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

[TLEH]

EJ Emery is a guy I like a lot this year. Probably gets into the 20s, maybe the early 2nd round. Big right shot kid that can skate and has a good first pass. Already pretty advanced defensively. Just will probably be a shutdown guy, don’t see a ton of offensive upside.

 

[Castle8130]

I really like Iginla in the teens if he's there. Yakemchuk too but I don't think he'll be there.

I'd be thrilled to draft Iginla in the teens, but there's no way he goes that far with Calgary in the mix. He's my fourth ranked forward right now. Uber talented and didn't fall far from the tree

 

[clydesdale line]

https://theathletic.com/5212603/2024/01/29/nhl-draft-2024-rankings-midseason-wheeler/

Wheeler just posted his midseason ranking. Buium has really shot up his list.

 

[TLEH]

I just couldn't imagine taking Parekh at 6.

 

[hawksfan50]

Strategically to me iisxa no brainer no brainer for the Hawks to grab one of thevtop 2 2 top centers (they will not be taking the Russian Demidov) ,Macklin Celebrini or Cayden Lindstromin that order if they get to draft at the #1orv#2 spots...

There is a chance Lindstrom last to #3 IF the team draftibg 2nd goes forca Dman...

If Hawks draft at #3 and Lindstrom not there THEY they will switch to grab a RD ,I think.

Whether they prefer Parekh,Levshunov or Yakemchuk ,I do not know..

If the scenario turns out that they did pick a RD at #3or #4(or#5 ) at worst then strategically they would go to a forward with the TB pick.

I doubt Greentree lasts to the TB pick ..my target i such a scenario would be Dean Letourneau ..the big explosive skating highly skilled prep school player (St.Andrews college)..
Sone criticism he does not use his size physically enough ..but other opinions feel he will get more physical as he fills his massive frame and grows into his large body ...I would gamble on his potential. A big center that skilked is a prospect worth tge gamble that he can reach hi


I do not think he lasts to where we pick i round 2...
Sone GM will gamble on that unique proposition he presents.

If he goes off the board before we pick then if Greentree also off the board maybe Andew Basha lasts to ouTB pick slot....but in tgat case we end up with a RD+a LW and we did notvget any of my top 3 center targets (Celbrini,Lindstrom and Letourneau)..

Maybe KD get another 2nd for tackibg a bad contract and then packages 2( of in this case our 4 2nd rounders ) of our 2nds to move back up into the 20s near out TB pick such that we grab Letourneau AND a winger ...but I do not knowvif KD will try doing that.

Now If we didtake Celebrini or Lindstrom with our own pick in roundx1 then the need for mother center lije Ketourneau is not as urgent ..otger needs shoukd bectargeted I this scenario..

Either azwibgervor a RD if a case can be made there is still a RD deserving of being taken probably in tgecearkyc20scor may if TB fKters in the late teens..

After his terrific performance at the CHL-NHL top prospects game where he was thex best dman in the game with2a and a +3and consistently impressive shift aftershift,he may bea riser now into the 20s from what was only a mid 2ndcto early 3rd rounder at the start of theseason...

So maybe KD uses the TB pick to grab him off the board then..
I think his game is rapidly progressing..
It will be interesting to see how far he moves up by Finak Rankibgs tine...Classic case of a gem playingvon s bad team and so stats not so great on +/- or production compared to too six dmen i this draft ...but he is a coveted Right shot hDnan and 6"4,194 and reputation as hard to play agaibst dman=physical...and improving offensive cobtribution..so maybe KD goes for this RD with our .TB pick?

Celebrini + Roberts
Or
Lindstrom +Roberts
Or
Parekh * +Letourneau
*IF KD prefers Yakemchuk,I would not complain
but adding a top RD talent if we miss out on Celebrini and Lindstrom makes strategic sense .
Butvif we get 1 of them with our own pick usobgvthexTB pick for an intriguing rising RD in Colton Roberts does make strategic sense.

Then in round 2 we have 3 picks. want 2 wingers + a D or a C...doubt we take a goalie...maybe with 1 of our 3rd rounders?

Some potential round 2 targets if still on the board:
Wingers:
MATVEI GRIDiN
NIKiTA ARTANANOV
MAREK VANACKER
SAM O'REILLY
MARKUS FERNSTROM
KEIRON WALTON
JACOB BATTAGLIA


LD:
ALFONS FREIJ
JESSE PULKKiNEN

C:
RAUL BOILARD

Our 3 2nd rounders are spread;

1 early =our own (#33 or #34)
1 ,middle =,L.A . draft slot (#47 currently)
1 late =VAN draft slot(#60-64 probable)5

Probably need to grab a dman early before these targets go off the board if there still in round 2 ...then best wingers renaining at middle pick and late pick except maybe if Boilard still on the borad with the VAN pick.
Possible that Walton and or Battaglia last to early 3rd where our own pick is #65 or#66...

 

[WarriorofTime]

https://theathletic.com/5212603/2024/01/29/nhl-draft-2024-rankings-midseason-wheeler/

Wheeler just posted his midseason ranking. Buium has really shot up his list.

1. Macklin Celebrini
2. Artyom Levshunov
3. Cole Eiserman
4. Ivan Demidov
5. Anton Silayev
6. Zayne Parekh
7. Zeev Buium
8. Sam Dickinson
9. Berkly Catton
10. Konsta Helenius
11. Cayden Lindstrom
12. Carter Yakemchuk
13. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
14. Liam Greentree
15. Trevor Connelly

 

[WarriorofTime]

The Eisermann conundrum. If you could “guarantee” youre getting Phil Kessel, would you take that at 3 or 4?

 

[TLEH]

The Eisermann conundrum. If you could “guarantee” youre getting Phil Kessel, would you take that at 3 or 4?

I mean yeah you obviously take Phil's career at 3 or 4 in this draft. In 06 I think the only players taken after Phil that I would prefer over Phil were Marchand and Giroux.

Lightning just went 8-2 in their last 10 and seem to have righted the ship. Probably expect to be drafting Top 3, and then in the late teens to 20s at this point.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

I'd be thrilled to draft Iginla in the teens, but there's no way he goes that far with Calgary in the mix. He's my fourth ranked forward right now. Uber talented and didn't fall far from the tree

The Flames are drafting like tenth right now. That's too early for Tij so even better.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

I just couldn't imagine taking Parekh at 6.

I get the upside but the floor is a guy you can't even start in the NHL.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

The Eisermann conundrum. If you could “guarantee” youre getting Phil Kessel, would you take that at 3 or 4?

Yeah you happily grab the thousand points offense only winger at 4 if it's a guarantee.

 

[TLEH]

I get the upside but the floor is a guy you can't even start in the NHL.

Yeah, and usually those guys go in the teens or 20s. Like Ryan Murphy.

 

[BHawk21]

Korchinski-Levshunov

 

[TLEH]

This year, more than ever, you really have to find the balance between the tools and the floor. I personally lean more towards guys like Dickinson and Catton than guys like Levshunov and Lindstrom, but part of that comes from the fact that this team just needs players. I think missing completely hurts way more than getting a 60 point guy rather than an 80 point guy.

I don't get paid and I can certainly be wrong, you can argue that hitting on extremely elite talent is more important, I can hear it, just my two cents on the draft this year.

 

[BHFAN92]

I think my preference for draft goes as follows with Blackhawks pick:

• Maclin Celebrini-C
• Cayden Lindstrom-C/LW
• Artyom Levshunov-RHD
• Sam Dicksinon-LHD
• Zayne Parekh-RHD

With Tampa Bay Pick:

• Aron Kiviharju-D
• Cole Hutson-D
• Henry Mews-D

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

This year, more than ever, you really have to find the balance between the tools and the floor. I personally lean more towards guys like Dickinson and Catton than guys like Levshunov and Lindstrom, but part of that comes from the fact that this team just needs players. I think missing completely hurts way more than getting a 60 point guy rather than an 80 point guy.

I don't get paid and I can certainly be wrong, you can argue that hitting on extremely elite talent is more important, I can hear it, just my two cents on the draft this year.

We've got the cornerstone. We need the foundation.

 

[Kevin Musto]

https://theathletic.com/5212603/2024/01/29/nhl-draft-2024-rankings-midseason-wheeler/

Wheeler just posted his midseason ranking. Buium has really shot up his list.

Some weird stuff here.

Parekh being that high, as pointed out by TLEH.

But Kiviharju still that high?? Just drop him already lol.

And it's strange how he mentions nothing about Artamonov's playmaking, and then says he doesn't have a star quality to his game. It's the playmaking... the thing you somehow failed to notice.

 

[TLEH]

Some weird stuff here.

Parekh being that high, as pointed out by TLEH.

But Kiviharju still that high?? Just drop him already lol.

And it's strange how he mentions nothing about Artamonov's playmaking, and then says he doesn't have a star quality to his game. It's the playmaking... the thing you somehow failed to notice.

In general I think its fine to have a different list, he can have his list, but Parekh to me is just one of those things that sticks out. Feels like some sort of "stat watch" giveaway. Parekh has so many other red flags that I couldn't imagine taking him in the Top 7. Which is sort of interesting because I don't think of Wheeler as a stat watcher so I am even more surprised by Parekh at 6.

Lets say he's still around when we pick with Tampa, like 18-22? Then yeah sure I can hear it.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Lets say he's still around when we pick with Tampa, like 18-22? Then yeah sure I can hear it.

Yeah that's about the range I have him as well

 

[bwanajamba]

I feel like Wheeler has always loved guys like Parekh. He very much falls in love with the kind of skillset that allows guys to light up juniors and generally seems to downplay concerns about whether it will translate to the pro game. I certainly don't know better than him but just an observation.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

4th? No way.

We're getting Celebrini.

 

[Putt Pirate]

I’ve watched Levshunov a few times and I am no scout but I just don’t see it. Not 2nd at least.

 

[TLEH]

People can see players a different way. My opinion isn’t based on stat watching so I can really only rank guys I’ve seen a lot. NA guys. + Demidov and Silayev. I want to watch more of Artamonov.

 

[x Tame Impala]

What were you guys all saying about Mo Seider in his draft year?

Prospects are so fickle. I kind of understand the interest in watching them but they’re so hit or miss, and most of them miss, I can’t bring myself to be that invested in watching junior hockey. The pro’s or nothing for me, personally.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

What were you guys all saying about Mo Seider in his draft year?

Prospects are so fickle. I kind of understand the interest in watching them but they’re so hit or miss, and most of them miss, I can’t bring myself to be that invested in watching junior hockey. The pro’s or nothing for me, personally.

Pro scouts get paid to watch the German League. The rest of us give opinions on guys we see. Why are you a Blackhawks fan? Because you're born close? Tribalism brother. Might as well say what's the point of watching grown men put a piece of rubber in a six by four cage.

Because it's fun.