From Zayne Parekh's strong puck movement to Teddy Stiga's relentless, high energy, Tony Ferrari lists the top players in the 2024 NHL draft in four more categories.
From Zayne Parekh's strong puck movement to Teddy Stiga's relentless, high energy, Tony Ferrari lists the top players in the 2024 NHL draft in four more categories.
Excitement builds at every NHL draft about which players will be the newest members of each franchise.
Fans often know – or think they know – what their favorite team needs. Maybe they are desperate for a defenseman who can create plays for the back end or someone who shuts down any attempt that comes their way. Some fans think their team needs someone who will power through every minute of a game or can be reliable at both ends of the ice.
Let’s go over the best of the best for some more archetypes that any fan can refer to as the NHL draft goes down on June 28 and 29. In case you missed it, check out Part 1, which covered top shooters, playmakers, play drivers and sidekicks. And you can also check out my final top 100 NHL draft rankings here.
Top Motor
1. Teddy Stiga
2. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
3. Tij Iginla
4. Macklin Celebrini
5. Stian Solberg
This draft is underrated for high-energy, hard-working players, and this list was among the most difficult to whittle down.
Teddy Stiga is relentless in all aspects of his game. There may not be a player who has that 'dawg' in him the way Stiga does.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard is right up that alley as well, consistently working harder than his competition and showing himself to be a legit difference-maker in the Allsvenskan.
Tij Iginla has always been known for his work ethic, but he’s added the skill and offensive tools that he was lacking a bit.
Macklin Celebrini has the work ethic to match his high-end tools. And Stian Solberg is always working and trying to punish his opponents, which is exactly what you want from a blueliner who plays his style.
Also In Consideration: Cole Beaudoin, Tanner Howe, Jett Luchanko, Carson Wetsch, Igor Chernyshov, Nikita Artamonov, Cayden Lindstrom, Zeev Buium
Top Offenisve Puck-Moving Defensemen
1. Zayne Parekh
2. Zeev Buium
3. Alfons Freij
4. Carter Yakemchuk
5. Cole Hutson
The high-end passing and attack mode mentality that Zayne Parekh plays with puts him atop this list. If he can translate the full spectrum of his offensive game, he could be a lethal power-play quarterback and dangerous 5-on-5 attacker.
Zeev Buium may not bring as much flair, but he is nearly as efficient, and he’s proven able to do so at a higher level of play. His mobility and play reading allow him to affect the game in a good way.
Speaking of mobility and play reading, Alfons Freij may have the most efficient offensive game of the group. He is a wicked creator, and he always seemed to step up and show another level when his team needed it.
Carter Yakemchuk is the ultimate wild card. The kid can dangle the pants off opponents, and his shot is lethal, but his mobility is a concern.
Cole Hutson has grown and refined his offensive game throughout the season, removing some needless risks and finding more effective uses for his passing and playmaking.
Noel Fransen deserves some love here as well. He might be one of the best hidden gems in the NHL draft.
Also In Consideration: Noel Fransen, Dominik Badinka, Artyom Levshunov, Tomas Galvas, Sam Dickinson
Top Shutdown Defensemen
1. Adam Jiricek
2. Stian Solberg
3. EJ Emery
4. Artyom Levshunov
5. Sam Dickinson
Having Adam Jiricek at the top of this list might be a bit of a hot take, but he was the most effective and refined defensive blueliner before he was injured at the World Junior Championship. Sometimes, he lacked a bit of strength against men, but he was always doing the right thing.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sllKgt2QQYQ[/embed]
Solberg is a physical bully of a defender who kills plays by trying to bulldoze his opponent.
EJ Emery’s defensive game has grown on me a bit. He just stuffs opposing attackers. Finding a way to move the puck after that is a bigger question.
Artyom Levshunov shows a ton of potential as a brutish, physical blueliner, and he shows signs of really good positioning as well. He needs to refine things a bit, but he can be quite steady at times and grew into that role as the year went on.
Sam Dickinson isn’t quite as physical or smothering defensively as Emery, but he is a much better puck-mover despite some questionable decisions at times.
Also In Consideration: Ben Danford, Anton Silayev, Adam Kleber, Zeev Buium
Top Two-Way Forwards
1. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
2. Macklin Celebrini
3. Teddy Stiga
4. Konsta Helenius
5. Igor Chernyshov
Playing a sound, 200-foot game will make a forward a much more valuable player in a coach's eyes. Along with the offensive opportunities they want to get as a high-end player, they'll be tasked with starting in their own zone and generating chances up ice.
Brandsegg-Nygard is an excellent example of that. Playing against men in the Allsvenskan, he was told that if he didn’t play a responsible game, he wouldn’t play. He learned to use his defensive game to generate offensive chances.
Celebrini once again shows up here as one of the more intelligent players who looks to counterattack and get the puck back in his own zone to help get the offense started.
Stiga is a hound for the puck in all three zones. His defensive game starts in the offensive zone where he pressures and closes on opposing players as soon as they get the puck and then pursues them the entire time they have it.
Konsta Helenius is a systematic defender who plays intelligent hockey and tries to ensure he is always in a good position.
Igor Chernyshov is a very good defensive player in the KHL, willing to get the puck for his team and then find a way to get moving positively.
Also In Consideration: Jett Luchanko, Tij Iginla, Emil Hemming, Herman Traff, Ollie Josephson, Sam O’Reilly
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