Full top 64 list at THN.com/nhl-draft. Macklin Celebrini [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA1NzU4OTQ2OTc4MzA5NTcz/usatsi_23002507_168400847_lowres.jpg] Macklin Celebrini The premier international event for 2024 NHL draft talent is right around the corner, so it's time for another ranking. The men's Under-18 World Championship kicks off on April 25 and runs through May 5. We will get a chance to see many of the best players from around the world against the top players in their age group. The under-18s are one of the biggest scouting events across hockey. With my first 2024 NHL draft rankings coming out just before the World Junior Championship in December, it seems fitting that the second iteration comes out just before the under-18s. METHOD TO THE MADNESS These NHL draft rankings are my opinions based on my views on each one of these players. If I have not seen a player, I will not rank them. While size on the extreme ends matters, it is not a deciding factor for me on a player. If an undersized player doesn’t let his size hinder him, I believe the tools and skills will work out. If a player is 6-foot-6 but can’t skate, I am less inclined to value that player because height doesn’t equal talent. As for traits, I value intelligence, mobility, skill and the ability to chain plays together. I find physicality valuable but often overrated because hitting everything that moves is usually a bad decision. Functional physicality is much better – you can hit another player all you want, but if it’s two seconds after a pass or you are just hitting a guy with no intention of recovering the puck, it’s useless and often takes you out of the play. With all that out of the way, thank you for following along for yet another NHL draft year. I am always open to discussion on these rankings and would love to hear your feedback, so reach out to me on X (formerly Twitter) [https://twitter.com/theTonyFerrari]. Without further ado, let’s get to the 2024 NHL draft board. Heights and weights are according to NHL Central Scouting. TOP 64 1. Macklin Celebrini, C, Boston University (NCAA), Six-foot, 190 pounds Throughout the season, Celebrini has done nothing but solidify himself as the top prospect. He helped lead his team to the Frozen Four, although a heartbreaking overtime defeat ended his season in the semifinal. He was Canada’s best player at the World Junior Championship and despite a very disappointing team result, Celebrini showed just how effective he can be. Celebrini possesses one of the best shots in the draft class. Part of what makes him such a dangerous scorer is that he can score in various ways, whether he’s shooting while attacking downhill on the rush or bursting into a hole to receive a pass in the slot at just the right time. Celebrini pounces on loose pucks and finds ways to make the best of a mistake. He consistently finds ways to establish the inside lane and drive toward the net. The diversity of his offensive game and his willingness to adapt to what he’s being given makes him special. If he gets closed in on when attacking the middle, he will take advantage of the attention and pass out pressure. If they push him to the outside, he will use stop-ups to find inside lanes. He will burn opponents with his release if they take away his passing options. Celebini is a well-rounded, cerebral, and diversely skilled player. 2. Ivan Demidov, RW, SKA-1946 St. Petersburg Jr. (Rus.), 5-foot-11, 181 pounds If you want a player with elite creativity, a high degree of taking chances and a habit of making highlight-reel plays, Demidov is your guy. He plays a high-octane brand of hockey that puts defenders in bad spots because he combines agility, vision and creative passing ability. Demidov’s ability to identify passing lanes and execute passes that most other players could only dream of can leave you in awe at times. With dazzling puckhandling ability, Demidov creates space for himself regularly. He can draw pressure and manipulate defenders into moving where he wants them before firing a perfectly timed pass through the emerging lane. Among players with at least 10 games played, Demidov’s 2.00 points per game are the best all-time for a draft-eligible in the MHL by a wide margin. Demidov may have the highest offensive upside of any player in the NHL draft class. 3. Berkly Catton, C, Spokane (WHL), 5-foot-10, 170 pounds Finishing fourth in WHL scoring this season, Catton put together a draft year to remember. His 116 points are the third-highest point total by a draft eligible since the turn of the millennium. There is no doubt Catton can score. He is the ultimate facilitator in this draft, making good things happen every time he's on the ice. Catton’s awareness on the ice and feel for hockey are elite. How he identifies the small things to give himself the advantage makes him incredibly dangerous. Whether it’s understanding where to put the puck when stickhandling and attacking a defender head-on or his ability to see a passing lane develop as players move around the zone, Catton will pick opponents apart. Although he found ways to score at the WHL level, his calling card is his playmaking and ability to chain positive plays together. Catton is a field general on the ice. He will sit out of the U-18s to prepare for the NHL draft, unfortunately, but what he’s put on tape already should make him a top-end prospect at this year’s draft. 4. Cayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat (WHL), 6-foot-3, 210 pounds Although he missed the latter half of the season with injury, Lindstrom showcased himself extremely well until mid-December. He returned for the playoffs with Medicine Hat and looked good, but there were obvious signs of rust. He is opting out of playing at the U-18s after dealing with those injuries to end the season, which is a big loss for Team Canada. Lindstrom has the physical gifts NHL scouts salivate over. He skates like the wind, plays a physical brand of hockey, has a heavy shot and has developed a nice playmaking touch. Lindstrom seamlessly blends the power and downhill attacking game with a skilled finesse approach, decking and dangling in space. He is a lot to handle for opposing defenders. Before his injury, he developed a more cerebral killer instinct, looking to get to the inside and exploit defenders' mistakes with his speed and strength. Lindstrom still makes some questionable decisions at times, firing passes to nowhere or looking to take on too much as a puck carrier. But he is such an intriguing prospect who still has plenty of runway to round into form. 5. Zeev Buium, LHD, University of Denver (NCAA), Six-foot, 183 pounds Just as he was mid-season, Buium is the top defender on my board because he's the most well-rounded of the group. His defensive game is best described as calming and methodical. He isn’t the biggest player, so he’s not out there blowing guys up in transition or winning board battles with brute strength. Rather, he uses his high-end skating, play-reading ability and understanding of how to guide players where he wants them to use his stick and body positioning to take the puck away. Sometimes, Buium will take a player into the boards, and right before they get there, he converges on the puck and rotates his hips into the attacker to separate the puck in a seamless play. Other times, he will cut down the gap and take the puck off his opponent’s stick with a quick stick lift or poke check, leaving him in position to gather the puck and start the attack up ice. Offensively, Buium moves the puck at a high level with pace. He has the confidence to skate with it and the evasiveness to weave through skating lanes. When he sees a seam up ice, he hits his teammates with crisp, accurate passes. He doesn’t cheat for offense, playing the role of facilitator and quarterback at 5-on-5 and on the power play. Buium is a calming presence in his own end and a tactician in the offensive end. 6. Artyom Levshunov, RHD, Michigan State (NCAA), 6-foot-2, 208 pounds Watching and evaluating Levshunov over the last year or so has been one of the most interesting processes in my years doing this. Levshunov has just about all of the physical tools you could ask for in a defender. He has good size and has zero qualms about using it. He skates well, although some of the finer movements, such as pivots, could use some work. Levshunov’s shot is booming, and he can make solid, crisp passes all over the ice. Sometimes, all of those things work in cohesion, and when they do, he is a beast in college hockey. When they don’t, he looks a bit slow processing and falling behind. Defensively, he can be a bit over-aggressive, and when he misses a hit or doesn’t make the proper read, it leaves his partner out to dry at times. Offensively, he can be a bit too eager, pinching down the wall or looking to be the first man in on the forecheck. That often leaves his defensive flank vacant and can lead to odd-man rushes while he trails the play. That said, both of those tendencies have greatly improved throughout the season, and he’s shown a willingness to rein in some of his cowboy tendencies. While that may have slowed his offensive production a bit, as he wasn’t getting as many backdoor tap-ins or assists from behind the net, the second half of the season saw him play a much more well-rounded game with a more consistent decision-making process. I still have my reservations, but the potential of what Levshunov could be is incredibly enticing. One more year at MSU would be ideal. 7. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW, Mora (Swe. 2), 6-foot-1, 198 pounds The Norwegian winger has been in Sweden for the last couple of seasons, and his game has grown immensely. Brandsegg-Nygard plays a very well-rounded, pro-style game. 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. He pursues puck carriers hard in the neutral zone, looking to strip them of the puck when he gets the chance. He was one of Norway’s best players at the world juniors, and his offensive game really seemed to round into form after that event. He plays a fairly simple offensive game, looking to take advantage of mistakes and make the smart play. He has grown into an excellent cycle player and developed the ability to create offense off it, whether it’s rotating to the slot or net-front or looking to leverage the attention he draws into a free passing lane. After a solid 18 points in 41 Allsvenskan games during the regular season, Brandsegg-Nygard has 10 points in 12 post-season games. 'MBN' is one of the NHL draft class’ most translatable players, and any added dynamism offensively would be fantastic. 8. Alfons Freij, LHD, Vaxjo (Sweden Jr.), Six-foot, 187 pounds The first couple of times I watched Freij this season, I was captivated by his ability to control play just about every time he stepped on the ice. The more I see him, the more I am intrigued by the package he brings. Freij’s ability to use his tools in cohesion to manipulate opposing players is impressive. Freij plays calm, cool and collected in the offensive zone with the patience to wait for a passing lane to develop or bolt off the line and attack downhill with the puck on his stick. Freij isn’t a physical player in the defensive zone, but he establishes inside position, ties up sticks and wins short-distance puck races to regain control all the time. His edgework is among the best in the draft class, accentuating his four-way mobility and quickness. Freij’s skating allows him to take a few more calculated chances offensively because he works hard to get back in the play defensively. There aren’t many defenders who continuously make as many positive plays as Freij in the draft class. It would be nice to see him add a bit of physicality to his game, but when that’s the biggest attribute missing and he finds plenty of ways around it, there isn’t much not to like. 9. Liam Greentree, RW, Windsor (OHL), 6-foot-2, 207 pounds Despite playing on one of the worst teams in the OHL this season, Greentree was absolutely fantastic. His skating is certainly the area he needs to work on the most moving forward, but he shows an incredible ability to make plays under pressure and deal with defenders leaning on him. His intelligence and play identification allow him to time his routes and pop into pockets at the perfect time. Greentree is one of the most steady puckhandlers in the class, but he isn’t a flashy, dangly player. He’s strong on the puck and understands where to put it to keep it out of defenders' reach, and right when they adjust, Greentree pulls the puck into their feet or drags it across his body to gain a better position. He can consistently make a move, create just enough space for himself and fire a crisp pass to a teammate or bump it out of traffic to a downhill-attacker linemate. He keeps goalies honest with a heavy release and a willingness to get to the net as well, so his playmaking can’t be keyed in on. Greentree may be the most impressive riser from start to finish this season. He should play a big role at the U-18s for Canada. 10. Sam Dickinson, LHD, London (OHL), 6-foot-2, 199 pounds Dickinson is a minute-eating defender who has done what many before him couldn’t – earn a big role with the London Knights at a young age. Dickinson is a very strong skater, and he has the size NHL clubs want in a defender. His passing ability is inconsistent, but when he is on his game, he’s among the better breakout passers in the draft class, and he can run a power play with precision. Sometimes, Dickinson can make some unwise decisions, which lead to awkwardly timed defensive zone turnovers. But there are moments in which he plays a more aggressive and assertive game, which are usually when his strong physical assets and his cunning two-way game begin to shine through. Dickinson can skate out of his own zone, gash the opposing neutral zone defense and then stop up and make an excellent play in the offensive zone. In his own end, he leads with his stick and closes off along the wall in transition. There are moments when he can lose an attacker behind him, but he usually does a good job of shoulder-checking and covering his man away from the puck. Dickinson has a high floor and a high ceiling, but decision-making isn’t always the easiest thing to fix, and that’s where Dickinson needs work the most. At his best, he is in the conversation with the best blueliners in the class. 11. Tij Iginla, LW, Kelowna (WHL), Six-foot, 182 pounds Iginla just knows how to play the game. It’s a terrible cliche, but it’s also very true in his case. He gets plenty of credit for his goal-scoring, and he should because he has been a force of nature for Kelowna this year, potting 47 goals in 64 games before following it up with eight goals in eight playoff games. His goal-scoring comes in various ways as well. Whether it's a shot from the faceoff dot or crashing the net and burying a rebound, he is always around the puck. That said, Iginla’s playmaking is probably the most underrated part of his game. There may not be a player in the CHL that I’ve seen unrewarded on excellent playmaking efforts. Whether it’s a teammate having a backdoor tap-in go off the heel of their stick or a goalie making a fantastic save on a one-timer from the slot, Iginla’s passing game is better than the stat line shows. His dual-threat offensive ability is only made better because he does the little things right. He wins board battles, forechecks hard and doesn’t take a shift off whether his team is up three goals or down five. He has an innate ability to find pucks in a pile-up of bodies. His details are his differentiating factor. 12. Adam Jiricek, RHD, Plzen (Czech), 6-foot-2, 182 pounds The injury suffered at the world juniors is a killer, and it will probably cause him to fall in the NHL draft. He is as mobile as anyone in the draft class and showcases a neat combination of defending with his skating while being eager to throw his weight around whenever given the chance. He was a little tepid in the Czech men’s league at times when the puck was on his stick, but it generally meant that he opted for the safe play rather than trying to be a creator from the back end. With that said, there are so many traits that should lead to at least solid offensive skills as he matures a bit more physically and grows into his frame. Jiricek has so many tools NHL teams look for in NHL defenders. If he can refine the offensive side of his game, he could have some serious upside. Jiricek should be ready for the development camp of whichever team drafts him this summer, which means he should have a good summer of training and off-ice work. 13. Anton Silayev, LHD, Nizhny Novgorod (KHL), 6-foot-7, 211 pounds It’s not often that a defender comes around with the size and skating ability Silayev has. So much of his offense came at the start of the year when everyone was hyping him up online with highlights, but when you really watch his game, you see that he isn’t that guy, and he has never really had the track record of being an offensive generator from the back end. Silayev generated a lot of his offense with D-to-D passes and point shots just thrown at the net. He lacks the dynamic and creative element. Silayev is more of a safe, quick passer who is best when he isn’t taking too many risks with the puck. All this to say that just because he isn’t the high-end offensive player that some were hyping him up to be, it doesn’t mean that Silayev is a very good player who could wind up as one of the best defenders in the draft. He can be a bit passive defensively, but when he closes on a puck carrier, he leads with his stick and can finish with the body. He lacks the puck handling to be a high-end puck rusher, but with some physical maturity and some time with a skills coach, he could add that element to his game pretty easily. Silayev is the ultimate ball of clay in this year’s draft. With good development and patience, he could be a high-end defender who plays in a No. 2 or No. 3 role. 14. Igor Chernyshov, LW, Dynamo Moscow (KHL), 6-foot-2, 192 pounds There is so much to like with Chernyshov because he is good at just about everything. The problem is that he isn’t really great at anything. Chernyshov is an excellent complementary winger who has shown to be capable at the KHL level already. When he’s gone up against junior competition, he’s done a fantastic job of putting up some impressive numbers. He rarely settles for low-danger shots, attacks the middle of the ice with and without the puck, shows some creative passing and always has his motor running. He isn’t a stud in his own end, but he tries to take advantage of mistakes rather than force them in the defensive zone. Chernyshov skates well and has solid puck-transporting skills. He uses his teammates when needed to work give-and-go plays and generates speed through the neutral zone. Chernyshov plays a fairly projectable game, which will be a big plus in a draft class full of players who lack that. 15. Nikita Artamonov, RW, Nizhny Novgorod (KHL), 5-foot-11, 187 pounds There aren’t many players with as endless of a motor as Artamonov. His feet are pumping all over the ice, affecting the game at both ends of the rink through sheer effort alone. He is pestering to opposing players when they have the puck, doing everything he can to lift their stick or poke the puck off. He constantly tries to pull off high-skill plays when he has the puck. Although they don’t always connect, he is so close to pulling some really fun things off as a playmaker. His puckhandling is very similar to his passing in that he always tries to do something, even if it means he fails a few times. His game has simplified in the second half of the season, which has led to fewer flashes of creativity but also fewer turnovers. If the offensive game doesn’t find some way to become a bit more refined and connect on some of his more interesting pass attempts or dekes in open ice, Artamonov may ultimately end up a secondary energy winger. 16. Cole Eiserman, LW, U.S. NTDP (USHL), Six-foot, 195 pounds The evaluation process for Eiserman (and the next player on this list) has been one of the most interesting in the class. There’s no denying that Eiserman can score – he’s done it at a near-record pace thus far. He is one of the most productive goal-scorers the USA Hockey National Team Development Program has ever seen, and yet, he often leaves me wanting a bit more. He tends to chase hits when he wants to be physical. In some games, he seems less engaged until the puck is on his stick in a scoring position. His defensive game isn’t a strong suit, and it likely never will be, but the offensive game is what a team is drafting him for. Eiserman is a lethal shooter who can score from a distance and clean up the mess around the net. Eiserman can feast if given a play-driver down the middle who can move the puck into the offensive zone. His NHL career feels more about finding the right fit rather than whether his talent will hold up. He’s heading to Boston University, which should give him ample time to round some things out. 17. Zayne Parekh, RHD, Saginaw (OHL), Six-foot, 179 pounds As with Eiserman, I see what the public consensus is on Parekh and feel like I need to go back and check my assessments of the player. Every time I do, I think, “Wow, the offense is fun,” and then find myself wanting more from the player as a whole. There may not be a player in the class I have circled back on and re-watched after conversations with others more than Parekh. There is no denying he put together a special season in the OHL this year, coming up just short of 100 points as a blueliner. He will be one of the most intriguing players to watch at the Memorial Cup as he leads Saginaw in the pursuit of capturing the CHL’s top prize. His passing and shot creation in the offensive zone are so much fun. The kid can absolutely dish it. In transition, he is a solid passer who can get a bit too eager at times, which can result in turnovers. But that’s not really an issue, as he’s looking to create and will learn to pick his spots better. Opposing players are drawn into him when he has the puck, and Parekh can certainly stay calm and fire a pass at the very last second. There has been recent discussion online about his defensive flaws being overblown or a lazy narrative, but after watching him all year, circling back, reassessing and circling back again, I can’t deny what I have seen. Parekh can be passive and shy away from the play along the boards. I have seen him excuse himself from a puck race with a forechecker too often this season. Parekh has the tools to be a successful defensive player, even if he becomes an average defender using his skating and stick to do so. It’s just not there right now, unfortunately, and it’s among the bigger red flags in the draft class despite his all-world offensive game. I won’t be shocked if Parekh is a big point producer in the NHL, but does that mean he’s Evan Bouchard or Shayne Gostisbehere? 18. Teddy Stiga, LW, U.S. NTDP (USHL), 5-foot-10, 174 pounds The NTDP doesn’t have a banner group of draft prospects this year, at least not when it comes to 2024 prospects, but Teddy Stiga has worked his way from a bit of an afterthought to a player who should be discussed as a first-round pick. Stiga has never seen an opponent he won’t outwork, and the growth in his skill and processing throughout this season has been amazing. Stiga is one of the only players in the draft who will take the puck away from the opposing team in the defensive zone, work his way up the ice in transition and create an offensive chance. Stiga is a hound when he doesn’t have the puck, doing everything he can to get it back. When he has the puck on his stick, he is like an NFL kick returner: shifty and looking to score at a moment's notice. No matter who Stiga played with on the NTDP, he elevated his line. He fills the voids of his linemates' games. He is small, but he plays bigger than he is. 19. Konsta Helenius, RW, Tappara (Fin.), 5-foot-11, 180 pounds The production Helenius is putting up at the Liiga level is impressive. He’s put together a season that compares to Anton Lundell and Patrik Laine, just behind the likes of Alexander Barkov and Kaapo Kakko. Helenius plays an intelligent game, constantly looking to take advantage of the lower pace of play in the Liiga. He is a tactician who reads the play at a high level and really thrives when he has time. He does a really good job of making himself a passing option on the breakout and always seems to know where his passing options are once he gets the puck. When time and space are taken away, he struggles to make plays. His board play isn’t quite where you’d like to see it, but that may ultimately be because he is playing at the men’s level. Helenius plays chess while others play checkers at the Liiga level. My concern is the NHL is 3D chess. 20. Andrew Basha, LW, Medicine Hat (WHL), 5-foot-11, 174 pounds If you like players who play with pace and combine skating, puckhandling and playmaking, Basha is the player for you. The kid can absolutely fly. He is among the most exciting and entertaining players in the draft because he can deke and dangle, blow by defenders and thread passes through traffic in a way almost no one else can. He plays with very little physicality in his games, though. He can get pushed off the puck, and he isn’t always the first player who fights to get it back. If Basha can get a bit stronger and learn to play with a bit more effort in board battles or on the forecheck, there could be a player who truly brings the “wow” factor. 21. Trevor Connelly, RW, Tri-City (USHL), Six-foot, 156 pounds The off-ice issues and what he’s done to atone for his mistakes are well documented [https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhl-scouts-face-dilemma-with-2024-draft-prospect-trevor-connelly], and NHL clubs will have to take all of that into consideration when they decide whether or not they will select him. On the ice, Connelly is a wicked offensive player who plays at a high pace with an excellent skill level and the ability to truly drive play from the wing. He was among the best players at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, and he’s carried much of that over to the USHL with Tri-City this season. He is the catalyst for offense in Tri-City, using his speed to back off defenses and his puck skill to create space for himself. He has leaned a bit more selfish in the USHL, but there are times when his teammates just can’t keep up with him. It will be interesting to see where Connelly ultimately goes in the draft. 22. Luke Misa, C, Mississauga (OHL), 5-foot-10, 170 pounds Misa is an excellent skater who puts on the jets and flies through the neutral zone in transition. He is one of the best transition players in the class. His quickness is his best asset in all three zones, bringing a high energy level to almost every shift. Misa is a dual-threat attacker who can score off the rush or slow things down and dish it through traffic. Defensively, Misa can disappear a bit at times, but he is quick to jump on pucks and get moving up the ice. As a forechecker, he doesn’t throw hits down low, but he gets his stick on the puck to disrupt play and has the quickness and agility in tight spaces to corral the puck. He is a bit small and has some defensive flaws, which might cause him to fall to Day 2 of the draft, but he could be the typical small, skilled steal we’ve all come to love. 23. Dominik Badinka, RHD, Malmo (Swe.), 6-foot-3, 183 pounds There is so much to like about Badinka, especially when you compare him to some of the other big, toolsy defenders in the class. The young Czech defender has been playing Sweden this season after a year in Finland last year, and he has been a rock solid defensive presence for Malmo in the SHL. He is a fluid skater who defends with his feet first but certainly has a willingness to engage physically when it’s needed. Badinka is a better offensive player than his stat line would make you think, connecting on his passes and playing a smart, efficient game in that regard. You don’t want your defensemen just firing pucks from the blueline, but Badinka’s shot is quite good. If he can incorporate a bit more movement along the blueline at the pro level, he could be a steady two-way presence. 24. Daniil Ustinkov, LHD, Zurich (Swiss), Six-foot, 198 pounds Boring and efficient, Ustinkov is the kind of defenseman you won’t see on a highlight reel, but every team is better because they have him on the team. He's been playing a solid role for a pro team in Switzerland, quietly doing his job and making life easier on his netminder. He closes gaps, jumps on loose pucks and attacks small mistakes in puckhandling made by the opposing team. He's also an incredibly efficient transition passer who hits teammates with crisp passes in stride. He isn’t going to wow anybody, but he plays the game with a cool head and steady hand. 25. Carter Yakemchuk, RHD, Calgary (WHL), 6-foot-3, 201 pounds A true wild cowboy of a defenseman, Yakemchuk is such an interesting offensive blueliner. He isn’t the smoothest skater, which sometimes limits his game defensively, but the puckhandling and skill he flashes offensively have allowed him to work around his skating, helping him score 30 goals as a draft-eligible blueliner. Yakemchuck has a wicked shot and certainly likes to use it. He can bomb pucks on net or dangle a defender and finish from in tight. Defensemen must be able to defend on some level, and Yakemchuk has been a bit inconsistent in that regard. However, I do think that with some improved footwork and mobility, he could be much less reliant on leaning and reaching with his stick or chasing the hit. 26. Linus Eriksson, C, Djurgarden (Swe. 2), Six-foot, 183 pounds Eriksson has gone through an interesting development arc over the last two years. Last year around this time, he was just getting his first couple of games at the J20 level in Sweden. This year, he is playing an important role for Djurgarden’s Allsvenskan team as they go through the playoffs. Eriksson is an unselfish player in every respect, looking to find his teammates whenever he can. Eriksson is a tactical player who has looked his best since he has been elevated to the men’s team. He understands how to advance play and just simply makes the right plays. 27. Beckett Sennecke, RW, Oshawa (OHL), 6-foot-2, 177 pounds So often, when you watch Sennecke, you can see the steady and solid NHL tools and a player who doesn’t overcomplicate the game – most of the time. Every once in a while, you will see Sennecke make a play that leaves you asking where that high level of skill and creativity has been. If he learns to play with a bit more pace and breaks out the highest levels of his skill set more often, he could be worth a much higher pick. If not, he should be at least a steady, intelligent, playmaking forward growing defensively. 28. Emil Hemming, RW, TPS (Fin.), 6-foot-1, 201 pounds When you think of Finnish forwards, especially of the non-star variety, you think of hard-working, smart players who just know what play to make next. Hemming exemplifies that perfectly. He forechecks hard, understands what routes to take in the offensive zone and doesn’t cheat his team in the defensive zone. He plays with an edge and throws his weight around whenever he can. He is at his best off-puck in the offensive zone, looking to sit in a pocket or bang in a rebound. Hemming isn’t a guy who projects to be a star, but he can be a capable, solid complementary contributor. 29. Michael Hage, C, Chicago (USHL), Six-foot, 187 pounds Hage is a hard-working forward who seems to find ways to positively affect the game in all facets on an uncharacteristically poor Chicago Steel team. His skating stride can look a little wonky, with his pushes coming out to the sides rather than right back and a bit of a bent-over posture. With that said, Hage gets around the ice fairly well, and he certainly doesn’t let his inefficient skating hurt him in transition, where he is constantly asked to carry the load by the Steel. Hage has been one of the hottest players in the second half of the draft cycle, scoring at will. Hage gets to dangerous areas as a shooter and funnels pucks to the middle as a passer as well. 30. John Mustard, C, Waterloo (USHL), Six-foot, 180 pounds In a draft full of “what if” players, Mustard is one of the most intriguing [https://thehockeynews.com/ushl/players/2024-nhl-draft-waterloos-john-mustard-a-potential-first-round-pick]. His speed is undeniable, pushing the pace to a level most defenders in the USHL simply can’t handle. The USHL rookie has been such a delight to watch when he is at his best. Mustard has a wicked quick release. When attacking downhill off the rush, there aren’t many players who can put a defender on their heels the way Mustard can. There are times when Mustard puts the blinders on, and he doesn’t really use his teammates. If Mustard can incorporate his teammates a bit more and learn to alter his speed a bit, he could easily outperform his draft stock. 31. Jett Luchanko, C, Guelph (OHL), 5-foot-11, 180 pounds Full transparency: Luchanko was a guy I did not expect to crack the first round when I was building this list. But as I went through the players, I kept favoring Luchanko, and he winds up at 31. Luchanko isn’t a flashy player; he just makes the right play at the right time and consistently generates positive results. He doesn’t waste chances by throwing pucks on net from above the circles or out by the boards. Luchanko opts to go to the dirty area around the net front, find loose pucks or deflect pucks on net. He does an excellent job of making sense of havoc around the slot. Luchanko’s game is all about substance. 32. Sacha Boisvert, C, Muskegon (USHL), 6-foot-2, 176 pounds When Boisvert is good, he is very good. When he is off his game, he can disappear. He protects the puck well and has a really solid power game. Boisvert shows flashes of slick passing and a heavy release. There are times when he is more than a handful for defenders, barrelling into the offensive zone like a freight train. He can win battles along the boards, throw opponents off the puck, and really showcase the strength that he has in his game. His inconsistent involvement has been an issue, though. 33. Lucas Pettersson, C, MoDo Jr. (Swe.), 5-foot-11, 168 pounds 34. Miguel Marques, LW, Lethbridge (WHL), 5-foot-10, 173 pounds 35. Topias Hynninen, RW, Jukurit (Fin.), 5-foot-10, 164 pounds 36. Noel Fransen, LHD, Farjestad Jr. (Swe.), Six-foot, 183 pounds 37. Tomas Galvas, LHD, Liberec (Czech), 5-foot-10, 148 pounds 38. Aron Kiviharju, LHD, HIFK (Fin.), 5-foot-10, 170 pounds 39. Kamil Bednarik, C, USNTDP (USHL), Six-foot, 185 pounds 40. Ryerson Leenders, G, Mississauga (OHL), 6-foot-1, 165 pounds 41. Clarke Caswell, F, Swift Current (WHL), 5-foot-11, 170 pounds 42. Herman Traff, RW/LW, HV71 Jr. (Swe.), 6-foot-3, 203 pounds 43. Fyodor Avramov, LW, Stupino Jr. (Rus.), 6-foot-3, 190 pounds 44. Stian Solberg, LHD, Valerenga (Norway), 6-foot-2, 194 pounds 45. Cole Beaudoin, C, Barrie (OHL), 6-foot-2, 209 pounds 46. Ollie Josephson, F, Red Deer (WHL), Six-foot, 185 pounds 47. Yegor Graf, C, SKA-1946 St. Petersburg Jr. (Rus.), 5-foot-10, 161 pounds 48. Melvin Fernstrom, RW, Orebro Jr. (Swe.), Six-foot, 185 pounds 49. Ryder Ritchie, RW, Prince Albert (WHL), Six-foot, 175 pounds 50. Charlie Elick, RHD, Brandon (WHL), 6-foot-3, 194 pounds 51. Veeti Vaisanen, LHD, KooKoo (Fin.), Six-foot, 177 pounds 52. Matvei Shuravin, LHD, Krasnaya Armiya Moscow Jr. (Rus.), 6-foot-3, 195 pounds 53. Egor Surin, C, Yaroslavl Jr. (Rus.), 6-foot-1, 192 pounds 54. Matvei Gridin, F, Muskegon (USHL), 6-foot-1, 182 pounds 55. Carter George, G, Owen Sound (OHL), 6-foot-1, 196 pounds 56. Julius Miettinen, F, Everett (WHL), 6-foot-2, 203 pounds 57. Arvid Westlin, RW, Linkoping (Swe.), 5-foot-11, 179 pounds 58. Dean Letourneau, C, St. Andrews (CAN-HS), 6-foot-6, 209 pounds 59. Adam Kleber, RHD, Lincoln (USHL), 6-foot-5, 207 pounds 60. Carson Wetsch, RW, Calgary (WHL), Six-foot, 190 pounds 61. Raoul Boilard, C, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL), 6-foot-1, 188 pounds 62. Alexander Zetterberg, C, Orebro Jr. (Swe.), 5-foot-7, 159 pounds 63. Jacob Battaglia, RW, Kingston (OHL), Six-foot, 196 pounds 64. Ben Danford, RHD, Oshawa (OHL), 6-foot-1, 188 pounds Honorable Mentions: LHD Cole Hutson, LHD Ludwig Johnson, LHD John Whipple, RW Terik Parascak, RHD Henry Mews, RHD Harrison Brunicke, LW Kieron Walton, LHD Luke Osburn, LHD Marcus Keasey, RW Adam Jecho, RW/LW AJ Spellacy, LW Marak Vanacker, C/W Aatos Koivu, LW Tanner Howe, LHD Jesse Pulkkinen, RW Brodie Ziemer, LHD Will Skahan, LW Jamiro Reber, LHD Jiri Tichacek
