2024 NHL Draft Preview THN Top 100 Prospects [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA3NDk2NjUxNTU0Njk0NTk5/charlie-elick-column.png] THN Top 100 Prospects When Tom Dundon took over as the owner of the Carolina Hurricanes, he swore that the team would never take a defenseman in the first round, but he never said anything about the second. Charlie Elick is a big 18 year old, standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 199-pounds. He's a strong skater and he's not afraid to utilize his size and weight when defending and can dish out big hits. “He’s a good skater, and in a couple of years, he’s going to be a power-based defenseman who has above-average agility,” a scout told The Hockey News. “He does run over guys. Some kids who have an identity crisis don’t like the physical stuff, but this kid has no issue with that. He’s big, heavy, makes impactful hits, and he’ll block shots.” Elick projects to be a very effective blueliner within his own end, able to use his size and skating to kill plays and protect the net. He has upside as a shutdown defenseman, but that's about all scouts think he'll manage as he doesn't possess high-end puck skills. “He’s a big body on the back end who can really skate,” another scout told The Hockey News. “His puck game is probably limited. To be successful, he’ll have to be more of a shutdown defenseman. I don’t see him being a big offensive guy.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What are the experts saying? Tony Ferrari (The Hockey News) [https://thehockeynews.com/news/2024-nhl-draft-best-available-after-the-first-round]: "The 6-foot-3, 202-pound Elick is a big brute of a blueliner who looks to punish his opponents. Elick isn’t going to be a big point producer, but NHL teams love players in his mold. He looks to shut down cycles, prevent zone entries, and defend the front of the net, all while beating his opponent to a pulp." Corey Pronman (The Athletic) [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5591595/2024/06/28/nhl-mock-draft-2024-final-pronman/]: "He’s extremely mobile for a 6-foot-3 defender and plays hard. He would add a lot of size and toughness to a team."
