Macklin Celebrini versus Adam Fantilli. The top two defensemen eligible for the 2024 NHL draft. Cole Eiserman versus Konsta Helenius. Who would you pick for your prospect pool in each one? Tony Ferrari debates each matchup.
Macklin Celebrini versus Adam Fantilli. The top two defensemen eligible for the 2024 NHL draft. Cole Eiserman versus Konsta Helenius. Who would you pick for your prospect pool in each one? Tony Ferrari debates each matchup.
If I received two players and had to keep just one to build an NHL prospect pool, who would I choose?
I put out the call on X (formerly Twitter) to readers, and the names came pouring in, involving some of the most intriguing prospects in hockey. Now, it's time to debate the strengths and potential of each player in some of the biggest matchups given to me.
This debate is all in fun, and just about every player suggested is a very good prospect who has a chance to become a solid NHL player in the future.
Let’s look at some of your suggestions, debate the players and have some fun.
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Adam Fantilli vs. Macklin Celebrini
I hoped I would get this matchup.
Two of the most exciting prospects in last year's NHL draft and this upcoming one have been among the NCAA's best players. The accolades and statistical output are comparable between the two college hockey stars.
Fantilli earned the Hobey Baker with the University of Michigan. Celebrini is nominated for the award this year.
Fantilli led college hockey in scoring with 65 points. Celebrini has a shot at reaching that total, depending on how far Boston University advances in the national tournament. He has 59 points so far.
Celebrini and Fantilli represented Canada at the world juniors. Fantilli won gold in a middle-six role. Celebrini went home empty-handed but was the team’s best player.
Celebrini is a methodical, intelligent player who boosts all of his physical traits because of how he thinks the game. Fantilli is a physical monster who attacks the play with a blend of speed and power.
Fantilli went third overall to the Columbus Blue Jackets in a loaded draft class. Celebrini seems to be the surefire No. 1 in an underwhelming 2024 group.
You really can’t go wrong here with either of these players. Celebrini could change the future of a franchise by giving them a legitimate future top-line center. Adam Fantilli can potentially be the greatest Columbus Blue Jackets player in franchise history. This is a difficult decision as both players have top-of-the-lineup potential down the middle.
My Pick: Adam Fantilli
This came down to the fact that Fantilli’s physical tools and ability to play the game at a breakneck pace while finding success in space or in tight areas. At the end of the day, I would love to see the two form a dynamic duo in Columbus that could lead the team to a generation of success.
Sam Dickinson vs. Zayne Parekh
The top two defensemen eligible for the 2024 NHL draft play very different games.
Zayne Parekh is a purely offensive blueliner who looks to create offense every shift he is on the ice, using his skating and passing to move the puck up the ice. His willingness to shoot the puck from everywhere in the offensive zone has made him one of the most productive draft-eligible OHL defensemen we’ve seen in years. His 96 points made him the top-scoring draft-eligible player in the league and a top-10 scorer overall.
Sam Dickinson has shown to be very good in every aspect of the game but has some issues with consistently doing it all at once. His 70 points put him sixth in OHL scoring among first-time draft-eligible players and second among draft-eligible defenders – behind just Parekh. Dickinson has shown some shutdown ability as well, using his skating and physicality to rub players out along the boards, kill the play, and then look to start the attack from his own end.
My Pick: Sam Dickinson
This one comes down to how each player projects to translate to the NHL. While Parekh is fun, skilled, and productive, he is also a bit of a non-factor defensively. He shies away from contact at times and doesn’t really involve himself until the play until his team has possession of the puck.
Dickinson certainly has to figure out how to reach his full potential, and he gives up some when it comes to sheer entertainment and offensive flair, but he just plays a more realistic game. He can be a very good, very well-rounded defenseman.
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Konsta Helenius vs. Cole Eiserman
This debate could go either way, depending on who you ask. The two players are so stylistically different that it will essentially come down to what you value in a player and how much development you envision for each of them.
Konsta Helenius is a complete player who plays a smart game. He's played in the Liiga against men exclusively this season after spending most of last year on the senior circuit. He understands the nuances of playing pro hockey, the positioning defensively and the commitment to making the right play to find success. He certainly has some skill and plays with pace at times, but he consistently finds a way to be more than the sum of his parts.
On the flip side, Cole Eiserman is generally known for one thing: his shot. The American has been one of the most productive goal-scorers in the history of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. By the time the World Under-18s conclude next month, Eiserman very well could be alone atop the list of NTDP goal-scorers. He scores from all over the ice. He can snap it in from distance, bury a rebound from in tight or unleash a wicked one-timer on the power play. He has some things to work on, but his scoring talent is legit.
My Pick: Cole Eiserman
This is a really tight debate as both fall into a similar tier on my 2024 NHL draft board at the moment.
Helenius is a player I watch and have no qualms about whether he will play in the NHL. I think there is a very good shot he has a good, solid career. My issue is that I just don’t see the upside there that makes me excited about him.
Eiserman certainly needs support, but an NHL team that sees his goal-scoring ability for what it is will be sure to surround him with players who can accentuate his strengths. At next month’s U-18s, we will get a chance to see both Helenius and Eiserman against the best in their age group, and that could easily swing things either way.
Matvei Michkov vs. Ivan Demidov
The debate between this year’s dynamic Russian scorer and last year’s is an interesting one.
They aren’t incredibly different players on the surface. Both play high-octane, creative, and risky hockey in many regards. Neither are well regarded for their defensive efficiency, but both have produced at an offensive rate that warrants forgiveness to this point. Michkov and Demidov are elite, high-end offensive talents.
Michkov's differentiating factor is he has played at the KHL level against men for the last two seasons, putting up gaudy numbers in the process. His season this year is nearly identical to the age-19 season that Minnesota Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov had. His shot is lethal, his puckhandling is wicked, and he is a slick playmaker as well. Michkov is truly a one-man offensive engine.
When Russia was permitted to play in international events, Michkov won the MVP at the 2021 Under-18 World Championship at just 16 years old, notching 12 goals and 16 points for the tournament lead. He outperformed Shane Wright, Connor Bedard and Mason McTavish, among others. Michkov has been a lethal offensive threat just about anywhere he has played.
Demidov is a bit of a different evaluation. He hasn’t been given the same opportunity in the KHL. Michkov was loaned out to Sochi from SKA St. Petersburg, while Demidov has just been relegated to MHL action, where he has completely dominated to the tune of two points per game. He has had arguably the greatest draft-eligible season in MHL history, with the seventh most points in a season ever for a draft-eligible talent. The wild thing about it is that everyone ahead of him or around him played at least 24 extra games. No one has come close to his per-game production.
Much like Michkov, Demidov is certainly capable of scoring and dishing. Demidov is a bit more of a playmaker than Michkov, though, showing some of the most creative passing of any player in any recent draft. Demidov consistently identifies passing lanes as they develop, hits seams with crisp passes and draws opposing players where he wants them so that he can thread the needle. Demidov’s hands are as good as anyone in the last few draft classes.
My Pick: Matvei Michkov
I went back and forth on this one more than any other. The talent and skill level between Demidov and Michkov is nearly negligible. While Michkov is the more dangerous shooter, Demidov is the better playmaker. Demidov has a bit more flash and flair in his game, which is saying something considering what we’ve seen from Michkov.
At the end of the day, we haven’t and won’t see Demidov internationally, and we have yet to see him at the pro level for more than a cup of coffee. Michkov wins out, but the division is miniscule between the two.
I want to thank everyone who replied to my call for players to debate. There were plenty that I haven’t included, so watch for a quick response on X/Twitter.