The 2024 NHL Draft season is officially off and running with the conclusion of the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, the first major event on the prospect calendar.
This preseason top 32 is my second of what will be six rankings for the upcoming draft, presented this season with an all-new design and user interface. It follows my way-too-early top 24, and will be followed by my preliminary top 64 (released in the fall), my midseason top 64 (released in the winter), a post-U18 worlds top 32 (released in May) and my final top 100 (released in June).
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The class of 2024, made up predominantly of 2006-born prospects, is led by three very different star forward prospects but looks like it will be defined by how strong it is on the back end, with defencemen making up five of the top 10 and 13 of the 32 prospects ranked here (for reference, when I put together my preseason list for the 2023 draft this time a year ago, there was no ‘D’ in my top 10 and just five in my top 32).
The ranking, now completely sortable, is also broken down into tiers to give you a better sense of the fluidity within groupings and the drop-offs between them. This ranking is divided into five tiers. They are: 1, 2-4, 5-7, 8-20 and 21-32.
Here are full scouting reports for the top 32, plus 34 honorable mentions (sorted alphabetically).
Note that while I consult scouts, coaches, general managers, team staff and agents in building my draft rankings, the following evaluations are strictly my own.
Macklin Celebrini
Celebrini has, so far, traveled the path of a true star-forward prospect. He doesn’t profile in the Connor Bedard, Connor McDavid or Sidney Crosby echelon, but he was a star at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, he was a star as one of the youngest players in the USHL with the Chicago Steel last season (where he put together the most prolific 16-year-old season in the league’s history, led the league in scoring, and was named the USHL Player of the Year), he was Canada’s best player at U18 worlds as an underager, and I’m confident he’s going to look like a star as the youngest player in college hockey at BU this season (once he gets back from offseason shoulder surgery). What he accomplished to date would be impressive even if he were on the older side of 2024 draft eligibles. It’s even more impressive because of his June birthday.
His profile has it all, too. He’s a natural center. He plays with confidence and presence that is rare in a player his age, consistently looking to attack and dictate with the puck. He’s also an intelligent off-puck player who understands timing, routes and how to get open and make himself available without the puck in his hands. He’s a plus-level skater. He’s a hardworking player defensively and into battles and races for pucks. He’s got dynamic puck skill that allows him to break down opponents and coverage at speed. He’s a tactile shooter and finisher who can get pucks off in a variety of ways, from a variety of stances, and without needing to tunnel vision for it (plus he has a hard one-timer). He’s consistent in approach. He sees and executes through seams with a lot of crispness. He is sturdy and thick for his age, and absorbs and plays through bumps extremely effectively, staying over pucks and extending sequences through a strong lower half. Those tools combine with excellent puck protection skills to allow him to play a heavy-skill game. He’s a quietly powerful player for a 6-foot kid. And while he’s not going to bully his way around the ice, he commands play and imposes himself.
Cole Eiserman
A dynamic goal scorer in the truest sense, Eiserman possesses an exhilarating ability to cleanly pick his spots in the net and beat defenders and goalies one-on-one when the shot isn’t there. He can score in every which way: long range, midrange, jam plays, rush plays, the one-timer, a catch-and-release. Last year, he showed one of the better shots and sets of hands I’ve seen in a player that age. He’s actually two and a half months younger than Celebrini, with a late-August birthday that makes him one of the youngest players in the draft.
Eiserman’s a shot creator who took whatever he wanted with the U17 team at the NTDP last year and continued to fill the net with the U18 team, chasing down records and seeming to score every night.
I actually think Eiserman’s a better skater than he has been given credit for in initial conversations I’ve had with folks about him, but it’s his dancing puck skill, quick release, shot variety (he can rip it in motion, off catch-and-releases, standing still, and from a one-timer, and he’ll make goalies guess wrong in alone because of how fast his hands are), and sneaky strength that allows him to create at will against his peers. He can frustrate, though, too, and he’s going to have to show scouts he can round out his game if he’s going to go No. 2 when it’s all said and done. There are times when he can be a little careless and selfish with the puck. He can get a little carried away trying to do too much, stickhandling into trouble or shooting into shin pads, and he just needs to use his teammates better. He doesn’t miss when he’s got an opportunity, though. The puck pops off of his stick so effortlessly and he produces that ”he’s about to score here” feeling every time the puck comes to him in a good spot. There’s not a puck he can’t catch and release either. It’s cliche, but you can’t teach that. He looks to me like he’s on a one-and-done track through the University of Minnesota to NHL stardom.
Artyom Levshunov
Belarus has produced two top-10 picks at the NHL Draft, but Levshunov looks like he’s got a real chance to be the country’s first top-five selection after a stellar rookie season in North America saw him put together a more productive season (43 points in 65 combined regular-season and playoff games) in the USHL than the one Owen Power put together at the same age (27 points in 69 games). And while Levshunov’s on the older side of the first-year eligibles for 2024 because of his October 2005 birthday, so was Power with his November birthday. We’ll get to measure him against Power again this season as well as he makes the draft-year jump to the NCAA with MSU.
Levshunov’s profile checks all of the boxes teams are looking for in a high-end defenseman. He’s a righty with a pro build already. He’s a smooth skater with plus-level four-way mobility and good length. Though he was a little green defensively when he arrived in the USHL, he made fast progress and really figured it out last year (which included becoming a top penalty killer as the season progressed after not starting there) — his upside defensively is sky high with the right development. He’s a heady passer and carrier who can comfortably lead exits and entries. He walks the line proficiently and manages the game well in control. And by year’s end in the USHL last season he was really starting to take over games offensively and show a more dynamic element, all while picking his spots well. He’s already poised and confident with all of the tools he needs to become a stud, and it feels like he’s just scratching the surface. With a little more ambition and fine-tuning, there’s huge upside in his game.
Ivan Demidov
Demidov is a highly skilled, playmaking winger who finished third in the MHL in scoring last year (extremely rare for a player his age in a league typically dominated by 19- and 20-year-olds) and played at a higher point-per-game pace than the two players in front of him while playing alongside his older brother, Semyon. He’s on the older side as a December 2005, and he’s got work to do to get stronger and smooth out his straight-line skating stride (he’s really shifty side to side, but could use an extra gear pulling away), but he’s a play-creation monster and you want the puck in his hands so that he can slither his way around the ice to make things happen for himself or his linemates. His ability to get off the wall and create to the middle, either with the puck on his stick into traffic (though I think he falls back on his heel-to-heel skating a little too much), his manipulation one-on-one or passing through layers to the weak side of coverage is pretty unique. He’s also a very engaged off-puck player who keeps his feet moving, hunts pucks on the forecheck, and can turn a steal into a game-breaking play in an instant. He’s not at Matvei Michkov’s level (as some have suggested) for me, but he still looks — at this age — like one of the more talented prospects to come out of Russia in recent memory. I debated ranking him as high as No. 2 here.
Aron Kiviharju
Kiviharju is the player on this list who has been on the scene the longest. He made the leap to Finland’s top junior league at 15 and didn’t just play but excelled, immediately becoming one of its most productive defensemen and even wearing a letter on his jersey. He then played and starred at the U18 worlds twice; first in Germany at 16, topping Finland’s blue line with six points in six games to help steer them (figuratively, but also literally steering the game on the ice) to a silver medal, and then again in Switzerland (still as an underager), where he was the best defenseman on a team that disappointingly lost in the quarters. He also led the Finns to bronze at last summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup, again as an underager. Last season, after an excellent preseason with TPS, it looked like he might play his way into being the youngest full-time player in Liiga and at the world juniors. But then neither of those things happened and he bounced between levels and was one of the final cuts for Finland’s under-20 national team. Now he’s making a move away from TPS to join HIFK for his draft year. He’s going to need a big year for teams to use a top-five pick on a diminutive defenseman next summer, but I still like him in this draft’s second tier, even if NHL scouts would be a little hesitant here at the moment.
I’m a huge fan of the way Kiviharju plays the game. He manages play in front of him with incredible poise and comfort, directing and influencing play all the way down the ice. He’s a joy to watch advance play under pressure inside his own zone, effortlessly side-stepping forecheckers to headman pucks. He walks the line beautifully, with a knack for shaping shots through to the net. His first touch on the move is always perfectly caught. He’s clever. He processes the game faster than the opposition and sees things that others don’t see. And he’s a smart defender who gaps up well and gets pucks going the other way quickly with little bump passes and exits in order to offset some of his size limitations.
He’s definitely most noticeable breaking the puck out of his own zone, where his little carries and outlets make a big difference. He shows deception across the line though as well, although there are times I’d like to see him look to attack and take charge himself in the offensive zone. It can look like he’s always trying to set up the next heady little play instead of just commanding it. When he does really attack, he usually accomplishes what he’s looking to as well because he’s hyper-aware out there of the way the play develops. Cerebral is the perfect word. He can lack a separation gear in straight lines, which can result in a lot of resets, but he’s quick and comfortable through his crossovers and usually makes the right play when he does have to turn back and regroup. He also plays his off side comfortably.
Konsta Helenius
After filling the stat sheet in Finland’s top junior league as a 16-year-old in the fall, and outshining a strong group of Finnish forward prospects on route to a bronze at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (where he capped off an 11-in-seven tournament with a four-point performance in the bronze medal game), Helenius played exclusively in Liiga on loan from Tappara to Jukurit last season after returning from the tournament at the end of November, registering 11 points in 33 games as the league’s youngest player. He’s a joy to watch navigate, manipulate and pass the puck. Since, he has stood out playing above his age group at both U18 worlds (where I thought he really drove the bus on an otherwise disappointing team) and most recently the World Junior Summer Showcase, even excelling at his natural center position (there has been some wonder if he’ll be a center or winger at the NHL level, but he’s solid in the faceoff circle and his defensive play should make him a pivot for my money). His ability to find his teammates in space and then get pucks to them with the perfect weight and timing, even while he’s well covered, is a ton of fun to watch and I’m fascinated to see how far he can take it. He has also grown an inch to get to 5-foot-11 and stirs the drink through his effort level, regularly coming up with pucks where you don’t expect him to while impacting play at both ends of the rink. Against his peers, he’s both a driver and a playmaker. He does such a good job identifying lanes and attacking into them/taking what the defense gives him. He’ll look for his own look when it’s there or play in a quick give-and-go when spacing tightens up. He seems to create constantly. He’s a plus-level skater. He anticipates the play at a very high level off the puck (the puck just seems to find him again and again inside the offensive zone). Every time I see him he looks like a legit top-10 pick. He’ll need to get to the inside and finish a little more for himself if he is going to go top 10, but he has looked pretty clearly like one of the draft’s most talented forwards in my viewings, and I like the determination he plays with. It’s also worth noting that Jukurit, a team that finished 11th in the 15-team Liiga and was outscored 165-155 this season, actually outscored the opposition 18-9 with a 16-year-old Helenius on the ice at even strength last year.
Berkly Catton
The No. 1 pick in the 2021 WHL Bantam Draft, Catton impressed both in the WHL (where he quickly became an offensive catalyst on a bad team and finished second on Spokane in scoring) and at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (where he captained Canada Red to silver and led them in scoring with 12 points in seven games) last year, while showing flashes in a limited role as an underager at U18 worlds. Then he was named captain for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup where he shone from the get-go, demonstrating his knifing, slippery game. Catton’s a heady playmaker who uses spacing to his advantage and sees the ice at an advanced level, regularly executing quick plays through coverage or delaying into a pre-planned play. He’s got multi-dimensional skill, with an ability to play both with speed on the rush (he’s a smooth skater) and more slowly inside the offensive zone when the pace ramps down and he has to spin away from pressure (which he does so well). He thrives in tight spaces and on cutbacks, he can play on the perimeter or take it to the net, and he’s got a dangerous and quick realease while moving. I’m very much looking forward to seeing what he does this season because it feels like he still has another level to find and that’s after having already fit right in as a rookie who was asked to play center on a top line and handled it extremely well (he even won the majority of his draws last year).
Henry Mews
The No. 7 pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, Mews played an important role on one of the best teams in the OHL as a rookie last season; had a stellar showing as the captain of the otherwise disappointing Canada White at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in the fall, tying for the team scoring lead with eight points in six games; and had another strong showing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, again leading Canada’s defense in scoring.
Mews is an athletic, right-handed shot who is capable of consistently driving and tilting play from the back end. When he’s at his best, he dictates play by regularly looking to activate into the rush or off the line, and by defending hard when spacing allows. I love his attack and take-instead-of-give mentality on both sides of the puck, and it’s complemented by a good frame, an NHL shot and NHL skating, and a fairly polished game in all three zones for a defenseman his age (when he needs to pull back or simplify, he does).
Sam Dickinson
It’s never easy to play a regular role for the London Knights, especially as a 16-year-old (Dickinson’s a June birthday) and a defenseman. But that’s what Dickinson, the No. 4 pick of the Niagara IceDogs in last spring’s OHL draft who forced his way out, did last season, stepping into a blue line that initially had four drafted prospects plus a would-be first-rounder in Oliver Bonk. What started as Dickinson finding an immediate role finished with a strong playoffs that saw him play over some of those drafted players in key situations. He’s a strong, 6-foot-3 defenseman who moves well, plays hard and has some skill and poise with the puck (which should show more this season, and was on display at times at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup earlier this month). He’s not the most dynamic player with the puck, but he handles what’s in front of him efficiently, makes good reads, has a high floor, and could have a really high ceiling with proper development. Scouts are excited about his toolsy game and potential upside. There aren’t really any holes, which is saying something for a defenseman his age.
Maxim Massé
The first forward taken in the QMJHL’s 2022 draft (No. 3), Massé lived up to the selection (which was not the consensus choice), playing to nearly a point per game and nearly 30 goals as a 16-year-old last season. The leading goal scorer (second in points) on a young Chicoutimi team, he was named the CHL’s rookie of the year. Massé, who earned high praise from around the QMJHL last season and performed well for Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, possesses a natural and versatile shot and above-average skill across the board. But it’s the completeness of his game that really stands out for a player his age. He can penalty kill, he’ll go to the dirty areas and make plays around the net, he battles, and he’s just a toolsy player. With continued work on his average skating, he’ll be a good NHL player. He reminds me of recent, well-rounded QMJHL draft picks like Dawson Mercer and Zach Dean, though I think he’s closer to the former and has more skill than the latter did at the same age.
Igor Chernyshov
Chernyshov’s a November 2005 who has progressed in line with his older age, having established himself as a point-per-game MHL player who already has his first KHL goal under his belt (at 16 years and 352 days, he was actually the 11th-youngest player to ever play in a KHL game). He’s a rangy winger who plays a straight-line game and has the individual skill and quick release to go at defenders and make plays, or finish from the slot with a quick, one-touch shot. He’s a smooth skater, too, which complements his rush game. He can attack at defenders in a variety of ways, threaten on the puck or get open off of it, and has a strong statistical profile at this stage. I think he’s got an opportunity to work his way into my top 10 this year.
Ryder Ritchie
Ritchie’s another in a long list of summer birthdays in this draft class who excelled as 16-year-olds in their respective leagues last season, in his case finishing third on a bottom-of-the-standings Prince Albert team in scoring at nearly a point per game. I liked what I saw of him at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge as well, and he was one of Canada’s most dangerous forwards at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup to kickstart this year as a standout for scouts. He’s also now listed at 6 feet after being listed at 5-foot-10 last season. Ritchie’s a shifty playmaking winger who can make highlight-reel skill plays with the puck. He protects it extremely well and will commonly shake past or around opposing players, building speed through his crossovers to hang onto the puck inside the offensive zone until a play presents itself. There’s also some real creativity to his game and while he’s more of a facilitator than a scorer, he’s got a really nifty release that can finish some beautiful snaps from midrange. He’s a crafty, talented winger who looks like he’s got top-six upside. I have high expectations for him this season.
Cole Hutson
Here I am, once more, ready to make an early bet that a Hutson will grow a couple of inches and emerge as the best of the bunch from his NTDP class (seeing as teammate Logan Hensler, who is a different animal, is in the 2025 draft class). Cole’s point-per-game U17 season (and well-above point-per-game U18 team production) at the program last year was actually more prolific than Lane’s was, and he did it while four and a half months younger than his big brother was at the same age (Cole’s a summer birthday). He was the most talented defenseman on either of the NTDP’s teams last year. He’s also got more of a physical element to his game than Lane does and plays opponents really hard so that his size is less noticeable, gluing himself to them in order to be as disruptive as possible. He was the most impressive 2024 defenseman at U18 worlds for me, too, even though he was only playing 17-19 minutes per game as an underager. He quickly identifies second and third options, often a step ahead of opposing structures. The way he shows one thing and does another is pretty unique. His little hesitations in control into quick, decisive attacking moments grab your attention and allow him to make plays. He has the puck on a string at times. I think he’s a better skater than his big brother was at the same age (he snakes his way through gaps in coverage so effortlessly and his lateral agility on cuts is a major strength). He executes some beautiful stretch passes. He’s got great touch and feel on his backhand as well as his forehand. And he holds his own defensively despite being tiny. It was clear watching the program last year that both the U17s and U18s were so much better with him out there than without.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
The best of a wave of Norwegian players who’ve joined Mora IK’s junior program, Brandsegg-Nygård is an October 2005 with a pro frame who played to above a point per game at the junior level last year and has already scored his first pro goal in HockeyAllsvenskan. He lost out on playoff action and a real chance to play for the senior men’s national team at worlds after undergoing knee surgery in March, but he should be healthy for this season. He’s a multi-faceted shooter who can score from the top of the circles with his wrister but also gets down to one knee and really powers through a good one-touch shot, skills which have helped him excel on both the flank and the bumper on the power play across domestic and international levels. He’s not a dynamic individual play creator but he’s got pro size, he engages himself in the play, he’s got good all-around skill, and he plays well off of his linemates. He looks like a projectable middle-sixer to me, and maybe more with the right progress this season.
Tanner Howe
Howe is going to be an interesting study this year. It will be his third full season in the WHL and his fourth in part. And despite having been really very productive to date (69 points in 64 games as the league’s second-most productive under-17 player and then 85 in 67 as the league’s fifth-most productive under-18 player), it still feels like his draft year is a prove-it year because the player at the top of both of those lists was Connor Bedard, his frequent linemate. He was also largely unnoticeable in front of the NHL’s brain trust in Germany at 2022 U18 worlds, despite playing alongside Bedard (a combination Team Canada probably was a little too reluctant to move off of), and again at this year’s U18 worlds in Switzerland, where he was given more of an opportunity as one of three returnees and was fine but unspectacular, eventually getting banged up and falling out of the top six. I think he’s up for the task of his draft year, though, and will stamp his place as one of the top forward prospects in the 2024 class. For one, he has played away from Bedard more than I think most people realize (including for stretches as the team’s second-line center behind him) and has been successful in driving his own line. He is also by all accounts a competitor who is determined to rise to the challenge.
And then there’s his game, which there’s a lot to like about. He doesn’t necessarily wow you with his skill level for a player with his statistical profile, but he makes a lot of small area plays (little five-to-10-foot passes through feet and sticks under pressure), he always seems to be around the puck inside the offensive zone, he’s tenacious off the puck, he can play down the middle or on the wing, and he’s got well-rounded skill and decent skating. He may finish as more of a late first rounder, but I like him here for now and I think he’s going to surprise some folks this year.
Zayne Parekh
Parekh was one of the best stories in junior hockey last year. Despite having played just 50 of Saginaw’s 68 games after missing three weeks due to injury from the end of February into March and another couple for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (where he scored three goals and five points in seven games as the highest-scoring defenseman on the fourth-place-finishing Canada Black), he still broke the OHL’s all-time goals record by a U17 defenseman, scoring 21 times. An OHL Cup All-Star and first-round pick into the OHL even before his breakout season, Parekh plays an aggressive offensive style that looks to attack off the line into the slot or even the front of the net or below the goal line. He’ll also regularly involve himself in the rush much like a winger does, driving down the wall in control to look to put defenders on their heels with his skating and attack into his shot or create an odd-man rush. He’s extremely confident on offense and opening up his feet where necessary around the zone without going to his heel-to-heel by default. He’s got great hands and a balanced skating posture which helps him carry pucks and beat the first layer of pressure to get to his spots. He likes to roam, but he has learned to pick his spots well and his head is constantly on a swivel to identify where he is in relation to his teammates. He’s got great footwork and edges to manipulate across the line and stop up along the boards to change directions. He protects the puck extremely well with players leaning on him. And then he also defends at a high enough level to be given free rein to go out there and look to attack. Add in a frame that is more physically mature than I think people realize/give him credit for, and there’s a lot to work with. I think he’s got a chance to play his way into the top-10 conversation with the Memorial Cup hosts this season.
Zeev Buium
Because of his December 2005 birthday, Buium (the younger brother of Red Wings prospect Shai) entered the national program a year ahead of Eiserman, Hutson and company. Last year, in his second season, he has really hit his stride, too, becoming a real driver for the U18s. He’s a plus-level skater who plays a very involved game in all three zones, whether that’s activating into the rush or off the point, shaking pressure on exits or across the blue line, working in and out of give-and-gos, or playing tight gaps against the rush. When he’s dialed in, applying pressure on and off the puck and using his feet and his skating to influence play, he can really impact a game. And while I wouldn’t say his skill level is super high-end for his size, he has come a long, long way, played his best hockey last spring, and impressed again earlier this month at the World Junior Summer Showcase, making a draft year case for the American world junior team. I think there’s a chance he ends up as more of a second-round guy as a projected No. 4-6, but he’s intriguing enough to me to slot here for now. Shai is also 6-foot-3, so I wonder if he’s still going to grow an inch or two.
Adam Jiricek
Adam Jiricek, the younger brother of Blue Jackets top prospect David, is a summer birthday who has already worked his way from junior into Czechia’s top pro rung as a 16-year-old last season. He doesn’t have the size (yet) or the I’m-going-to-take-over-this-game presence that his big brother has, but Adam plays the game with confidence and intention and has started to develop a borderline-ambitious game against his peers. He’s got good four-way mobility, an active disposition, balanced shooting mechanics, an eye for spacing and identifying opportunities to jump on both sides of the puck, and legit skill with the puck. He feels a little rawer than the defensemen in front of him here to me, but there are some who are higher. It wasn’t a coincidence that he played alongside Kings draft pick Jakub Dvorak, even as an underager, as U18 worlds went on.
Carter Yakemchuk
Yakemchuk was the only 2024 draft eligible to make one of the WHL’s All-Star Teams when he was named a Central Division Second All-Star. Only a couple of weeks away from being eligible for the 2023 draft, he played a big role for a middle-of-the-pack Calgary Hitmen team last season and his 19 goals were third-most by a defenseman behind only 19-year-old Hudson Thornton and Ducks top prospect Olen Zellweger. I thought he was mostly unnoticeable at U18 worlds for Canada, but part of that was his role/usage. While his game in the WHL does come with some give and take, he’s got pro size, a pro shot and an attack mentality that is complemented by sound decision-making. He also protects the puck really well for a defenseman, which allows him to make the most of his decisions to involve himself in the play around the offensive zone. It’s not uncommon to see him take a puck to the inside off the wall. And while I’d say he’s a good but not great defender, he plays hard at both ends.
Michael Hage
A star prospect who would have gone at the very top of the OHL draft had he not chosen to go to the Chicago Steel and commit to the University of Michigan, Hage was limited to just 13 games last season (five goals, five assists and 10 points) after undergoing shoulder surgery. He’s going to play a massive role with the Steel this season and there are staff there who think he’d be in the top-five conversation if not for the lost time last year. Hage is a natural center who has it all. He’s got pro size, he’s got dual-threat skill as an individual creator and an elevator, he plays hard, he stays on pucks, he battles, and he reads the game at an advanced level, with an intelligent, studious approach. He’s one of the players I plan to watch most closely this year.
Beckett Sennecke
One of the more productive rookies in the OHL last year, Sennecke was a standout on a young Oshawa team, earning Second All-Rookie Team honours and playing both wings successfully (he’s a right-handed shot but often played the left wing with would-be Avalanche draft pick Calum Ritchie). He looked a little skinny when I first went to see him play last fall, and it showed in a shot and stride that could have used some strength, but he came into his own as the year progressed. He can definitely handle the puck (he’s got soft hands and a confidence on it, even under pressure spinning and weaving off the wall) and moves well in control, his feet and stick moving in and out of unison to shade away from opposing reach-ins. I expect him to take a big step this year.
Charlie Elick
The only non-OHL defenseman on this year’s Team Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Elick really came into his own as the tournament progressed, playing more than 26 minutes in the gold medal game and showing his strong physical attributes. He’s a steady, engaged defender with two-way attributes and more offense than his point totals in Brandon last year indicated. I like the way he defends in zone and boxes out. He’s got a good stick and feet defending the rush, but can also step up and lay the body. Teams are high in the early going on his toolsy makeup as a staunch defender and solid skater for his size.
Veeti Vaisanen
The No. 2 Finnish D in this draft class to Kiviharju, Vaisanen has also already played up a year, first to help Finland to bronze at last year’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup and then again at the 2023 U18 worlds in Finland (he won’t be in the mix for the U20 team this year, but I’d expect him to be a big part of it in the two tournaments after he’s drafted). He’s a competitive and smooth-skating two-way defenseman who has already established himself as a minute-eating player at Finland’s U20 level and made his Liiga debut in the playoffs with KooKoo last. I like his stick, his gaps and his positional awareness defensively. And he’s a comfortable distributor, shooter (he’s got a hard shot) and handler with the puck, even if his skill level on offense isn’t dynamic. I have questioned his discipline and decision-making in control at times (he has been prone to coughing pucks up when playing against higher-end competition) but I think some of that is just a byproduct of his age and the advanced levels he has been asked to play at.
Sacha Boisvert
As one rival USHL coach put it to me: ”Sacha Boisvert is a really good player.” Boisvert, a top prospect in Quebec growing up who was a first-round pick into the QMJHL even after he’d gone to the U.S. for the final two years of his minor hockey, is a North Dakota commit who was named to the USHL’s All-Rookie Second Team last year after he finished third on the Lumberjacks in scoring as a 16-year-old. He’s got desired height and position on his side, room to fill out his frame, and NHL skill which includes a quick release, good instincts on and off the puck, above-average feet and great feel with the puck on his stick both at speed and in slowing the game down.
Simon Zether
One of the older players on this list as an October 2005, Zether’s profile so far reflects his age, with a point-per-game J20 season and appearances at U18 worlds and the World Jr. A Challenge all already under his belt, plus pro size to work with. I expect him to play games in the SHL this season. His game is an intelligent one built on plus-level vision, a head that’s always up, and hands that control the puck smoothly (particularly noteworthy for a player his size). He’s got work to do to get a little quicker but he knows where to be, he understands spacing, he reads the game at a high level, he’s got some skill, and he’s a right-shot center who plays a reliable game.
Anthony Cristoforo
An important part of a top team in the OHL last season, Cristoforo’s play took him off the table at the trade deadline when the Spitfires were looking to add. By year’s end, his 41 points in 63 games were one more than Ducks top-10 pick Jamie Drysdale’s 40 in his 16-year-old OHL season (in the exact same number of games), and three more than Kings top-10 pick Brandt Clarke’s (in six more games). He was also a big part of Canada Red’s silver medal at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, where he wore an ‘A’ and performed well at both ends (although he played a limited role at this month’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup). He doesn’t possess the effortless skating stride that made Drysdale a top-10 pick or the bold play-creating that made Clarke one, but he’s an extremely well-rounded offensive defenseman who boasts strong edges and good skating in his own right, plays and defends really hard shift to shift, and has plenty of skill but always seems to make the right decisions. He plays a modern style and has what you want from a 5-foot-11 defenseman.
Daniil Ustinkov
Ustinkov, who has already played eight games in the NL for ZSC and is an import selection of the London Knights but will play his draft year back in Switzerland, was really impressive as an underager at U18 worlds with Switzerland (who he represents internationally despite also having Russian citizenship) and played well again at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. One of the only 16-year-olds on this list because of his late-August birthday, he makes the right choices with the puck and reads without it, consistently on both fronts and in all three zones. He plays with a great deal of poise and maturity, his head is always on a swivel, and he’s just a smart player who takes what’s given to him and advances and steers the play. He needs to get a little quicker getting back to pucks, etc., but that will come with age/strength. When he’s been on the ice, the Swiss national team has been able to hang with anybody. That says something.
Alfons Freij
Vaxjo’s J20 team will be one of the teams to watch for the 2024 draft in Sweden this year because of Freij and fellow 2024 prospect Leo Sahlin Wallenius. I’m partial in the early going to Freij, but both players look like potential first-rounders to me and it’ll be interesting to see which of the two gets looks on the power play with the junior club and the first call-up with the SHL team. Freij’s a smooth-skating, strong-on-his-feet-and-his-edges defenseman who thrives in transition both ways, handles the puck comfortably and confidently on exits and past pressure, and will roam and maneuver when opportunities present themselves inside the offensive zone, but can also simplify and play an efficient game when needed.
Will Skahan
Skahan’s a big, already 200-plus-pound defender with good mobility for his size and age and more offense to his game than his stat line on the program’s U17 team last year showed. He outlets the puck well, he’s got a heavy shot, and with his frame and mobility, scouts are excited about his potential defensively. His father, Sean, is also a strength and conditioning coach who has worked with the Minnesota Wild and Anaheim Ducks, so he comes by the power and strength in his game honestly. There’s a lot to work with there and I’m expecting him to take steps as a big-time two-way defenseman with the U18 team this year.
Will Felicio
One of the most talented offensive defensemen in the draft, the small but skilled Felicio put up the most productive 16-year-old season by a defenseman in the history of the USHL last year and consistently drove offense and made plays for Team USA at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, which it otherwise lacked from its back end. He’s an extremely mobile defender who walks the line and evades pressure as well as just about anyone in the draft, regularly sending opposing players the wrong way to attack past pressure, whether that’s on exits or to get into a more advantageous spot inside the offensive zone with the puck. He sees the ice at a very high level, uses excellent footwork to open lanes, and just flat-out makes plays. Though he’s on the smaller size, he also plays hard, engages, will play the body, likes to pinch to keep the play on offense, and manages a tight gap well. He might not be a first-round pick because of his size, but I like him here at this stage.
Emil Hemming
Hemming is a raw but potentially very interesting prospect who battled inconsistencies in his play and deployment at Finland’s U20 level last year with TPS (I wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t thrilled with how he was handled late in the year after showing so much promise in the fall). He had a strong showing at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge before an illness kept him out of Finland’s last two games, and had a six-point hat trick with TPS in October. The good news is, after hitting a bit of a wall late in the year, he was tremendous again internationally at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where his four goals and nine points in five games led the Finns to a bronze medal. Hemming has clear tools as a 6-foot-2, nearly-200-pound winger with real individual skill as both a handler and a shooter. I’d like to see him use his size a little better, but that’s not uncommon for a player his age and he’s yet another summer birthday with a lot of runway to work with. He’s got real skill; a dangerous wrister on the power play; and quick, one-touch release and catch-and-release motion. He just needs to find his consistency domestically with TPS.
Alexander Zetterberg
The 2006 age group doesn’t appear to be a strong one for Sweden, but the diminutive Zetterberg, a natural center to date who NHL teams will probably scout as a winger, is a lot of fun to watch and on talent and skating (he’s got great speed, which helps to offset some of the strength deficiencies when he’s playing down the middle), belongs on this list. He’s got a magnetic ability with the puck and because of his light, airy skating mechanics he’s able to dart past defenders in transition, knife through coverage and quickly escape the boards out of won foot races in order to avoid having to engage in too many battles along the wall. Even if he lights up the J20 level next year and shows he can hang in stints in the pro ranks, there are teams that won’t likely rank him in this kind of range. But he has been a front-line player consistently internationally, he has shown he can be defensively sound as a center within his age group, and I felt he belonged at the back of this list at this stage. He plays at his pace and dictates against his peers with his vision and poise on the puck.
Dominik Badinka
Andrew Basha
Kamil Bednarik
Clarke Caswell
Jakub Chromiak
Thomas Desruisseaux
E.J. Emery
Kristian Epperson
Liam Greentree
Christian Humphreys
Adam Jecho
Felix Lacerte
Tomas Lavoie
Cayden Lindstrom
Frankie Marrelli
Eriks Mateiko
Paul Mayer
Brendan McMorrow
Eric Olsson
Aidan Park
Riley Patterson
Lucas Pettersson
Jamiro Reber
Sebastian Soini
Karl Sterner
Tuomas Suoniemi
Yegor Surin
Mac Swanson
Maxim Velikov
Roope Vesterinen
Oskar Vuollet
Leo Sahlin Wallenius
John Whipple
Will Zellers
Brodie Ziemer
About this story: Edited by Alex Iniguez, Sarah Jean Maher and Naoko Asano. Development by Marc Mazzoni. Design by Eamonn Dalton. Design direction by Amy Cavenaile and Ray Orr. Support and production by Brooks Varni. Photos by Getty Images.
