Best undrafted players (2024)

[LeProspector]

Who are they?

Daniel Ustinkov went unselected anyone else?

Click to read more...

 

[EdJovanovski]

Literally was about to start a thread on the same topic, specifically mentioning Ustinkov lol. He was ranked:
#31 by THN/Ferrari
#38 by Smaht Scouting
#48 by DraftProspects
#44 by Recruit Scouting

Pretty crazy

Another one I find a bit surprising is Artyom Schuchinov, the guy played a full KHL season already as a dman.

 

[Hinterland]

Tomas Galvas
Alexander Zetterberg
Luke Mistelbacher

 

[luiginb]

GMs couldn't believe Daniel Ustinkov was a real name and I don't blame 'em

 

[landy92mack29]

wasn't anyone from the WHL who I thought were must drafts but a few that were probably worth late round picks vs guys who were picked. We'll see if they improve enough to get taken next year as re-entries and those were: Miles Cooper, Dawson Cowan, Diego Buttazzoni, Gavin Hodnett, Jesse Heslop, Josh Zakreski.

Most of them aren't the biggest players so will likely end up as really good OAs who might earn a ELC or at least a AHL deal. Unlikely NHLers but should have solid pro careers whether it's in the AHL or ECHL/Europe.

 

[LeProspector]

Tomas Galvas
Alexander Zetterberg
Luke Mistelbacher

Galvas is wild, he beat out Badinka for the last WJC spot after Jiricel went down…

 

[Kevin Musto]

Alexander Zetterberg is the only worthwhile player that didn't get drafted, as far as I'm concerned.

Yes, he's super undersized but he's a high octane player and he'll be developing at BU. Definitely worth a 7th round flyer.

Nobody should be shocked that Galvas went undrafted.

No defenseman that small is playing in the NHL. It's a total waste of a pick.

 

[Deam78]

Maybe not the best, but very surprised Galvas wasn't picked

 

[shaner8989]

Literally was about to start a thread on the same topic, specifically mentioning Ustinkov lol. He was ranked:
#31 by THN/Ferrari
#38 by Smaht Scouting
#48 by DraftProspects
#44 by Recruit Scouting

Pretty crazy

Another one I find a bit surprising is Artyom Schuchinov, the guy played a full KHL season already as a dman.

I thought Schuchinov would go 100%

 

[Czechboy]

Galvas, Matecha, Spunar, Cibulka, Rymon, Tichacek and Kavan come to mind. Not that I'm bitter.lol

 

[Brent Burns Beard]

What about Mitja Jokinen?

 

[Voodoozz]

Alexander Zetterberg is the only worthwhile player that didn't get drafted, as far as I'm concerned.

Yes, he's super undersized but he's a high octane player and he'll be developing at BU. Definitely worth a 7th round flyer.

Nobody should be shocked that Galvas went undrafted.

No defenseman that small is playing in the NHL. It's a total waste of a pick.

I am quite shocked tbh. Strictly height-wise, Galvas is 5'10". There are several defenseman at this height in the NHL, some of them even smaller. He's VERY tiny in terms of build/weight right now, but that is a matter of projection. And yes, while the chances of him becoming dramatically physically stronger/bigger are not very high, it's definitely not impossible.

Galvas is pretty much a textbook high-risk high-reward guy. He's a 1st rounder in terms of talent and had an extremely impressive Extraliga stint, which is one of the grittiest leagues in Europe. Calling a guy like this "a waste of a pick" seems pretty bold, since most players after round 1 are waste of a pick anyway. You just take a swing at a player like Galvas just for the talent alone.

 

[Duke16]

Anthony Cristoforo is the main one for me out of the OHL.

In fact, a lot of OHLer were picked that I would've expected to be undrafted.

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

Who are they?

Daniel Ustinkov went unselected anyone else?

An unfortunate surname.

 

[Hinterland]

Anthony Cristoforo is the main one for me out of the OHL.

In fact, a lot of OHLer were picked that I would've expected to be undrafted.

I expected Frankie Marrelli to get drafted. Great tools, lots of upside, way more talented than Luca. Was seen as a potential top 100 pick by many. Ultimately I think NHL teams thought he's too slight to play the way he wants to play...which I think is a shame.

 

[BigHitter67]

Anthony Cristoforo is the main one for me out of the OHL.

In fact, a lot of OHLer were picked that I would've expected to be undrafted.

Christoforo does not project at the next level! Especially with the league returning to its love affair with big Dmen . Big (6’4 and up) with low-ish skill gets you at minimum a 7th round look .

 

[BigHitter67]

I expected Frankie Marrelli to get drafted. Great tools, lots of upside, way more talented than Luca. Was seen as a potential top 100 pick by many. Ultimately I think NHL teams thought he's too slight to play the way he wants to play...which I think is a shame.

Too short, not too slight. Any Dman under 6ft better be lights out offensively to get a sniff in today’s NHL . League is all about the big Dman again ..

 

[Static]

Very surprised Connor hvidston wasn't drafted after Anaheim surprisingly didn't sign him.

 

[William H Bonney]

Of the Americans I'm most surprised that Tanner Adams was passed over again.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Tomas Galvas
Gabriel Frasca
Aidan Park
Gavin Hodnett
Will Felicio
Isaac Gordon (overager)
Jan Kavan (overager)
Kam Hendrickson
Jake Livanavage (overager)
Kaden Shahan (overager)

 

[Hossa]

I expected Frankie Marrelli to get drafted. Great tools, lots of upside, way more talented than Luca. Was seen as a potential top 100 pick by many. Ultimately I think NHL teams thought he's too slight to play the way he wants to play...which I think is a shame.

I like Marrelli, but if he had great tools he would have been drafted, and probably quite early.

 

[SW2024]

Too short, not too slight. Any Dman under 6ft better be lights out offensively to get a sniff in today’s NHL . League is all about the big Dman again ..

Funny you are saying this right after the season where the best two Ds were indeed under 6ft

 

[Garl]

From Sweden

Zetterberg with the best overall point season ever(5th ever in PPG) in Sweden U18 national team

Bodin, 6'4 216 good skater, decent numbers

Sterner 6'3 194, good J20 numbers

tthose are biggest omissions. Also Crookes, Hesselvall

Bonus Hjalte Kruse Thomsen from Denmark. Almost PPG in J20, 6'0

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Literally was about to start a thread on the same topic, specifically mentioning Ustinkov lol. He was ranked:
#31 by THN/Ferrari
#38 by Smaht Scouting
#48 by DraftProspects
#44 by Recruit Scouting

Pretty crazy

Another one I find a bit surprising is Artyom Schuchinov, the guy played a full KHL season already as a dman.

I never understood Ustinkov being ranked that high, would expect a 6'0 Dman to have more standout qualities to be drafted top 40-50. He's more of "sum of parts" fairly average, give or take, across the board including size. I still would have expected that to get him selected in the middle to later rounds though. There's some power to his skating and just in general but maybe scouts felt that despite being young for the draft class, some of his success relative to his peers comes from being fairly advanced physically, already 200 lbs+ despite the average height. Maybe just weren't seeing a high ceiling or a lot of projection left, nor a floor that overly excites. Picks are essentially lottery tickets and teams like to dream on bigger prizes. Just trying to make sense of it...

 

[LeProspector]

From Sweden

Zetterberg with the best overall point season ever(5th ever in PPG) in Sweden U18 national team

Bodin, 6'4 216 good skater, decent numbers

Sterner 6'3 194, good J20 numbers

tthose are biggest omissions. Also Crookes, Hesselvall

Bonus Hjalte Kruse Thomsen from Denmark. Almost PPG in J20, 6'0

Wow. Some surprising Swedes