The 2024 NHL Draft is upon us. Vegas is ready and so are the prospects bound for NHL teams. With that, there’s no better time than now to share with you my final draft rankings of the season.
As usual, following the NHL combine in Buffalo, some of us come out with different perspectives on some of these prospects. They drive them up our rankings, while others may fall based on the knowledge we gain from some of the conversations. Either way, there was a lot of movement in my final rankings of the season. While the number one pick remains the Hobey Baker winner, Macklin Celebrini, the remainder of the first round has seen some major shuffling.
For me, Tij Iginla’s play down the stretch as well as talking to him at the combine boosted him into my top-five. He has the size and plays with the same edge as his father did during his NHL career. He has the offensive upside and his NHL ceiling is one worth keeping an eye on beyond this season.
As for Ivan Demidov, there’s a lot of conversation around the rankers that next to Celebrini, he’s the top offensive player in the draft. Discussion is also swirling that he would like to make the jump to North America in the next couple of seasons which should push the fact that he’s the likely candidate to go second overall.
Beyond that it’s a free-for-all. Sam Dickinson should be the top defender off the board and a top-10 pick, while questions still remain as to where Cole Eiserman will go. Some have Montreal taking a waiver on the talented forward, while others have him dropping outside the top-10.
Berkly Catton has dropped a handful of spots since the start of the season and while some might attribute it to size, it has a lot to do with what those above him have done in their respective seasons. I wasn’t excited about dropping Saginaw Spirit and Memorial Cup champion Zayne Parekh out of my top-10, but piling in some of the top talent, there just wasn’t room for him — hence the 11th spot ranking.
Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide
It’s still considered a defensive-heavy top couple of rounds in this year’s draft class, but there’s a lot of talent to go around. Outside the top-10, some names to keep an eye on are Stian Sølberg, Sam O’Reilly, Kevin He and my steal of the draft — Aron Kiviharju.
Without that, here are my final top-128 for the 2024 NHL Draft.
First Round
1. Macklin Celebrini, C, Boston University (NCAA)
2. Ivan Demidov, C/RW, SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)
3. Cayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
4. Artyom Levshunov, RD, Michigan State (NCAA)
5. Tij Iginla, C, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
6. Sam Dickinson, LD, London Knights (OHL)
7. Cole Eiserman, LW, USA U18 (NTDP)
8. Berkly Catton, C, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
9. Konsta Helenius, RW, Jukurit (Liiga)
10. Zeev Buium, LD, University of Denver (NCAA)
11. Zayne Parekh, RD, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
12. Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, RW, Mora IK (HockeyAllsvenskan)
13. Anton Silayev, LD, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
14. Adam Jiricek, RD, HC Plzen U20 (Czechia)
15. Igor Chernyshov, LW, MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)
16. Carter Yakemchuk, RD, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
17. Liam Greentree, RW, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
18. Beckett Sennecke, RW, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
19. Michael Hage, C, Chicago Steel (USHL)
20. Emil Hemming, LW/RW, TPS (Liiga)
21. Ryder Ritchie, RW, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
22. EJ Emery, RD, USA U18 (NTDP)
23. Stian Sølberg, LD, Vålerenga (Norway)
24. Sacha Boisvert, C, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
Related: 2024 NHL Draft Rankings – Baracchini’s Top 128 Final Rankings
25. Andrew Basha, LW, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
26. Trevor Connelly, LW, Tri- City Storm (USHL)
27. Alfons Freij, LD, Växjö Lakers HC J20 (Nationell)
28. Lucas Pettersson, C, MoDo Hockey J20 (Nationell)
29. Teddy Stiga, LW, USA U18 (NTDP)
30. Jett Luchanko, C, Guelph Storm (OHL)
31. Dominik Badinka, RD, Malmö Redhawks J20 (Nationell)
32. Terik Parascak, RW, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Second Round
33. Aron Kiviharju, LD, HIFK (Liiga)
34. Dean Letourneau, C, St. Andrew’s College (HIGH-ON)
35. John Mustard, LW, Waterloo Blackhawks (USHL)
36. Matvei Gridin, RW, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
37. Cole Beaudoin, C, Barrie Colts (OHL)
38. Linus Eriksson, C, Djurgårdens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan)
39. Sam O’Reilly, RW, London Knights (OHL)
40. Julius Miettinen, C/LW, Everett Silvertips (WHL)
41. Maxim Massé, RW, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
42. Carter George, G, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
43. Charlie Elick, RD, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
44. Luke Misa, C, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
45. Spencer Gill, RD, Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL)
46. Cole Hutson, LD, USA U18 (NTDP)
47. Nikita Artamonov, RW, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
48. Justin Poirier, RW, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
49. Leo Sahlin Wallenius, LD, Växjö Lakers HC J20 (Nationell)
50. Colton Roberts, RD, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
51. Tanner Howe, LW/C, Regina Pats (WHL)
Related: 2024 NHL Draft Rankings – Horn’s Final Top 128 for June
52. Jesse Pulkkinen, LD, JYP (Liiga)
53. Mikhail Yegorov, G, Omaha Lancers (USHL)
54. Henry Mews, RD, Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
55. Noel Fransén, LD, Färjestad BK J20 (Nationell)
56. Matvei Shuravin, LD, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)
57. Harrison Brunicke, RD, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
58. Adam Jecho, RW, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
59. Alexander Zetterberg, C, Örebro HK J20 (Nationell)
60. Marek Vanacker, LW, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
61. Ryerson Leenders, G, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
62. Veeti Väisänen, LD, KooKoo (Liiga)
63. Leon Muggli, LD, EV Zug (NL)
64. Oskar Vuollet, C/LW, Skellefteå AIK J20 (Nationell)
Third Round
65. Jack Berglund, C, Färjestad BK (SHL)
66. Will Zellers, F, Shattuck St. Mary’s 18U Prep (USHS)
67. Daniil Ustinkov, LD, ZSC Lions (National League)
68. Yegor Surin, C, Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)
69. Herman Träff, LW/RW, HV71 J20 (Nationell)
70. Simon Zether, C, Rögle BK J20 (Nationell)
71. Brodie Ziemer, RW, USA U18 (NTDP)
72. Tomas Galvas, LD, Bílí Tygři Liberec (Czechia)
73. Jakub Fibigr, LD, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
74. Kamil Bednarik, C, USA U18 (NTDP)
75. Adam Kleber, RD, Lincoln Stars (USHL)
76. Lukas Fischer, LD, Sarnia Sting (OHL)
77. Ollie Josephson, C, Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
78. Carson Wetsch, RW, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
79. Miguel Marques, LW, Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
80. Luca Marelli, RD, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
81. Melvin Fernström, F, Örebro HK J20 (Nationell)
82. Ilya Nabokov, G, Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)
83. Jack Pridham, RW, West Kelowna Warriors (BCHL)
84. Clarke Caswell, LW, Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
85. Kapser Pikkarainen, RW, TPS U20 (SM-sarja)
86. Nicholas Kempf, G, USA U18 (NTDP)
87. Tomas Lavoie, RD, Cape Breton Eagles (QMJHL)
Related: 2024 NHL Draft – The “Do Not Draft” List
88. Christian Humphreys, C, USA U18 (NTDP)
89. Sebastian Soini, RD, Ilves (Liiga)
90. Raoul Boilard, C, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
91. Riley Patterson, C, Barrie Colts (OHL)
92. Tarin Smith, LD, Everett Silvertips (WHL)
93. Eriks Mateiko, LW, Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
94. Jacob Battaglia, RW, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
95. Tuomas Suoniemi, C, Kiekko-Espoo U20 (SM-sarja)
96. Hagen Burrows, RW, Minnetonka High (USHS-MN)
Fourth Round
97. Gabriel Frasca, C, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
98. Will Skahan, LD, USA U18 (NTDP)
99. Javon Moore, LW, Minnetonka High (USHS-MN)
100. Ondrej Kos, LW, Ilves U20 (SM-sarja)
101. Matvey Babenko, RW, Tolpar UFA (MHL)
102. Karl Sterner, Frölunda J20 (Nationell)
103. Aatos Koivu, TPS U20 (SM-sarja)
104. Ondrej Becher, C, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
105. Maximillian Curran, C, Tri-City Americans (WHL)
106. Max Plante, RW, USA U18 (NTDP)
107. Hugo Lejon, RW, Västerås IK J20 (Nationell)
108. Ethan Procyszyn, RW, North Bay Battalion (OHL)
109. Eemil Vinni, G, JoKP (Mesits)
110. Kevin He, LW, Niagara Ice Dogs (OHL)
111. Mac Swanson, C, Fargo Force (USHL)
112. Alexandre Blais, C, Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL)
113. Frankie Marelli, LD, Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
114. Thomas Desruisseaux, C, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
115. Aidan Park, F, Shattuck St. Mary’s 18U Prep (USHS)
116. Nathan Villeneuve, C, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
117. Gabriel Eliasson, LD, HV71 J20 (Nationell)
118. Hugo Zetterlund, LW, Skellefteå AIK J20 (Nationell)
119. Jonathan Morello, C, St. Michael’s Buzzers (OJHL)
120. Anthony Romani, RW, North Bay Battalion (OHL)
121. Kristian Epperson, F, USA U18 (NTDP)
122. Kim Saarinen, G, HPK U20 (SM-sarja)
123. Owen Allard, C, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
124. Topias Hynninen, RW, Jukurit (Finland)
125. Jack Bodin, D, Örebro HK J20 (Nationell)
126. Ben Danford, RD, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
127. Will Felicio, LD, Madison Capitals (USHL)
128. Fyodor Avramov, LW, Stupid Jr. (Russia)
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