2024 NHL Draft Thread

[stemit14]

Mentioned in the trade thread that I would love to see the flames go into this draft with 3 first round picks, 3 second round picks and 3 third round picks. Hopefully their scouting staff can keep finding gems in the draft like they have over the last 5-10 years.

I’m never a fan of making “safe” picks iwhen picking outside the top 16… players with “high floors/Low ceilings” can always be found through free agency and trade IMO. Would rather the flames swing for the fences with any picks they have in the late first round or after that. Players who have fallen a lot from their predicted draft position or guys that missed time during their draft year so their viewing window was short are great examples. Players with elite offensive skills that are poor defensively or are under-sized, for example. I don’t know this draft well enough yet to know if there are any of these types of players expected to go late in the first round yet.

I remember a great example from a few years ago was Stankoven… seems like, despite the fantastic numbers he was putting up in Junior, he was never projected to be much higher than a late first round pick. I remember wanting the flames to grab him with their own second round pick but they didn’t and he fell all the way to the Stars. Now he’s a highly-touted prospect that’s worth a lot to the Stars both as a player and potentially as an asset in a trade. It surprised me at the time that so many teams would draft guys who might become 3rd/4th line players or 5th/6th defenceman instead of a guy who could potentially be a top six forward. Obviously he has done nothing at the NHL yet… but, even today, he has more value than most guys taken in the second round of that draft or even in the late first round.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

So, assuming we receive Florida’s 2025 pick (because Florida’s 1st in 2024 is not going to be top-10) then:

If CGY and FLA’s 2025 1st round picks are both top-10, Montreal get’s Calgary’s pick unless it is 1st overall.

If CGY’s pick is top-10, but FLA’s is not -> Montreal gets Florida’s.

If neither CGY or FLA’s picks are top-10 -> Montreal gets the better of the two.

So really, unless Florida ends up with a top-10 pick in 2025, we’re fine.

So, Chucky and Benny need to friggin deliver the goods. The situation seems to get more dangerous if Florida’s 2024 is top-10.

What if Calgary's pick is not top 10 but Florida's is?

[BeltlineFan]

Originally Posted by butterfly

What if Calgary's pick is not top 10 but Florida's is?

Then Calgary will not receive Florida's pick since it's top 10 protected and Montreal will get Calgary's pick.

[Ashes]

If the Flames can drop into the 5/6 spot with their own 1st rounder and get Cayden Lindstrom I would be over the moon. But it seems like he's still moving up on peoples mock drafts as he's putting together a really strong season so far in the WHL.

Wouldn't be surprised to see Celebrini, Eiserman, Lindstrom to go 1-2-3, and then we see a run on Defensemen, but it's early and there's always surprises on Draft Day. Also, as of today I see Tij is up as high as 11 on some draft boards. Having Lindstrom/Honzek in the prospect cupboards as huge up and coming Centers for this team would be fantastic for the rebuild though. We're definitely overdue for some draft luck!

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Ashes

If the Flames can drop into the 5/6 spot with their own 1st rounder and get Cayden Lindstrom I would be over the moon. But it seems like he's still moving up on peoples mock drafts as he's putting together a really strong season so far in the WHL.

Wouldn't be surprised to see Celebrini, Eiserman, Lindstrom to go 1-2-3, and then we see a run on Defensemen, but it's early and there's always surprises on Draft Day. Also, as of today I see Tij is up as high as 11 on some draft boards. Having Lindstrom/Honzek in the prospect cupboards as huge up and coming Centers for this team would be fantastic for the rebuild though. We're definitely overdue for some draft luck!

I think dmen go 2 and 3, and Eiserman goes 4.
Lindstrom goes 6 or later.
Mocks and fans always underestimate how many and how high dmen go.

[Ashes]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I think dmen go 2 and 3, and Eiserman goes 4.
Lindstrom goes 6 or later.
Mocks and fans always underestimate how many and how high dmen go.

Guess we will have to wait and see but I hope you're right. I think high-end forwards at the top of the draft are just hard to pass on IMO, and those 3 forwards have great projections, but it does look like a very strong crop of defensemen. Would be great if Lindstrom is there for our pick. He's playing up the road for Medicine Hat so you'd have to assume the Flames are scouting him pretty heavily.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Ashes

Guess we will have to wait and see but I hope you're right. I think high-end forwards at the top of the draft are just hard to pass on IMO, and those 3 forwards have great projections, but it does look like a very strong crop of defensemen. Would be great if Lindstrom is there for our pick. He's playing up the road for Medicine Hat so you'd have to assume the Flames are scouting him pretty heavily.

Yeah and on one hand I'm of the mind that you take BPA, but increasingly, I think it is important to have strength on D and C.
So when I look at the top end of the draft I see a number of centres (Celebrini, Lindstrom, Helenius (though not sure if he will be a C at the NHL level), Catton and then a bevy of dmen.

So in my mind, I'd like to see them come out with a D or a C, and not a winger. A future #1 D and #1 C are clear needs. And the org should be able to add someone with potential to be either in this draft with a high pick.

[SuperMatt18]

I think there are tiers depending on where the Flames pick(s) land, and hopefully it is multiple firsts.

Top 5 Pick: Hopefully they win the lottery for Celebrini, but if not then Lindstrom or Catton would be nice C's to have on this roster.

14-16 Pick: Hopefully a team right on the playoff bubble trades for Lindholm or Hanifin and the Flames can pick up one of the d-men here. Yakemchuk, Buium, Parekh, Jiricek, etc.

20-25 Pick: Hopefully another first returned for either Hanifin or Lindholm. And the Dream would be Iginla is still available at this spot.

If you could leave the draft with:

A top center: Celebrini, Lindstrom, Catton
A top d-man: Yakemchuk, Buium, Parekh, Jiricek
A fan favourite pick: Iginla

That would be pretty close to a perfect draft.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by BeltlineFan

Then Calgary will not receive Florida's pick since it's top 10 protected and Montreal will get Calgary's pick.

That's the best scenario, I think. Then we will receive the Florida 2026 1st rounder with zero protection.

https://flamesnation.ca/news/making-...d-philadelphia

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by butterfly

That's the best scenario, I think. Then we will receive the Florida 2026 1st rounder with zero protection.

https://flamesnation.ca/news/making-...d-philadelphia

No, that would line up to be nightmare scenario unless you think the Flames finish outside the top ten in 25. The only protection the Flames have on their own pick would be if it is 1st overall.

Panthers need to make the playoffs this year and next.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by Bonded

No, that would line up to be nightmare scenario unless you think the Flames finish outside the top ten in 25. The only protection the Flames have on their own pick would be if it is 1st overall.

Panthers need to make the playoffs this year and next.

Yeah, you're right. It is embarrassing to follow the Flames this much and still not know about that condition tree.

Although it could work out just fine even if Montreal gets the pick in 2025. If Calgary and Florida are both horrible in 2025-26 we end up with two premium picks in that draft.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by butterfly

Yeah, you're right. It is embarrassing to follow the Flames this much and still not know about that condition tree.

Although it could work out just fine even if Montreal gets the pick in 2025. If Calgary and Florida are both horrible in 2025-26 we end up with two premium picks in that draft.

Eh, it is confusing lol. I think the Flames will have a top 5 pick next year and if the Panthers would need to really stumble to get a top 5 pick in 2026. Worst case is that Florida gets a top ten pick next year and then rebounds in 2026.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I think dmen go 2 and 3, and Eiserman goes 4.
Lindstrom goes 6 or later.
Mocks and fans always underestimate how many and how high dmen go.

Do we see another Russian slide? I think Eiserman will still end up 2nd.

1. Celebrini
2. Eiserman
3. Dickinson/Levshunov
4. Levshunov/Dickinson
5. Demidov?
6. Catton/Lindstrom?
7. Lindstrom/Catton?

Eiserman is also going to be very young for the 2024 draft (August 29th, 2006 - two weeks shy of being a 2025 pick!). Celebrini is also pretty young for the draft (June 13th).

Justin Poirier is friggin' Sep 4th, 2006. He'd be a slam dunk pick if you could find him in the 3rd (5'8" hurts a draft spot), or maybe a late 2nd.

[Sandman]

Just my opinion, but if I'm an NHL GM, I'm taking Lindstrom ahead of anyone not named Celebrini, at least at this point in the season- things might look a little different later on. 40 points (24 goals) in 29 WHL games from a 6'5" center who can skate, and is physical and mean (64 PIM). Actual f'n unicorn.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Justin Poirier is friggin' Sep 4th, 2006. He'd be a slam dunk pick if you could find him in the 3rd (5'8" hurts a draft spot), or maybe a late 2nd.

think he's a slam dunk pick in the 2nd too. Because he's so young, he might still grow a bit ... his brother is listed at 6'1, so you never know. Either way, Justin seems to be a stocky kid (listed at 190), so I'm not really that worried about his size. A gifted right-handed goal scorer like him? Yes please. I'd rather use a 2nd on someone like him than the Strömgrens and Rönnis of this world.

[bigrangy]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Just my opinion, but if I'm an NHL GM, I'm taking Lindstrom ahead of anyone not named Celebrini, at least at this point in the season- things might look a little different later on. 40 points (24 goals) in 29 WHL games from a 6'5" center who can skate, and is physical and mean (64 PIM). Actual f'n unicorn.

I’m always worried about taking players that have way more goals than assists at the junior level. Even Bedard had as many assists as goals and he’s the best goal scorer in the league and was playing with absolute plugs. If you can’t feed your teammates in juniors, you don’t figure it out in the NHL, and passing is 90% of offense.

[Tkachukwagon]

Originally Posted by devo22

think he's a slam dunk pick in the 2nd too. Because he's so young, he might still grow a bit ... his brother is listed at 6'1, so you never know. Either way, Justin seems to be a stocky kid (listed at 190), so I'm not really that worried about his size. A gifted right-handed goal scorer like him? Yes please. I'd rather use a 2nd on someone like him than the Strömgrens and Rönnis of this world.

Those Strömgren and Rönni picks still piss me off

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Just my opinion, but if I'm an NHL GM, I'm taking Lindstrom ahead of anyone not named Celebrini, at least at this point in the season- things might look a little different later on. 40 points (24 goals) in 29 WHL games from a 6'5" center who can skate, and is physical and mean (64 PIM). Actual f'n unicorn.

I preferred Catton early, but at this point, it's getting difficult to justify ranking Catton ahead of Lindstrom. They have nearly the same production, but Lindstrom has 5 inches and 50+ pounds on Catton. Plus the other intangibles. Both of them have strong linemates who are likely helping with their production.

This will likely be quite an erratic draft in terms of rankings. I predict that many players will "fall" or be taken "off the board". Part of the reason for this is the number of Russians/Belarussians. Levshunov, Demidov, Silayev, Chernyshov, Artamonov and Shuravin will be interesting to watch.

[cral12]

I've received Upside's Chief of Scouting's pre-Christmas rankings mega spreadsheet in my inbox - hope to get them posted soon! Stay tuned.
(I'm sure we'll probably be getting into Head Prospect Profiler's write-ups at some point as well! ; ) Well, he already did some awesome one's this summer! I had hoped to have them on the site as well, but time keep ticking away)

(busier with another project that's taking more time than anticipated - oddly enough a book of haiku poetry paired with mostly nature photography - don't ask where that curveball in my creative path came from lol)

[sureLoss]

Sportsnet released their December rankings:
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...ember-edition/