Personal Draft Boards - 2024 Draft

[Realgud]

Imo, you really nailed well the rank order, how Centers and defencemen will go first and wingers will fall.

That's always the way on draft day and biggest exception versus all ranks.

Well, it's not a mock but I appreciate the observation regardless!

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

1-Celebrini
2-Demidov
3-Buium
4-Catton
5-Levshunov
6-Eiserman
7-Dickinson
8-Helinus
9-Iginla
10-Lindstrom
11-Parekh
12-Senneke
13-MBN
14-Hage
15-Solberg
16-Silayev
17-Yakemchuk
18-Surin
19-Jiricek
20-Connelly
21-Greentree
22-Luchanko
23-Chernyshov
24-Khivijaru
25-Howe
26-Parascak
27-Artamonov
28-Mews
29-Friej
30-Basha
31-Beaudoin
32-Ritchie

 

[SantosHalper]

Since the draft order is pretty much set, this is a good time to reveal the famous Santos List. This is a mock draft, not a ranking list. Ranking list's often leaves out team needs and draft strategies(if a team has a notable strategy), i tried to find the unholy marriage of all 3 and here it is, enjoy:

1. SJS: Macklin Celebrini
- No-Brainer.
2. CHI: Artyom Levshunov
- Hawks are short of top pair RHD prospects or top pair D in general, so they take the best one available. Can't go wrong with this one, minute munching RHD.
3. ANA: Sam Dickinson
- Forward core in Anaheim is starting to look good but defense needs more talent. There is something Seider-esq in Dickinson, therefore Verbeek picks him.
4. CBJ: Cayden Lindstrom
- Columbus adds size to the forward core.
5. MTL: Berkly Catton
- Habs add much needed secondary scoring.
6. UTAH: Anton Silayev
- Utah Wildcats continue getting bigger... and russian. This is going to be tough team to play against.
7. OTT: Carter Yakemchuk
- Sens are short of RHD prospects and Yakemchuk fits in their identity very well. And since he is one oldest players in this class, Sens can expect him to be in the lineup soon.
8. SEA: Zeev Buium
- Krakens D prospect pool is basically empty and the teams D core is aging as well. They take best d-man available.
9. CGY: Tij Iginla
- Ownership wants butts to the seats and jerseys to sell and top of that they get a good hockey player.
10. NJD: Ivan Demidov
- The russian factor drops Demidov but New Jersey can afford to wait Demidov for a longer period than the others.
11. BUF: Zayne Parekh
- Desperate times require desperate measures, Sabres manages to fill an organizational need.
12. PHI: Cole Eiserman
- BPA, Philly fills the void left by Gauthier with another USDP product.
13. MIN: Beckett Sennecke
- Minny adds more size and grit.
14. SJS: Adam Jiricek
- Sharks D prospect pool is empty so they take the best d-man available.
15. DET: Michael Brandsegg-Nygård
- Fits in Detroit's draft strategy like a fist in an eye.
16. STL: Konsta Helenius
- BPA
17. WSH: Michael Hage
- Caps pick much needed center prospect.
18. CHI: Trevor Connelly
- BPA, a troubled kid and a troubled NHL org. It should be a match made in heaven.
19. VGK: Liam Greentree
- Vegas hopes to find the next Mark Stone.
20. NYI: Stian Solberg
- Physical and mobile PMD, i can see il padrino Lamoriello being very interested.
21. LAK: Igor Chernyshov
- Fits in the team identity.
22. NSH: Charlie Elick
- On paper Elick is prototypical Preds pick.
23. TOR: Henry Mews
- Leafs have to start fixing that horrible back end, they haven't picked a d-man in first two rounds in 6 years.
24. COL: Sacha Boisvert
- BPA
25. BOS: Jett Luchenko
- Bruins picks best center available.
26. MTL: Dean Letourneau
- Habs add size.
27. CAR: Cole Beaudoin
- Canes select size and grit.
28. CGY: Ryder Ritchie
- BPA and another local boy to Calgary, maybe Ritchie and Iginla stays there longer period than Tkachuk & Gaudreau.
29. DAL: Terik Parascak
- BPA
30. NYR: Lucas Pettersson
- There is some Aho-esq in him and Rangers are hoping for a steal here.
31. ANA: EJ Emery
- Ducks continue to bolster up their defense.
32. PHI: Yegor Surin
- Michkov-era is beginning in Philly and Briere makes sure that Michkov has enough buddies and picks a whole new type of bully to the Broad Street.

My updated mock draft.

 

[DatsyukToZetterberg]

I realized I hadn't posted my list yet and the draft is tomorrow.

My draft board is largely informed from a few of my prospect models and then some underlying data I've scraped from the various leagues. After some reflection on past years I've decided to incorporate more public scouting notes on defenceman than in years past.

As usual the players within a tier should be treated as about equal. The exception to this is in the top 10/24 ranking.

Spoiler: 2024 NHL Draft List

1 Macklin Celebrini
----------------------
2 Ivan Demidov
----------------------
3 Berkly Catton
4 Zeev Buium
5 Cayden Lindstrom
6 Artyom Levshunov
7 Konsta Helenius
8 Sam Dickinson
9 Cole Eiserman
10 Zayne Parekh
----------------------
11 Carter Yakemchuk
12 Tij Iginla
13 Michael Hage
14 Beckett Sennecke
15 Anton Silayev
16 Trevor Connelly
17 Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
18 Liam Greentree
19 Yegor Surin
20 Stian Solberg
21 Nikita Artamonov
22 Igor Chernyshov
23 Terik Parascak
24 Henry Mews
----------------------
25 Leo Sahlin Wallenius
26 Adam Jiricek
27 Andrew Basha
28 Teddy Stiga
29 Anthony Romani
30 EJ Emery
30 Luca Marrelli
31 Luke Misa
32 Lucas Pettersson
33 Matvei Gridin
34 Justin Poirier
35 Emil Hemming
36 Alfons Freij
37 Spencer Gill
38 Aron Kiviharju
39 Cole Hutson
40 Mac Swanson
41 Leon Muggli
42 Ilya Nabokov
43 Miguel Marques
44 Carter George
----------------------
45 Tommy Galvas
46 Melvin Fernstrom
47 Clarke Caswell
48 Julius Miettinen
49 Simon Zether
50 Tanner Howe
51 Jakub Fibigr
52 Marek Vanacker
53 Sacha Boisvert
54 Kirill Zarubin
55 Dean Letourneau
56 Louka Cloutier
57 Mikhail Yegorov
58 Pavel Moysevich
59 Jett Luchanko
60 Jesse Pulkkinen
61 Dominik Badinka
62 Petteri Rimpinen
63 Marcus Kearsey
64 Matvei Shuravin
65 Veeti Väisänen
66 Harrison Brunicke
67 Will Zellers
68 Alexander Zetterberg
69 Tarin Smith
70 Alexandre Blais
71 Maxim Massé
----------------------
72 Roman Luttsev
73 Dalyn Wakely
74 Dylan Hryckowian
75 Oskar Vuollet
76 Kim Saarinen
77 Jan Kavan
78 Noel Fransen
79 Darels Uljanskis
80 Yegor Graf
81 Eriks Mateiko
82 James Reeder
83 Max Plante
84 Kamil Bednarik
85 Liam Danielsson
86 Christian Humphreys
87 Adam Kleber
88 John Mustard
89 Félix Lacerte
90 Gavin Hodnett
91 Adam Jecho
92 Ryder Ritchie
93 Tomas Mrsic
94 Ben Danford
95 Evan Gardner
96 Daniil Anatsky
97 Andrei Krutov
98 Heikki Ruohonen
99 Marcus Gidlöf
100 Eemil Vinni
101 Kam Hendrickson
102 Ryerson Leenders
103 Kenta Isogai
104 Lukas Fischer
105 Aatos Koivu
106 Tommaso De Luca
107 Ilya Protas
108 Logan Sawyer
109 Matyas Marik
110 Charlie Elick
111 Jiri Tichacek
112 Lukas Matecha
113 Ondrej Becher
114 Markus Loponen

Some notes/observations:

• I think compared to most lists I'm higher on Hage, Surin, Mews, and Romani.
  • I think Hage is someone that would fit the Wings perfectly and I think he's someone that could go top 10 in a redraft. He was the Steel's offence this season and once he found his stride in the 2nd half of the season he was fantastic.
  • Surin is one of my favorites in the draft and I wonder how he would be ranked if he were Canadian, especially with his mean streak. His combination of hands, physicality, and playmaking make him a bit of a unicorn.
  • Mews has his warts, but he remind me a bit of Dragicevic last year. A fantastic offensive dmen that just needs some refinement in his game to really bring it all together.
  • It wouldn't be a DtZ list without a token overager in the 1st round. Romani had great per 60 stats last season, by my estimated toi metrics he was good enough to go in the 5-7th rounds in 2023, but he took it to another level this season. He had better on ice numbers than 1st rounders such as Dvorsky, Musty, and Cowan while also bringing a well rounded game.
• I'm lower on the bigger defenceman that didn't produce a lot offensively like Elick and Kleber. I know they'll go much higher than where I have them ranked, but I don't think they have the tools to become much more than 3rd pairing dmen.
• While this draft doesn't have any name brand goalies I think this crop has been underrated. There are some intriguing options that should be available in the later rounds like Zarubin, Cloutier, Rimpinen, Kavan, etc. I'd rather we take a few swings on goalies
• Other guys that I think are fun and should be on the Wings radar are Oskar Vuollet, Yegor Graf, Jan Kavan, Spencer Gill, & Eriks Mateiko

 

[SantosHalper]

Since the draft order is pretty much set, this is a good time to reveal the famous Santos List. This is a mock draft, not a ranking list. Ranking list's often leaves out team needs and draft strategies(if a team has a notable strategy), i tried to find the unholy marriage of all 3 and here it is, enjoy:

1. SJS: Macklin Celebrini
- No-Brainer.
2. CHI: Artyom Levshunov
- Hawks are short of top pair RHD prospects or top pair D in general, so they take the best one available. Can't go wrong with this one, minute munching RHD.
3. ANA: Sam Dickinson
- Forward core in Anaheim is starting to look good but defense needs more talent. There is something Seider-esq in Dickinson, therefore Verbeek picks him.
4. CBJ: Cayden Lindstrom
- Columbus adds size to the forward core.
5. MTL: Berkly Catton
- Habs add much needed secondary scoring.
6. UTAH: Anton Silayev
- Utah Wildcats continue getting bigger... and russian. This is going to be tough team to play against.
7. OTT: Carter Yakemchuk
- Sens are short of RHD prospects and Yakemchuk fits in their identity very well. And since he is one oldest players in this class, Sens can expect him to be in the lineup soon.
8. SEA: Zeev Buium
- Krakens D prospect pool is basically empty and the teams D core is aging as well. They take best d-man available.
9. CGY: Tij Iginla
- Ownership wants butts to the seats and jerseys to sell and top of that they get a good hockey player.
10. NJD: Ivan Demidov
- The russian factor drops Demidov but New Jersey can afford to wait Demidov for a longer period than the others.
11. SJS: Zayne Parekh
- Sharks D prospect pool is empty so they take the best d-man available.
12. PHI: Cole Eiserman
- BPA, Philly fills the void left by Gauthier with another USDP product.
13. MIN: Beckett Sennecke
- Minny adds more size and grit.
14. BUF: Konsta Helenius
- Buffalo repeats what they been past few years, hunting for highest upside.
15. DET: Michael Brandsegg-Nygård
- Fits in Detroit's draft strategy like a fist in an eye.
16. STL: Michael Hage
- BPA
17. WSH: Adam Jiricek
- BPA
18. CHI: Trevor Connelly
- BPA, a troubled kid and a troubled NHL org. It should be a match made in heaven.
19. VGK: Liam Greentree
- Vegas hopes to find the next Mark Stone.
20. NYI: Stian Solberg
- Physical and mobile PMD, i can see il padrino Lamoriello being very interested.
21. LAK: Igor Chernyshov
- Fits in the team identity.
22. NSH: Charlie Elick
- On paper Elick is prototypical Preds pick.
23. TOR: Henry Mews
- Leafs have to start fixing that horrible back end, they haven't picked a d-man in first two rounds in 6 years.
24. COL: Sacha Boisvert
- BPA
25. BOS: Jett Luchenko
- Bruins picks best center available.
26. MTL: Dean Letourneau
- Habs add size.
27. CAR: Cole Beaudoin
- Canes select size and grit.
28. CGY: Ryder Ritchie
- BPA and another local boy to Calgary, maybe Ritchie and Iginla stays there longer period than Tkachuk & Gaudreau.
29. DAL: Terik Parascak
- BPA
30. NYR: Lucas Pettersson
- There is some Aho-esq in him and Rangers are hoping for a steal here.
31. ANA: EJ Emery
- Ducks continue to bolster up their defense.
32. PHI: Yegor Surin
- Michkov-era is beginning in Philly and Briere makes sure that Michkov has enough buddies and picks a whole new type of bully to the Broad Street.

New update

 

[Frk It]

Updated/Final list:

1. Celebrini
2. Demidov
3. Levshunov
4. Buium
5. Lindstrom
6. Dickinson
7. Parekh
8. Catton
9. Iginla
10. Silayev
11. Senecke
12. Helenius
13. Yakemchuk
14. Eiserman
15. Hage
16. Jiricek
17. Connelly
18. Luchanko
19. Brandsegg-Nygard
20. Greentree
21. Chernyshov
22. Parascak
23. Freij
24. Basha
25. Artamonov
26. Mews
27. Ritchie
28. Hutson
29. Boisvert
30. Solberg
31. Surin
32. Hemming

HM’s: Gridin, Petterson, Beaudoin, Vanacker, Pulkkinen, Miettinen, Letourneau, Elick, Emery, Howe, Sahlin Wallenius, Mustard, Kiviharju, Brunicke, Marques,

 

[lilidk]

My updated mock draft.

I know you don't like Helenius, but for me if he's still at 15 I would not think twice

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

kinda disappointed last year when was familiar with top 90ish guys this year could only research about 30

 

[Henkka]

kinda disappointed last year when was familiar with top 90ish guys this year could only research about 30

Tells all about how weak this draft is vs. 2023.

Celebrini would be just one of the Top5 vs. 2023, and no one after him would have gone Top10 at 2023.

 

[Frk It]

Tells all about how weak this draft is vs. 2023.

Celebrini would be just one of the Top5 vs. 2023, and no one after him would have gone Top10 at 2023.

I’d pick like 5 defenseman from this year before Reinbacher.

 

[SantosHalper]

Since the draft order is pretty much set, this is a good time to reveal the famous Santos List. This is a mock draft, not a ranking list. Ranking list's often leaves out team needs and draft strategies(if a team has a notable strategy), i tried to find the unholy marriage of all 3 and here it is, enjoy:

1. SJS: Macklin Celebrini
- No-Brainer.
2. CHI: Artyom Levshunov
- Hawks are short of top pair RHD prospects or top pair D in general, so they take the best one available. Can't go wrong with this one, minute munching RHD.
3. ANA: Sam Dickinson
- Forward core in Anaheim is starting to look good but defense needs more talent. There is something Seider-esq in Dickinson, therefore Verbeek picks him.
4. CBJ: Cayden Lindstrom
- Columbus adds size to the forward core.
5. MTL: Berkly Catton
- Habs add much needed secondary scoring.
6. UTAH: Anton Silayev
- Utah Wildcats continue getting bigger... and russian. This is going to be tough team to play against.
7. OTT: Carter Yakemchuk
- Sens are short of RHD prospects and Yakemchuk fits in their identity very well. And since he is one oldest players in this class, Sens can expect him to be in the lineup soon.
8. SEA: Zeev Buium
- Krakens D prospect pool is basically empty and the teams D core is aging as well. They take best d-man available.
9. CGY: Tij Iginla
- Ownership wants butts to the seats and jerseys to sell and top of that they get a good hockey player.
10. NJD: Ivan Demidov
- The russian factor drops Demidov but New Jersey can afford to wait Demidov for a longer period than the others.
11. SJS: Zayne Parekh
- Sharks D prospect pool is empty so they take the best d-man available.
12. PHI: Cole Eiserman
- BPA, Philly fills the void left by Gauthier with another USDP product.
13. MIN: Beckett Sennecke
- Minny adds more size and grit.
14. BUF: Konsta Helenius
- Buffalo repeats what they been past few years, hunting for highest upside.
15. DET: Michael Brandsegg-Nygård
- Fits in Detroit's draft strategy like a fist in an eye.
16. STL: Michael Hage
- BPA
17. WSH: Adam Jiricek
- BPA
18. CHI: Trevor Connelly
- BPA, a troubled kid and a troubled NHL org. It should be a match made in heaven.
19. VGK: Liam Greentree
- Vegas hopes to find the next Mark Stone.
20. NYI: Stian Solberg
- Physical and mobile PMD, i can see il padrino Lamoriello being very interested.
21. LAK: Igor Chernyshov
- Fits in the team identity.
22. NSH: Charlie Elick
- On paper Elick is prototypical Preds pick.
23. TOR: Henry Mews
- Leafs have to start fixing that horrible back end, they haven't picked a d-man in first two rounds in 6 years.
24. COL: Sacha Boisvert
- BPA
25. BOS: Jett Luchenko
- Bruins picks best center available.
26. MTL: Dean Letourneau
- Habs add size.
27. CAR: Cole Beaudoin
- Canes select size and grit.
28. CGY: Ryder Ritchie
- BPA and another local boy to Calgary, maybe Ritchie and Iginla stays there longer period than Tkachuk & Gaudreau.
29. DAL: Terik Parascak
- BPA
30. NYR: Lucas Pettersson
- There is some Aho-esq in him and Rangers are hoping for a steal here.
31. ANA: EJ Emery
- Ducks continue to bolster up their defense.
32. PHI: Yegor Surin
- Michkov-era is beginning in Philly and Briere makes sure that Michkov has enough buddies and picks a whole new type of bully to the Broad Street.

6/32

 

[SantosHalper]

I was bored and here is predictions whom Red Wings pick, this always goes wrong always but im looking to get 3/8.

#15 Michael Brandsegg-Nygård
-Michael Brandsegg-Nygård - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Spoiler: Upside Hockey

Whatever organization drafts RW Michael Brandsegg-Nygard will be getting a future fan-favorite. The 6'1",195lb power-forward has so far played most of his games with Mora's AllSvenskan Team, the second-highest tier in Sweden, and is currently 7th in scoring for U-20 players, with 11 points in 27 games. He's also put in 7 games with the J20 team (12 points in 7 games), and scored 3 goals and 5 points in 5 WJC games for a weak Team Norway.

The main reason he's in the AllSvenskan is that he plays a mature game with good habits. He's big and sturdy, and incredibly strong on his skates, making it virtually impossible to knock him off the puck- couple that with his air-tight puck-protection, and one can see why he never gets stripped of possession. MBN can be a mean power forward who bullies his way around the ice, and is a constant physical threat. He hits often, and hits hard, is very tenacious with high motor, and a load to handle on the forecheck. Very competitive and hard-working. "Explosive" is a word often used to describe his skating- he has excellent speed, uncanny agility and edges, and superb acceleration. He's like a freight train when he's in full stride, but he also has the ability to be elusive with his puck control, deception, and 1-on-1 skill- so he can go around you, or through you.

He's a dual-threat, as a powerful shooter, as well as a deft playmaker. He's got a wide array of hard, accurate shots with plenty of deception, but he also has soft hands for the pass, and high IQ and vision to make the right decisions. Nygard works to make himself an open option for offense, and always wants to make something happen. He's more than capable of moving the puck, and contributes well to transition. He has an arsenal of moves, deception, toe-drags, and dekes to weave his way around the ice. If all that wasn't enough for you, Nygard is also an excellent 200-ft player, and some say he's one of the best defensive players in the draft.

He uses his speed and physicality to pressure attackers, cut off angles, separate man from puck, and force turnovers. His mobility aids him in transitioning from offense to defense rapidly, and he can often stop rushes before they reach his zone. He will initiate contact in the corners, or along the boards to gain possession. I love this player, and most writers are hard-pressed to find a true weakness. Some say he can look nonchalant in the defensive zone, and that his intensity can wane sometimes. Others question if he truly has high-end offensive ability, as he should perhaps have more points this year, but I might put him in the top-10. I see him as a riser. - Upside Hockey

Spoiler: Bill Paczek

Big Norwegian power wing who plays a physical brand of hockey and is well balanced on his skates with a powerful stride. Displays a heavy shot with a good release around the blue paint, and a wicked one-timer on the power play. It is a heavy one-timer from the circle on the power play.

His strong worth this is exhibited in the way he often intimates contact. He is a persistent backchecker and exerts strong pressure in puck pursuit, many times causing giveaways that he turned into offensive chances. Dominated the Sweden's U-20 as a 17 year old last season at a point per game pace, and has played a dozen games with Mora in Allsvenskan. He is noticable driving out of the corners and powering to the middle.

He lacks East-West wiggle, and not really a polished finesse guy, but after he barrels into the scoring territory, and establishes position in the high traffic areas, he is difficult to move. He lacks a quich "catch & release" when the puck comes to him. Hasn't really shown much creativity offensively, and despite the hype as a prospect from Norway, his individual skills and I believe his vision is average, and he amounts to good prospect, not an elite one.

Spoiler: Tony Ferrari

He is arguably the best forechecker in the draft, an excellent tactician along the boards, and doesn’t cheat for offense. He commits to playing a sound 200-foot game and does an excellent job in aiding and assisting defenders along the wall while making smart decisions in space with his positioning and stick play.

Spoiler: Central Scouting

A competitive power forward with very good skating, excellent offensive instincts and a great winning attitude. He has solid size and strength, effective in battles both in open ice and along the boards. Has the tools needed to become very good.

Spoiler: Steven Ellis

He embodies the essence of a Swiss army knife forward who can immediately jump in and impact your penalty kill. His defensive instincts are among the most refined in the class; combined with his intensity and proactive efforts off the puck, he poses a threat in nearly every facet of the game. - Seth Ditcfield
If you’re looking for a safe prospect who can play in the middle six and not get himself into trouble, MBN’s your guy. Brandsegg-Nygard looked great at the World Junior Championship for the lowly Norwegians and then finished the year off with a couple of great final games with the men’s national team

Spoiler: Corey Pronman

He thinks the game well and sees plays develop, but I don't think his playmaking is his main asset. Even if he's not very dynamic, Brandsegg-Nygard has a game that should lend itself to success versus men, eventually as a good NHL forward and potentially in a top six

Spoiler: Scott Wheeler

Brandsegg-Nygard’s game is built upon his work ethic and drive. He’s a multifaceted shooter who can score from the top of the circles with his wrister but also gets down to one knee and really powers through a good one-touch shot — skills that have helped him excel on both the flank and the bumper on the power play across domestic and international levels.

Spoiler: Chris Peters

One of the most purely competitive forwards in the draft, Brandsegg-Nygard finds many different ways to impact the game. He’s physical, aggressive on the forecheck and can be a very tricky player to play against. On top of that, he has enough skill and a higher-end shot that should allow him to contribute offensively as well.

Spoiler: Mike Morreale

Born in Norway, Brandsegg-Nygard (6-1, 207) plays in Allsvenskan, Sweden's second division, and is a hard-working two-way player with good first-step quickness, decision-making and vision

Spoiler: Adam Kimelman

Brandsegg-Nygard is a very good skater who is strong on the forecheck and can produce offensive chances from between the dots low in the offensive zone. He led Norway with three goals in seven games at the World Championship.

Spoiler: Jason Bukala

Brandsegg-Nygard is plenty strong and has proven he can play at pro pace this season. His ability to shoot the puck in motion, off the rush, is an asset he has when he beats opponents up ice. He’s smart, skilled, and competitive.

Spoiler: Sebastian High

Brandsegg-Nygård is widely regarded as one of, if not the, most refined defensive forwards in this draft class. And the big power winger is indeed just that. But, that’s not where his value ends. It is true that his defensive game could earn him a 4th-line NHL role as soon as this Fall if he and the organization who selects him wish for him to be, he’s certainly a high-floor player. That said, in the back half of the season and especially in our HockeyAllsvenskan Playoff and World Championship viewings, Brandsegg-Nygård stood out for his overall 3-zone impact, including offensive generation.

He’s a linear puck rusher who attacks with pace and power, and holds up the play well upon entry in the offensive zone to wait for support to extend possessions. He’s also a very good goalscorer, featuring a dangerous and heavy wrist shot release, a penchant for scoring from both medium-long range and from in tight at the goal-mouth. He’s middle-driven and gets to exactly where his team needs him to be.

His highest upside is that of a complimentary top-line piece, and the fallback game of a versatile middle-six winger is more than worth the swing in the early teens of this draft class in our eyes."
Smart, defensively-sound winger with great shooting mechanics and vision. Well-rounded, mature game should help him reach a second line in the NHL.

Spoiler: Hedi Kalakache

If you only look at Brandsegg-Nygård’s point totals so far this year in the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second division of pro hockey, you’ll miss a lot of what makes him our 9th-ranked prospect in our preliminary rankings. His three points in 15 games don’t really scream ”top-10 pick”, but his skillset absolutely does.

Above all, the Norwegian winger plays with intensity and defensive reliability. He reloads above pucks to remain engaged in offensive zone turnovers, blasts through center ice to chase down loose pucks when they pop out, and protects pucks well along the boards. Beyond his off-puck savvy, which extends into offensive scenarios, he has a hard release with an unlocked top arm which has been giving Allsvenskan netminders a look behind their backs, but the bounces haven’t come yet.

Same goes for his teammates; he can set them up in great areas with a combination of vision, poise and a wide arsenal of passes, but until recently, they would lack that finishing touch. As the bounces start coming, so will the production — regardless, the skillset and very mature game could lead Brandsegg-Nygård to be among the first from this class to break into the NHL.

Spoiler: Seth Ditchfield

Brandsegg-Nygård is arguably the most NHL-ready player in this class, except, of course, for Celebrini. He embodies the essence of a Swiss army knife forward who can immediately jump in and impact your penalty kill. His defensive instincts are among the highest in the class; combined with his intensity and proactive efforts off the puck, he poses a threat in nearly every facet of the game.

Nygård took the label of “defensive forward” rather personally, setting a new record for points by a
draft-eligible player in the HockeyAllsvenskan Playoffs with 10 points across 12 games. His shot is powerful and swiftly released, his nose for the net is keen, and he fluidly creates opportunities on the rush. He uses robust stride and powerful puck protection skills to drive those challenging areas. His adaptability and puck confidence are impressive, displaying all the hallmarks of an invaluable support forechecker on any line.

He can almost immediately boost an NHL roster, and his versatility should prove to be very exciting for NHL franchises, as he’s capable of adapting seamlessly through any line or any situation his team may need him in.

Spoiler: Hedi Kalakache

Smart, defensively-sound winger with great shooting mechanics and vision. Well-rounded, mature game should help him reach a second line in the NHL.

#209 Charlie Forslund
- Charlie Forslund - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Spoiler: Upside Hockey

While Herman Traff, Karl Sterner, and Jack Berglund soak up all the attention for the 2024 NHL Draft, there's another big Swedish power-forward flying under the radar, who might be an even bigger sleeper than those three in LW/RW Charlie Forslund.

Forslund has a complex story, as he played his junior this season for Falu IF J20, a Division 1 team, which is the third-tier U-20 league in Sweden, and wasn't invited to play on any international teams. He was clearly too good for Div.1, amassing 13 goals and 16 points in 7 games, but instead of earning a promotion to the J20 league where most Swedish draft-eligibles play, he was called up to Falu IF's HockeyEttan team- the nation's third-tier Men's league (Falu doesn't have a team in the J20). There, the 6'3", 212 winger somehow managed to put up the 16th-best season all-time (7th-best all-time in ppg for U-18 players with more than 10 games) for U-18 players in that league, with 9 goals and 19 points in 19 games, often playing huge minutes on the top line- and even added 3 goals and 4 points in 3 playoff games. Once the season for the HockeyEttan club was over, he was sent back to the Div.1 team to help out in the playoffs, and he piled up 7 goals and 12 points in 7 games.

Forslund is a power-forward with some skill and speed, who uses his size to his advantage in battles and can make plays in traffic. He's proficient in leaning in to defenders when attacking the net and will drive the middle to shoot and finish plays, which is his primary contribution to his team's offense. He plays well around the net and in-close, and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time to cash in on rebounds and second-chance opportunities, but also has an array of dangerous shots with good velocity, all coming on wicked releases with deception mixed in. Like other goal-scorers, Forslund possesses an inate sense of how to sniff out open spaces to be ready and in position with his stick on the ice to recieve a pass and unleash his shot. The powerplay is where Forslund produces a lot of his points in the HockeyEttan, but he supports the play well in the offensive zone at all times by skating smart routes. He loves to pick corners from the circle, and has a deceptive drag-and-release in traffic.

Forslund skates quite well for a player his size, and even has some shiftiness and a rather peppy first-step- he can beat defenders wide and win races, even in the men's league. He is not without vision and IQ, as he can create off the rush- though not at a high rate, mostly in flashes. He's also reasonably skilled, but not dynamic in any way. While he might not be overly physical in terms of throwing his weight around, he leverages his size well in board battles and down low. Unfortunately, he lacks poise in transition, deferring mostly to teammates in the carrying department, and when he participates it's usually only with short-area passes and give-and-go's.

Away from the offensive zone, his off-puck play and defense is in need of further refinement- he hustles on the backcheck, but often looks lost without the puck, and is still finding his way in this area. His stickhandling is a bit clunky, lacks deception, and fails him from time to time in regards to turnovers and misshandling- his pass-reception is also rough. Coming up from a lower level of hockey, he's still quite inconsistent and raw, and prone to fading into the background on occasion. It may concern scouts that a high number of his looks in the men's league come from the PP as well. If he is deemed good enough to be drafted, look for him in later rounds.

Spoiler: Seth Ditchfield

He’s one of the most under-the-radar players in his class and will be playing with a top club in Sweden next year for the first time. Having worked his way up to the third-tier men’s league in Sweden, he not only held his own but thrived, scoring at a point-per-game pace. His shot in motion is a weapon seasoned men’s goaltenders struggled to stop, even when they saw it coming. A true 6-2 power forward, he leverages every inch to dominate on the ice. However, his play away from the puck and his four-way mobility are currently areas that need significant improvement.

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