Las Vegas gets set to host the 2024 NHL Draft.

The 2024 NHL Draft is almost upon us. This year the Draft will be held at the grand stage of the fabulous Las Vegas Sphere, where there sure is to be a lot of action.

The 2024 NHL Draft is all set for this weekend in Las Vegas and while a lot of members of the hockey media world have already started to arrive, from now until tomorrow everyone will be descending upon Las Vegas in preparation for the last NHL Draft in its current format. Starting next season the NHL will be taking a page out of the NFL playbook and have a decentralized draft. For now though, this is going to be an extraordinary event as the draft is being held in the imaginative, state-of-the-art Sphere. The 18,600 seat capacity venue that normally projects a yellow emoji type of character that looks around the Vegas sky will be projecting images of hockey all weekend in what will sure be a great atmosphere for everyone involved. 

While the draft is still a day away, the action around the league has already heated up. Last week The New Jersey Devils acquired Goaltender Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames in exchange for a 2025 1st Round Pick and Defenseman Kevin Bahl. The San Jose Sharks claimed Forward Barclay Goodrow off waivers from the New York Rangers, The Los Angeles Kings traded Forward Pierre-Luc Dubois, who was only one year into a 8 year deal he signed just last summer to the Washington Capitals for Goaltender Darcy Kuemper. On Monday, just shortly before puck-drop of Game 7 between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers, the Ottawa Senators and the Boston Bruins completed a big trade that saw Vezina winner Linus Ullmark go to the Sens in exchange for their 2024 1st Round pick in this weekends draft, Forward Mark Kastelic and Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo. Lastly, just last night the Blackhawks and Canucks made a deal in which the Hawks took on the last two years of Forward Ilya Mikheyev's contract and a 2025 2nd Round pick for doing so, as well as acquiring the UFA rights to Forward Sean Lafferty. In exchange, the Canucks received a 2027 4th Round pick. 

If all that is any indication, the draft floor come Friday and Saturday could be very busy. Names such as Jakob Chychrun, Nikolaj Ehlers, Martin Necas, John Gibson, Jacob Trouba, JG Pageau and many more could be on the move this weekend. Aside from trades, with the start of free agency being just 4 days away there will no doubt be speculation this weekend of where pending star UFA's like Steven Stamkos, Jake Guentzel, Vegas's own Jonathan Marchessault, Patrick Kane and others will end up and call home next season. 

All the action kicks off on Friday, with Round 1 starting at 4PM PT/7PM ET. The Vegas Golden Knights make their 1st selection with the 19th overall pick. Barring any trades, the Knights will not pick again until the 6th Round. Finishing off with their own 7th Round Pick and the Columbus Blue Jackets 7th Round Pick.