Alexander Appleyard, Gray Matter, Ben Jordan, SpokedZ, Clare McManus, Chris Ford, Austin Garret and Josh Tessler combined their draft rankings and put together the official Smaht Scouting 2024 NHL Draft Preliminary Rankings.
Below you will find the rankings and a high level summary on each player.
#1 – Macklin Celebrini, F, Boston University
I feel confident that Celebrini will eventually be a top line asset at the NHL level. The production will come quickly with his shot and his acceleration. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching him leverage his acceleration to get himself into quality shooting lanes. Not only is it working well at full strength, but it is even more lethal when on the power play. His ability to identify and quick take advantage of tight passing lanes to the slot will net him quite a number of assists at the next level. Defensively, he is responsible and quite sound. (Josh Tessler)
#2 – Ivan Demidov, RW, SKA St. Petersburg
The most dynamic, fun, and exciting player in the draft, Demidov just oozes skill and creativity in every facet of his game. The way he’s able to slow the game down and weave around defences—sometimes a bit too much—is mesmerising; his small area skill is really impressive, and the creativity and quickness that he brings makes him an electrifying player to watch. In my eyes, he’s still a strong contender for first overall; the dynamic skill that he has could make him a uniquely talented player in the NHL, and the prospect of where that could take him is so exciting to me. The questions with Demidov largely come down to translatability, consistency, and decision-making. It’s hard to say how his game will translate to smaller ice, higher pace / intensity, and tougher competition, given his skating limitations and tendency to slow down and do too much; which makes a more easily projectable player like Celebrini difficult to pass up. But I have a lot of faith in the skill and the mind that Demidov has to figure it all out, and I fully believe he’s going to be an incredible NHL player, surpassing even my expectations. For me, after #1, it’s a no-brainer. (Gray Matter)
#3 – Cole Eiserman, LW, USNTDP
Eiserman is constantly making an impact each shift he is out there for. In the offensive zone, he is a good forechecker, will fight for pucks down low and in the corners. Eiserman will rely on his reach to stick lift attackers and force a disruption in oppositional puck possession. He has good puck manipulation and will use it to draw in attackers and then quickly pass underneath the stick to an open teammate. Eiserman has an excellent shot especially from range. He does play with a bit of a physical edge in all three zones. If he isn’t the one shutting down play, he isn’t far behind and will scoop up pucks below the red line. When in transition, if Eiserman is driving the puck up ice, he does struggle to get separation around attackers. Eiserman projects to be a top six goal scorer, who won’t always push play up ice, but will provide his linemates with someone who fights hard for pucks and will be a threat with his shot. (Josh Tessler)
#4 – Berkly Catton, F, Spokane
Catton is going to push the envelope all season for the #2 spot in the upcoming draft. He blends nifty edgework with high-end skill alongside a surgical approach to dissecting opposing teams’ defensive structures. His microstat profile is aburd through two games. He’s averaging five dangerous shots a game, completing 75% of his passes with 29% going to dangerous areas of the ice, and is involved in a ridiculous 58% of all offensive transitions for Spokane with a 94%(!!!) success rate. Outside of Bedard, he’s the best WHL player I’ve tracked in three years. (Austin Garret)
#5 – Zeev Buium, LHD, University of Denver
Zeev Buium is the most well-rounded defenseman in the 2024 NHL Draft class. In the offensive zone, Buium is a great quarterback from the point. He will shift across the point and pinch up with the puck in an effort to identify and utilize a passing lane to the slot. Defensively, Buium does a good job of positioning himself in front of the attack to take away skating lanes. When moving the puck up the ice, if he is slightly further back behind his teammates he’ll opt to pass forward to them. (Josh Tessler)
#6 – Cayden Lindstrom, F, Medicine Hat
Cayden Lindstrom has quickly become one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2024 NHL draft. He possesses a rare blend of skill, size, and speed as well as playing the coveted center position for one of the strongest teams in the WHL. Lindstrom is a fierce competitor who plays every game with a Tkachukian-edge. He boosts impressive speed and agility which he uses to frequently attack the middle of the ice on rushes. He is a threat to score from anywhere with his powerful shot, but that’s not the only way he can beat goalies as he also is an incredibly skilled puck handler. On Medicine Hat’s powerplay, he makes for a formidable net-front presence and also has the uncanny ability to slip away from his checker to help playmake along the boards or make himself a shooting option near the top of the circles. On the defensive side of the puck Lindstrom provides great support for his defenders when the puck is in the corners, and he also has a very active stick which he effectively uses to disrupt passing lanes. He’s not someone opposing players want to see coming down on them either when he is forechecking as he loves to lay powerful hits and always finishes his checks. Lindstrom has the making of a star modern day power-forward and will certainly be one to watch as he is sure to move up draft boards as the year goes on. (Chris Ford)
#7 – Sam Dickinson, LHD, London
Dickinson is likely to be one of the first defenders off the board come draft day in June. He has a pro-favoured frame at 6ft3 and 194 lbs, and uses it incredibly effectively in both ends of the ice. If it weren’t for 2023 1st round pick Oliver Bonk (PHI) taking PP time, I think we would perceive Dickinson’s offensive capabilities differently, and project him out a bit differently. In the defensive zone, he nips plays in the butt, and accelerates the transition game with quick up passes. Skating is a strength, and there is no glaring weakness directionally. He can go all four directions well, with good agility to re position when needed. (Ben Jordan)
#8 – Adam Jiricek, RHD, Plzen
Adam Jiricek is one of the stronger defensive defensemen in this class. When defending against the rush, he communicates well with his forwards to explain where he needs the support prior to crossing into the defensive zone. He implements extremely good positioning to shut down passing and shooting lanes to the interior. Jiricek does a great job of re-adjusting his positioning when defending against multiple attackers to shut down potential one-timers. When behind the red line and along the boards, he plays with a physical edge and will look to pokecheck. Jiricek’s floor seems to be a top four defensemen, but with more and more refinement he could potentially be a top two defensemen. (Josh Tessler)
#9 – Artyom Levshunov, RHD, Michigan State University
The Michigan State defenseman has been intriguing from an offensive standpoint. He loves jumping into the rush and pinching up with and without the puck. He will look to position himself in the high slot and pepper shots on net. Levshunov has collected quite a few assists at 5v5 as a result of generating rebounds for his teammates at the crease. Defensively, Levshunov’s positioning can be spotty at times. Since he likes to pinch up and play up in the offensive zone, there are shifts in which he finds himself slightly out of position and struggles to get back into position. When Levshunov is in position and ready to defend, he isn’t always assertive and I’d like to see Levshunov work on being more assertive when looking to shut down the attack. (Josh Tessler)
#10 – Zayne Parekh, RHD, Saginaw
Zayne Parekh is one of the better puck moving defensemen in the 2024 NHL Draft class. He loves to take advantage of tight passing lanes when on the rush and pressure intensifies. Parekh will complete outlet and stretch passes underneath the stick of the attacker with ease. When off puck but his team has possession of the puck, Parekh loves to jump into the rush and provide his teammates with a passing option up ice. In the offensive zone, when pinching up he loves to change up his pace to throw off attackers and buy separation so he can net enough space to get a pass off to the interior. Defensively, his positioning has been solid, but he isn’t an overly assertive defenseman. (Josh Tessler)
#11 – Konsta Helenius, RW, Tappara
The 2024 NHL draft does not have an abundance of Centers with clear 1C upside, but Helenius is certainly on that short list. Last year the Finn put himself in the conversation as a potential top five pick, with 11 points in 33 Liiga games at just 16 years old. This year he has advanced that conversation further. 20 points through 28 games, while playing Center in one of the world’s best five pro leagues? That should probably be turning more heads than it has. Since 1990 Olli Jokinen (by coincidence Helenius’s current coach), Mikhail Granlund, Alex Barkov, Patrik Laine and Kaapo Kakko are the only five draft eligibles who have produced at 0.70 P/GP in Liiga. 4/5 went top three, and 4/5 have become consistent 65+ point NHL players, with Kaako still having a chance to make it 5/5. Helenius’s game is built around his high IQ, which he uses to dictate play. He is a fantastic transition player and drives play as a result. His passing is crisp, accurate and deceptive, and while he might primarily be a play-maker he has a good shot, especially his one-timer from the left half-wall on the power-play. He is not the fastest, but is extremely shifty and agile. Helenius also has an exceptional compete level, and is more than solid defensively. Once he matures physically he certainly has the potential to be a legitimate, 80+ point player in the NHL. (Alex Appleyard)
#12 – Luke Misa, C, Mississauga
Luke Misa plays a very high-tempo game, prays on the vulnerable when on the forecheck, can drive the rush and create chances off of the rush regularly. Misa will feather passes in tight lanes in all three zones as he looks to push play up ice. In the offensive zone when off puck, he does a great job of finding open ice down low to create an intriguing passing option for his teammates. He will also look to jump onto loose pucks at the crease and capitalize with a quick goal before the goaltender can react. Misa has tremendous upside and could see a bump up in our next set of rankings. (Josh Tessler)
#13 – Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, RW, Mora
There has never been a Norwegian who has gone in the first round. The highest a Norweigan has been picked was Marius Holtet, who went 42nd overall in 2002. Next summer Michael Brandsegg-Nygård will change that. The Oslo native has everything to be a top NHLer. Brandsegg-Nygård, no matter how much you watch, has no major issues. The things that make him stand out? His release is fantastic, he gets the puck off crisply, quickly, and with a high level of accuracy even if it is away from his body or in his feet. His hockey IQ is impressive, he is virtually never out of position and seemingly knows where everyone is on ice at all times. He is also a legitimate power-forward, who likes to throw his weight around and get to the net-front. On the boards he regularly dominates men 15 years his senior. Defensively he is also impressive, with an active stick and the ability to win most 1-v-1 battles. While he has no “holes” he does have a few things to improve upon to reach his potential. His skating is solid, but will need to get more explosive. Additionally, while his vision is fantastic, he does not always connect on pass attempts, and will likely never be a high-end play-maker. But make no mistake, he has the potential to be one of the premier two-way wingers in the NHL. (Alex Appleyard)
#14 – Liam Greentree, RW, Windsor
Liam Greentree is one of the most exciting prospects coming out of the OHL this year, and is certainly the best the OHL have to offer this year in terms of pure goal scoring. He has developed nice chemistry on Windsor’s top line with Jacob Maillet and Oliver Peer, and takes advantage of their speed to move into open space for great scoring chances. Greentree has what I consider to be one of the best shots in this year’s draft class and isn’t afraid to let the puck fly, as he’ll routinely attempt 7 or more shots a game. He uses the threat of his shot very effectively to create passing lanes for his teammates to move into. He plays a very intelligent game which sees him attack the middle often and quite successfully as he leverages a combination of his high-level stickhandling and physical tools. The knock on his game thus far has been his quirky staking style, but it seems to be improving with each game, and he still has good speed in-spite of his mechanics. Additionally, he has proven to be quite the effective penalty killer for Windsor, and this is a result of his excellent stick movement, often eliminating passing lanes in the defensive zone and helping create passing options in the offensive zone. Greentree possesses high level offensive tools with good hands, a wicked arsenal of shots, and above-average play making skills, if he can continue to improve his skating as the year goes, it won’t be long until people start talking about him as a potential top 12 player. (Chris Ford)
#15 – Tij Iginla, F, Kelowna
Tij Iginla can be very tenacious in his pursuit of the puck in the offensive zone. Similarly to Misa, he looks to pray on the vulnerable and does a great job of stick lifting and poke checking to cause disruption in puck possession. Iginla does well at feathering passes in tight and does a good job with puck security when being pursued by multiple attackers at close proximity. He’s got a good shot especially from range. But, should he be leading the rush he’ll love to attempt wrap-around shots. Iginla has second line upside and could be deployed at center or wing without losing a step. (Josh Tessler)
#16 – Nikita Artamonov, LW, Nizhny Novgorod
When draft day comes the chatter about Nikita Artamonov is likely to include “this guy came out of no-where this year”. But make no mistake, the Nizhnekamsk native has been one of the best three Russian forwards amongst his age-group for the last couple of years. This year however? He has taken a giant leap, and is playing at a level in the KHL that very few draft eligibles ever achieve. 14 points in 30 games is preposterous, with Michkov and Tarasenko the only players in the KHL’s 15 year history to do better P/GP wise. Artamonov belies the outdated stereotype of the skilled, Russian winger who only plays in the offensive zone. He is an energiser bunny. Voracious on the fore-check, diligent in the defensive zone, with an active stick that constantly disrupts lanes. Furthermore, while no-one would mistake him for a physical player, he is more than happy to go to the corners or net-front. However, he is not just an “energy” player. He is a great skater and a fantastic passer, alongside this his ability to get free ice in the offensive zone is exceptional. The downsides? He is not the most “creative” player, his hands are quite average and he could use his solid shot more than he does. Nevertheless, Artamonov has the potential to be a 70+ point, two-way winger in the NHL if he keeps developing. (Alex Appleyard)
#17 – Anton Silayev, LHD, Nizhny Novgorod
Anton Silayev is a defensive defenseman who has measures in at 6’7″ / 207 lbs. He has extremely good speed for his size especially his lateral speed that allows him to shift positioning when he is slighly further away from where he needs to be when defending against the rush. Silyaev uses his reach and size to take up space. While he does a good job of eliminating skating lanes to the interior, he doesn’t always shut the play down all together. He can be quite physical along the boards and I got a feeling that it won’t be long before he starts to use his. physicality a bit more to shut down the cycle / rush. While this ranking might seem relatively low to where others have Silayev, the offensive upside of Artamonov, Iginla, Misa, Greentree and others in the 10-20 range made it a challenge for the Smaht team to push Silayev up higher. (Josh Tessler)
#18 – Trevor Connelly, F, Tri-City
Trevor Connelly does a good job of not forcing the puck into danger and will pivot away from pressure to get the separation that he needs to complete a pass to the interior. But, if he doesn’t have a great passing option to the interior and yet sees that his teammate does have a passing lane to the low slot from behind the net, Connelly will pass the puck along the boards to get the puck into the hands of the teammate behind the net. When driving the cycle to find a lane to the slot, he does a good job of navigating the puck around pressure with his reach and great handling. He will work the puck along the boards and scan for passing lanes to get the puck to an open teammate in the slot. If he has the puck and a teammate is close by with an attacker looking on, he will delay, draw the attacker to him and then pass to his teammate who is now open with a clear lane to the crease. When in transition, if he faces pressure once he gets the puck in the neutral zone, he’ll re-group and find another lane into the offensive zone. (Josh Tessler)
#19 – Emil Hemming, F, TPS
If the draft was all about raw talent then the big Finnish winger would be in seriously contention to go top 10. Scouts often talk about the “S’s of scouting”… skill, smarts, speed, size and skating. Hemming has them all. He can be a juggernaut even against men in Liiga, able to use his speed, edge-work, pick-handling and size in conjunction to drop a shoulder and get past anyone. Even at 17 years old against men, Hemming has an incredible transition game. His wrist-shot is lethal to boot, and he is able to pick a corner from anywhere on ice. Alongside this he is creative with silky hands, and when he is “on” this combined with a natural swagger and confidence means that he will undress defensemen regularly. While he may not be the most “natural” passer he has good vision as well, and tries to make cross-ice plays that most would never see. However, there are some real concerns about Hemming’s game that mean he is likely to go later in the 1st. While he has the size he rarely uses it, and plays on the perimeter. Defensively he gets lost far too often, and his consistency is also worrying, as even against his own age-group he can go missing for long stretches. There is the upside for him to be a 30 goal scorer in the NHL if he can iron out these kinks. (Alex Appleyard)
#20 – Sacha Boisvert, C, Muskegon
Sacha Boisvert is an entertaining watch. He’s got absolutely incredible handling and its led to gorgeous assists. Boisvert will toe drag to get separation and then quickly make use of a passing lane. He has a great shot off of the rush and has found success sniping far side top shelf goals from low danger. Boisvert makes use of tight passing lanes and won’t shy away from a pass over / under the stick of an attacker to get the puck in the hands of a open teammate further up in the zone. But, it’s the handling that makes Boisvert a fun prospect to watch. His dangling and toe drags have helped light the lamp in Muskegon regularly. (Josh Tessler)
#21 – Aron Kiviharju, LHD, TPS
Two years ago the Finnish blue-liner was being talked about as a potential #1 pick, yet now there are whispers that he might fall outside the 1st round. Is this simply a case of the spotlight being so strong, for so long, that his weaknesses have been magnified? The answer is probably no. There are legitimate concerns over his game. He is undersized, he is not the best skater, and early this season a knee injury that required surgery has put him out for four months. Kiviharju is expected to be healthy again in February. However, in a league where top pairing defensemen are at a premium, if Kiviharju falls outside the first? There is the potential for one of the bigger draft steals in recent history. While there are concerns about his game the upside is inarguable. His hockey IQ would be the envy of most NHLers, he is almost always two-steps ahead and rarely makes bad decisions. This, combined with fantastic vision, great passing and silky hands means he is great in transition, and controls play when set-up in the OZ. Defensively he has an active stick, good gap control, and thrives on breaking up plays before they develop. He is also strong down low, even against players 15 years older and 50lbs heavier. His upside is still a #1 defenseman despite the concerns. (Alex Appleyard)
#22 – Henry Mews, RHD, Ottawa
Henry Mews is a solid puck moving defenseman and a great distributor when pushing the puck up ice. Mews has excellent handling that he can ulitize to navigate through tight pressure to get separation before completing an outlet feed. While he has had productive shifts where he pushed pace, there are shifts in which I see Mews will encounter pressure and pass into traffic instead of using his handling to open up an uncontested passing lane. Defensively, Mews will struggle with gap control from time to time and his defensive work could use further refinement, but when you to balance that with his distribution with the puck you are looking at a mid-to-late first round prospect. (Josh Tessler)
#23 – Ryder Ritchie, F, Prince Albert
After a very strong Hlinka Gretzky tournament for Canada, I think that many were expecting Ritchie to put up better point totals than he has managed thus far. Although there may be something to this, Ritchie is still doing a lot of things very well. I have a tough time seeing him falling out of round 1 as the season goes along. His feet and hands are ultra quick making him an exceptional puck carrier. If you give Ritchie time to pickup speed and attack defenders downhill, you will be sorry after he beats you, and secures middle ice. (Ben Jordan)
#24 – Carter Yakemchuk, RHD, Calgary
I wouldn’t be surprised if Yakemchuk is a name that continually keeps rising up lists. He hasn’t played in any marquee events, and thus hasn’t had the early season hype that some other names have had, but don’t be fooled by that. Since the new year of this past season, Yakemchuk has really started to take strides, and his game continues to round itself out. Yakemchuk has a nice blend of size, skill, and aggressiveness that allow him to be a force all over the ice. His instincts are great, and he joins the rush when he feels he can contribute to the play. He holds his own in the defensive zone with his size and ability to separate puck carriers from the puck to quick start offense the other way for his side. (Ben Jordan)
#25 – Igor Chernyshov, LW, Dynamo Moscow
Igor Chernyshov is a Russian power forward prospect. He plays a gritty grame and works the boards with great pressure shift in shift out. He is defensively responsible in transition and will put up a tough fight at open ice. In the defensive zone, he will fall back to the low slot and provide support to his defensemen down low. From a production stand point, Chernyshov has thrived off of odd man rushes / breakouts in MHL play. Most of his MHL primary 5v5 points have come off of odd man rushes. (Josh Tessler)
#26 – Andrew Basha, F, Medicine Hat
Andrew Basha is entertaining to watch every shift. His puck movement in transition is excellent. His handling and distribution is excellent. Basha’s puck manipulation makes him a threat on the rush and mid-cycle. He is shifty, mobile, agile and has tremendous speed. Basha does a good job of utilizing tight passing lanes to the slot. He will grab possession of loose pucks off the boards, drive to the trapezoid and look to feather passes to the low slot. I could see Basha being a riser in the next of rankings. (Josh Tessler)
#27 – Tanner Howe, F, Regina
Tanner Howe plays a high-energy skilled game with a dogged off-puck game that allows him to play bigger than he is. I had very high expectations for Tanner Howe to be a dominant offensive player in the WHL and he’s somewhat disappointed. He has a good-not-great offensive transition involvement percentage of 35% and can go missing for stretches in transition with the puck not touching his stick as much as I’d like. His passing volume is rather low because of the lower percentage of transition opportunities, but he is passing at 24% to dangerous areas of the ice which is good. He’s fumbled the puck more than he did last year and some of his passes are off the mark, but the skill level and thought process behind his decisions are all there. I expect him to rise as the year goes on, but if his microstat profile stays the same, his size will see him slip in the draft. (Austin Garret)
#28 – Miguel Marques, F, Lethbridge
Miguel Marques is wired to get pucks to the interior. Whenever he has the puck outside of the slot and pressure intensifies, he looks for the tighest gaps and uses them to get pucks to the slot. He has great handling and will implement shot fakes and toe drags to net the separation that he needs to get a pass off. When shooting from range, he has a very quick shot release and will look to target glove side. He also tallied quite a few backdoor goals at 5v5 this season by being in the right space at the right time. He isn’t always the facilitator in transition, but plays a fairly active role in getting the puck up ice. Defensively, he plays more of a support role, but always looks to cement himself in open ice towards the blue line so he can provide an outlet lane for his defensemen. Marques has middle six upside. (Josh Tessler)
#29 – Danill Ustinkov, LHD, Zürich
Daniil Ustinkov is a solid defensive defensemen and has been excellent at eliminating gaps all season against men in Switzerland (National League). He isn’t overly assertive with his pressure, but makes does an excellent job of using his positioning to shield lanes to the inside and forces play to low danger. When attackers look to use pivots to shake free from pressure, Ustinkov matches edge for edge and doesn’t leave a gap. On the flip side, he will use pivots to shake free of pressure when he has the puck. From a transition perspective, Ustinkov looks to usually make an outlet pass from the backend to a teammate further up in the defensive zone and let his forwards push play up ice. But, there are some shifts in which he looks to be a bit more of a driver in transition. He will skate up the offensive zone blue line to be a passing option for his teammates in the neutral zone, facilitate a controlled zone entry once he has the puck on his stick, push the puck up the boards and try to find a gap to get a pass off to a teammate down in the zone. When off puck and the oppositional breakout is about to kick off, he will skate up to the backside of an attacker off of the boards to make it a challenge for that attacker to grab control of the puck off of a pass from a the defenseman looking to complete a breakout pass. (Josh Tessler)
#30 – Matvei Shuravin, LHD, Krasnaya Armiya Moscow
Matvei Shuravin is a solid defensive-minded defensemen who does a good job of taking away space with his power stride. Should be slightly out of position, he’ll use his lengthy stride extensions to match pace and shut down the rush by trapping the attacker along the boards. He isn’t an overly assertive defenseman when taking on the F1, but maintains good positioning and extends his stick blade out towards the attacker to trap them. His distribution from deep in his own zone has been great. He can wire quick stretch passes to the neutral zone and does a good job of identifying tight passing lanes while pushing the puck up in the defensive zone and seeing that he could potentially get the puck in the hands of a teammate further up in the zone. His puck control and quick distribution in the defensive zone doesn’t always match to successful puck movement in the offensive and neutral zones. Shuravin will try to bring the puck up the middle in the offensive zone, but isn’t quick to get a pass off and runs into walls. When he doesn’t have possession of the puck in the offensive zone, he looks to engage himself in puck battles down low, win loose pucks and pass to the slot. (Josh Tessler)
#31 – Veeti Väisänen, LHD, KooKoo
In a draft brimming with exciting defensemen, Veeti Väisänen gets a bit lost in the shuffle. Is he an exciting player? Not really. Will he be a top pairing guy in the NHL? Unlikely. But what Väisänen lacks in terms of highlights, he makes up for with a well-rounded skill-set and a level of defensive maturity that few defensemen have at 17. This season, playing against men in Liiga, Väisänen has utilised his smooth skating, defensive IQ and strong stick to be a reliable presence on KooKoo’s back-end. He rarely gets beaten in the defensive zone, and he is strong in transition, utilising his great skating ability in conjunction with a level of calmness with the puck on his stick that allows him to scan the ice and pick out the best outlet options. However, while there is a lot to like about Väisänen, his upside is limited by his lack of high-end skills. He will likely never put up too many points, given his shot is just average, he is not overly creative, and his hands are middling. He also starts to turn the puck over as soon as he gets away from making the simple play. Late in the first he could be a solid option, and can certainly be a good second pairing defenseman down the line. (Alex Appleyard)
#32 – Michael Hage, C, Chicago
Michael Hage is our last ranked prospect in the Preliminary Rankings. Hage is a two-way forward with excellent distribution, good reach and provides tight pressure in his own zone. His reach and handling allow him to navigate around pressure with ease when driving the puck up ice. In transition, he will look to pass off of the boards if he runs into too much pressure and he has spotted an open teammate further up in the neutral zone. Hage has excellent speed and can push pace to be the driver on a middle six line in the NHL. (Josh Tessler)
HM – John Mustard, F, Waterloo
John Mustard is my early “Didn’t know who he is but I love him” player of the 2024 draft. Playing on a line with Gavyn Thoreson in the USHL, Mustard has looked great in all my viewings of him this year. He does have an awkward skating stride as he hunches over with a less bent knee, but with the puck on the stick Mustard can get to an above-average pace. His skill is great for his size, and he can get off the wall and into dangerous areas at ease at times with the puck on his stick. He’s a great forechecker and is very defensively responsible for a winger. He’s involved in 40% of the offensive transitions for Waterloo and has a 31% shot share (his shots/team shots when he’s on the ice). I’d like to see him get more pucks into dangerous areas of the ice with his passing, but his skill level is there that I’m not worried that only 16% of his passes have gone to dangerous areas of the ice. He’s a player to watch in the upcoming months because he has room to improve his microstat profile and if that happens, then his production profile is going to improve from impressive to “how did we not rank him in the first place?”. (Austin Garret)
HM – Tomas Galvas, LHD, Olomouc
Tomas Galvas is a solid puck moving defenseman, who does an excellent job in keeping the puck secure with traffic at his side. He won’t force the puck into tight pressure deliberately, but has shown that if he is encountering multiple attackers that he can keep his feet and hands moving to secure the puck and position it away from the attackers before chipping it off the boards. Galvas does a good job of using an active stick to trap attackers and force them to dump the puck in the neutral zone and take away potential shooting / passing lanes in his own zone. He has an excellent power stride that he will use to get himself into position to defend should be a bit too far away from where he needs to be. (Josh Tessler)
HM – Beckett Sennecke, RW, Oshawa
Sennecke oozes confidence and skill, and that’s how he earned himself a spot as an HM just outside our round 1. Sennecke is an absolute hound on the forecheck where his motor will not stop until he gains possession of that puck. From there he flashes elite ability with his hands, and does a great job in small areas weaving and stickhandling through defenders skates, and sticks. He does a great job keeping pucks and plays alive off the wall by slipping through checks or dangling in a phone-booth. Unfortunately, his situation in Oshawa has been iffy at best, and I hope that forward group finds some more chemistry adn purpose in the new year, as I think Sennecke’s draft stock could benefit enormously from it. (Ben Jordan)
HM – Alfons Freij, LHD, Växjö
For the first time in a long time, there is a real possibility that we don’t see any Swedes drafted in the first round in 2024. That being said, Swedish defenseman Alfons Freij possesses many traits and attributes that give him a shot at hearing his name called on day 1 and still make him a very intriguing prospect for any organization. His two best and most projectable traits are his skating and puck moving ability, and they often go hand-in-hand. Freij is an incredibly mobile defenseman who oozes confidence with the puck on his stick. He often will take the puck from behind his own net and carry it up ice into the offensive zone to create scoring chances. Always with his head up, he also makes a fantastic first pass when it’s a better option than keeping it for himself. He’s a dual threat in the offensive zone as well, capable of creating passing lanes to distribute while also possessing a great shot. Freij is not afraid to take risks with the puck, and those risks don’t always pan out. At times he will turn the puck over and gift odd man rushes to the opposition. He’ll need to learn to be a bit more selective with his playmaking in order to excel at the next level. Another aspect of his game that will need to improve as he develops is his in zone defense. His skating prowess makes him a capable rush defender, however at times he can get caught out of position chasing pucks once the opposition has established possession. That said, his foundational tools and willingness to experiment with them give him serious potential. (SpokedZ)
HM – Oskar Vuollet, C/LW, Skellefteå
Oskar Vuollet is another dangerous Swedish forward with a long track record of producing offensively, almost always playing up an age group. He’s a very smart and talented winger for Skellefteå who’s already earned some playing time in the SHL and Champions Hockey League this season. Without a doubt, his most dangerous attribute is his lightning quick release. He possesses an NHL-caliber one timer and can generate incredible power and accuracy with almost no wind-up. Vuollet is a threat on and off the puck in the offensive zone. He always has his head up scanning the ice in front of him and anticipating the next play. With that in mind, he utilizes incredibly quick hands and deception to challenge defenders with the puck to create scoring chances for himself or bait them in to facilitate for his teammates. Though undersized, Vuollet is unafraid of initiating contact and can be a real nuisance in front of the net. He certainly has room for improvement in his all-around game in all 3 zones, but Vuollet’s offensive tool kit combined with his smarts and pace of play make him another intriguing forward to track as we get closer to draft day. (SpokedZ)
HM – Cole Hutson, LHD, USNTDP
Cole Hutson could potentially make his way onto the Smaht Scouting top 32 at some point. He’s got tremendous upside, has great mobility and shiftiness to open up space for himself to make an uncontested pass or shot. He likes to pinch up in the offensive zone and pass to the interior. But, Hutson has struggled with puck control and sometimes delays a bit too long when determining his next move while pinching with the puck. (Josh Tessler)
Full List
| Rank | Player | Position | Team | Nationality |
| 1 | Macklin Celebrini | F | Boston University | Canada |
| 2 | Ivan Demidov | RW | SKA St. Petersburg | Russia |
| 3 | Cole Eiserman | LW | USNTDP | USA |
| 4 | Berkly Catton | F | Spokane | Canada |
| 5 | Zeev Buium | LHD | University of Denver | USA |
| 6 | Cayden Lindstrom | F | Medicine Hat | Canada |
| 7 | Sam Dickinson | LHD | London | Canada |
| 8 | Adam Jiricek | RHD | Plzen | Czechia |
| 9 | Artyom Levshunov | RHD | Michigan State University | Belarus |
| 10 | Zayne Parekh | RHD | Saginaw | Canada |
| 11 | Konsta Helenius | RW | Tappara | Finland |
| 12 | Luke Misa | C | Mississauga | Canada |
| 13 | Michael Brandsegg-Nygård | RW | Mora | Norway |
| 14 | Liam Greentree | RW | Windsor | Canada |
| 15 | Tij Iginla | F | Kelowna | Canada |
| 16 | Nikita Artamonov | LW | Nizhny Novgorod | Russia |
| 17 | Anton Silayev | LHD | Nizhny Novgorod | Russia |
| 18 | Trevor Connelly | F | Tri-City | USA |
| 19 | Emil Hemming | F | TPS | Finland |
| 20 | Sacha Boisvert | C | Muskegon | Canada |
| 21 | Aron Kiviharju | LHD | TPS | Finland |
| 22 | Henry Mews | RHD | Ottawa | Canada |
| 23 | Ryder Ritchie | F | Prince Albert | Canada |
| 24 | Carter Yakemchuk | RHD | Calgary | Canada |
| 25 | Igor Chernyshov | LW | Dynamo Moscow | Russia |
| 26 | Andrew Basha | F | Medicine Hat | Canada |
| 27 | Tanner Howe | F | Regina | Canada |
| 28 | Miguel Marques | F | Lethbridge | Canada |
| 29 | Daniil Ustinkov | LHD | Zürich | Switzerland / Russia |
| 30 | Matvei Shuravin | LHD | Krasnaya Armiya Moscow | Russia |
| 31 | Veeti Väisänen | LHD | KooKoo | Finland |
| 32 | Michael Hage | C | Chicago | Canada |
| HM | John Mustard | F | Waterloo | Canada |
| HM | Tomas Galvas | LHD | Olomouc | Czechia |
| HM | Beckett Sennecke | RW | Oshawa | Canada |
| HM | Alfons Freij | LHD | Växjö | Sweden |
| HM | Oskar Vuollet | C/LW | Skellefteå | Sweden |
| HM | Cole Hutson | LHD | USNTDP | USA |