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NASHVILLE (The Draft Analyst) — Below is my first mock draft for the 2024 NHL draft. This is not a final Top-32 ranking, which will be released next week and again in my 2024 NHL Draft Report.

• San Jose owns Pittsburgh’s 2024 1st Round Pick (top-10 protected) as part of the trade that sent Erik Karlsson, Dillon Hamaliuk and 2026 3rd Round Pick from the Sharks to the Penguins for Mikael Granlund, Mike Hoffman, Jan Rutta and this pick. If Pittsburgh wins the 2024 lottery, then San Jose will receive the Penguins’ unprotected 2025 first-rounder.

• Chicago acquired Tampa Bay’s 2024 1st Round Pick as part of the trade that sent Brandon Hagel, a 2022 4th Round Pick and a 2024 4th Round Pick to the Lightning in exchange for Tampa’s 2023 1st Round Pick, a 2024 1st Round Pick, Boris Katchouk, and Taylor Raddysh.

• Anaheim acquired Edmonton’s 2024 1st Round Pick as part of the trade that sent Adam Henrique, Sam Carrick, Ty Taylor and a 2024 7th Round Pick from the Ducks to the Oilers for a 2024 1st Round Pick and a conditional 2025 5th Round Pick.

• Detroit previously acquired Boston’s 2024 1st Round Pick as part of the trade that sent Tyler Bertuzzi from the Red Wings to the Bruins for a 2024 1st round pick and a 2025 4th round pick.

• Ottawa will acquire Boston’s 2024 1st Round Pick via Detroit as part of the trade that sent Alex DeBrincat from the Senators to the Red Wings for Dominik Kubalik, Donovan Sebrango, a conditional 2024 1st round pick, and a 2024 4th round pick.

• Calgary received Vancouver’s 2024 1st Round Pick as part of the trade that sent Elias Lindholm from the Flames to the Canucks in exchange for Andrei Kuzmenko, Hunter Brzustewicz, Joni Jurmo, a 2024 1st round pick, and a 2024 4th round pick.

• Montreal acquired Winnipeg’s 2024 1st Round Pick as part of the trade that sent Sean Monahan from the Jets to the Canadiens for a 2024 1st round pick and a conditional 2027 3rd round pick.

Although the hype surrounding the 2024 draft falls well short of last year’s 12-month celebration of Connor Bedard and his cohorts, credit must be heaped upon the 17-year-old Celebrini, who wasted no time solidifying his standing as the unanimous favorite to go first overall and by season’s end was the youngest player to ever win the Hockey Baker Memorial Award after leading the Boston University Terriers in scoring and a Frozen Four appearance.

Bottom line: The Sharks are no longer devoured by salary cap constraints but rebuilding the farm system to elite levels took longer than it should have. Now that Celebrini is in the fold alongside 2023 first-rounder Will Smith (who outproduced Celebrini with rival Boston College), general manager Mike Grier can begin trimming his loaded prospect depth chart; presumably by acquiring NHL-caliber talent to not only surround their prized centers with scoring help but hasten the organization’s escape from the Pacific Division cellar.

After two historic MHL seasons in which he led the circuit in points per game each time (and a playoff scoring title in 2023-24 to boot), there’s no reason to consider any other forward not named Macklin Celebrini to be remotely close to Demidov in skill or upside. He can beat you with the shot or with the pass, but his puck control and board play at this stage may even rival the one and only Connor Bedard, thereby making the possibilities endless for Windy City hockey freaks.

Bottom line: The Blackhawks didn’t touch a defenseman with any of last year’s first 10 picks, so the knee-jerk prediction is to tie any of this year’s stud blueliners to the Blackhawks, even if it means via the second overall pick. But between the fast-tracking of Kevin Korchinski, Wyatt Kaiser, and Alex Vlasic, the ascension of puck-rusher Sam Rinzel, and promising AHL seasons delivered by Nolan Allan and Ethan Del Mastro, there are too many reasons to consider Chicago’s budding defense corps one of the best around.

Surprise pick: Tij Iginla, LW (Kelowna, WHL) — The Blackhawks continue to fight the negative press which has lingered since the Stan Bowman days and Iginla epitomizes character and maturity in addition to being a deadly 200-foot player. No surprise considering his Hockey Hall of Fame father Jarome remains one of the most beloved figures in the sport, but Tij already surpassed pop dukes in terms of WHL draft-year production.

Whether off the rush or during cycles, this multi-tool, 6-foot, 186-pound wing is a living, breathing tribute to what any coach would want out of his top player – clean, decisive, patient, and a commendable work ethic. Iginla completed his draft season with 47 goals and 84 points in 64 games for a top-heavy Kelowna lineup after scoring only seven goals the season prior. He also proved to be a money player by scoring eight goals in his lone playoff series and scoring clutch goals for Canada to help them win gold at the recent U18 world championships.

Bottom line: Any position within the Ducks’ system that needs backfilling can be addressed in the later rounds and their scouting staff continues to be disinterested in choosing anyone but the best player available. But this is one of those weird draft years where 20 different people could give you 20 different answers for who that prospect might be, and at third overall no less.

Surprise pick: Anton Silayev, LHD (Nizhny Novgorod, KHL) — Last year was the first time since 2018 that Anaheim didn’t draft a defenseman within the first three rounds, and they would later trade once-untouchable puck rusher Jamie Drysdale for sniper William Gauthier less than six months ago. Drafting high-round Russian-leaguers is something the Ducks avoided entirely under former GM Bob Murray and Verbeek has yet to dip into the KHL in terms of skaters, but the 6-foot-7 Silayev already has a full KHL season under his belt and will be more than NHL-ready by the time his KHL deal expires in 2026.

A tower of power with phenomenal shutdown ability and the acute hockey sense of a quality NHL veteran, Silayev, and his 6-foot-7 frame was critical in leading Torpedo to the KHL playoffs and making a series out of their first-round matchup with star-studded SKA. Silayev may not exude flash and creativity but name a single general manager or coach who demands that out of a top-pairing shutdown defender, which is what Silayev projects to become. Still, he was used as the power-play quarterback during Chaika’s MHL postseason in addition to all late/close scenarios and penalty-killing.

Bottom line: It’ll be weird to hear someone other than recently-ousted GM Jarmo Kekkalainen announce a Jackets’ draft pick, but whoever takes over inherits an enviable nucleus regardless of whom they select in 2024. There isn’t a single prospect within the Jackets’ system who can blanket the slot like Silayev, who will add balance to a youth movement destined for Metro Division success.

Surprise pick: Michael Nygard, RW (Mora IK, Allsvenskan) — This would have been a Jarmo pick through and through, but Nygard at his current stage shares several key similarities with current New York Ranger power forward Chris Kreider to make him universally coveted; namely Nygard’s size, shot power, and speed. The Jackets need to become tougher to play against and Nygard appears ready for full-time AHL duty, if not more.

Easily the purest playmaker available in the draft, Catton is a three-zone competitor who turned a tough circuit like the WHL into his proving ground, and the final tally saw him accumulate 54 goals and 62 assists to become only the third WHL first-year-eligible in the last seasons to eclipse 115 points. To say Catton is a thinking man’s scorer would be short-changing him, as he can be just as dangerous rocketing up the ice at a moment’s notice as he is while deliberately orchestrating possessions from the wall. He was the first overall pick in the WHL draft so he’s already lived up to lofty expectations.

Bottom line: Get ready for a major wave of homegrown talent at every skater position to outgrow the AHL and push hard for an NHL job, which should be enough to convince the Habs to draft a high-upside center who automatically becomes their top prospect, yet one that would be allowed to develop at his own pace.

Surprise pick: Cole Eiserman, LW (U.S. U18, NTDP) — Thinking along the same lines of a team’s pipeline being loaded at every skater position, it wouldn’t be the worst idea to draft the greatest goal-scorer in NTDP history, specifically one who’s college bound and could stay there for at least two years. Of course, the fact that the record Eiserman broke once belonged to the Habs’ own Cole Caufield may introduce a new level of team-friendly chirping, especially if Eiserman keeps referring to himself in the third person.

Levshunov made a big splash in the scoring department as a freshman for upstart Michigan State, which nearly made it to the Frozen Four before losing a heartbreaker to rival Michigan in the quarterfinals. With a solid build and a smooth glide, the native Byelorussian can make any breakout look easy, even with pesky forecheckers harassing him with back pressure. He wasn’t the Spartans’ undisputed No. 1 defender regarding usage and deployment, but that likely changes if he stays in East Lansing for his sophomore season.

Bottom line: Just because Utah’s getting a new hockey team doesn’t mean they’re showing up to Salt Lake City without an identity. Yes, the outfit formerly known as the Arizona Coyotes failed to make the playoffs in each of the last four seasons and have only one series win since reaching the conference finals in 2012. But the ex-Yotes iced a formidable attack in 2023-24 after finishing dead last in goals scored two seasons prior, meaning addressing a porous defense should be the next objective. Levshunov isn’t a classic shutdown type, but the thought of what he could become in four or five years should be enough to have him fly off the board at sixth overall unless someone else in the conference gets to him first.

Surprise pick: Zayne Parekh, RHD (Saginaw Spirit, OHL) — To be a fly on the wall and hear the internal debates between scouts on whether a 33-goal-scoring defenseman has this or that weakness and why he should or shouldn’t be drafted. But at the end of the day, we’re talking about a 33-goal-scoring defenseman who missed the 100-point mark by four points and was the top rearguard on one of the best teams in all of Canadian major junior.

Killing opposing possessions seems to come naturally for this smooth-skating blueliner, who proved invaluable for a considerably deep London Knights squad itching to return to the Memorial Cup for the first time since winning it all in 2016. Win or lose, expect the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Dickinson to make life miserable for the opposition regardless of how they stack up. His 70 points (18 goals, 52 assists) were good for fourth in OHL defense scoring and there’s a good bet he’s on Canada’s top pairing at next year’s world junior championships.

Bottom line: This is the first of Ottawa’s two first-rounders, but that shouldn’t be an invitation for them to get cute…again. This specific top-10 pick needs to hit for several reasons, and a good place to start would be the fact that the Sens will forfeit a first-round selection in either 2025 or 2026 as punishment for their role in the Evgeny Dadonov debacle. Additionally, Ottawa traded its lottery first-rounder in both 2022 (seventh overall) and 2023 (12th overall), and their last top-10 pick — oft-injured winger Tyler Boucher — hasn’t played more than half a season in four years. And in case you forgot, this is a team that hasn’t experienced playoff hockey since 2017, although the usual suspects responsible for the organization’s current state either passed away or were fired.

Surprise pick: Konsta Helenius, C (Jukurit, SM-Liiga) — The surprise won’t be that one of Finland’s most prolific first-year-eligible point producers will be a top-10 pick, but that it will be the Sens who grab him there. Although prospects of Helenius’ ilk, i.e. an elite pass-first playmaking center, are nowhere to be found in Ottawa’s deep pipeline, the Senators haven’t used a first-rounder on a sub-six-foot skater since they took 5-foot-11 center Curtis Lazar in 2013.

If we’re going on production and just plain ole upside alone, it would be smart to mention the highly-cerebral Parekh in the same breath as Sam Dickinson, Zeev Buium, and Artyom Levshunov (among a few others) for the highest point-producing upside among 2024 draft-eligible defensemen. He delivered an all-world season for Saginaw after the Spirit counted on Parekh to provide offense from the back end, and boy did he ever. With his 33 goals and 96 points to lead all CHL defensemen and 44 assists to tie for second overall in the OHL, Parekh nearly produced a 100-point draft season that should conclude with his involvement in the Memorial Cup.

Bottom line: The Kraken have yet to draft a defenseman in the first round and rearguards with Parekh’s premier skill rarely find themselves without a team by the middle of the first round. A peek at Ron Francis’ draft record in Carolina reveals his selection of a defenseman with his first pick in each of his first three drafts, so to say he’s due in Seattle would be an understatement.

Surprise pick: Beckett Sennecke, RW (Oshawa, OHL) — Near-elite maneuverability usually isn’t part of a power forward’s scouting report, but Sennecke can skate (or dangle) his way out of any jam. He was third on scoring for contending Oshawa and is a master at drawing penalties, which plagued the Kraken throughout their disappointing season.

Put Macklin Celebrini in the CHL or Europe for his draft season instead of the NCAA and we probably get to appreciate Buium’s ridiculous freshman campaign a little more. Not only did this sublime playmaker lead the nation in defense scoring as a freshman (11 goals, 39 assists in 42 games), but he was critical in Denver winning its second Frozen Four in three years. The San Diego native also helped Team USA win gold at the 2024 under-20 world junior hockey championships by scoring a key insurance goal in the finale against Sweden.

Bottom line: The Flames did the right thing by drafting Adam Fox in 2016 despite knowing he wasn’t signing there, but they’ll get another shot at an equally skilled defender if Buium is still on the board at 10. Although they recently drafted playmaking defensemen in Jeremie Poirier and Etienne Morin, neither has Buium’s potential for point-per-game scoring.

Surprise pick: Linus Eriksson, C (Djurgardens, Allsvenskan) — Trading Elias Lindholm was a necessary sacrifice for Craig Conroy in what proved to be a challenging first season as general manager. Eriksson as a dominant 200-foot center essentially is a stylistic carbon copy, at least if you can recall Lindholm’s 2012-13 draft campaign with Brynas. Although Eriksson wasn’t as productive, he came on strong in the second half and was a key figure in Djurgardens’ run to the Allsvenskan final.

Easily one of the more intriguing power-forward prospects we’ve seen near the top of recent draft classes, the Norwegian-born Nygard, or Brandsegg-Nygard if you aren’t into the whole brevity thing, is far from an all-or-nothing winger. Kicking it off is his skating, which is on the plus side for a well-built, 6-foot-1, 200-pounder. This was evident during his full season in Sweden’s adult-age Allsvenskan, as he managed to traverse through the neutral zone with ease while defenders of all shapes, speeds, and sizes were left flat-footed high at the line. Nygard also clobbers the puck with enormous power and velocity and is a hard hitter off the forecheck.

Bottom line: Talk about a season ending on a sour note. Not only did the Devils miss the playoffs after a franchise-record 52-win season but did so losing seven of their last nine to fall out of a winnable wild-card race. Their top-tier nucleus is almost entirely under the age of 25, but graduations and deadline deals have degraded their once-enviable pipeline, meaning New Jersey can go in several directions with this pick but wouldn’t be wrong by getting stronger on the wing — literally and figuratively.

Surprise pick: Liam Greentree, RW (Windsor, OHL) — There was this perception that the Devils were pushed around this season, not to mention their recent draft history is mostly devoid of physical wingers with leadership traits. The 6-foot-2, 207-pound Greentree can be the potential solution to this perceived organizational shortcoming, but he also is a star in the scoring department, as he led the Spits with 36 goals and 54 assists.

Helenius clearly is the top Finnish prospect in this year’s draft and for all intents, as strong a top-five candidate as we’ve seen out of the SM-Liiga in recent years, including Juraj Slafkovsky, whose draft-year production in 2021-22 (10 points in 31 games) pales in comparison to Helenius’ 14 goals and 36 points in 51 contests. In fact, Helenius, a natural playmaker and skilled power-play specialist, averaged 0.43 assists per game during the regular season, which is the highest among all Finnish draft prospects since Aleksander Barkov’s rate of 0.51 during the 2012-13 season.

Bottom line: There’s no need to pull an all-nighter to find the smoking gun that links the Sabres’ scouting staff and their draft-day decisions with the analytics department, which is another way of saying near-historic production levels by any draft prospect certainly won’t go unnoticed in Buffalo. The Sabres as an organization may have taken a step backward in their plight to end a 13-year playoff drought and, yes, they are already loaded with young centers of quality. But it’s doubtful the staff deviates from their MO of taking the best player available, at Helenius would be exactly that if he slips out of the top 10.

Surprise pick: Igor Chernyshov, LW/C (Dynamo Moscow, KHL) — On the heels of an impressive draft-1 campaign in which he averaged a point a game for Dynamo’s junior club, Chernyshov looked both mature and dangerous during a well-deserved KHL stint in which he appeared in 34 games. He hasn’t generated the kind of hype we’ve seen from Ivan Demidov and Anton Silayev, but Chernyshov is the kind of prospect who should have every NHL scouting staff on board due to his power-forward game and high projectability.

Big-bodied finishers with first-step quickness from the center ice position are a rarity in any draft class, which may explain why NHL Central Scouting was quick to nominate Lindstrom as the second-best North American forward behind Macklin Celebrini in each of their two in-season draft rankings. His draft season may have been cut in half by injuries to his hand and back, but the 6-foot-3, 210-pounder still produced a 1.44 points-per-game average in his 32 games for the highest total by a Medicine Hat first-year eligible since Joffrey Lupul in 2001-02.

Bottom line: The Flyers can make the argument that they don’t need to replace Cutter Gauthier after trading him for defenseman Jamie Drysdale last January. But if the old plan was for Gauthier to become a foundational top-six center and become Matvei Michkov’s partner in crime, then shouldn’t Philly do more than just consider an alternative? Lindstrom lasting this long may seem like a long shot considering Central Scouting ranked him as the third-best North American prospect, but between his injuries, his low assist total for a center (19 in 32 games), and the annual tradition of at least one top-tier kid slipping, it’s more than reasonable to not only see Lindstrom drop out of the top 10 but also anticipate the Flyers being all over it if he does.

Surprise pick: Carter Yakemchuk, RHD (Calgary Hitmen, WHL) — It may sound foolish if the Flyers used a lottery first-rounder on a right-shot defender after paying a high price to acquire Jamie Drysdale and selecting Oliver Bonk 22nd overall in 2023. But Yakemchuk would have been a lock for the top five had this particular draft crop not been blessed with four or five other blueliners who were tagged as potential franchise cornerstones.

A breakaway threat with a deadly shot and excellent balance and puck protection, Chernyshov is a power forward who isn’t far behind Cole Eiserman for best finisher in the 2024 class. He’s a 6-foot-3, 193-pound winger with a late-2005 birthday who torched the MHL for a second straight season, although this year he earned a lengthy KHL stint which automatically puts him in the running for a full season with the A-team in 2024-25. He scored 13 goals and added 15 assists in 22 games, but his 1.27 points-per-game average was good for eighth in Russia’s top junior circuit.

Bottom line: There seems to be a pattern with the Wild in that they alternate between skill-heavy and needs/intangibles in every other draft. If that’s the case, then 2024 should be a carbon copy of their 2020 and 2022 crops in which they went bananas on scoring forwards. They’ve also shown a willingness to draft out of Russia, which helps explain why studs like Marat Khusnutdinov and Danila Yurov were available much later than expected. Chernyshov is highly respected within the scouting community and his current KHL deal runs out after next season.

Surprise pick: Aron Kiviharju, LHD (HIFK, SM-Liiga) — Once considered the cream of the 2024 defense crop, Kiviharju suffered a catastrophic knee injury in October that would keep him on the shelf for the rest of the regular season and playoffs. Although concerns about the strength of his knee remain valid, Kiviharju’s return to the ice for host Finland at the recent U18 world championships proved that rust can be knocked off and he can still impact shifts with sharp anticipation and vision.

Being scrutinized for everything other than finishing during the entirety of his draft season was something Eiserman probably didn’t expect. But there’s room in this space to credit the Newburyport, Mass. native for defiantly sticking to what he did best and breaking the NTDP career mark with 127 goals, 58 of which came in 57 games this season. Doubting him is not recommended, but it should be interesting tracking his development to see if his one-way tendencies infuriate the people who can make or break his career. Chances are nobody’s going to care that he didn’t backcheck enough during his draft year if he’s scoring 25 or 30 goals a season, if not more.

Bottom line: A general manager with Commonwealth Avenue ties wanting to draft BU’s top scorer with his first overall pick and the school’s top recruit as a bonus shortly thereafter sure sounds like low-hanging fruit, but there isn’t a prospect in this class, let alone in San Jose’s system, who can finish like Eiserman.

Surprise pick: Marek Vanacker, LW (Brantford, OHL) — Vanacker was the leading scorer for the upstart Bulldogs, who kept pace with the Oshawa Generals for first place OHL’s East Division despite injuries to notable NHL draftees. Vanacker, the 23rd pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, did most of his damage at even strength and was one of the OHL’s top shorthanded threats.

Luchanko, the 12th overall pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, was Guelph’s heartbeat and leading scorer who in his second season with the Storm played a fast-paced and abrasive style that probably didn’t win him many friends from the opposing bench. He can skate his way out of any jam and make high-end plays off the rush, especially when utilizing his elite edges to gain the inside and create an improved shooting lane to bring his plus-level shot to bear. The Red Wings in recent years have drafted multi-tool players like Luchanko before, but few have his athleticism and all-out dedication to checking when it’s time to protect a lead.

Bottom Line: Yzer-plan this, Yzer-plan that. The Red Wings being ever so close to a playoff spot — the closest they’ve come in Steve Yzerman’s five-year tenure as general manager — shouldn’t make a difference in their approach toward the draft. The Wings, like everyone else, seem to like centers that provide a 200-foot effort and make plays at top speed without needing much teammate support to get it done. Luchanko is that low-maintenance type whose example should push recent draftees to be better.

Surprise pick: Jesse Pulkkinen, LHD (JyP, SM-Liiga) — Pulkkinen is the overager du jour in this year’s draft and his immediate impact with JyP at the elite-league level has many wondering why his poised, confident game wasn’t on display a year ago when he was eligible the first time. Whether it’s simple maturation or a full year’s worth of training and improvement is beside the point — Pulkkinen was the SM-Liiga’s best young defenseman, and he’s got the snarl, skill, and creativity that should translate once he crosses the pond.

Yakemchuk has few questions surrounding his game and his impressive on-ice results — 30 goals, 41 assists, and 275 shots — clearly speak to his ability to take over a game. His Hitmen were one of the younger teams in the WHL and Yakemchuk never seemed to wilt under the pressure of jumpstarting the offense, and his penchant for delivering on the power play when combined with his ideal 6-foot-3, 203-pound frame could find him off the board much sooner than the mid-teens.

Bottom line: There’s enough evidence to suggest that this could be Doug Armstrong’s last draft as Blues’ general manager, and he probably knows more than anyone that his struggling power play needs an upgrade in personnel. Yakemchuk screams full-time NHL’er beyond scoring, although he may need AHL seasoning until he can deliver the desired effects with the parent club. Still, it would behoove Armstrong to augment his blossoming forward crop with one of the best offensive defensemen to play in the WHL.

Surprise pick: Liam Greentree, RW (Windsor Spitfires, OHL) — The Blues have a history of drafting physical wingers with leadership traits, and the 6-foot-2, 207-pound Greentree offers both in spades. He’s in the upper tier of draft-eligible power forwards from the last handful of classes.

A soft-mitted finisher in a 6-foot-3, 211-pound frame, Greentree has a nose for finding space in the neutral zone, and his speed allows him to outpace back pressure for freedom of movement inside the offensive end. He boasts a powerful wrist shot from distance, but also knows how to improve his angle and force a goalie out of his comfort zone. He wasn’t as dominant at the under-18 worlds, however, which may have created a reason for him to fall.

Bottom line: “Not another winger” says the astute observer, who knows full well that the Capitals have been loading up on flankers the last two drafts while the pool’s defense depth is on the thin side following the recent graduations of Vincent Iorio and Alexander Alexeyev. But if drafting the best player available is the day’s mission statement, then Greentree cannot be allowed to land onto a divisional foe’s lap.

Surprise pick: Alfons Freij, LHD (Vaxjo J20, Nationell) — The leading finisher among Vaxjo J20 backliners with 14 in 40 games, Freij’s gaudy goal-scoring numbers accurately depict his plus-level shooting capability. Whether via the slapper or wrister, Freij is going to put a goalie on his toes and make him contemplate his initial-save actions.

Sennecke at first glance will stand out for his size, but it only takes a few shifts for the 6-foot-3, 180-pound winger to reveal his above-average quickness, slick escape moves, and plus-level puck control at top speed. The eighth pick in the 2022 OHL draft, Sennecke is a highlight-reel on skates who is destined to make a long list of enemies for mostly the right reasons.

Bottom line: The Islanders get the best of both worlds in Sennecke — a physical winger with size who can beat you with speed and puck skill. The defense within the pipeline is thin on elite talent, but it’s looking more and more like the Isles will own a pick in each of the first two rounds for the first time since 2019, so they can address the backend in the middle of Round 2.

Surprise pick: Julius Miettinen, C (Everett Silvertips, WHL) — If the intent is to keep fiery head coach Patrick Roy on Long Island for the foreseeable future, then the Islanders should supply him with physical players blessed with scoring ability to help them maintain their identity as tough to play against. Miettinen had an easy transition from Finland to North America, much to the chagrin of WHL opposition. He finished with 31 goals and 36 assists in 67 games, won 55 percent of his draws, and was a key piece to one of the league’s top power plays.

The top overall scorer during the Forts stage and one of the best 200-foot centers available for this year’s NHL draft, Pettersson continues to answer the bell after lofty preseason expectations were bestowed upon him. He was MoDo J20’s undisputed top-line center and all-around Mr. Everything during each of the first two phases of the Nationell season, which was highlighted by a 31-point effort in only 18 Forts contests (14 goals, 17 assists). Bolstering Pettersson’s reputation was a consistent top-line role for Team Sweden at the U18 tournament level, where he combined for 21 points in 17 games and delivered telling performances at the World Jr. A Challenge last December and the recent U18 world championships.

Bottom line: There is no reason — absolutely no reason at all — to think the Golden Knights will draft anything but a center with their first pick. They’ve been in the league since 2017 and not once did they open their draft class with a prospect who doesn’t play the pivot. Besides, Vegas has traded about half of them, including recent first-rounders Zach Dean (for Ivan Barbashev) and David Edstrom (for Tomas Hertl).

Surprise pick: Kamil Bednarik, C (U.S. U18, NTDP) — The 6-foot, 185-pound Bednarik can handle the responsibility of feeding pucks to hungry wingers and do so with flair. He can skate for his size and stay on his edges, thus helping him frequent open ice with an air of confidence and showcase plus stickhandling and gear-shifting when moving towards a stacked opposing line. He was flanked by Cole Eiserman for a chunk of the season and Bednarik showed he can feed the proverbial beast, especially off the cycle.

The full-fledged No. 1 for Owen Sound as a rookie after they drafted him in the third round of the 2022 OHL draft, George was legitimately stellar for Team Canada at the U18 world championships, where he backstopped nation to the gold medal despite his mates parading to the penalty box all tournament long. George is the quintessential game-stealer, as he proved for the Attack when facing a nightly barrage of shots.

Bottom line: The Blackhawks haven’t drafted a goalie in the first round since Adam Munro in 2001, but they can afford to break the habit with George, who looks like a franchise No. 1 in the making.

Surprise pick: Adam Jecho, C (Edmonton Oil Kings, WHL) — You can make a strong argument that no center in the entire draft checks as many boxes under the unicorn category as Jecho, who was ranked 22nd by NHL Central Scouting but averaged under a point a game in his first season in North America. Jecho has desirable length and near-elite puck control with a blistering writer to boot, and all within a 6-foot-5, 200-pound package.

The leading scorer among all CHL rookies, Parascak is a high-volume shooter and low-maintenance finisher who went from fourth-round WHL bantam pick to top-10 caliber in the 2024 NHL draft. He potted 43 goals and added 62 assists to rank eighth in the WHL with 105 points, but Parascak contributed beyond the scoresheet and was summoned for all situations, including late/close and critical penalty kills.

Bottom line: Parascak is a too-good-to-be-true kind of prospect in that his awareness and anticipation are so off the charts that you’d think his opponents are all wearing blindfolds. The Kings could use a high-volume shooter from the wing after avoiding the position with every one of their first-round picks since taking Adrian Kempe 29th overall in 2014. Although drafting the best player available has been the Los Angeles way during general manager Rob Blake’s tenure, selecting Parascak would kill two birds with one stone if available in the early 20’s.

Surprise pick: Leo Sahlin-Wallenius, LHD (Vaxjo J20, Nationell) — A lefty with a heavy shot who plays the right side with regularity and was the dedicated power-play quarterback for teams at the J20 and international levels, Sahlin-Wallenius is a confident puck rusher who rode a surging wave of confidence from a dominant junior season into the 2024 U18 world championships. He was second to fellow 2024 first-year-eligible Noel Fransen in overall defense scoring with 18 points during the 30-game Sodra Division stage.

The Canadian-born Hage has the makings of a too-good-to-be-true kind of center because he consistently delivers the critical play and looks good while doing so. There’s no denying the strength advantage the Michigan-bound pivot enjoyed over the average USHL center, but elite-level puck protection and quickness in every direction also helped this first-year eligible place fourth in league scoring with 33 goals and 75 points in only 54 games.

Bottom line: The Predators continue to reap the rewards from shrewd draft decisions and patience with player development, as their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee continues to steamroll the opposition with recent draftees spearheading the charge. Hage would be a best-player-available selection, and another spoke in the wheel if the Predators decide to grab him, although there should be a nice, warm top-six spot waiting for him in the AHL once his NCAA career is complete.

Surprise pick: Matvei Shuravin, LHD (Krasnaya Armiya, MHL) — It’s not your fault if the chatter surrounding Russian-league defenseman available in 2024 is dominated by Anton Silayev, but several others from the MHL should not be overlooked. Shuravin is a wise-beyond-his years type of blueliner with size who is ultra-competitive and capable of lockdown defense on one end and a quick, smooth transition up ice immediately thereafter. CSKA doesn’t promote just anyone to the big club but saw no issue in elevating Shuravin for 11 contests.

Solberg is a game changer from the back end who likely would have generated more buzz had he showcased his aggressive tendencies, two-way play, and mean streak beyond the two-week world juniors. Playing the entirety of a draft season in Norway will do that to a prospect, but Solberg signed with Farjestad BK in the SHL for next season after showing more than enough promise as a top-four in Norwegian league play. Toronto usually goes the “best player available” route but the defense has to be addressed.

Bottom line: This will be the first draft as Leafs’ general manager where Brad Treliving observed his scouting staff for an entire season. We’ll have to wait and see if he impacted their process and if his vision for roster construction and player development is diametrically opposed to what was mandated by his predecessor Kyle Dubas, who never once drafted a defender 6-foot-1 or taller within the first three rounds in any of his five drafts.

Surprise pick: Adam Jiricek, RHD (Plzen, Extraliga) — It probably goes without saying that nothing can be more frustrating for a draft prospect than missing nearly the entire pre-draft campaign with an injury. Jiricek entered the 2023-24 season as a top-15 hopeful, and not strictly on the basis that his older brother David played the same position and went sixth overall to Columbus in 2022. Adam is the kind of physical specimen the Leafs are clamoring for, but he also was a prolific scorer in the DHL Extraliga Junioru during his draft-1 season before a serious knee injury at the 2024 under-20 world juniors limited him to only 19 games with Plzen’s A-team.

Although Eriksson wasn’t Djurgardens J20’s nominal first-line center, he executed high-end passing plays that would often surpass the skill levels exhibited by his equally talented teammates. But Erikkson should not be labeled a pass-first playmaker, for his deadly wrister was on display in the Allsvenskan and his release prevented adult-age goalies from squaring properly. Consider Eriksson to be a future NHL captain or at least one of his team’s brightest examples of what right looks like on a given shift.

Bottom line: The Ducks have done well when drafting Swedish prospects dating back to the Bob Murray days and last year’s decision to take Orebro’s Leo Carlsson over Fantilli seems more astute than bold. Eriksson may not be ready to challenge for a top-six job in the NHL, but his checking ability and clutch scoring would be a nice compliment to the potential high-scoring attack the Ducks have been assembling.

Surprise pick: Ryder Ritchie, RW (Prince Albert, WHL) — A pure winger who was the 2023 WHL Rookie of the Year, Ritchie’s draft season was shortened by a lower-body injury, but he still paced for nearly a point per game and was a scoring machine for Canada’s gold-medal-winning entry at the U18 Ivan Hlinka tournament and U18 world championships.

A winger by trade who thinks, competes, and executes like a 200-foot center, Artamonov may have been one of the KHL’s youngest regulars in 2023-24, but he certainly didn’t play like it. For a prospect only one year removed from his first full junior season, Artamonov proved he came a long way just weeks into his initial KHL campaign. He registered eight points in his first 11 games, and in October, the 5-foot-11, 187 pounder became the youngest player in KHL history to record four points in a game. Artamonov plays a fast-paced game built on anticipation and stubbornness.

Bottom line: You can bet the Avs had plenty of eyeballs on Artamonov considering he was an everyday winger on Torpedo just like noteworthy Colorado prospect Nikolai Kovalenko. Artamonov gets plenty of love for what he did in the KHL, but his return to Chaika for the MHL playoffs was nearly as promising, as he assumed a top-line role and played over 23 minutes a game for a thin squad that needed, and then received, his best effort.

Surprise pick: Melvin Fernstrom, RW (Orebro J20, Nationell) — A prolific J20 scorer who earned a dedicated top-line spot on Sweden’s U18 national teams, Fernstrom this season was every bit as lethal as a go-to winger should be. The 6-foot, 185-pound sniper led the combined slate with 31 goals and was tied for third in points with 63 in 45 games.

Boisvert is a Canadian-born prospect committed to North Dakota and one of the slickest stickhandlers available for the upcoming draft. A natural center who’s good on draws, Boisvert likes to use his 6-foot-2 frame to protect the puck and he’s basically patented the offensive-zone entry from the backskate. There is a high level of dynamism fueling Boisvert’s game-breaking ability and being from Quebec would add to what should be an anticipated arrival.

Bottom line: Ottawa’s drafts in recent years have been highly unpopular on both a local and national scale, so it’s worth paying attention to how the Sens approach a pick that is tied to the failed Alex DeBrincat experiment. Boisvert and his skill-speed-size blend would be an upper cut compared to the safe or unspectacular selections Ottawa made the previous three years.

Surprise pick: Dominik Badinka, RHD (Malmo, SHL) — An energetic puck mover who made an immediate jump from the J20 to a full-time SHL role, Badinka left little doubt that his profile was that of a first-round caliber draft prospect. After transferring to Sweden from Finland’s Jokerit program last offseason, Badinka quickly established himself as one of Malmo J20’s top players, recording 12 points in 15 Sodra Division games while playing a physical, excitable brand of zone-to-zone hockey.

A fierce competitor with a blistering shot, Surin was an all-important scorer for Loko Yaroslavl during their march to the MHL’s regular-season crown and in the process finished top-10 in the league in points, shots, and penalty minutes. He does toe the line between thuggish and undisciplined, but he backs up his violent ways with plus-level offense and he can play in all situations at either wing or center.

Bottom line: It’s safe to predict Montreal being more than interested in Russian prospects as long as Euro scout Nikolai Bobrov has a say in it, and the results from the pair they took last year — Torpedo defenseman Bogdan Konyushkov and Mamonty Yugry goalie Yevgeni Volokhin — were positive. Surin has a strong reputation and would likely be a captain for Russia’s world junior team if the IIHF lifts the ban before 2026.

Surprise pick: Carter George, GK (Owen Sound, OHL) — Consider this decision more shocking than most of the other secondary options listed in this post, especially since it was only a year ago when the Habs stole the amazing Jacob Fowler in the third round and that 2020 fifth-rounder Jakub Dobes was impressive as the undisputed No. 1 in his rookie season for their AHL affiliate in Laval. But no rule says the rich shouldn’t get richer, especially since goaltending at the NHL level has been a major point of contention since Carey Price carried the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021.

An energetic playmaker with exceptional vision, Basha essentially shared the draft-year spotlight with teammate Cayden Lindstrom yet it was the former who finished third in scoring among WHL first-year eligibles behind Berkly Catton and Terik Parascak. He’s a plus skater with a series of escape moves and his motor still runs high at the end of shifts.

Bottom line: The Canes like to wear you down with endless pressure and smart possession tactics, so it’s natural they require their draft prospects to be high on both puck skill and mobility. Basha is one of the best setup men available in the draft and can play in the AHL after his 2024-25 WHL season ends.

Surprise pick: Emil Hemming, RW (TPS Turku, SM-Liiga) — Although Hemming is pure snipe show above everything else, the Canes can replenish the void in their pipeline after they packaged dual-threat winger Ville Koivunen to Pittsburgh as part of the Jake Guentzel deal. Hemming has one of the best one-timers in the class and impressed in spurts as the youngest regular on TPS Turku’s A-team.

Freij is a high-upside puck rusher with plenty of quality tournament play to put himself in a position to become one of the first European defensemen to come off the board in June. He produced a pair of impressive J20 seasons in addition to owning a top-four role and producing like a madman for Sweden’s national teams at the U18 level. He teamed with Leo Sahlin-Wallenius to give Vaxjo J20 one of the Nationell’s top 1-2 punches along the blue line.

Bottom line: For all their problems generating offense last season, one trend from the Brad Treliving regime that remained unchanged after Craig Conroy took over was goal-scoring from the defense, which has been a Flames’ hallmark for several years. Freij is mobile and can blister the puck off the rush or the cycle, as was evident in the 14 goals he scored in 40 Nationell games.

Surprise pick: Tanner Howe, W/C (Regina Pats, WHL) —  It’s safe to say Howe in this draft season shed the unfair tag that his impressive rookie numbers from two seasons ago were aided entirely by flanking Connor Bedard. With his all-world linemate now in the NHL, this 5-foot-10, 182-pound winger would produce like a franchise player for Regina, which relied on Howe to carry the weight on offense. In fact, Howe was named Pats captain at the beginning of the season and by season’s end was their scoring leader by 25 points.

Sahlin-Wallenius is a triple threat from the back end in that he can skate, shoot, and deliver the home-run pass. He’s been called a finesse player by NHL Central Scouting, but Sahlin-Wallenius can be a tough matchup during net-front defense, and he often looks and plays bigger than his 6-foot, 176-pound frame would lead you to believe. His 31 assists led all Nationell defenders in 43 combined games between the J20’s Sodra Division and the Top-10 slate.

Bottom line: The Flyers’ power play has been abysmally bad for several years and neither Cam York nor Jamie Drysdale have quarterbacked the man-advantage to new heights. If Philadelphia opts for a forward with their higher pick, then adding an offense-minded blueliner should become paramount, especially from the left side. Sahlin-Wallenius is a good skater with size and a willingness to play physical, so it’s not like his skill set is limited to just scoring. He orchestrated Vaxjo J20’s power play to 27 percent effectiveness against the tougher bracket in the J20 Nationell.

Surprise pick: Teddy Stiga, W/C (U.S. U18, NTDP) — You can add this versatile Bay State winger to the short list of 2024 draft prospects whose motor never stops while making opponents pay on the scoreboard using plus-level skill. Stiga was a clutch performer for the NTDP’s and his only teammates who outproduced him were top-flight prospects Cole Eiserman and James Hagens.

London’s second-rounder in the 2022 OHL draft, O’Reilly is a natural center whose off-the-puck tendencies are as pronounced as his playmaking and board play; all of which served him well as London’s second-line center (alongside talented Maple Leafs’ prospect Easton Cowan) during the Knights’ seemingly never-ending heater that has them on the cusp of a return to the Memorial Cup.

Bottom line: The only thing predictable about the Stars’ draft tendencies in the first round under general manager Jim Nill is that they rarely go outside the CHL. The trend likely continues in 2024 since this year’s crop is on the stronger side, and O’Reilly averaging under a point a game probably doesn’t bother the Dallas staff since they know he’d put up flashier scoring numbers had he played for a team without nearly a dozen prospects already drafted into the NHL. Talk to the right people involved with the Knights and they’ll say O’Reilly is likely to explode offensively in his draft+1 just like Luke Evangelista and current 90-plus-point forwards Easton Cowan and Denver Barkey.

Surprise pick: Henry Mews, RHD (Ottawa 67’s, OHL) — The Stars seem to care less about the public’s perception of a junior-age defenseman as long as the potential for point production remains high despite a handful of nightly mistakes. Mews is a scoring option who is one of the flashier defense prospects available, although there’s certainly room for growth in puck management and coverage. But keep in mind the same criticisms were said of Thomas Harley and Christian Kyrou before Dallas made them high-round picks.

It’s too bad there isn’t a stat for effort and selflessness since they’d help Beaudoin become the odds-on favorite to rank at or near the top among all 2024 eligibles and get some much-deserved draft love in the process. Beaudoin, who was the 10th pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, isn’t a technically-superior skater, yet there he is every time, outworking the daylights out of a defenseman whether on the puck or off it. He is an expert penalty killer, a scoring threat on special teams, and a go-to option for key faceoffs.

Bottom line: You have to hand it to general manager Chris Drury for putting his stamp on what became the best team in the league while maintaining a farm system that continues to graduate everyday contributors. But the one position where New York draftees continue to fall short of expectation is at center ice, where 2017 first-rounder Filip Chytil remains the lone homegrown pivot from their last 12 classes to play a full season on Broadway. There also should be an inclination to bolster the defense, but quality defensemen will outnumber quality pivots in the later rounds.

Surprise pick: Trevor Connelly, LW (Tri-City Storm, USHL) — Easily the most controversial prospect available in this year’s draft. Connelly may be a superior playmaker with excellent passing skill, but he has a long way to go to crush the perception that his teenage off-ice mistakes are indicative of what he’ll become as a pro. On talent alone, few can touch the puck-hungry California native, who is destined for Providence College and will be under the watchful eye of respected head coach Nate Leaman.

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