Cole Eiserman will likely be the first USHL winger off the board in the 2024 NHL Draft, but the league features a ton of goal scorers for NHL clubs to choose from.
Cole Eiserman will likely be the first USHL winger off the board in the 2024 NHL Draft, but the league features a ton of goal scorers for NHL clubs to choose from.
Cole Eiserman will likely be the first USHL winger off the board in the 2024 NHL Draft, but the league features a ton of goal scorers for NHL clubs to choose from. Let's look at the Top 10 with several honorable mentions as well.
1. Cole Eiserman, LW (NTDP U18 Team)
Cole Eiserman left his mark on the U.S. National Team Development Program after recording 58 goals and 89 points this past season and breaking Cole Caufield's NTDP scoring record in the gold medal game of the 2024 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship. The 6-foot, 196-pound forward features one of the best, if not the best, NHL-ready shots in this draft class. Eiserman has slipped a bit in some rankings after preliminary projections believed that he could challenge Macklin Celebrini for the No. 1 overall pick. The Boston University commit is an offensive dynamo, and his defensive game has made tremendous strides over the course of the 2023-24 season. As he continues to develop, Eiserman can be an effective player at both ends of the ice. For now, though, he is a natural goal scorer and one that any team would love to add to its prospect pool.
2. Trevor Connelly, LW (Tri-City Storm)
Trevor Connelly is perhaps the most polarizing player in the 2024 NHL Draft. On one hand, his offensive abilities would easily make him a Top 10 pick. The Providence commit can make plays out of nothing and in very tight spaces. Connelly features remarkable speed and quick hands that helped him score 31 goals and 78 points for the Tri-City Storm this past season. He also highlighted Team USA's productive third line at the 2024 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship, where he racked up four goals and nine points in seven games. However, his previous off-ice issues are what worry teams when it comes to potentially investing time and money into him. Added, his five-minute major and game misconduct for an illegal check to the head in the U18 Men's Worlds cost Team USA a gold medal while simultaneously bringing his character back into the spotlight.
3. Matvei Gridin, RW (Muskegon Lumberjacks)
A potential first-round pick, Matvei Gridin enjoyed a breakout season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks in 2023-24, tallying 38 goals and 83 assists. Gridin, listed at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, is a very good skater and has shown the ability to carry the puck through all three zones while using his big frame to shield defenders. In the offensive zone, the left-shot forward features a quick release that makes him an effective goal scorer in both even-strength and power-play situations. Gridin sees the ice very well and can fit passes in tight seams to set up his teammates for scoring chances. Perhaps where he grew the most this past season came in his defensive efforts. Gridin is outstanding on the backcheck to force a turnover and start the play in the other direction.
4. Max Plante, LW (NTDP U18 Team)
One of the best passers in this draft class, Max Plante experienced a breakout year with the NTDP U18 team this past season. The left-shot forward finished with 61 points on 15 goals and 46 assists during the regular season and added two goals and 11 points at the 2024 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship. Plante couples his excellent vision and ability to attack the weak side of the defense, often resulting in high-danger scoring chances for others. The University of Minnesota-Duluth commit is effective at using his 5-foot-11, 176-pound frame to shield defenders from the puck while simultaneously understanding where everyone is on the ice and effortlessly finding his teammates.
5. Ilya Protas, LW (Des Moines Buccaneers)
After a 34-point campaign with the Team Belarus U17 last year, Ilya Protas made the leap to the North American game. He was quietly one of the USHL's most productive rookie skaters, finishing with 14 goals and 51 points and playing in all but one game. At 6-foot-3 and 183 pounds, Protas presents a frame that NHL scouts look for and one that will continue to fill out as he physically matures. As far as his skill on the ice, the 17-year-old is a patient skater and uses his body to shield defenders from the puck. He is not the fastest player, but he seems to find success working his way toward the net using his big body and then making plays in tight with his quick hands. Not bad for a guy that was not on Central Scouting's preliminary watch list back in October.
6. Brodie Ziemer, RW (NTDP U18 Team)
Brodie Ziemer is a highly skilled forward that should make an NHL team very happy in the second round of the NHL Draft. The University of Minnesota commit captained the NTDP U18 team this past season while scoring 27 goals and 70 points. It feels like Ziemer can score anywhere in the offensive zone, whether on a play in transition or off the faceoff. At 5-foot-11 and 192 pounds, the University of Minnesota commit forces teams to respect his shot, often leaving his teammates open. Ziemer is solid at establishing his position in front of the net to redirect pucks. The right-shot forward boosted his draft stock at the 2024 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship, scoring three goals and 12 points in a seven-game sample size.
7. Hagen Burrows, RW (Sioux City Musketeers)
Hagen Burrows dipped his toes in the USHL before returning to Minnetonka (Minnesota) High School to defend their state title. With Sioux City, the Denver commit tallied nine goals and 22 points in 25 games and added four points in eight playoff games. With Minnetonka, he once again led the team in points (59). At 6-foot-2 and 165 pounds, Burrows has an NHL frame, but he needs more time to grow into it. Still, his hard-nosed efforts at both ends of the ice and abilities as both a passer and a shooter should make him an attractive option on Day 2 of the draft.
8. James Reeder, RW (Dubuque Fighting Saints)
Despite being an undersized forward at 5-foot-9 and 168 pounds, James Reeder is always one of the smartest players on the ice. The Denver commit works hard to get pucks back and is good at finding the soft areas of the ice for scoring opportunities. In transition, he uses his speed and deception to keep defenders off balance and features a quick release, one that helped him achieve 20 goals this past season.
9. Blake Montgomery, LW (Lincoln Stars)
An intriguing re-entry candidate for the 2024 NHL Draft, Blake Montgomery enjoyed an impressive first USHL season in 2023-24, recording 22 goals and 43 points. With an NHL frame at 6-foot-4 and 181 pounds, the 19-year-old, ranked No. 101 by Central Scouting, is excellent at using his speed to drive plays in transition. In the offensive zone, he utilizes his body to establish net-front positioning for puck redirects. The Lincoln Stars forward is one of the biggest risers and should hear his name as a mid-round pick on Day 2 of the draft.
10. Austin Baker, LW (NTDP U18 Team)
Baker will take a third year in the USHL with the Sioux Falls Stampede after finishing up his two-year residency at the NTDP. While not flashy, Baker is an exceptional skater and shines in transition. He reads plays very well to intercept pucks and take it the other way, or finding the weak spots in the defense for scoring opportunities. The Michigan State commit, listed at 6-foot and 192 pounds, tallied 15 goals and 31 points for the U18 team in 2023-24 and will have an opportunity to develop his game even further likely in a top-six role with the Herd next year.
Honorable Mentions: Austin Burnevik (Madison Capitols), Kaden Shahan (Sioux City Musketeers), Joe Connor (Muskegon Lumberjacks), Brendan McMorrow (NTDP U18 Team), Kuzma Voronin (Youngstown Phantoms), Landan Resendes (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders)