1 | | - | | During day one of the combine, it is not 100% confirmed that Chicago will pick Bedard. They have Carlsson and Fantilli in consideration as well. But it is a no-brainer honestly. It is totally undeserving, but the Blackhawks will be getting the next superstar in Bedard. There’s really not much to say about this pick, Bedard’s been the consensus for a few years now. Really no holes in his game, reliable 3-zone player. Thinks and processes the game at such an elite level. Mostly known for his booming shot, but has elite-level skating, an outstanding 200-ft game, and silky mitts. Not bad in his own end either. Overall, a great pick for the Blackhawks, and Bedard will be the guy that they will build their team around. I see a lot of Auston Matthews in his kid. |
2 | | - | | It was just reported today that the Ducks are apparently losing interest in Fantilli and gaining more in Michkov and Carlsson. Either one are smart picks, but the guy who I think should go 2nd overall would be Leo Carlsson. While I could see the Ducks taking Michkov, earlier they were torn between Carlsson and Fantilli. So its clear that they would be taking Carlsson, who’s still a good pick. Elite power forward with a dynamic offensive toolkit. Not afraid of playing gritty while maintaining his offensive duty, has excellent size at 6’3” and above average skating. Also has the most experience against NHL players, he didn’t look out of place in the WC. It was a nice build up from his strong season in the SHL. Overall the Ducks are getting a nice cornerstone in this kid. |
3 | | - | | The Blue Jackets are rumored to be wanting a center with this pick, and its easy if Fantilli is sitting on the board. Wouldn’t call this a steal, but Fantilli should not fall past 3rd. He can literally do everything with and without the puck on his stick. Solid two-way forward, while some people were hoping for better numbers out of him during the U20’s, Fantilli still proved that he’s no joke with his ground-breaking NCAA point totals as a freshman. However, Fantilli did show that he can play a solid defensive game at the U20’s. He also doesn’t shy away from a hit either. Overall, a nice foundational piece for the Blue Jackets, would be a solid guy alongside Laine and Gaudreau. |
4 | | - | | Solid options here are Smith, Michkov, and Reinbacher. But its hard to pass up on Smith, his offensive upside is through the roof. Grier also loves this guy, so if Smith is available it would be an easy grab. He is a really talented playmaker with amazing hockey IQ and a booming shot. Literally makes his teammates better. Also uses his size really well, even though its just 6’0”, Smith still plays bigger than the size. I love this pick for the Sharks, they are just beginning to rebuild, Smith would be a nice piece to build the franchise around. A true 1C in the making. |
5 | | - | | This is becoming a weird top 5. However, I do prefer to be different rather than have the same old top 5 that scouts expect. There are also rumblings that Montreal loves Leonard, so that’s what the pick will be here. The USDP has some top-notch prospects available this year, and Leonard is one of them. For a player his size at 5’11”, Leonard brings a rare combination of goal-scoring and grit. Not many small players are shy of throwing the body and being disruptive. Leonard pretty much has the Matthew Tkachuk mold, and he can play in all situations. With the potential arrival of Dubois coming close, the Canadiens will be deep at the forward position in a couple of years. |
6 | | - | | Last year, Arizona had their guy in Logan Cooley. This year, their guy is Reinbacher. There is chatter that the Coyotes love Reinbacher, and it makes a lot of sense. Bill Armstrong has done well developing and stockpiling on young forwards, I believe its time to turn the tables and draft defenseman. Reinbacher is a really good start, he has the potential to become a top defender for Arizona. Essentially has all the tools to succeed at the NHL level. Reinbacher is a heavy shutdown defender while proving some offense. Can adapt to the pace of the game, break up plays, and makes his linemates better. Can make his presence known in the most noticeable way. Arizona will be really happy with this pick, it gives them much-needed stability at the back end. |
7 | | - | | Considering the guys available, this is a big reach at this spot. But Keith Jones has been extremely clear that he wants to build the team around the blue line. More indication of the Flyers reaching for a defender was given during the Provorov deal. Briere and Jones are apparently scouting Pelikka, so he will be the guy chosen here. This kid is an extremely talented two-way defender. While still keeping up his defensive capabilities, Pelikka is heavily known for his possession of offensive tools. He has a booming shot, excellent playmaking, and makes his teammates look better. Also the skating is very mobile and agile. A bit on the small side at 5’11”, but his elite 200-ft game makes up for that category. Within a few years, Pelikka would have proven he’s worth the reach at this spot, I totally see the Flyers building the team around this guy. |
8 | | - | | Ok hear me out Capital fans. I know it would be wise to select Michkov if he’s available cause of the whole thing about getting him out of the KHL sooner, but the thing is, the Capitals drafted a Russian last year. I personally don’t like when a team drafts a Russian in the first round back-to-back seasons. Plus, Michkov has been backing away from interviews and didn’t attend the combine, so most teams won’t know much about him. Another piece to add is that a Capitals scout apparently said that Michkov has character issues, which I agree with. While I still wouldn’t be shocked to see the Capitals draft Michkov, but I think the safer option is Benson. Dvorsky is also a good option, but I prefer Benson solely based on skating and skill. He’s on the small side at 5’8”, but has all the offensive skill in the world to go in the top 10. Mostly described as a dual-offensive threat, from the booming shot to the wizard-like playmaking. Benson is a menace in the offensive zone, he always thinks one step ahead of the defender and has above average skating. Size won’t be an issue, Benson could easily find a way into the NHL next season just based on the smarts and skating. Will be a legit top line LW once Benson reaches his full potential. But once again, I will not be shocked to see Michkov being drafted here. |
9 | | - | | This is the biggest reach of the draft. Yzerman’s 3 targets are Moore, Willander, and Honzek. But Yzerman HIMSELF has scouted Honzek and he normally doesn’t do that unless he has strong interest in that player. Honzek will be drafted at this spot, it’s a big reach, but we all know how much of a genius Yzerman is. Honzek plays a game that is similar of Mark Schiefele, a lethal offensive threat but the effort without the puck is worrisome. However, with the puck Honzek is dangerous. He has all the offensive tools to succeed. Booming shot, great size at 6’4”, excellent playmaking. Skates relatively well considering the big frame. All and all, this is a Steve Yzerman pick 100%, I do prefer Willander here cause of the gaping hole at RD (especially after acquiring DeBrincat). This player will take a few years, but will be totally worth the wait. |
10 | | - | | I see the Blues going one of two ways with this pick: center or defenders. There are more options at defense later in the round, so the best option personally is a center. The highest center on my board is Oliver Moore, and ideally this is the perfect player for the Blues. Moore plays a game that the Blues look for in their players: hard nosed, fast, crafty playmaker. Also not shy of being aggressive and is able to get into the dirty areas. The Blues found themselves in a hole when O’Rielly left, the gap down the middle will soon be filled by Moore. |
11 | | - | | This is where Michkov will land. Vancouver has showed that they don’t fear the Russian talent, with the Podkolzin pick and the Kuzmenko signing (which has turned out great for them). I originally thought that Michkov would be drafted in the top 10, but after hearing that he was backing away from interviews combined with not attending the Combine, it made me think that he will fall out of the top 10. The Canucks do need defenseman more, but Michkov’s talent is undeniable. He’s ideally the second-best prospect in the draft and could have gone 1st overall if he were able to play in the NHL next season. But the Canucks will have to wait 3 years, but once again they aren’t afraid of waiting on Russians. They did have to wait 2 years for Podkolzin to make it to the NHL. Get the potential out of Michkov, he will be the new face of the franchise for the struggling Canucks. |
12 | | | | Slight reach here, but looking at Arizona’s timeline, they can gamble on Gulyayev. The Coyotes got their guy in Reinbacher, Gulyayev would be an excellent flank. He plays an opposite side, all-offensive game. While still maintaining defensive standards, Gulyayev has a high motor, excellent 200-ft game, and booming shot. On the small side for a defender at 5’10”, but the hockey IQ and skating make up for it. If the Russian factor hadn’t come into play here, Gulyayev would be NHL ready. Will soon prove to be a steal for Arizona, I see a lot of Cale Makar in this kid. |
13 | | - | | THIS IS THE JETS PICK (SEE TRADE 4). As a Jets fan, the franchise is in shambles. Their top forwards might be traded and they could even lose Connor Hellebuyck. So the best thing to do is either go BPA or be buzzworthy with this pick. If Barlow is still on the board, it would be stupid to pass over him. This is yet another steal for the Jets, Barlow is clearly a top 15 guy in this draft. Solid winger that can play in all situations of the game, from even strength to special teams. Just a strong two-way winger, he reminds me of a lefty Mark Stone. Barlow’s arrival to the NHL may come sooner than expected as he currently has and NHL-ready shot and the proper size. Good all-around player that could be impactful for the Jets, but Barlow just needs to throw hits more. He has excellent physicality, he just doesn’t use it as much as expected. The Jets have tons of forwards that will or could be traded, getting an all-situations guy could be the move here. Will pair up nicely with offensive guys like Perfetti and Lambert. |
14 | | - | | THIS IS THE CANADIENS PICK (SEE TRADES 2-3). This is turning out to be a nice draft for the Canadiens. Dvorsky is a guy they have been scouting for a while, as much as Leonard. So having Dvorsky fall to 14th is amazing for them. He’s an amazing two-way forward, but I do see him as a potential faller due to the lack of speed he has. Dvorsky is agile, but doesn’t have speed or acceleration in him. But Kent Hughes has shown that he doesn’t care about that, as shown by the Slafkovsky pick. Dvorsky has an amazing 200-ft game, a booming shot, elite puck handling. Can also be bet on during defensive situations as well. All and all, a steal by the Canadiens and they will skip rather than walk home. |
15 | | - | | With Barry Trotz now at the helm, Nashville will play it safe. They draft Willander here, we all know that Trotz loves his defenseman. A lot of people might hate on this pick, and I get it, but WIllander is 11th on my draft board. I actually have him higher than Pelikka, who’s 14th on the list. Willander is an opposite player, better defensively but worse offensively. He can break up plays, display excellent stick checking and aggressiveness. The offense has a lot to be desired, though its slowly improving as shown during the U18’s. Really good first pick for Trotz, the future of Nashville will lie in great hands. |
16 | | - | | The fall of Gabe Perreault ends here. After Michkov, this is the biggest steal of the draft. Calgary hits a home run here, Perreault is ranked #9 on my board. Getting him at 16th is amazing, but I do see Perreault falling. Mostly because he’s a slow skater, very often he tends to be the third man to enter the offensive zone. But he does have high-end playmaking and plays with poise. Perreault reminds me of Cole Perfetti in many ways, amazing playmaker, on the small side at 5’10”, insane shot, and elite hockey IQ. And no, Perreault isn’t carried by Will Smith, he does have more points. Calgary does need a playmaker to replace Johnny Gaudreau, Perreault can the Flames out during the long run. Calgary fans will be through the roof with this selection. |
17 | | | | THIS IS THE SENATORS PICK (SEE TRADE 1). This is also a very big reach. But the Senators love their Americans, I totally see Dorion taking this route. He grabs the American sniper Ethan Gauthier. This feels like a Sens type pick, Gauthier is the goal-scorer that Stutzle needs. The Senators have a young top line of Tkachuk-Stutzle-???. You need a sniper there. Gauthier can be that guy. Really good goal-scorer with an above average offensive toolkit. Can also excel defensively, Gauthier is actually really solid on the PK. All and all, a solid goal-scorer that could flank Stutzle for years to come. |
18 | | - | | Winnipeg does NOT need defense. They have a logjam in the position. Forwards is the way to go, especially if Danielson is sitting on the board. He’s a guy near their backyard that Rick Bowness will love. On a bad team, Danielson produced well offensively. But he mostly excels defensively from breaking up plays and using his size. Also a really fast skater as well, especially for his 6’2” frame. Its surprising to see Danielson available at 18th, so if anything this is a minor steal for the Jets. Getting two all-situation players in Barlow and Danielson is something to cheer about. And they have another pick later. |
19 | | | | Within the past few days, there has been a lot of talk about who Chicago will take with this pick. Based off rumors I’ve heard, they are really interested in Daniil But. Cristall is also a person targeted, but if Wood was sitting on the board, it would be tough to pass up on him. Chicago gets a gift here, Wood is 15th on my board, so falling five spots is a win-win situation. But I do think he falls, mostly cause of skating. While he plays with speed, Wood lacks agility on his feet. But there is still lots to like about this kid. Many scouts label him as a sniper, but I disagree with that take. Yes he has an NHL-ready shot, but Wood also uses his 6’3” frame really well, making for a really good power forward. He’s got all the offense to succeed at the NHL level, he just needs to improve his play inside his own end. Also if Wood can improve his agility, he will be an excellent partner for Bedard, whom he’s actually great friends with. The chemistry would be undeniable between the two. |
20 | | - | | The Kraken absolutely need prospects at the back end. They already have their future 1-2 punch of Beniers and Wright. Kartye has also emerged into a solid prospect. But behind Ryker Evans and Ty Nelson, there aren’t many high-end defenders in Seattle’s prospect pool. Bonk has better upside than both of them, Seattle should absolutely select him. He also feels like a Kraken in many ways as his play style is similar to Adam Larsson’s. Super skilled defensively with a slowly improving offensive game. Bonk is also the draft’s best puck handler. Even when being pressured, Bonk is still able to keep the puck on his stick. His shot is incredible and the ability to control the gaps is tremendous. Two years of seasoning should turn Bonk into an effective top 4 defender for the rising Kraken. |
21 | | - | | The Wild should go for size after grabbing smaller prospects. Some might call this off-the-board, but really its not. David Edstrom is ranked 21st on my board, and he feels like a Wild-type pick. While being responsible offensively, Edstrom does excel in the offensive aspects of the game. He has the best net front presence in the draft, really good skater, and can play under pressure. In order to get into the NHL, Edstrom just needs to bulk up in order to continue his physical game. All and all, a really good pick for the Wild, Edstrom can fit in nicely down the middle behind Rossi. |
22 | | | | Given the fact that Keith Jones wants to build around the blue line, drafting Simashev wouldn’t be a bad choice. It’s a risk worth taking, if Philadelphia can get him to his full potential, Simashev will turn into an excellent flank for Sandin-Pelikka, and turn out to be an effective top pairing guy. While Pelikka is an offensive defenseman, Simashev is a really good defensive defender. He has shown small flashes of brilliant offensive plays, but he’s mostly known for his flashiness defensively. From the gap control to using his frame, Simashev can do it all defensively. Will take 2-3 years to get Simashev into the NHL, but it will be worth the wait. He will guaranteed be in the top 10 in every redraft within 5 years. |
23 | | - | | Rangers go with a project in Yager. They have tons of young defenseman to work around, going with a forward makes the most sense. BPA in exact terms. Yager is the best player available, but I have him going lower mainly because of skating and inconsistent point production. I could see him going anywhere between 10-30. This is a prospect that can play in all situations of the game. Already has an NHL-ready shot, but is mostly known for his amazing hockey IQ. Yager has all the necessary tools to become a offensive force in the NHL, but he’s too slow for an NHL center. Putting him on the wing makes sense, the lack of speed isn’t really noticeable if he plays in that position. Average size at 6’0”, but he needs to bulk up slightly. Lafreniere and Kakko aren’t working out, let Yager take over. |
24 | | | | Nashville got their center in Danielson, now its time to draft another glaring need: a defenseman. Preferably right-shot, and the best one available would be Gavin McCarthy. Some may think this is a big reach, but really its not. His defensive game alone is worthy of the first round. But the same cannot be said about his offense. Its inconsistent, but whenever it is there, McCarthy is a top 15 player in the draft. He’s America’s defensive defender in this draft, McCarthy displays excellent stick checking and aggressiveness in order to break up plays. Also uses his size at 6’1” extremely well. Offensively, whenever its there, McCarthy has excellent vision and can create scoring opportunities. Also has a cannon-like shot. Overall, I see top 4 upside in McCarthy, he could even make an excellent flank to Josi. |
25 | | | | THIS IS THE FLYERS PICK (SEE TRADE 5). With the Flyers establishing their future top pair in Simashev and Sandin-Pelikka, they grab the once projected top 10 winger Eduard Sale. Under the direction of Torts, Sale’s defensive woes won’t be a big issue as Torts can solve it easily. Torts is really committed to defensive hockey. But Sale’s draft stock declined when his point production was subpar at the second half of the season. But he still has high-end talent, elite vision, dynamic playmaking, and a booming shot. Excellent size for a playmaker at 6’2”. Above average skater as well. If Torts can whip this kid into shape, Philadelphia would be getting themselves a steal with this pick |
26 | | | | With the Sharks timeline to be competitive, they can afford to take risks during the draft. I see them doing it here, all signs point to them taking a Russian in round one. They draft Daniil But, who is exactly what Mike Grier is looking for. He wants size, and But has an NHL ready frame. Plays a defensive two-way game, simply a worse version of Dvorsky. While improving his offensive upside, But is really oriented defensively. The talent all-around is top 10 worthy, and But would be picked in that area if the Russian factor wasn’t in play. All and all, a really solid project pick here. A right-shot defender is also tempting here, but in the 2024 Draft there are a lot of those. The Sharks will probably be in the lottery hunt, they can wait to draft one then. |
27 | | - | | After a disappointing playoff run, the Avalanche still have a gaping hole at the 2C spot. Newhook could be that guy, but he hasn’t developed into the guy that the Avalanche were hoping to get. Let Heidt take over the 2C spot and inject skill and offense. He falls into Colorado’s lap here, mostly because his defensive upside is a big question mark. But with Colorado being such a deep team, they can be patient with Heidt’s development. It will take a few years for Heidt to get into the NHL, but he will be worth the wait. |
28 | | | | I think the Maple Leafs should be buzzworthy with this pick or play it safe as two of the Core 4 could be dealt. Picking Cristall could create some buzz, this is more of a project pick. He’s on the small side at 5’9”, but one of the slowest skaters in this early portion of the draft. I have him going lower than most people on this site. While the talent is undeniable, I don’t like his size and skating. But Cristall can inject tons of offense on a team that will lose their top 4 forwards. He has tremendous playmaking and a booming shot. A bit of a gamble, but it could end up working. If it does, Cristall will become an excellent top line winger. |
29 | | | | With this pick, they get their needed defender in Lindstein. He’s Sweden’s defensive defender, essientally a worse version of McCarthy. Same upside, but smaller and less offensive. I’ve seen Caden Price linked to St. Louis, but he’s not worth drafting this high. Lindstein is, however. A future middle pair of Simashev and Lindstein would be deadly for years to come. If Lindstein turns back into the top 10 pick he once was, he could become a legit top pairing defender. |
30 | | - | | Carolina was easy to predict. Despite ending off their playoff run in disappointing fashion, I still love the team they have, and their AHL barn is also stacked. I think they go BPA, and that would be Calum Ritchie. He’s been linked to the Jets by most people on this site, but I don’t like the amount of offense he brings. Yes, he has the tools to succeed in the NHL, but Ritchie tends to be selfish with the puck. But his defensive game and skating is really good and Ritchie also has decent size at 6’2”. The Hurricanes should be satisfied with this choice, if Ritchie can become more consistent offensively, this could wind up being a steal. Ritchie could take over the 2C role perfectly. |
31 | | | | THIS IS THE JETS PICK (SEE TRADE 2-3). Three picks in the first round is something to ride home about. The top 6 feels sorted out. The 1-2 punch down the middle could be McGroarty and Danielson. At LW it could be Connor and Barlow. At RW it could be Lambert and Lucius. I think the Jets go one of two ways with this pick: goalie or winger. It was hard to decide, but I think Jayden Perron will be the pick. This is an intriguing prospect here, Perron is 2023’s Lane Hutson pick. This kid has no holes in his game apart from size at 5’8”, 165 lbs. Perron is still a really smart playmaker with amazing net front presence. Can shoot the puck from anywhere. Pretty much the perfect gamble to take here, Perron is a high upside pick for the Jets. |
32 | | - | | With Vegas, its pretty obvious that they should go BPA. I see a deep team whenever I watch Vegas. Currently based off my board, the BPA at the moment is Dragicevic. If anything, this is a steal for the Golden Knights, Dragicevic is ranked #24 on my board. However, I do see him falling because of his weak defense. His defensive capabilities is probably the worst at this stage of the draft, the upside for Dragicevic defensively is extremely low at this point. However, its quite the opposite offensively. He reminds me of Tyson Barrie, highly offensive but minimal defensive effort. Dragicevic has excellent size, skating, and a booming shot from the point. But the Golden Knights can afford to be patient with Dragicevic’s development. Or they can just trade him, like they have done with every first round prospect they drafted (apart from Brisson). |