2024 NHL Draft Thread - Upd: Draft Lottery is May 7th

[Kevin Musto]

For most teams I am inclined to agree, but you don't think the post-Aldrich Blackhawks are going to try to avoid that PR hit like the plague? Fair to the kid or not

It's a non-story.

 

[Darkstar]

Catton, then Levshunov.

I need to watch Levshunov some more, I haven't been overly impressed so far. I still think Dickinson is the best Dman in this draft.

 

[clydesdale line]

I need to watch Levshunov some more, I haven't been overly impressed so far. I still think Dickinson is the best Dman in this draft.

I 100% agree.. the problem is he's another LHD and we already have 294 of them in the system. Levshunov is not that far off and he's a RHD who is big, can skate and has very good offensive instincts.

 

[TLEH]

I need to watch Levshunov some more, I haven't been overly impressed so far. I still think Dickinson is the best Dman in this draft.

Well I’m not overly impressed with a lot of these top end guys to be quite honest. Don’t think they’re that big of difference makers.

 

[hawksfan50]

My top 4 hot list considering Hawks Needs::
1.Celebrrini = consensus BPA so you gottaxtake him.

2.Cayden Lindstrom...Hawks need a Big Center with speed and skill and grit for the other top six line.I woukd keep him in Juniors next season though.

3.Zayne Parekh ...is projected for a 101 point season as a RHD..Last tine any OHK dman did that was Ryan Ellis (15 or more years ago) I think)...We do notvhave a Quinn Hughes/Cale Makar Po qb or any PMD who can be a game center and pike up the offense like him...plus he can really shoot a puck.. bigtine goal scorer asxa dman.On pace for33 goals..
Talent like this does not cobe often.
But probably needs another OHL season..Will not be i NHL right after draft like Bedard did.

4.Artyom Levshunov ...a bigger RD than Parekh...The more advanced defensively ...and coukd be a 1 and done ...but realistically they woukd let him.pkay again for Michigan State to completexaxSophmorevyear next season..Do not think his ceiling offensively as high as Oarekh but he is the better 2 way option.

Realistically Hawks should draft 1-4after lotto...but IF they win too much in 2nd half and get to draft 5th orc6th then next targets on my list would be:

5 Tij Iginla

6.only here do I deviate from needs to take BPA remaining...LD...Silayev or Dickinson if still on the board...

I would NOT take Demidov (another smallish center) or Helenniyu (again size issue at Center)...we cannot be all smallish centers in top 2 lives.. Not gonna work..I do not care where rankings have them ..We Need a Big C to run the 2nd line because Bedard is a snall C running line1..

You cannot have 2 smallish C's running top 2 lines.. Nazar will have to play wing.

Iginla is 6'0 186...coukd pkay C or LW...ProbBly LW ...but he is a latecborn(August) and may yet growvin height..Hexshoukdvpjay at 200+lbs i the NHL...Combo of power speed skill AND GRIT ..


As for our TB pick...

My top 2 targets for that pick (our 2 pick in round1( would be :
i) Dean Letourneau C (6'7 209 !!!)
OR
Ii) Carter Yakemchuk RD

Who we would take deoend on whether we got a C or a RD with our 1st pick

If both off the board then:

Iii) Nikita Artamanov=best skilled winger option...if he is still on the board.(BPA )


Note: Eiserman not on my target lisut despite his goal scoring orowess...just too muchv a trick pony ...not goibgvto get good defense and checking or grit from hom at RW...not goibgvto getvljatmajibg from hom..His forte is just shooting and beating goalies which is an asset..but conesxwith flaws tgatcdo not overall help tgecteam..Hexwoukdchdkp the Pp though..butvtovwin I think Hawks need more overall abilities

 

[kmwtrucks]

one problem with players like Eiserman is goal scorers get paid but do they produce playoff wins when the D is much stronger and a little less PP time. it goes back to during our CUP runs who was more valauble Toews or Kane. Kane scored more but Teows was part of a shut down line that still scored. played the PK. Kane was better after the cup runs but toews was more important IMO during the cup runs.

 

[Castle8130]

If you guys get a chance, take a look at Yegor Surin. He made a really good first impression on me. He is a natural NHL center, plays physical, good size, great playmaker, and a good skater. I'm thinking he might end up around #20 oa as we get closer to the draft

 

[MicronMega]

Connelly with 4 pts vs Sweden in the World Jr A Challenge tonight. Unreal highlight goal with a modified Michigan. The kid has issues, but he has a ton of talent too.

 

[Northernhawk]

TB loses tonight, sitting out of the playoffs at the moment…giving us 14th pick in this summers draft, again at the moment…

Top 3 pick more than likely coming our way, then 14th? and 33rd to 35th…looking good

 

[dreadpirateroberts]

https://thehockeynews.com/news/zeev-buium-may-be-the-2024-nhl-drafts-unheard-of-top-defenseman

Man, I wish he was a right shot

 

[MTU34]

https://thehockeynews.com/news/zeev-buium-may-be-the-2024-nhl-drafts-unheard-of-top-defenseman

Man, I wish he was a right shot

He does play his off side at Denver

 

[dreadpirateroberts]

He does play his off side at Denver

Good to know. Good chance that he’s gone by the Tampa pick. Maybe someone to trade up for?

 

[plebskeeto]

I love the thought of Eiserman on the first line with bedard if we end up with 2 or 3 pick. One issue I think of is how would that look defensively? I know so many of our cups runs had great two way players,(sharp,toews,hossa,saad,Bolland)

I know we're In a different situation here with bedard but would we be straying away from that type of team if he pursued him?

 

[MTU34]

Good to know. Good chance that he’s gone by the Tampa pick. Maybe someone to trade up for?

I’d guess he’s probably gone well within the top 10 at this point

 

[MicronMega]

https://x.com/BarDown/status/1736515309186523386?s=20

https://x.com/chrisjdavis11/status/1734769521003507864?s=20

 

[HawksDub89]

Lindstrom for me

Same

 

[Castle8130]

#1 is pretty obvious to me. Celebrini is the best prospect right now, but the top 5 is not as easy to make. Right now I have a top 5 and players 6-10 in random order.

For me the top 5 is;

1. Celebrini
2. Lindstrom
3. Demidov
4. Levshunov
5. Helenius

I don't expect to get any of the players above without using our 1st pick. These guys seem like they should all be drafted in the top 8 or so spots. I have a hard time believing any of these guys get drafted outside the top 12 as of right now.

The next group of players I have in my top 10, but note that I haven't looked at Buium or Yakemchuk yet. I have added the two into consideration from the hype they have accrued

6-10, any order;

Catton
Parekh
Eiserman
Silayev
Artamonov

After this, there are a ton of players in consideration to pass the players listed above. I can see all of the following as top 10 talents;

Connelly
Yakemchuk
Buium
Dickinson
Surin
Iginla
Basha
Hemming
Brandseg-Nygard

The above list is where I suspect we can get our second first round pick. If the Tampa pick is in the 11-20 range, I likely already named our 2nd first round pick in the last two tiers.

There are plenty of players that others might have ahead of these guys like Cole Hutson, Adam Jiricek, Igor Chernyshov, Liam Greentree, and Tarik Parascak, but these guys don't have the same upside in my opinion.

 

[EddieTheEagle]

Would I be wrong to say that with how much of a toss up almost every slot is outside of #1 with Celibrini, it feels like this is a bit of a weaker draft? More appropriately, it is a fairly strong draft (hence 2-10 being arguably interchangeable) with less elite talent?

I feel like all the projections I've seen are wildly variable this year. Some people's 2-4 overall are like 10-12 on someone else's list.

 

[TLEH]

I really hope they switch up their drafting strategy and look for a bit of other traits other than skating.

 

[belfour30]

I really hope they switch up their drafting strategy and look for a bit of other traits other than skating.

Yeah, it seems like they're putting way too much emphasis on skating.

Whoever compared Moore to Kasperi Kapanen probably hit the nail on the head. He will probably be at least that.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Yeah, it seems like they're putting way too much emphasis on skating.

Whoever compared Moore to Kasperi Kapanen probably hit the nail on the head.

You mean 18.5 YO Moore compared to a stiff? There have been a bunch of great skaters who have never made the NHL. Moore might be one of those, but let's give him a chance before essentially calling him a bust less than 6 months after being drafted.

 

[belfour30]

You mean 18.5 YO Moore compared to a stiff? There have been a bunch of great skaters who have never made the NHL. Moore might be one of those, but let's give him a chance before essentially calling him a bust less than 6 months after being drafted.

Kapanen has been a solid 3rd liner for a while. Wasn't his fault that he got overpaid.

Carl Hagelin better?

Btw this is about his floor.

 

[Pez68]

I love judging prospects not even a season after being drafted. Just absurd.

 

[belfour30]

I love judging prospects not even a season after being drafted. Just absurd.

I mean look at Reichel. He tore up the AHL, had a decent cup of coffee last year and has been terrible this year.

I think it's really a good idea to temper expectations with prospects. A lot of people thought Bedard was going to be a lock for 40 goals and a ppg and he's hovering around a 70 pt pace. A lot of that has to do with the rest of the team and the PP being complete dogshit but it just goes to show that you never know.

Let them surprise you in a good way rather than a bad way.

And BTW I think that Kapanen/Hagelin is Moore's floor not necessarily what he's going to become.

I think we should all start talking about floors more than ceilings with prospects because that keeps people more grounded and realistic.

 

[Pez68]

I mean look at Reichel. He tore up the AHL, had a decent cup of coffee last year and has been terrible this year.

I think it's really good to temper expectations with prospects. A lot of people thought Bedard was going to be a lock for 40 goals and a ppg and he's hovering around a 70 pt pace. A lot of that has to do with the rest of the team and the PP being complete dogshit but it just goes to show that you never know.

None of this has anything to do with my statement.