Post your 2024 Draft List

[CaptainShark]

Few things- Dickinson is 100000% not going 14th, he will be long gone by then. He may be NHL ready as early as this year

Lindstrom had a herniated disk which can affect his back majorly so he may be injury prone- won’t be going top 5 anymore, too many uncertainties

Also vanacker (38) is getting shoulder surgery done. That may tank his draft stock a bit.

Few things:

This isn’t a mock, it’s my personal list which represents how I value those prospects. I am not saying this is how things play out, i am saying this is how things would play out if i was making all the picks. E.g. Connelly, he is obviously not going outside the top 45. The list based on reading and listening to a lot of different opinions by so called experts, internet scouts, people here on HF and watching highlight or analysis videos. I also don’t choose a very strategic or methodical approach. For a Sharks fan, the draft has not been very relevant in the last 2 decades as we didn’t have high first rounders or first rounders at all a lot of times. I started following prospects in preperation for last years draft and I really enjoy it, even i my way doesn’t allow me to make my lists based on my own first hand impressions. With that out of the way:

I don’t expect Dickinson to be there at 14, but I would be happy if that was the case and the Sharks picked him. I see him as a very safe pick and the collection of tools seems to be incredible, but I have concerns about his hockey IQ that may limit his upside. Hence i put him lower than almost anyone else.

Regarding Lindstrom several sources that were at the combine reported that his medical history should probably not affect his draft status as they believe whatever ailed him wont be a concern going forward. I haven’t seen the medical records and i am no doctor, but for my list I took those reports for fact. While i am very sure that Dickinson is not going as low as I have him, i think Lindstrom in the top 5 is definitely a possibility.

Didn’t know about Vanacker and his need for surgery (know that you say it I think it was mentioned on one of the podcasts about the combine, didn’t reach my brain )

 

[BerthMania]

I'll do a more in dept top 32 closer to the draft, but right now that would be my top 16 list.

1. Celebrini
2. Catton
3. Demidov
4. Dickinson
5. Buium
6. Eiserman
7. Parekh
8. Lindstrom
9. Iginla
10. Yakemchuk
11. Connelly
12. Helenius
13. Levshunov
14. Brandseg Nygard
15. Silayev
16. Kiviharju

 

[DollardStLaurent]

1​	Macklin Celebrini (C)
2​	Ivan Demidov (RW/C)
3​	Cayden Lindstrom (F)
4​	Zeev Buium (D)
5​	Artyom Levshunov (D)
6​	Sam Dickinson (D)
7​	Berkly Catton (F)
8​	Tij Iginla (F)
9​	Zayne Parekh (D)
10​	Anton Silayev (D)
11​	Konsta Helenius (C/RW)
12​	Cole Eiserman (LW)
13​	Beckett Sennecke (RW)
14​	Michael Brandsegg-Nygård (F)
15​	Carter Yakemchuk (D)
16​	Trevor Connelly (LW)
17​	Liam Greentree (RW)
18​	Igor Chernyshov (LW)
19​	Michael Hage (C)
20​	Nikita Artamonov (RW/LW)
21​	Stian Solberg (D)
22​	Adam Jiříček (D)
23​	Jett Luchanko (C)
24​	Sacha Boisvert (C)
25​	Alfons Freij (D)
26​	Andrew Basha (F)
27​	EJ Emery (D)
28​	Terik Parascak (RW)
29​	Emil Hemming (RW)
30​	Yegor Surin (C/RW)
31​	Teddy Stiga (LW)
32​	Ryder Ritchie (F)

 

[Blueston]

My 2024 Top 100 draft list, with tiers. I will post some fuller thoughts, but wanted to get this out there for discussion.

1. Celebrini

2. Levshunov
3. Dickinson
4. Lindstrom
5. Demidov
6. Silayev
7. Parekh
8. Iginla
9. Buium
10. Catton
11. Solberg
12. Helenius
13. Sennecke
14. Yakemchuk
15. Brandsegg-Nygard
16. Hage
17. Luchenko
18. Eiserman
19. Emery

20. Chernyshov
21. Jiricek
22. Beaudoin
23. Freij
24. Stiga
25. Petterson
26. Surin
27. Greentree
28. Eriksson
29. Boisvert
30. Ritchie
31. Badinka
32. Parascak
33. Vanacker
34. O’Reilly
35. Danford
36. Bednarik
37. Brunicke
38. Basha
39. Kleber
40. Boilard
41. Fischer
42. Elick
43. Letourneau
44. Pulkkinen
45. Miettinen
46. Gill
47. Shuravin

48. Misa
49. Skahan
50. Gridin
51. LSW
52. Mews
53. Artamonov
54. Roberts
55. Hemming
56. Masse
57. Muggli
58. Mustard
59. Connelly
60. Howe
61. Hutson
62. Jecho
63. Ziemer
64. Fernstrom
65. Battaglia
66. T Smith
67. Spellacy
68. L Marrelli
69. Plante
70. Wetsch
71. Kiviharju
72. Poirier

73. Meier
74. Humphreys
75. Ruohonen
76. Lavoie
77. Villeneuve
78. Zether
79. Fransen
80. Romani
81. Ralph
82. Van Vliet
83. Pitner
84. Berglund
85. Kol
86. Ustinkov
87. Marques
88. Jokinen
89. Zellers
90. Misskey
91. Eliasson
92. Uljanskis
93. Josephson
94. Gustafsson
95. Zetterberg
96. F Marrelli
97. Sikora
98. Patterson
99. Vaisanen
100. Moore

HM (Alphabetically)

Alcos
Bernier
Blais
Caswell
Fibigr
Galvas
Golicic
Groenewold
He
Koivu
Lahey
Mateiko
Mrsic
Muhonen
Nykyri
Pridham
Saarelainen
Siryatsky.
Soini
Whipple

 

[BondraTime]

Just because Yakemchuk is a late birthday and the defenseman with the highest upside that doesn't mean he should be rushed to the NHL. He's more of a project. If given enough development time, the return could be huge. Especially his skating is a work in progress. I hope he stays in the WHL for an overager season and gets at least one full AHL season as well. Ideally he'd go to Europe as the lighter schedule and wider European uce can really help those kind of defensemen (Bichsel, Seider) work on their skating but that's not gonna happen. Still I think it's gonna be important not to rush Yakemchuk.

There’s zero chance he is playing an overage season in the CHL

 

[Hinterland]

There’s zero chance he is playing an overage season in the CHL

He should. Turning pro early means less time for skating and off ice training...which would be important for Yakemchuk.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Updated and final top 10:

1. Celebrini
2. Demidov
3. Dickinson
4. Buium
5. Levshunov
6. Iginla
7. Connolly
8. Yakemchuk
9. Sennecke
10. Eiserman

HM: Parekh, Catton

Lidstrom drops big time because rumor has it the injury that sidelined him many months is a herniated disc. DND in the top 15 for me for that reason because without it he certainly is in my top 10.

That’s definitely the highest I’ve ever seen Connelly

 

[Golden_Jet]

There’s zero chance he is playing an overage season in the CHL

Hard to say, unless he makes an NHL team or goes to Europe, he can’t play in the AHL.

 

[BondraTime]

He should. Turning pro early means less time for skating and off ice training...which would be important for Yakemchuk.

Turning pro at 20 isn’t early, it’s expected at any point in the draft, even more so with guys taken early. It’s not a good sign if you spend your overage season in junior.

The chances that a guy taken 10-20 or wherever he ends up stays for a 20 year old season is incredibly, incredibly slim.

Don’t think there has been a single player taken in the 1st in the past 15 years to spend his overage season in the CHL, though there may be one or two guys who had very bad D+ seasons.

I mean, who was the last 1st rounder to spend an overage season in Junior? I’m sure I’m missing someone.

Hard to say, unless he makes an NHL team or goes to Europe, he can’t play in the AHL.

Yes he can. Both Ostapchuk and Boucher did that this season with Ottawa. Anyone is allowed to play in the AHL in their overaged junior season.

 

[Hinterland]

Turning pro at 20 isn’t early, it’s expected at any point in the draft, even more so with guys taken early. It’s not a good sign if you spend your overage season in junior.

The chances that a guy taken 10-25 or wherever he ends up stays for a 20 year old season is incredibly, incredibly slim.

Don’t think there has been a single player taken in the 1st in the past 15 years to spend his overage season in the CHL, though there may be one or two guys who had very bad D+ seasons.

I mean, who was the last 1st rounder to spend an overage season in Junior? I’m sure I’m missing someone.

Yes he can. Both Ostapchuk and Boucher did that this season with Ottawa. Anyone is allowed to play in the AHL in their overaged junior season.

Turning pro earlier than he has to is what I meant.

I don't care about the what other prospects did. Every prospect is different and sometimes you have to think out of the box to optimize your development. We've seen plenty of prospects get rewarded for those kind of decisions. I repeat that Yakemchuk should not turn pro early...at least not in NA. Maybe a lighter European schedule could be something for him (but yes, I understand that's unlikely as well). One more thing to consider is that Yakemchuk is a late birthday. So playing an overager season in the WHL wouldn't be all that crazy as you make it sound.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Turning pro at 20 isn’t early, it’s expected at any point in the draft, even more so with guys taken early. It’s not a good sign if you spend your overage season in junior.

The chances that a guy taken 10-25 or wherever he ends up stays for a 20 year old season is incredibly, incredibly slim.

Don’t think there has been a single player taken in the 1st in the past 15 years to spend his overage season in the CHL, though there may be one or two guys who had very bad D+ seasons.

I mean, who was the last 1st rounder to spend an overage season in Junior? I’m sure I’m missing someone.

Yes he can. Both Ostapchuk and Boucher did that this season with Ottawa. Anyone is allowed to play in the AHL in their overaged junior season.

Yep both turned 20 before January 1 cutoff date for CHL’ers going to AHL.

Yakemchuk won’t make it, will be 19 then.

So basically 03’s last year were good
This year 04’s can make the jump, Yak is an 05.

 

[BondraTime]

Turning pro earlier than he has to is what I meant.

I don't care about the what other prospects did. Every prospect is different and sometimes you have to think out of the box to optimize your development. We've seen plenty of prospects get rewarded for those kind of decisions. I repeat that Yakemchuk should not turn pro early...at least not in NA. Maybe a lighter European schedule could be something for him (but yes, I understand that's unlikely as well). One more thing to consider is that Yakemchuk is a late birthday. So playing an overager season in the WHL wouldn't be all that crazy as you make it sound.

It would be absolutely bonkers if he plays in the CHL in his 20 year old season.

Almost a sure fire zero % chance the team that drafts him will not want him with their organizations training staff and coaching staff as a 20 year old rather than a staff in the WHL.

Yep both turned 20 before January 1 cutoff date for CHL’ers going to AHL.

Yakemchuk won’t make it, will be 19 then.

So basically 03’s last year were good
This year 04’s can make the jump, Yak is an 05.

I fully understand how it works. Him staying in his overage season in the WHL is what’s being discussed, the same season Ostapchuk and Boucher just finished.

 

[Golden_Jet]

It would be absolutely bonkers if he plays in the CHL in his 20 year old season.

Almost a sure fire zero % chance the team that drafts him will not want him with their organizations training staff and coaching staff as a 20 year old rather than a staff in the WHL.


I fully understand how it works. Him staying in his overage season in the WHL is what’s being discussed, the same season Ostapchuk and Boucher just finished.

Where’s he going to play, Europe?

I don’t think you do understand
Ostapachuk and Boucher qualified for AHL
Yskemchuk does not qualify for AHL

 

[BondraTime]

Where’s he going to play, Europe?

I don’t think you do understand
Ostapachuk and Boucher qualified for AHL
Yskemchuk does not qualify for AHL

I don’t think you understand. It’s right in the first post you quoted.

His overage season it’s what is being discussed, of which he obviously qualifies for the AHL.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Ya he’ll play it Calgary, it’s that or Europe

He doesn’t qualify for AHL , this year

 

[BondraTime]

He doesn’t qualify for AHL , no matter how many times you say it


Read mine slower

Jesus Christ

You do realize this upcoming season isn’t his overage season yes? The whole point of the conversation, this season legitimately has nothing to do with his overaged season.

During his overaged season, the season this whole conversation is about, he is eligible for the AHL.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Jesus Christ

You do realize this upcoming season isn’t his overage season yes? The whole point of the conversation, this season legitimately has nothing to do with his overaged season.

Ahh, your talking in a year and half out, ok my bad

 

[BondraTime]

lol, your talking in a year and half out, ok

Yes, I was responding to a post saying that he should spend his overaged season in junior, meaning not this season, but next.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Yes, I was responding to a post saying that he should spend his overaged season in junior, meaning not this season, but next.

Ya sorry, my bad
And that would be bonkers

Turning pro earlier than he has to is what I meant.

I don't care about the what other prospects did. Every prospect is different and sometimes you have to think out of the box to optimize your development. We've seen plenty of prospects get rewarded for those kind of decisions. I repeat that Yakemchuk should not turn pro early...at least not in NA. Maybe a lighter European schedule could be something for him (but yes, I understand that's unlikely as well). One more thing to consider is that Yakemchuk is a late birthday. So playing an overager season in the WHL wouldn't be all that crazy as you make it sound.

I’m not seeing Yakemchuk spending 5 years in junior , if that’s what your saying

 

[Zarzh]

I'll do more of a mock draft with weight on team needs.

1. Celebrini
2. Demidov
3. Levshunov
4. Silayev
5. Lindstrom
6. Parehk
7. Helenius
8. Dickinson
9. Buium
10. Igilna
11. Sennecke
12. Yakemchuk
13. Catton
14. Eiserman
15. Hage
16. MBN
17. Solberg
18. Jiricek

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

There’s zero chance he is playing an overage season in the CHL

He should. Turning pro early means less time for skating and off ice training...which would be important for Yakemchuk.

I agree he's a project but I also think he plays a real junior style of game that is going to need to be molded, so there is a benefit to him going to the AHL aswell & getting on that track, getting pro coaching, learning the details, exc. Or if not atleast moving to one of the top WHL teams where he doesnt feel the need to take so many risks trying to carry his team.

 

[Hinterland]

I agree he's a project but I also think he plays a real junior style of game that is going to need to be molded, so there is a benefit to him going to the AHL aswell & getting on that track, getting pro coaching, learning the details, exc. Or if not atleast moving to one of the top WHL teams where he doesnt feel the need to take so many risks trying to carry his team.

He plays a very mature game. He's very solid out there and dominating in every way possible.

I think what you mean is that his game the way he's playing right now won't translate to the NHL just like that. This is particularly true for the offensive stuff such as dangling but also for example the stepping up against the puck as well.

That's totally the case but it's not like the stuff he does in the WHL can't be done in the NHL. It's not bad habits or anything like it. It's just that Yakemchuk needs to work on skating (mostly mobility) and other things to make it work. That's why I was suggesting that a WHL overager season (or Europe for that matter) would make sense. Much more difficult to work on those things playing on a tough AHL schedule while on those bus rides etc. We'll see how it shakes out. It's unlikely to happen but since he's a late birthday it wouldn't be the craziest thing on earth either.

Calgary is gonna be a much better team this season already and all key players except for Yakemchuk are 06 born or younger. Their corps is only gonna get better and is gonna be around for a while. They just have to find a capable goalie and they'll be contenders in no time.

 

[Playmaker09]

Usually just post this to the Habs board, but will share here as well:

Here is my final top 80 with some player comps for the top 32.
The comps are a mix of style and expected role in the NHL.

For context, a 1W is what I would want a top winger on a team to be, likely paired with a 1C. A 2W is what I would want the second best winger on a team to be, either flanking the 2C or the third member of one of the best 1st lines in the league. A 1D is a player who can elevate a #4 to form a solid top pair (think Weber/Chiarot). A 2D is a player who can elevate a #4 to form a solid second pair (Petry/Edmundson). A 3D still needs to partner with another 1/2/3 to form an effective top 4 pairing (Brett Pesce, Adam Pelech, Filip Hronek, John Klingberg).

I've expanded my tiers from previous years to avoid being too rigid and have a little more nuance within them.
Within tiers, I typically valued low-risk/high-likelihood over swinging for the fences and while I used to have it strictly C>D>W, I've come around to valuing defensemen a little more outside of the top couple of tiers.

Admittedly, my viewings start to decrease significantly from picks 50 onwards, so there are surely some gems both up front and on D that I'm missing. There also weren't any goalies worth considering for a first round pick and I didn't really scout any beyond that, so they did not make the list.


Franchise
1 Macklin Celebrini - 5'11.75 C - Boston University - NCAA - Joe Sakic

2 Ivan Demidov - 5'11 RW - SKA - MHL - Claude Giroux

Low End 1C / 1W / 1D
3 Berkly Catton - 5'10.25 C/W - Spokane - WHL - Artemi Panarin

4 Zeev Buium - 6'0 LD - Denver - NCAA - Adam Fox
5 Cayden Lindstrom - 6'3 C/W - Medicine Hat - WHL - Chris Kreider

2C / 2W / 2D
6 Artyom Levshunov - 6'1.75 RD - Michingan State - NCAA - Mikhail Sergachev
7 Sam Dickinson - 6'2.75 LD - London - OHL - Jeff Petry
8 Tij Iginla - 6'0 LW - Kelowna - WHL - Chris Kunitz

9 Zayne Parekh - 6'0.25 RD - Saginaw - OHL - Mike Green
10 Beckett Sennecke - 6'2.75 RW - Oshawa - OHL - Drake Batherson
11 Carter Yakemchuk - 6'3 RD - Calgary - WHL - Dustin Byfuglien

Middle 6 C / Top 6 W / 3D / 1G
12 Anton Silayev - 6'7 LD/RD - Torpedo - KHL - Nikita Zadorov
13 Konsta Helenius - 5'11 C - Jukurit - Liiga - David Krejci
14 Michael Brandsegg-Nygård - 6'0.75 RW - Mora - Allsvenskan - Patrick Sharp
15 Nikita Artamonov - 5'11 RW - Torpedo - KHL - Brandon Hagel

16 Michael Hage - 6'0.75 C - Chicago - USHL - Ryan Strome
17 Igor Chernyshov - 6'2 LW - Dynamo Moskva - MHL - Jake Debrusk
18 Liam Greentree - 6'2.5 RW - Windsor - OHL - Andre Burakovsky
19 Cole Eiserman - 5'11.75 LW - USNTDP - Jeff Skinner

20 Dominik Badinka - 6'2.75 RD - Malmo - J20 - Brett Pesce
21 Yegor Surin - 6'1 C - Yaroslavl - MHL - Brandon Dubinsky
22 Matvei Gridin - 6'1.5 RW - Muskegon - USHL - Martin Havlat
23 Trevor Connelly - 6'0.75 LW - Tri City - USHL - Jesper Bratt

3C / 4D / Middle 6 W
24 Ben Danford - 6'1.5 RD - Oshawa - OHL - Dan Girardi
25 Stian Solberg - 6'1.5 LD - Valerenga - Norway - Brayden McNabb
26 Alfons Freij - 6'0.5 LD/RD - Växjö - J20 - Nick Leddy
27 Julius Miettinen - 6'3 C - Everett - WHL - Adam Lowry
28 Cole Beaudoin - 6'2 C - Barrie - WHL - Jason Dickinson
29 Sacha Boisvert - 6'2 C/W - Muskegon - USHL - Nick Foligno
30 Andrew Basha - 5'11.25 LW - Medicine Hat - WHL - Alex Newhook
31 Teddy Stiga - 5'10 LW - USNTDP - Joel Farabee

32 EJ Emery - 6'3.25 RD - USNTDP - Brandon Carlo
33 Cole Hutson - 5'10 LD - USNTDP -
34 Adam Jiricek - 6'2 RD - Plzen - Czechia -
35 Jesse Pulkkinen - 6'6 LD - JYP - Liiga -
36 Jett Luchanko - 5'11 C - Guelph - OHL -
37 Maxim Massé - 6'2.25 RW - Chicoutimi - QMJHL -
38 Emil Hemming - 6'1.25 RW - TPS - U20/Liiga -

39 Adam Kleber - 6'5.5 RD - Lincoln - USHL -
40 Harrison Brunicke - 6'2.5 RD - Kamloops - WHL -
41 Charlie Elick - 6'3.25 RD - Brandon - WHL -
42 Linus Eriksson - 6'0 C - Djurgårdens - Allsvenskan -
43 Sam O'Reilly - 6'1.25 C - London - OHL -
44 Miguel Marques - 5'10.25 RW - Lethbridge - WHL -

45 Spencer Gill - 6'3.75 RD - Rimouski - QMJHL -
46 Raoul Boilard - 6'1 C - Baie-Comeau - QMJHL -
47 Terik Parascak - 5'11.75 RW - Prince George - WHL -
48 John Mustard - 6'1 LW - Waterloo - USHL -
49 Ryder Ritchie - 6'0.25 RW - Prince Albert - WHL -

4C / Bottom Pair D / Bottom 6 W / High Risk
50 Henry Mews - 6'0.25 RD - Ottawa - OHL -
51 Matvei Shuravin - 6'2 LD - Krasnaya - MHL -
52 Dean Letourneau - 6'6.5 C - St Andrews - U18 AAA -
53 Tanner Howe - 5'10 RW - Regina - WHL -
54 Adam Jecho - 6'5 RW - Edmonton - WHL -
55 Luke Misa - 5'10 C/LW - Mississauga - OHL -
56 Justin Poirier - 5'8 RW - Baie-Comeau - QMJHL -
57 Marek Vanacker - 6'0 LW - Brantford - OHL -

58 Luca Marrelli - 6'1.5 RD - Oshawa - OHL -
59 Lukas Fischer - 6'3 LD Sarnia - OHL -
60 Daniil Ustinkov - 6'1 LD - Zsc - NL -
61 Will Skahan - 6'4.5 LD - USNTDP -
62 Simon Zether - 6'3 C - Rogle - J20/SHL -
63 Lucas Pettersson - 5'11.5 C - MoDo - J20 -
64 Jacob Battaglia - 6'0.5 RW - Kingston - OHL -
65 Brodie Ziemer - 5'11 RW - USNTDP -
66 Clarke Caswell - 5'11 RW - Swift Current - WHL -

67 Aron Kiviharju - 5'9.5 LD - HIFK - Liiga -
68 Tomas Galvas - 5'10.25 LD - Bili Tygri Liberec - Czechia -
69 Leon Muggli - 6'0.5 LD - Zug - NL -
70 Colton Roberts - 6'3.75 RD - Vancouver - WHL -
71 Tomas Lavoie - 6'4 RD - Cape Breton - QMJHL -
72 Tarin Smith - 6'1.25 LD - Everett - WHL -
73 Leo Sahlin Wellenius - 6'0 LD - Vaxjo - J20 -
74 Noel Fransen - 6'0 LD - Farjestad - J20 -
75 Jakub Fibigr - 6'0 LD - Mississauga - OHL -
76 Heikki Ruohonen - 6'1 C - Kiekko-Espoo - U20 SM-sarja -
77 Kamil Bednarik - 6'0.25 C - USNTDP -
78 Blake Montgomery - 6'4 LW - Lincoln - USHL -
79 Melvin Fernstrom - 6'0.75 RW - Orebro - J20 -
80 Riley Patterson - 6'0.25 RW - Barrie - OHL -

 

[Intangir]

My list changed a ton in the last month or so. But here it is;

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

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

He plays a very mature game. He's very solid out there and dominating in every way possible.

I think what you mean is that his game the way he's playing right now won't translate to the NHL just like that. This is particularly true for the offensive stuff such as dangling but also for example the stepping up against the puck as well.

That's totally the case but it's not like the stuff he does in the WHL can't be done in the NHL. It's not bad habits or anything like it. It's just that Yakemchuk needs to work on skating (mostly mobility) and other things to make it work. That's why I was suggesting that a WHL overager season (or Europe for that matter) would make sense. Much more difficult to work on those things playing on a tough AHL schedule while on those bus rides etc. We'll see how it shakes out. It's unlikely to happen but since he's a late birthday it wouldn't be the craziest thing on earth either.

Calgary is gonna be a much better team this season already and all key players except for Yakemchuk are 06 born or younger. Their corps is only gonna get better and is gonna be around for a while. They just have to find a capable goalie and they'll be contenders in no time.

He has a tendency to play a high risk game, more-so than he'll get away with in the NHL. Not to say he can't jump up or carry the puck or try to make things happen but he can't be gambling all the time, he just won't be reliable enough (tho by most accounts he has already made progress).

And then on the defensive end while he's a capable defensive player he does have details to learn. I think he can defend, the issues are more his decision making/risk taking nature.

I say this as a big Yak fan btw. I think his potential is sky high but he does have to adjust/mature his game to be a top pair D imo.