2024 NHL Draft Thread Part 2 - Picks 2 & 18 in the 1st Round

[ello]

With Makar you also had the play style questions. He played like a forward

right. Why was he even in that league to begin with

 

[TLEH]

right. Why was he even in that league to begin with

Wanted to go to US college.

 

[bwana63]

if Chernyshov is still there (at 18), I'd be hard pressed to pass on him

 

[belfour30]

if Chernyshov is still there (at 18), I'd be hard pressed to pass on him

I'm more comfortable with the options at 18 than at 2 personally.

 

[MrGuyPerson]

So I want to clarify the reason I'm posting here. There are guys on Twitter dumping on Levshunov and claiming it'd be the dumbest move for the hawks ever. So this post is for those guys :

First, no it wouldn't. Demidov is a great prospect and picking him is a great move, but Levshunov is not a bad pick. Especially when James Hagens is right at the top of the 2025 draft. Hagens and McKenna(2026 virtual lock 1st overall, also Bedards distant cousin) just lit the u18 worlds up. Taking a D this year and then taking the electric forward to pair with Bedard next year, seems like a pretty good idea from a long term perspective. I doubt the D group next year is as good and I think Hagens is gonna be better than Demidov.

Now, the main thing I want to say is a player like Levshunov is absolutely not "In every draft". Is he a guaranteed star? No, but nothing is guaranteed. I would say the odds are pretty good. I looked through the last few drafts and am going to list the top D selected out of the NCAA recently/played in the NCAA after the draft. I think it is a decent way to test just how many Levshunov's really are "in every draft" :

Noah Hanafin 23 points in 37 games 2015 5th overall

Zach Werenski 25 points in 35 games 2015 8th overall 2nd NCAA D in draft

Charlie McAvoy 25 points in 37 games 2016 14th overall

Cale Makar 21 points in 34 games 2017 4th overall. Started after draft

Quinn Hughes 29 points in 39 games 7th overall 2018

Cam York 16 points in 39 games 2019 14th overall. Started after the draft

Jake Sanderson 15 points in 22 games 2020 5th overall. Started after the draft

Owen Power 16 points in 26 games. 2021 1st overall.

Luke Hughes 39 points in 41 games. 2021 4th overall

Levshunov 35 points in 38 games

Buium 50 points in 42 games

First thing I would like to say is wow. This quite the list. A lot of great D there. If you only took the top D from or going to the NCAA, it seems like you'd have a pretty great success rate. Second, Levshunov has the 3rd best(2nd if you don't include Buium) production for a freshmen D since 2015. That's ignoring that he produced like this while playing for a team with so much less NHL affiliated talent than say a team like...UM, BC, BU, Denver. He is not a dime a dozen. Given most of the guys on this list are great in the NHL and Levshunov actually has better Freshman production than most of them, I think the likelihood of Levshunov being very good is pretty high. Plus he seems like fun dude.

 

[Kevin Musto]

So I want to clarify the reason I'm posting here. There are guys on Twitter dumping on Levshunov and claiming it'd be the dumbest move for the hawks ever. So this post is for those guys :

Maybe you should post this on Twitter then?

 

[ello]

So I want to clarify the reason I'm posting here. There are guys on Twitter dumping on Levshunov and claiming it'd be the dumbest move for the hawks ever. So this post is for those guys :

First, no it wouldn't. Demidov is a great prospect and picking him is a great move, but Levshunov is not a bad pick. Especially when James Hagens is right at the top of the 2025 draft. Hagens and McKenna(2026 virtual lock 1st overall, also Bedards distant cousin) just lit the u18 worlds up. Taking a D this year and then taking the electric forward to pair with Bedard next year, seems like a pretty good idea from a long term perspective. I doubt the D group next year is as good and I think Hagens is gonna be better than Demidov.

Now, the main thing I want to say is a player like Levshunov is absolutely not "In every draft". Is he a guaranteed star? No, but nothing is guaranteed. I would say the odds are pretty good. I looked through the last few drafts and am going to list the top D selected out of the NCAA recently/played in the NCAA after the draft. I think it is a decent way to test just how many Levshunov's really are "in every draft" :

Noah Hanafin 23 points in 37 games 2015 5th overall

Zach Werenski 25 points in 35 games 2015 8th overall 2nd NCAA D in draft

Charlie McAvoy 25 points in 37 games 2016 14th overall

Cale Makar 21 points in 34 games 2017 4th overall. Started after draft

Quinn Hughes 29 points in 39 games 7th overall 2018

Cam York 16 points in 39 games 2019 14th overall. Started after the draft

Jake Sanderson 15 points in 22 games 2020 5th overall. Started after the draft

Owen Power 16 points in 26 games. 2021 1st overall.

Luke Hughes 39 points in 41 games. 2021 4th overall

Levshunov 35 points in 38 games

Buium 50 points in 42 games

First thing I would like to say is wow. This quite the list. A lot of great D there. If you only took the top D from or going to the NCAA, it seems like you'd have a pretty great success rate. Second, Levshunov has the 3rd best(2nd if you don't include Buium) production for a freshmen D since 2015. That's ignoring that he produced like this while playing for a team with so much less NHL affiliated talent than say a team like...UM, BC, BU, Denver. He is not a dime a dozen. Given most of the guys on this list are great in the NHL and Levshunov actually has better Freshman production than most of them, I think the likelihood of Levshunov being very good is pretty high. Plus he seems like fun dude.

Might as well draft Cole Eiserman 2OA then

 

[bwanajamba]

Demidov is a great prospect and picking him is a great move, but Levshunov is not a bad pick. Especially when James Hagens is right at the top of the 2025 draft. Hagens and McKenna(2026 virtual lock 1st overall, also Bedards distant cousin) just lit the u18 worlds up. Taking a D this year and then taking the electric forward to pair with Bedard next year, seems like a pretty good idea from a long term perspective. I doubt the D group next year is as good and I think Hagens is gonna be better than Demidov.

Even if the Blackhawks have two more nightmare seasons in a row and finish dead last in each of them, you're talking about a 25% shot at each of them. It's 56% that they miss on both. Again, that is with two more years coming in dead last, which nobody wants (and which this year should prove may be harder to achieve than you might think). That's not a reason to pass on a forward who can be a star in this draft if that's how you see Demidov. If they like Levshunov better then so be it but that should be the sole consideration.

 

[Larmer83]

First, no it wouldn't. Demidov is a great prospect and picking him is a great move, but Levshunov is not a bad pick. Especially when James Hagens is right at the top of the 2025 draft. Hagens and McKenna(2026 virtual lock 1st overall, also Bedards distant cousin) just lit the u18 worlds up. Taking a D this year and then taking the electric forward to pair with Bedard next year, seems like a pretty good idea from a long term perspective. I doubt the D group next year is as good and I think Hagens is gonna be better than Demidov.

IIs he a guaranteed star? No, but nothing is guaranteed.

The logic is impeccable.

 

[Taze em]

The logic is impeccable.

His logic isn’t bad. There are Demidov’s and Levshunov’s every year. There’s a better Demidov (Ryabkin) coming next year that is bigger and a center. There are like 6 other really great forwards most of them with great size. Theres one great defensemen (Hensler) defenseman.

It is legitimately like the hockey gods are trying to provide the Hawks with our needs in order. Bedard, Levshunov, Martone.

 

[Larmer83]

His logic isn’t bad. There are Demidov’s and Levshunov’s every year. There’s a better Demidov (Ryabkin) coming next year that is bigger and a center. There are like 6 other really great forwards most of them with great size. Theres one great defensemen (Hensler) defenseman.

It is legitimately like the hockey gods are trying to provide the Hawks with our needs in order. Bedard, Levshunov, Martone.

Hockey gods? That's your justification for drafting Levshunov? Make a case that he is the BPA instead of such nonsense.

Any GM that makes a pick in the current year based upon next years draft deserves to be whacked.

Edit: Thankfully we can put a fork in this in another week.

 

[Taze em]

Hockey gods? That's your justification for drafting Levshunov? Make a case that he is the BPA instead of such nonsense.

Any GM that makes a pick in the current year based upon next years draft deserves to be whacked.

Edit: Thankfully we can put a fork in this in another week.

I’ve already made like 100 posts explaining why he’s BPA. The other guy hit the highlights.

why is it that only the nhl draft is a place where you never look forward? Like I’m just shocked by this pervasive take. In what world is more information when you make decisions bad? What CEO in the world focuses only on the quarter he’s in and not project forward? Even GMs clear cap for future free agents. Why is it ONLY in the draft we don’t look forward.

Oh, but we do look backwards! Gotta have a runningmate for bedard. Size of the forward prospects. Faith in the D prospects. It’s honestly asinine.

Last draft: elite centers, this draft: elite defensemen, Next draft: big forwards.

“Oh well we don’t know who will be up there next year!” How long were the top of these drafts established. Like two years ago! One guy fell Eiserman. Besides that, bedard Fantilli, Carlson, Smith, Michkov, Cellebrini, Demidov, Levshunov. They have been at the top of their class for two years.

To summarize. Lev is BPA. If he is not BPA and it’s tied. You take him. Because of position and next draft. If Demidov is the Hawks BPA and clearly better than Lev in the Hawks minds, then take him. But Lev will be the pick. And it sets up perfect for the hawks now and going forward.

 

[ndgt10]

You draft the best player between Dem and Lev. You don't draft what you think is a worse player because of future drafts.

 

[Taze em]

You draft the best player between Dem and Lev. You don't draft what you think is a worse player because of future drafts.

I just ********* said that.

 

[Kevin Musto]

I keep telling myself "only 1 more week"

But somehow these stupid Demi vs Lev debates will continue to persist beyond that

 

[dreadpirateroberts]

if Chernyshov is still there (at 18), I'd be hard pressed to pass on him

He would bring a much needed power forward element. No way they draft 3 Russians in a row, but Surin at 34 would be tempting if he’s available

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

He would bring a much needed power forward element. No way they draft 3 Russians in a row, but Surin at 34 would be tempting if he’s available

Trading into back part of 1st to grab him would be fine strategy if we can find a partner

#18 and late part of 1st round have intriguing possibilities with variety of potential names available

 

[Styles]

I keep telling myself "only 1 more week"

But somehow these stupid Demi vs Lev debates will continue to persist beyond that

Being put into a coma for a week seems like a nice option. If only.

 

[ndgt10]

Being put into a coma for a week seems like a nice option. If only.

Don't jinx yourself

 

[ViD]

Demidov is a superstar material

Levshunov is a good top 4 d man material

I don’t understand why there’s even a debate..

 

[TheDachKnight]

Apparently, there’s rumors on Twitter (X) that Davidson and the Russian scouts want Demidov and that the other scouts want Levshunov.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

Apparently, there’s rumors on Twitter (X) that Davidson and the Russian scouts want Demidov and that the other scouts want Levshunov.

You gotta post these man, we’re desperate here.

 

[Kevin Musto]

You gotta post these man, we’re desperate here.

It's just made up shit. No legitimate source.

 

[TheDachKnight]

You gotta post these man, we’re desperate here.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1803946781644066849

It's just made up shit. No legitimate source.

Yeah, not exactly sure if there’s any validity to it. He is a legitimate hockey YouTube channel but not sure if he has actual sources or not.

 

[Darkstar]

He would bring a much needed power forward element. No way they draft 3 Russians in a row, but Surin at 34 would be tempting if he’s available

I think he's going in the 1st. I'm starting to like Colton Roberts at 50. He seems a little raw but he moves well for a guy his size.