2024 NHL Draft Picks 14, 42, 43, 76, 108, 109, 161, 172, 204 (Draft on 6/28 and 6/29)

[Ace]

Speaking of Black Book. They had 20 A rated prospects this draft. Right in line with how it feels. They can get a quality player at 11 with some real variety in player type going to be on the board.

 

[Chainshot]

Are the Caps buying them?

After they get Gabrielor’s spreadsheets.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Dingo44]

 

[Jim Bob]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1800542816894165246

 

[Jim Bob]

NHL Staff Mock Draft 2.0: Celebrini is No. 1, but where do Levshunov, Silayev, Demidov land?

Who did The Athletic's NHL beat writers pick in their mock draft? In this exercise, we predict the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft.

www.nytimes.com

11. Buffalo Sabres: Sam Dickinson, D, London (OHL)​

If the Sabres don’t trade this pick to bolster the NHL roster, drafting the best player available makes sense. The Sabres have four left-handed defensemen who are 24 or younger on the NHL roster, but Dickinson is too good of a value to pass up here. Berkly Catton, Konsta Helenius and Cole Eiserman were tempting here, but Dickinson’s blend of size and skating ability would be a big boost to Buffalo’s pool of prospects on defense. — Matthew Fairburn

I would like it if Dickinson fell to the Sabres.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

NHL Staff Mock Draft 2.0: Celebrini is No. 1, but where do Levshunov, Silayev, Demidov land?

Who did The Athletic's NHL beat writers pick in their mock draft? In this exercise, we predict the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft.

www.nytimes.com

I would like it if Dickinson fell to the Sabres.

He's left handed, which sucks, but getting a player that good at #11 is rare.

Would it be a Benson-level steal? Might be close.

He's arguably closest to being NHL-ready of the Dmen from this draft. I guess an argument could be made for Levshunov too.

 

[Fjordy]

NHL Staff Mock Draft 2.0: Celebrini is No. 1, but where do Levshunov, Silayev, Demidov land?

Who did The Athletic's NHL beat writers pick in their mock draft? In this exercise, we predict the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft.

www.nytimes.com

I would like it if Dickinson fell to the Sabres.

I don't see how this guy will fall out of the top 10, it would be a gift.

 

[Jim Bob]

He's left handed, which sucks, but getting a player that good at #11 is rare.

Would it be a Benson-level steal? Might be close.

He's arguably closest to being NHL-ready of the Dmen from this draft. I guess an argument could be made for Levshunov too.

If we are talking about a redundant prospect falling to the Sabres, I would take a LHD like Dickinson over a small, skilled F like say Catton.

 

[HOOats]

I don't see how this guy will fall out of the top 10, it would be a gift.

Let's hope you're right and someone takes Dickinson before us or wants to trade up a few spots for him at 11. All mock draft season he's felt like a lazy assumption to go top 10 in a pretty loaded class and I'm afraid that people are finally waking up and he'll slip.

If ten teams indeed pass on him because he lacks an elite trait, hopefully we're not afraid to decline as well. The upside of Catton is more appealing than adding another LHD to the pile and hoping to trade him someday.

We're deeper at D than we are at gamebreaker F. We spent two 1.1 picks on LHD because that's how the chips fell. Give me Catton, MBN, Helenius, or even Hage all day. Find more gamebreakers.

 

[Fjordy]

Let's hope you're right and someone takes Dickinson before us or wants to trade up a few spots for him at 11. All mock draft season he's felt like a lazy assumption to go top 10 in a pretty loaded class and I'm afraid that people are finally waking up and he'll slip.

If ten teams indeed pass on him because he lacks an elite trait, hopefully we're not afraid to decline as well. The upside of Catton is more appealing than adding another LHD to the pile and hoping to trade him someday.

We're deeper at D than we are at gamebreaker F. We spent two 1.1 picks on LHD because that's how the chips fell. Give me Catton, MBN, Helenius, or even Hage all day. Find more gamebreakers.

Well, I disagree with you man. I think Dickinson is one of the best defensemen in this draft. I would definitely take him or Buium over Catton.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

NHL Staff Mock Draft 2.0: Celebrini is No. 1, but where do Levshunov, Silayev, Demidov land?

Who did The Athletic's NHL beat writers pick in their mock draft? In this exercise, we predict the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft.

www.nytimes.com

I would like it if Dickinson fell to the Sabres.

Agreed, but not likely.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

If we are talking about a redundant prospect falling to the Sabres, I would take a LHD like Dickinson over a small, skilled F like say Catton.

To ma, Catton seems like an actual center, and we really don't have any of those in our pipeline. He has a higher likelihood of playing center than Ostlund, for instance.

I'd take either of them in a heartbeat...both of them seem like players with huge upside, so either lottery ticket is a great find at #11.

Plus, centers and defensemen are very easy to trade after drafting them, unlike the huge pile of wingers we're currently sitting on. I'd say one of these two guys or Yakemchuck will probably be available, based on some rumors on who teams will be picking...and that's exciting.

Agreed, but not likely.

How do you see things falling? It's looking like one of Dickenson, Catton, Yakemchuck, or Sennecke will have to be there, right?

 

[Samsonite23]

To ma, Catton seems like an actual center, and we really don't have any of those in our pipeline. He has a higher likelihood of playing center than Ostlund, for instance.

I'd take either of them in a heartbeat...both of them seem like players with huge upside, so either lottery ticket is a great find at #11.

Plus, centers and defensemen are very easy to trade after drafting them, unlike the huge pile of wingers we're currently sitting on. I'd say one of these two guys or Yakemchuck will probably be available, based on some rumors on who teams will be picking...and that's exciting.


How do you see things falling? It's looking like one of Dickenson, Catton, Yakemchuck, or Sennecke will have to be there, right?

Ostlund is the most natural center we’ve drafted in forever. He’s 100% playing center.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Let's hope you're right and someone takes Dickinson before us or wants to trade up a few spots for him at 11. All mock draft season he's felt like a lazy assumption to go top 10 in a pretty loaded class and I'm afraid that people are finally waking up and he'll slip.

If ten teams indeed pass on him because he lacks an elite trait, hopefully we're not afraid to decline as well. The upside of Catton is more appealing than adding another LHD to the pile and hoping to trade him someday.

We're deeper at D than we are at gamebreaker F. We spent two 1.1 picks on LHD because that's how the chips fell. Give me Catton, MBN, Helenius, or even Hage all day. Find more gamebreakers.

I don't know why MBN isn't in everyone's (anyone's?) top 10. Makes me suspicious that he might not have as high of a ceiling that I think he does.

It does seem clear that MBN and Helenius are now cleanly outside of the consensus top 11, as much as I was hoping to get one of them.

Ostlund is the most natural center we’ve drafted in forever. He’s 100% playing center.

I don't believe you. He'd be the smallest NHL center ever, at 165 pounds or whatever he is. I just don't see it and either do a lot of scouts. Even Kris Baker has him pegged as a winger.

 

[Jim Bob]

I don't believe you. He'd be the smallest NHL center ever, at 165 pounds or whatever he is. I just don't see it and either do a lot of scouts. Even Kris Baker has him pegged as a winger.

Catton and Ostlund might have pretty similar ht/wt at the combine.

If Ostlund is too small to play center in the NHL (not to mention Savoie), then Catton may have a similar challenge.

 

[Samsonite23]

I don't know why MBN isn't in everyone's (anyone's?) top 10. Makes me suspicious that he might not have as high of a ceiling that I think he does.

It does seem clear that MBN and Helenius are now cleanly outside of the consensus top 11, as much as I was hoping to get one of them.


I don't believe you. He'd be the smallest NHL center ever, at 165 pounds or whatever he is. I just don't see it and either do a lot of scouts. Even Kris Baker has him pegged as a winger.

He was 165 at 19 years old having never come to America to grow strength.

He’s going to gain weight…

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Catton and Ostlund might have pretty similar ht/wt at the combine.

If Ostlund is too small to play center in the NHL (not to mention Savoie), then Catton may have a similar challenge.

I strongly disagree. Catton has a larger frame, and almost every scout thinks he'll play center. You can't say the same thing about Ostlund, which is why he fell so much.

Catton is the same weight now as Ostlund, and he's two years younger. He'll be 180+ by the time he's Ostlund's age.

He was 165 at 19 years old having never come to America to grow strength.

He’s going to gain weight…

Catton was 165 at 17 years old. Big difference.

 

[Samsonite23]

I strongly disagree. Catton has a larger frame, and almost every scout thinks he'll play center. You can't say the same thing about Ostlund, which is why he fell so much.

Catton is the same weight now as Ostlund, and he's two years younger. He'll be 180+ by the time he's Ostlund's age.


Catton was 165 at 17 years old. Big difference.

I’m not comparing their weight. I’m talking about how they play the game and being a natural center.

Agree to disagree I guess.

 

[Jim Bob]

I strongly disagree. Catton has a larger frame, and almost every scout thinks he'll play center. You can't say the same thing about Ostlund, which is why he fell so much.

Catton is the same weight now as Ostlund, and he's two years younger. He'll be 180+ by the time he's Ostlund's age.

You have no idea what Ostlund really weighs today.

Savoie was listed at 5'9" 170 at the draft, Ostlund was 5'10" 164, and Catton is listed at 5'10" 170.

Projecting future growth and physical development is a huge guessing game.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Ostlund "fell so much" to 16?

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

You have no idea what Ostlund really weighs today.

Savoie was listed at 5'9" 170 at the draft, Ostlund was 5'10" 164, and Catton is listed at 5'10" 170.

Projecting future growth and physical development is a huge guessing game.

Ostlund just looks tiny on the ice, whereas I don't see that with Catton. Ostlund looks like he'll either a 2nd liner or totally bust. Catton seems like he'll be a 1C, or 2C at worst. His bust factor is much, much lower.

I really don't see many similarities at all -- Catton would be unique in our prospect pool, imo, so I wouldn't imagine them passing on him because they already have Ostlund, That frankly sounds like insane logic.

 

[HOOats]

I don't know why MBN isn't in everyone's (anyone's?) top 10. Makes me suspicious that he might not have as high of a ceiling that I think he does.

It does seem clear that MBN and Helenius are now cleanly outside of the consensus top 11, as much as I was hoping to get one of them.

It's definitely ceiling concern, otherwise you're right he'd be the top PF prospect in the class and top 10.

He's old, 20 days away from being in last year's class, and from most accounts might not have much physical projection left. Couple that with his shot being his only standout offensive skill and I understand why others are getting slotted above him at the top.

But we still could target him at 11 as an elite 3W, a luxury we've earned by drafting plenty of D and smaller skill recently.

It does feel like the public consensus you mention has formed, but I always remind myself that there are 32 boards out there and they vary wildly. It only takes a couple outlier picks for things to get weird. I bet there's a team out there that is obsessed with Helenius' unprecedented Liiga production and has him top 5, while another has him outside the top 20.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Ostlund "fell so much" to 16?

He was actually supposed to go closer to 20. Whereas most scouts have Catton in the top 10. They really aren't comparable, so I don't think they're redundant in the slightest. Not buying that logic.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

He was actually supposed to go closer to 20. Whereas most scouts have Catton in the top 10. They really aren't comparable, so I don't think they're redundant in the slightest. Not buying that logic.

So then Ostlund didn't fall at all (for any reason, let alone size) if you say he was supposed to be a #20 pick. I remember him being in the range of 8-18 ish. Doesn't really matter. He's got developing to do and yet so far has shown decent progress, and currently is the best C prospect Buffalo has.