A new scouting cycle is well underway for the 2024 NHL Draft, and while there is no Connor Bedard among this cohort, there is a lot to be excited about.
Macklin Celebrini and Cole Eiserman seem like a two-horse race for first overall at this point, but Russian Ivan Demidov provides an intriguing third option up front. The top half of the opening round is also heavy with defense prospects, perhaps none more intriguing than 6-foot-7 Anton Silayev.
It’s a well-balanced draft class that seems to drop off around pick 15, but there are plenty of intriguing prospects who will find their way into first-round discussions.
Here’s Yahoo Sports’ top-25 NHL Draft rankings for October:
1. Macklin Celebrini, C (Boston University, NCAA)
As a 17-year-old NCAA rookie, expectations are still high. Celebrini had a stellar season in the USHL, scoring 46 goals as a 16-year-old, and 15 points in seven games at the U-18 World Championships for Canada. He projects as a dynamic two-way center who could be a top-line player in the NHL for years to come.
His start to his NCAA career was as expected, as he scored a goal and an assist in his first career game. Following the path of Adam Fantilli last year in the NCAA, Celebrini looks like he’s capable of big things.
2. Cole Eiserman, LW (USNTDP)
The NCAA was put on notice after Eiserman decommitted from Minnesota and committed to join Celebrini at Boston University. His shot is Eiserman’s best asset, as he can beat goaltenders and evade defenders with a quick and deceptive release. Eiserman toppled the 100-point mark last season with USA’s national team development program, and was dynamic for Team USA at the U-18 Worlds.
He’s on pace for another 100-point season and projects as a top-line producer in the NHL, and it could turn out to be a dealer’s choice whether Celebrini or Eiserman end up going first overall.
3. Ivan Demidov, RW (SKA St. Petersburg, KHL)
Welcome to this year’s Matvei Michkov. He’s not as dynamic as Michkov, but the situation rings similar. Demidov is a strong two-way player with a high compete level who attacks with speed, but it’s hard to see his full offensive potential in the KHL, where he’s buried or scratched.
He produced in the MHL last season at an impressive rate, but found himself off to a slow start bouncing between the KHL, VHL, and MHL this season. Demidov is under contract with SKA St. Petersburg through 2024-25, so the wait is not as severe as it was for Michkov. His skill is top end, and would make him a top three lock, but will the Russian factor see him slide?
4. Berkly Catton, C (Spokane, WHL)
Catton’s production is hard to deny both in the WHL and as Canada’s leader at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he tallied eight goals in five games.
He’s on pace to reach 100 points in the WHL, which will lock him into a top-10 spot in the draft given the variety of methods he uses to produce and drive offense. Catton can create in tight, but can also beat defenders on the rush.
5. Artyom Levshunov, RHD (Michigan State University, NCAA)
The 6-foot-2 right-shot defender has the unteachable tools of size and being right-handed that could cause some general managers to look at him before similarly talented defenders. Levshunov, a Belarusian, showed his inclination to join the attack in the USHL last season, and is already playing key minutes, including on the power play for Michigan State.
One factor NHL teams will look at with Levshunov is that he’s a lot closer to NHL-ready than most in this draft.
6. Sam Dickinson, LHD (London, OHL)
Incredibly mobile given his 6-foot-3 frame, Dickinson plays a puck-moving game, reading lanes well and choosing his opportunities. He can transport the puck himself, but his first pass is what jumpstarts the play whenever he is on the ice.
There’s a ton of upside here, and Dickinson looks like a low-risk pick in the opening half of the first round.
7. Adam Jiricek, RHD (Plzen, Czechia)
Jiricek thrives in an up-tempo system where he can freely join the attack. At the same time, he’s an effective defender using his 6-foot-2 frame to close lanes. He’s splitting time this season between Czechia’s U-20 league and the top pro league in the country, which will give him seasoning against tougher competition.
If you need to picture his game, imagine David Jiricek — his older brother drafted sixth overall in 2022 — but with slightly less offensive output.
8. Anton Silayev, LHD (Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, KHL)
There’s a block of defenders with top-10 potential and Silayev is another who is playing significant minutes as a teenager in the KHL and producing offensively. Oh yes, and he’s 6-foot-7.
Silayev could climb this list again, and when his contract expires in 2025-26, he’d be an immediate addition — if all goes as planned — to an NHL roster. The assets he brings have scouts drooling; how those parts come together as a whole will decide his ceiling.
9. Konsta Helenius, RW (Jukurit, Liiga)
With almost a full season in Liiga already under his belt as a 16-year-old last year, Helenius looks stronger and more capable in Liiga already this year, using the speed and physicality he displayed against his peers to challenge defenders.
By the time all is said and done, Kelenius could find himself on a Leo Carlsson trajectory, fighting his way up this list.
10. Henry Mews, RHD (Ottawa, OHL)
Some like their defenders to play with an element of risk, others not so much. If you’re in the former category, the six-foot, right-shot Mews is for you. Mews loves to join in on the rush and slide down in the offensive zone. As he learns to choose those spots better and better, his impact will grow and grow.
Right now, Mews has the speed and compete level to make up for the times he’s wrong. How that adapts at the pro level will define what he’s able to do.
11. Zayne Parekh, RHD (Saginaw, OHL)
If you can’t spot the trend, the parade of talented defenders continues with Parekh, who scored 21 goals as a rookie defender in the OHL last season. He distributes the puck well, but also loves to shoot, finding lanes and accurately getting pucks through net-front chaos.
He’s a good skater who thrives in a fast-paced game.
12. Trevor Connelly, C (Tri-City, USHL)
Connelly is off to a strong start to his second USHL campaign, scoring at more than a point-per-game pace.
He’s headed to Providence College next season, and loves to play a puck-possession game. When the puck is on his stick, Connelly can be deceptive, and while he loves to shoot, he can also dish.
13. Aron Kiviharju, LHD (HIFK, Liiga)
Few names have been tied to the 2024 NHL Draft as long as Kiviharju. His jump to Liiga as a young teen likely hurt his progression, as the 5-foot-10 blueliner took his lumps. Meanwhile, against peers at U-18 and U-20 competitions, he flashed top-five potential.
Kiviharju suffered a serious injury in practice to open the 2024 season and will miss four months. From a draft stock that was already sliding, Kiviharju could find himself at the end of the first round — or out of it entirely — but his skill and upside are immense. He is a top-10 player when healthy.
14. Ryder Ritchie, RW (Prince Albert, WHL)
Ritchie leans toward a playmaking game, but he has a hard shot that he freely utilizes from anywhere. One of the most exciting parts of Ritchie’s game is his creativity, as he doesn’t shy away from trying things offensively that others would be afraid to do.
Scoring more than a point per game early in the WHL, Ritchie will be a season-long player to watch to see if his output can reach new heights.
15. Igor Chernyshov, LW (Dynamo Moscow, MHL)
Another Russian player who combines size, speed, and unpredictability, Chernyshov belongs somewhere in the opening round. How high he’s selected will depend on how his season progresses as he splits time between the MHL and KHL, and again how GMs feel about picking Russian players.
Chernyshov has an advantage as he’s only under contract through next season.
16. Maxim Massé, RW (Chicoutimi, QMJHL)
17. Emil Hemming, RW (TPS, Liiga)
18. Cole Hutson, LHD (USNTDP)
19. Michael Hage, C (Chicago, USHL)
20. Zeev Buium, LHD (University of Denver, NCAA)
21. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW (Mora, Allsvenskan)
22. Tanner Howe, LW (Regina, WHL)
23. Carter Yakemchuk, RHD (Calgary, WHL)
24. Charlie Elick, RHD (Brandon, WHL)
25. Sacha Boisvert, C (Muskegon, USHL)
Next Up: EJ Emery, RHD (USNTDP) Veeti Väisänen, LHD (KooKoo, Liiga), Cole Beaudoin, C (Barrie, OHL), Will Skahan, LHD (USNTDP), Anthony Cristoforo, RHD (Windsor, OHL) Beckett Sennecke, RW (Oshawa, OHL), Cayden Lindstrom, C (Medicine Hat, WHL), Christian Humphreys, C (USNTDP)
