2024 NHL Draft Thread (CBJ to pick 4th)

[majormajor]

Folks are increasingly talking about Beckett Sennecke as a top 10 pick, and maybe top 5. He's worth thinking about with our pick.

He's a late developer that is still growing, after adding a few inches in the last year. HIs scoring is increasing rapidly even now in the OHL playoffs. I believe only Calum Ritchie is ahead of him in OHL playoff scoring.

I'd describe Sennecke firstly as a tall playmaker, I could see him getting 60+ assists a season in the NHL. But his incredible dangles are hard to miss. Some of the most beautiful end to end rushes you'll see.

 

[Aaaarrgghh]

Id trade up for a player like that, sounds like someone we desperately need. In 2 drafts adding players that hate to lose like Fantilli, Brindley and Surin would be very nice

The preliminary #20 pick by Chicago apparently is roughly equal in value to Columbus' 2nd and the two 3rds that they have in possession. For Surin, I'd do it. But it depends on the overall prognosis for his pick. As it stands right now, they could likely get him at #36.

I'm honestly not sure why Surin isn't ranked higher. He scores a fair amount and is a very complete, big physical player. I think maybe teams are scared off by how wild and angry he gets. But that's part of why I like him!

I would have him ranked around 13-17 but you rarely see him ranked in the 1st. So maybe a good target for us with pick #36.

The only criticism I've heard is that he is undisciplined and that, for whatever reason, it's not clear if his production will translate. Could it be that scouts either will focus on Russia between the end of the North American junior seasons and the draft or don't in general have someone to see him in person, to gauge how he acts off the ice as well? If it's the former, he might rise just before the draft. If it's the latter, some teams that like him might reach for him.

Honestly, if CBJ got Surin, I'd be very happy indeed.

 

[EspenK]

From today's The Athletic:

"Also, that year: Ilya Sorokin went in the third round, No. 78 overall, to the Islanders, and was immediately followed by Brayden Point at No. 79 to Tampa Bay.

If you ever want to agitate Columbus fans by playing the “what if?” game, you only have to remind them that the Blue Jackets had back-to-back third-rounders in 2014, Nos. 76 and 77, just before Sorokin and Point came off the board.

They picked Elvis Merzlikins and Blake Siebenaler instead."

Jarmo & scouts were amazing...

 

[squashmaple]

From today's The Athletic:

"Also, that year: Ilya Sorokin went in the third round, No. 78 overall, to the Islanders, and was immediately followed by Brayden Point at No. 79 to Tampa Bay.

If you ever want to agitate Columbus fans by playing the “what if?” game, you only have to remind them that the Blue Jackets had back-to-back third-rounders in 2014, Nos. 76 and 77, just before Sorokin and Point came off the board.

They picked Elvis Merzlikins and Blake Siebenaler instead."

Jarmo & scouts were amazing...

I mean... every team in the league passed on those players at least twice. Some three times. Past the first round, everything's a crapshoot, and by the middle of the third, it's pure revisionist history for the sake of being negative to point to someone taken seventy-ninth overall as a cudgel to bash a team for not taking. We could just as easily point to the very next draft and laud them for choosing Vladislav Gavrikov at 169th overall.

 

[EspenK]

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I'm honestly not sure why Surin isn't ranked higher. He scores a fair amount and is a very complete, big physical player. I think maybe teams are scared off by how wild and angry he gets. But that's part of why I like him!

Hard to know whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. We like it until we don’t, or vice versa.

 

[stevo61]

Sennecke dancing like Zherdev, hopefully hes less of an enigma

 

[squashmaple]

What? I know you just wanted to make a pithy little comment, but I’m tired of this forum being nothing but pithy little comments. Jarmo is gone. We can (and have) say many, many legitimate criticisms of him, but failing to take Brayden Point in the late third round is not one of them.

 

[Aaaarrgghh]

Demidov missed the last couple games with a bad knee injury. That sort of thing makes him more likely to be there for us at #4-#6.

One can always hope.

 

[squashmaple]

One can always hope.

Imagine that and Kent Johnson on a line together. Whew. Maybe Fantilli between them?

 

[Cheddarcheese]

Imagine that and Kent Johnson on a line together. Whew. Maybe Fantilli between them?

i don't think hes there at 4. he's too good of a skater and too talented to not be taken by 2 or 3

I've kind of fell in love with this year draft. i would like to see us try to get another pick in the top 20

 

[majormajor]

I watched a fair bit of Demidov and came away with him as my number two guy. But I don't know if that's a slam dunk pick for most teams.

He's 5'11 and got injured in the playoffs. That's one thing. Then you've got the Russian factor.

I also wouldn't put him in the Kucherov type of category where you could see him scoring 50 pts on the powerplay, Demidov is electric in motion but not in static position.

On the many Demidov vs Michkov debates, I would guess that Michkov might outscore Demidov, certainly on the PP. But Demidov I think will be the better overall player. His toughness and battle level and two-way commitment are all very good, I don't think he'll be any less than NHL average in those departments, and actually above average in battle level. But I haven't gathered that from scouting reports, and I'm not sure what the other clubs drafting high will say about it.

 

[KJ Dangler]

I watched a fair bit of Demidov and came away with him as my number two guy. But I don't know if that's a slam dunk pick for most teams.

He's 5'11 and got injured in the playoffs. That's one thing. Then you've got the Russian factor.

I also wouldn't put him in the Kucherov type of category where you could see him scoring 50 pts on the powerplay, Demidov is electric in motion but not in static position.

On the many Demidov vs Michkov debates, I would guess that Michkov might outscore Demidov, certainly on the PP. But Demidov I think will be the better overall player. His toughness and battle level and two-way commitment are all very good, I don't think he'll be any less than NHL average in those departments, and actually above average in battle level. But I haven't gathered that from scouting reports, and I'm not sure what the other clubs drafting high will say about it.

How long before he can come stateside ?

 

[majormajor]

How long before he can come stateside ?

One year.

Which is fine. He's not too far off but not quite NHL ready right now.

Russian posters are saying SKA might be forced to use him on their KHL roster because of a salary cap issue. That would be a great transitional step for Demidov.

 

[Zapp]

Put me in the Demidov camp.

Demidov - Voronkov - Marchenko would be filthy

 

[Cowumbus]

I’m not going to lie, while normally I’m a “big” prospect guy, I can’t get myself to care about this draft. Don’t really care who we pick.

Just don’t reach too far or do anything crazy.

 

[majormajor]

I made a draft list.

It's just meant to be a concise snapshot. The description just provides the most basic info on how I perceive the player's upside, and any big risks.

1	Macklin Celebrini	C	all purpose franchise center
2	Ivan Demidov	F	80+ pt top line forward
3	Zeev Buium	LD	65 pt all around #1D
4	Cayden Lindstrom	F	topline power-forward, 2C floor
5	Beckett Sennecke	W	70++ pt upside, big room for growth
6	Michael Brandsegg-Nygard	F	topline forward, playdriver + shooter, 60 pts
7	Berkly Catton	W	80 pt upside, but significant injury risk
8	Artyom Levshunov	RD	flawed decisions but still a low end #1D
9	Tij Iginla	W	high motor playdriving goal scorer
10	Jesse Pulkkinen	LD	#1D tools but needs to come a long way
11	Carter Yakemchuk	RD	#1D “Brent Burns” tools, but big weaknesses
12	Anton Silayev	LD	pure shutdown D, but a great one
13	Konsta Helenius	C	very smart do-it-all player, very likely a 2C
14	Sam Dickinson	LD	top 4D that can skate pucks and handle D
15	Yegor Surin	C	fiery Dubinsky type center, skill and strength
16	Yegor Chernyshev	W	big body hard skating Nichushkin type
17	Zayne Parekh	RD	elite offense, improving D, big injury risk
18	Adam Jiricek	RD	can skate pucks and hit, but not shoot

I don't dislike the D in this class. But several of the forwards have popped lately and pushed all but Buium down a bit.

I have a gap between 5 and 6. After that you can take players a few spots higher or lower depending on need.

But I don't see the Jackets having any particular positional need, so for me personally that doesn't factor in.

 

[EspenK]

I made a draft list.

It's just meant to be a concise snapshot. The description just provides the most basic info on how I perceive the player's upside, and any big risks.

1	Macklin Celebrini	C	all purpose franchise center
2	Ivan Demidov	F	80+ pt top line forward
3	Zeev Buium	LD	65 pt all around #1D
4	Cayden Lindstrom	F	topline power-forward, 2C floor
5	Beckett Sennecke	W	70++ pt upside, big room for growth
6	Michael Brandsegg-Nygard	F	topline forward, playdriver + shooter, 60 pts
7	Berkly Catton	W	80 pt upside, but significant injury risk
8	Artyom Levshunov	RD	flawed decisions but still a low end #1D
9	Tij Iginla	W	high motor playdriving goal scorer
10	Jesse Pulkinnen	LD	#1D tools but needs to come a long way
11	Carter Yakemchuk	RD	#1D “Brent Burns” tools, but big weaknesses
12	Anton Silayev	LD	pure shutdown D, but a great one
13	Konsta Helenius	C	very smart do-it-all player, very likely a 2C
14	Sam Dickinson	LD	top 4D that can skate pucks and handle D
15	Yegor Surin	C	fiery Dubinsky type center, skill and strength
16	Yegor Chernyshev	W	big body hard skating Nichushkin type
17	Zayne Parekh	RD	elite offense, improving D, big injury risk
18	Adam Jiricek	RD	can skate pucks and hit, but not shoot

I don't dislike the D in this class. But several of the forwards have popped lately and pushed all but Buium down a bit.

I have a gap between 5 and 6. After that you can take players a few spots higher or lower depending on need.

But I don't see the Jackets having any particular positional need, so for me personally that doesn't factor in.

I think Lindstrom fills a positional need. Either a 2c or a power forward W.

It will be interesting to see how many of the D fall as far as your list has them. Not criticizing your list just noting that it is different than most published lists.

 

[majormajor]

I think Lindstrom fills a positional need. Either a 2c or a power forward W.

True but I see every club wanting that. No one is passing on power forwards.

It will be interesting to see how many of the D fall as far as your list has them. Not criticizing your list just noting that it is different than most published lists.

Well Levshunov is definitely going higher, almost certainly top 5. And I'd guess that Silayev and Dickinson would go in the 6-10 range.

 

[Crede777]

Assuming the CBJ pick 4th or 5th, should they look to bundle the pick with a player like Provorov to get a good veteran defenseman at the draft?

 

[Xoggz22]

Assuming the CBJ pick 4th or 5th, should they look to bundle the pick with a player like Provorov to get a good veteran defenseman at the draft?

Just my opinion, but I don't think this team should consider moving a top 5 pick at this point. They could bring in Makar and they still have s ways to go. I have no issue with a future first and prospects or Provorov to bring in an upgrade but I just don't think this team should be moving potential franchise building pieces. Mid round or later... sure. Not top 5. Just my opinion.

 

[EDM]

I agree Xoggz

 

[Cowumbus]

Assuming the CBJ pick 4th or 5th, should they look to bundle the pick with a player like Provorov to get a good veteran defenseman at the draft?

So essentially two 1sts (5OA + 21OA) and a 2nd for what Provorov was supposed to be??

Not a good idea IMO. As I said last year, we can get a #4 defenseman “for free” in free agency.

 

[majormajor]

So essentially two 1sts (5OA + 21OA) and a 2nd for what Provorov was supposed to be??

Not a good idea IMO. As I said last year, we can get a #4 defenseman “for free” in free agency.

5th OA would get you a star player.

Provorov wouldn't have been available for a late 1st if he was that good.

 

[Cowumbus]

5th OA would get you a star player.

What/who do you consider to be a star player?

I don’t see a world where 5OA lands you McAvoy.

Provorov wouldn't have been available for a late 1st if he was that good.

So a not good #4 defenseman cost us a 1st and a 2nd, but a star can be had for 5OA?