2024 NHL Draft Thread

[dammage79]

I don't know enough about Lindstroms injuries to say much but I do wonder if it is a case of growth spurt and the muscles having not quite caught up. I don't know.

If the rumors are true it's too much of a risk at 9 and hes my number 1 prospect on my list (seeing as Celebrini is a lock at 1st OA).

If it's true, Konsta Helenius is a really great consolation prize.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Hammer and Sickle Edition):

RHC Matvei Korotky doesn't get many minutes in the top-6 of one of the MHL's best teams, SKA-1946 St.Petersburg- a club laden with top talent, including 2024 draft-darling Ivan Demidov. Despite this, he still managed to post a respectable 20 goals and 38 points in 51 games, and has proved himself valuable in the playoffs as the team's 4th-leading scorer with 14 points in 18 games, to go with 31 penalty-minutes. Korotky is a blend of skill and finesse, mixed with power and grit, measuring 6’2”,190lbs.

Korotky will attract scouts with his warrior mentality- he's fearless, and doesn't back down. He wins battles in all of the hard areas, and pounces on loose pucks. He plays a hard, heavy game along the boards, and has no problem taking a beating in front of the net. Korotky plays with high energy, an unrelenting motor, and pushes pace- he's quite competitive, and gets under opponents skin with his cockiness in the form of taunts and over-exhorbitant goal celebrations. On the forecheck, he's hard-nosed and disruptive with the way he attacks puck-carriers, cuts to the inside, and crashes the crease. He's physical, finishes his checks, and will drop the gloves if challenged. His main contribution to his team's offense is his goal-scoring, and he's considered to be pretty clutch in this regard, with a hard, heavy wrister and a lightning-quick release. He doesn't need to always score the pretty ones though, as he will go to the net to clean up garbage as well, and is always working the puck to the net. Though he loves to score, he has the hockey sense and IQ to make plays, showing the confidence and creativity to make quick decisions based on good instincts, and solving problems on the fly.

Korotky has a fairly high skill set to go with his sandpaper, and is a skillful puck-carrier with quick hands and tight protection skills. As is the case with most Russians it would seem, he skates well and augments his speed by staying active and by keeping his feet pumping. He always seems to be in the right place, at the right time to support his teammates, and be playable. He's effective in all three zones, and can fly through the neutral zone for clean entries with control. He brings his work-ethic and physicality with him to the defensive zone, where he's quick to shut down puck-carriers. Korotky has a pretty high floor, as he could concievably play in an NHL team's bottom-6 in the future if all else fails, with his size and grit to go along with his two-way mindset. The only question is how his overall game will translate, specifically his offense. He's still raw in many ways, and will need time to round out his skill set, strength, and skating. Look for him in the 5th round.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Canada 02

Outscored his dad. Comparing father and son stats separated by 30 years is silly. So many circumstances can account for the numbers.

Tij is a 1st line player on a mediocre WHL team
Iggy was a 3rd line player on the Memorial Cup Champs

He’s 17 years old. You score 47 in the dub at 17, in any role, it’s impressive.

[Wastedyouth]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

He’s 17 years old. You score 47 in the dub at 17, in any role, it’s impressive.

Even era adjusted Tij outscored his dad. So, that's good. He's also an even strength machine. So that's also very good.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Molodyozhnaya Hokkeinaya Liga Edition):

Right-handed LW Fyodor Avramov has been turning heads this season by leading Kapitan Stupino of the MHL by 15 points, with 23 goals and 44 points in 49 games. Impressive, considering his team is one of the worst, and lowest scoring in the league. Avramov is a big power forward with skill, at 6'3",190lbs.

Avramov is a physical player, who uses his size well in all 3 zones. He hits hard, bullies his way around the ice, powers through checks, and leans into opponents on his way to the net. He can finesse his way around too, with high-end skill that enables him to dangle around, or through opponents, and he protects the puck well too. His forte' is goal scoring, and he owns a wide array of hard, heavy shots to choose from, all with a lightning-quick and deceptive release. He can beat goalies from a distance, or from close-in, and finds soft spots in coverage to operate in, with a wicked wrister and a blistering one-timer at his disposal. He attacks the middle, uses opponents as screens, and can unleash in full flight. There's sometimes flashes of high-end playmaking, and he can set teammates up for high-danger chances around the net, but he has a shoot-first mentality. Though his stride is clunky, he can still generate surprising power, and can fly when he gets to top speed. His knock-kneed stance should hurt his agility, but he still manages to be able to turn quickly, and pivot away from checks. His explosiveness needs work, and his mechanics will need to be addressed in order to get the most out of his stride.

Avramov is a valuable threat in transition with his speed and quick hands, but his defense is inconsistent- sometimes he's aggressive, sometimes he's a pedestrian. When he's on, he's highly adept at pressuring puck-carriers with his quickness and physicality. Too often though, he's caught puck-watching and cheating for offense. Avramov is quite raw, and may need plenty of time to develop his game, but there might be a huge payoff in the end. His numbers on a bad team are hard to ignore, but he needs work on his consistency and his decision-making under pressure for the next level, as well as his strength and skating. Watching him skate, he reminds me a bit stylistically of former New York Rangers draftee, Vitali Kravtsov. Look for him in the 4th, or 5th round.

[traptor]

I feel like there's abit of an artifical ceiling being put on Helenius as a 2c.

He reminds me of Aho for alot of obvious reasons.

Not saying he would be my top pick at #9 but I think there's a higher ceiling then alot are giving credit for.

[cral12]

Trying to keep up with Sandman, I've got latest 2 profiles up on Upside for 152 total!

https://bit.ly/upside2024nhldraft

***
Plus,
[admittedly bit of a test here to see if these direct links to Sandman's profiles over at Upside Hockey work +/- useful that I'll be using on socials]
Couple more of these done:

Some of Upside's hopeful draft targets for Flames (some admittedly longshots)

Berkly Catton - Upside Hockey NHL Draft Prospect Profiles
https://bit.ly/berklycatton

Ivan Demidov
https://bit.ly/ivandemidov

Zeev Buium
https://bit.ly/zeevbuium

Zay Parekh
https://bit.ly/zayparekh

Seems to be a CP fav (at least b4 injury concerns):
Cayden Lindstrom
https://bit.ly/caydenlindstrom

Few more direct links created to prospect profiles...

The polarizing:
https://bit.ly/konstahelenius

The safe bet, but longshot:
https://bit.ly/sam_dickinson

The dream:
https://bit.ly/macklincelebrini

American Sniper:
https://bit.ly/ColeEiserman

Desirable D:
https://bit.ly/artyomlevshunov

[1qqaaz]

It'll be interesting to see how Buium measures at the combine. If he really is 6'2", it could change how some might view him.

[Tbull8]

I want another top 15 pick so badly

[dammage79]

The 2025 draft is the James Hagens draft isn't it. That kids gonna be a beast.

[dammage79]

Another Finn aside from Koivu and Helenius I'm keen on watch is Tuomas Suoniemi. Could a sleeper pick.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (RoShoLoko Edition):

LHD Roman Shokhrin of Loko-76 Yaroslavl in Russia's MHL was given a "B" ranking by Central Scouting at the beginning of the season, denoting a possible 2nd, or 3rd-round pick this summer. It could be because he is yet another huge Russian defenseman with an absolutely wonderful skating stride, and uncommon agility for a player who measures 6'4", and 198lbs. It could be because he's a minute-muncher who contributes in all areas of the game. It could be because, despite his rough exterior, he has soft-touch skill. Shokhrin put up 12 points and 24 penalty minutes in 28 games for Loko.

I loathe to use this comparison, but Shokhrin looks sometimes like a figure skater, or a ballet dancer on ice. He moves gracefully and fluidly, with the ability to start and stop on a dime, and pivot instantaneously. At his size, he's an intimidating physical threat, but doesn't use his body nearly enough; instead, he chooses to be disruptive with his stick, long reach, and positioning. Like his skating, his stickhandling is quite smooth, and he can move around in small areas with ease. His wingspan helps him protect the puck, and hold off checkers. These puck skills shine when he's carrying through traffic in transition, as he has a number of moves and layers of deception to manipulate opponents, and get around the ice with grace and finesse. His contributions to transition are one of the big pillars of his game, and he can kick off the breakout with a quality first-pass, but he can also really push the pace by stretching the ice with a long-bomb. In retrievals, he scans well and makes quick, accurate decisions under pressure for a seamless switch from defense to offense. His passing game is solid, but he's more of a facilitator than true playmaker, and he can complete spin-o-rama passes to simultaneously avoid checks, or pass one-handed around an attacker.

Shokhrin can walk the line to open seams when his team is installed in the offensive zone, but he doesn't pinch too often from the blueline unless it's to keep the puck alive along the boards. He ditributes well, and stays at the point position to support his teammates as a pass option on the cycle, and to keep an eye on his defensive responsibilities. In his own zone, Shokhrin should be a stalwart, but his defensive game is inconsistent- sometimes he's a dominant play-killer, and sometimes he's caught floating and puck-watching. When he's on, he displays tight gap control, and shows the ability to close fast and smother entries.Other times, he allows attackers too much space on the rush. He can be very aggressive defensively, hounding puck-carriers, and angling opponents out of danger. He possesses a high level of anticipation, and uses his massive reach and active stick to shut down lanes, strip the puck, and turn the play around quickly. Shokhrin is another raw prospect, and needs time to iron out his decision-making, which can be inconsistent when facing pressure- sometimes he forces plays and rushes passes that aren't available. Above all, his compete has ebbs and flows, as sometimes he's intense, and other times he's invisible. This is a kid who is much more potential than finished product, and has all the tools that scouts like. Look for him in the 4th round.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Graf-ic Edition):

I don't know what has happened to 5'11",161lb C Yegor Graf. His playoffs have been a disaster, between missing 7 of his team's 18 games (I'm assuming due to injury), and putting up only 1 point in 11 games. In the regular season for SKA-1946 St.Petersburg, he was sometimes part of a dominant trio made up of himself, draft-darling Ivan Demidov, and Ignat Lutfullin, amassing 13 goals and 38 points in 39 MHL games. From what I can tell, Graf only played on that line part of the time, as he spent the season bouncing around the lineup, trying to fit in- there were times he didn't even get top-6 minutes. His wildly fluctuating ice-time game-to-game reflects this, especially down the stretch, as he could get over 19 minutes one game, and under 8 minutes the next. Graf should be a star in the MHL, as he finished 4th in scoring in 2022-23 on another SKA squad, SKA Varyagi St.Petersburg, with 19 points in 34 games- ahead of several older players on the team, and 2024 draft-eligibles in the MHL such as Matvei Korotky, Fyodor Avramov, and Daniil Anatsky. Graf has youth on his side though, with a June 25th birthday.

Graf leans heavily towards being a playmaker, despite the fact that he owns a blistering wrister with a quick, deceptive release that he can unleash in full flight. He's also good around the net, and can score in-close with 2nd, and 3rd efforts. His IQ and vision are high-end, and he's a creative distributor with the ability to find teammates with crisp, accurate passes while in flight. He can dish forehand or backhand, and over sticks, between feet, and through triangles. He's a fine manipulator, and adept at drawing defenders to him, in order to pass to open teammates. Off the puck, he's always in the right position to support the play and be an option for passes. Puckhandling is a huge plus for him, as his hands are quick and smooth, and he controls well- he can weave through traffic with the puck on a string. It's difficult to strip him of possession. Despite an almost complete lack of physicality, Graf forechecks well, finding ways to be disruptive with his stick, anticipation, and smart positioning. The same can be said in the defensive zone, as he's reliable and understands the center position in taking away the middle from opponents. He's considered to be an excellent defensive forward, and he's also strong in faceoffs, as well as both sides of special teams. With his passing, vision, and stickhandling, he's an asset in transition and is often seen quarterbacking the rush.

Graf is strong on his skates and hard to knock off stride, but his skating is around average speed-wise. Despite this, he has fairly good agility and can move laterally quite well. Some of his issues will be cleared up as he gets stronger, which is another must going forward. Graf might be another long-term project, and I'm not sure how his game will translate to the next level. At this stage, he's not really a play-driver- more of a complimentary player. There must be reasons why his ice-time is so up and down this year, and his playoff performance will hurt his draft stock. Even though he's in the top-50 on some lists, I will say he goes in the 5th round.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (AK-47 Edition):

Here's a player that I've liked since I saw him in last summer's Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and I think he's got a good shot at being an NHL defenseman. I'm talking about 6'2",181lb RHD Adam Kral of Czechia, who put up 6 goals and 19 points in 50 games for Bili Tygri Liberec of the U20 league, good enough for 30th in scoring by D. His play in the U20 earned him 4 games (but no points) in the top men's league. Kral also earned a spot in December's U-18 5 Nations, but he had no points, unfortunately.

Kral is firstly a defensive defenseman who eats minutes, but he can contribute to offense, and play in all situations, including both sides of special teams. Kral is not a burner, but he possesses above-average speed, with a quick first-step, and good small-area quickness. He's also agile, and can change speed and direction quickly, or pivot away from checkers in an instant. Kral plays a rugged, hard-nosed game, and applies plenty of physicality- he's a force down low, and along the boards. Though his puck-skill isn't elite, his handling is good enough to get around, and his use of deception on top of that helps him to navigate through traffic. He's more of a facilitator than a playmaker, as he moves the puck up the ice to his forwards, then provides support- although he will jump into the rush as an extra forward on occasion, or activate from the point if the coast is clear. He's cool and composed with the puck, and distributes well. In off-puck situations, he's always in a good position to be playable in both ends of the rink. He gets good power on his shot, but he could stand to work on it's zip, and accuracy- though his shooting creates plenty of second-chance opportunities for teammates.

Kral does his homework on retrievals, scanning with his head up to be aware of his next option, and makes good decisions with quality breakout passes under pressure to kickstart the offense. He has keen awareness and high IQ, making consistently good reads in all three zones. Against the rush, he racks up stops with his tight gap control and physicality- he can kill plays before they develop in the neutral zone with his long reach and active stick. There's plenty to work on here, including rounding out his offensive game, though I doubt he'll be more than a bottom-pairing guy in the NHL, if he makes it. Improving his strength, puck-skill, speed, and shot will go a long way. Look for him in the later rounds.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (JVV Edition):

LHC Jack Van Volsen has been on the radar for the scouting community for quite a while, and a lot has been expected of him. He was chosen 6th overall in the 2022 OHL Priority Draft by the Peterborough Petes, on the strength of the season he had for the Toronto Junior Canadiens U16 AAA team in 2021-22, where he formed a dominant trio with Michael Hage and 2025 draft-eligible Porter Martone, piling up 110 points in 57 games. Since he started his career in the OHL in 2022-23 though, he has struggled with 25 points in 61 games in his rookie year, split between the Petes and the Mississauga Steelheads, and showing not much progression this season, with 32 points in 63 games. The 6'1",187lb pivot started the 2023-24 season slowly, with only 2 points in his first 9 games, and 9 points in his last 21. Only 1 point and a minus 6 in 5 playoff games, as the Steelheads were eliminated by Sudbury.

JVV is versatile, being able to play center and the wing, and can be utilized on both special teams, especially with his ability to win faceoffs. He has a long, powerful stride that generates above-average speed, with good first-step quickness, and a good small-area burst. He needs to upgrade his top speed and add a separation gear, along with improving his agility to be more elusive. He's far more of a shooter than a playmaker, as his 20 goals on the year would attest, and he owns a powerful shot with a deceptive release- though it could use a bit more zip. He can pick corners from bad angles, and can finish in-tight. In regards to playmaking, he makes good decisions but mostly keeps things simple and risk-free- he plays a smart, poised game with, and without the puck. Off the puck, he shows awareness, and is always in prime position to recieve a pass in high-danger, with a goal-scorer's knack for finding soft spots in coverage to shoot. He's not afraid to cut inside and attack the crease, or sneak into open space in the slot. JVV will throw his weight around, and finishes his checks, but his physicality is inconsistent. He has shown the ability to win 50/50 battles in the hard areas, and to play hard along the boards. He's hard-working, but needs a better compete level, and higher intensity.

Unfortunately, JVV's defensive game is lacking, as he often looks lost in his own zone, and gets caught puck-watching. His game has plenty of warts, but inconsistency plagues every facet of his game- he goes from dominant to invisible one shift to the next, and looks physically dominant one moment, to soft the next. He can disappear for long stretches in games, and go weeks without getting any points. His skating, shot, strength, and intensity are all in need of upgrades, with his own-zone game requiring plenty of attention. JVV is less than the sum of his parts, and if he gets drafted, he'll have to wait until the later rounds.

[butterfly]

Wow, I'd definitely pass on JVV.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by butterfly

Wow, I'd definitely pass on JVV.

Good call.

[Bingo]

Updated with two more rankings

FC Hockey
Upside Hockey

Brings the total to 16 and the cut point at 5 (need to make 5 lists to get an average). Nobody with less than 11 appearances made it into the first round.

Flames pick (currently 9th)

Flames	7	Anton Silayev	D	7.44
Flames	8	Zeev Buium	D	8.06
Flames	9	Zayne Parekh	D	9.06
Flames	10	Cole Eiserman	LW	9.94
Flames	11	Konsta Helenius	C	11.13

Vancouver pick (currently 27th)

Flames	25	N Artamonov	LW	29.85
Flames	26	Terik Parascak	RW	30.36
Flames	27	Henry Mews	D	31.17
Flames	28	Aron Kiviharju	D	31.60
Flames	29	Maxim Masse	F	32.10

Ranking top 15

1	M Celebrini	C	1.00
2	Ivan Demidov	RW	3.00
3	A Levshunov	D	4.25
4	Sam Dickinson	D	6.25
5	Berkly Catton	C	6.81
6	C Lindstrom	C	6.94
7	Anton Silayev	D	7.44
8	Zeev Buium	D	8.06
9	Zayne Parekh	D	9.06
10	Cole Eiserman	LW	9.94
11	Konsta Helenius	C	11.13
12	C Yakemchuk	D	12.19
13	Tij Iginla	C	12.63
14	Liam Greentree	RW	13.31
15	BrandseggNygard	RW	16.06

[Parallex]

Hey Sandman... Have you seen the son of Satan? Just curious about what he actually is as a player (besides having a fun punny last name that would sell a few jersey's if nothing else)... I mean he's a 6'7 center with NHL bloodlines (1000+ games for Miroslav Sr.) but he's ranked pretty low so I assume there are plenty of warts.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Updated with two more rankings

FC Hockey
Upside Hockey

Brings the total to 16 and the cut point at 5 (need to make 5 lists to get an average). Nobody with less than 11 appearances made it into the first round.

Flames pick (currently 9th)

Flames	7	Anton Silayev	D	7.44
Flames	8	Zeev Buium	D	8.06
Flames	9	Zayne Parekh	D	9.06
Flames	10	Cole Eiserman	LW	9.94
Flames	11	Konsta Helenius	C	11.13

I am hoping Buium is available for us. But if Iginla is available I think we can and should take him.

Vancouver pick (currently 27th)

Flames	25	N Artamonov	LW	29.85
Flames	26	Terik Parascak	RW	30.36
Flames	27	Henry Mews	D	31.17
Flames	28	Aron Kiviharju	D	31.60
Flames	29	Maxim Masse	F	32.10

This is the best part of the post. I'd be happy with any of the top 4 of these guys at 27.

Ranking top 15

1	M Celebrini	C	1.00
2	Ivan Demidov	RW	3.00
3	A Levshunov	D	4.25
4	Sam Dickinson	D	6.25
5	Berkly Catton	C	6.81
6	C Lindstrom	C	6.94
7	Anton Silayev	D	7.44
8	Zeev Buium	D	8.06
9	Zayne Parekh	D	9.06
10	Cole Eiserman	LW	9.94
11	Konsta Helenius	C	11.13
12	C Yakemchuk	D	12.19
13	Tij Iginla	C	12.63
14	Liam Greentree	RW	13.31
15	BrandseggNygard	RW	16.06

And here's where I still think it's hard. If Buium and Iginla are both available, which do you take.