after what they have seen with Honzek over the last year. His ceiling is really high IMO so I still think it would be worth the risk. Every day we get closer to the draft, the more I want the flames to find a way to get another pick in the top 15 of this draft… please find a way Conroy.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Islander Edition):

There was a time a few years back when LHC Joona Saarelainen was considered to be one of the top 2 or 3 Finnish players in the U-16 age group, but it seems he's not even in the top-3 rounds of most lists these days. Saarelainen wears an "A" for KalPa's U20 team, where he has registered 13 goals, and 36 points in 41 games, with a cup o' coffee on their Liiga team, picking up 1 assist in 8 games. Finland's international U-18 teams have been missing some of their stars this season, so players like Saarelainen have had to step up, but the results for him have been mixed- he captained the Hlinka team, and only finished with 2 points in 5 games, but he really turned heads at the U-18 Five Nations, where he was tied for the tournament lead, with 6 goals in 4 games, which accounted for half of Team Finland's goals-for at the event. The big knock against Saarelainen is his size- he's only 5'9",176lbs, but if you're going to pick up a small player, this is the kind of profile you want that player to have.

Saarelainen is a playmaker, who makes teammates around him better, and best of all- he drives play. His hockey sense is top-notch, and he has a well-developed passing game, where he can pass through traffic to high-danger consistently, off of either side of his blade, even through feet, over sticks, and through triangles. His deception game facilitates everything he does, and he has an acute knowledge of how to find, create, and open space- he's proficient at drawing defenders towards him, then passing against the grain to the open area. He's a quick skater, perhaps not a blazer, but he can beat most kids his age in puck-races with his high motor, and by keeping his legs pumping hard. His low center of gravity gives him uncommon balance, making him solid on his skates, and hard to knock off the puck. He's very strong on his edges, and very agile, which helps him in small areas, and gives him lateral quickness to elude danger. To augment these abilities, he has fast hands and is a stickhandling wizard with high-end moves to burn opponents, such as fakes, dekes, and toe-drags- he moves through checks with the puck seemingly on a string. 5 Nations aside, he's usually not a huge threat to score, but has certainly shown the ability to finish- although he was used primarily as a winger in that tournament, which might give him better looks. He owns a good shot with a quality release, but needs to add more power to it- he gets a lot of his goals by changing the angle of his blade to make his shots hard to read for goalies, and by using opponents as screens. He finishes in-tight by beating goalies 1-on-1, and going to the net to cash in on rebounds.

One of Saarelainen's main strengths is his ability to drive the play in transition, often going coast-to-coast for both exits and entries with control, several times a game. He can stickhandle with a couple of defenders draped over him, when he's not going through, or around them. Despite his size, he plays a fairly robust physical game, complete with hits to dislodge pucks, and the ability to win battles in all of the greasy areas- he's not afraid to go to war along the wall, in the corners, or in front of the net. His low center of gravity helps him to stay on his feet after delivering a hit, or receiving one. Saarelainen plays with high-end motor, never letting up, and never giving up on plays, keeping his feet pumping and staying active. He's got impeccable character, works hard, and respects the game, setting an example for teammates- he's put the Finns on his back a few times. His defensive game is another big plus- he's highly aware, never outworked, and engages with his body. Opponents get frustrated with his relentless puck-pursuit, and the excellent use of his stick to break up plays, and turn the puck around into swift exits. His off-puck game is exemplary in all 3 zones- he makes himself always playable, and is constantly in the right place with solid positioning.

Only Saarelainen's offensive game is in question, as his numbers in the J20 from this year and last are not that impressive. He already plays a mature, well-developed game when it comes to defense and transition, and the underlying numbers confirm that he's a stalwart in these areas. It has been said that he's a natural center, but I wonder how he would do on the wing in league play for an extended period of time- I can't see him playing center at the next level at his size anyway. I think he'll be picked in the 4th, or 5th round. "Saarelainen" means "Islander" in Finnish, btw...

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

My very first visit to a draft simulator for 2024 that included the lottery, and it came up with this:



Hopefully a good omen.