With the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft just over 24 hours away, it’s time to complete a mock draft from The Win Column! We’ve divided up the first round among a few TWC members and projected each selection in the first round.
Mock draft results
Some picks were easy and obvious, and some came in a bit off the board. Here are the full results with commentary on why each team could be making these picks. The person who made the selection is listed for each pick.
1. San Jose Sharks: Macklin Celebrini, C
James W: The San Jose Sharks already have a wealth of high-level forward prospects and add to it with the consensus first-overall pick—Macklin Celebrini. I just don’t see a scenario where the Sharks pass on him, and this was the easiest pick I’ll ever make. He’s the best player available and the best player in the draft.
2. Chicago Blackhawks: Artyom Levshunov, D
Greg: The fans are debating between Ivan Demidov and Artyom Levshunov, and this pick likely provides Bedard with an elite blueline at some point, a crucial development for the Hawks. Levshunov produced well offensively but was a standout defensively who thrived in physical battles. There are very few holes to Levshunov’s game—a boon to the rebuilding Hawks.
3. Anaheim Ducks: Sam Dickinson, D
James J: There are tons of options here. I think the Ducks go for a defenceman with their recent draft history of forwards. Anton Silayev is certainly a name to watch, but I think the Ducks go with the smooth-skating Sam Dickinson to round out their defence corps.
4. Columbus Blue Jackets: Ivan Demidov, RW
Karim: Easy pick here. With Matvei Michkov making his way to Philadelphia after just one year, all signs point to Demidov coming over quickly as well. Columbus has had success with Russians recently, and Demidov is way too good to pass at fourth.
5. Montreal Canadiens: Cayden Lindstrom, C
Joshua: Arguably the easiest pick of the draft outside of first overall. Everyone on the planet knows Montreal wants to go forward at five. They will happily take whoever is left between Demidov and Cayden Lindstrom in this scenario.
6. Utah HC: Zeev Buium, D
Khalid: Utah desperately needs a defenceman, particularly a puck-moving defenceman. They also need a player that their new fanbase can get excited about. Zeev Buium is exactly what they need in this draft.
7. Ottawa Senators: Tij Iginla, C
John: Rumours are floating that the Senators aren’t going to make this pick, but if they do, Steve Staios will be hard-pressed to find a more dynamic forward to join his young core in this year’s draft. With the team expected to deliver this season, adding Tij Iginla to the fold would make a ton of sense.
8. Seattle Kraken: Zayne Parekh, D
James W: It was a tough debate between Zayne Parekh and Berkley Catton here for the Seattle Kraken. In the end, I think Parekh—as a right-shot offensive defenceman—is the player who will bring more value. They do have prospects like Ty Nelson and Lukas Dragicevic in the pipeline, along with Adam Larsson, Will Borgen, and Justin Schultz on the pro roster, but I think Parekh quickly eclipses all of them and becomes the Kraken’s true number one defenceman.
9. Calgary Flames: Berkley Catton, C
Khalid: The Flames were always going to get a very good player in this draft, but which player it is depends on who is selected before them. With Iginla and Parekh both gone, it was a toss-up between a forward and a defenceman, but in Catton, the Flames get the elite top-line centre to build around. The Flames, under former centre Craig Conroy, know better than most the importance of having strength down the middle, and Catton is a player that fills a huge need.
10. New Jersey Devils: Anton Silayev, D
James J: I don’t think Silayev will be here, but if he is, it’s an easy pick for New Jersey. I could see them going for Konsta Helenius as well. But given their plethora of high-end prospects already, why not add a huge defenceman and wait a couple of years? After trading Kevin Bahl to Calgary, they did open up a slot for a big left-shot defender in their organization.
11. Buffalo Sabres: Cole Eiserman, LW
Joshua: With an already loaded prospect pool at pretty much every position, Buffalo can afford to take a big swing on a boom-or-bust player like Cole Eiserman. If he works out, this could be one of the first round’s biggest steals.
12. Philadelphia Flyers: Carter Yakemchuk, D
Karim: Philadelphia needs an impact player at almost every position, but the last of the top-tier defencemen is their pick here. Carter Yakemchuk is severely underrated and has that meanness the Flyers love. He’ll fit in well and have a chance to grow as the Flyers do.
13. Minnesota Wild: Konsta Helenius, C
Greg: The nature of this draft is that there are several good players who can go anywhere between #2 and #13. This fact is quite obvious as the Wild have Helenius fall to them, an outstanding centre prospect already thriving in the Liiga. Helenius might well become the top centre for Wild.
14. San Jose Sharks: Adam Jiricek, D
James W: The Sharks could use a top prospect on defence, but that’s not going to happen with the first overall pick. Enter Adam Jiricek. I hoped Yakemchuk would fall a bit further, as he was my top choice for the Sharks at #14, but the draft didn’t shake out that way. The Sharks still walked away with a right-shot defenceman with a ton of potential. He already shows flashes of being a solid two-way defenceman, and with another 20 or so pounds, he should become a force on the blue line.
15. Detroit Red Wings: E.J. Emery, D
John: Steve Yzerman has been known to go off the board before, and you wonder if he does it again with E.J. Emery. A strong defensive defenceman, you wonder if Emery is the next in line after Seider to form the back end for years to come.
16. St. Louis Blues: Stian Solberg, D
Joshua: The Blues have gone forward with most of their recent first-round picks, so a defenceman makes a whole lot of sense at #16. Getting one of the draft’s biggest risers in Stian Solberg is great value here and adds some much-needed defensive depth to their pipeline.
17. Washington Capitals: Trevor Connelly, LW
Khalid: Someone is going to take a chance on Trevor Connelly despite his checkered past and Washington just feels like the team to do it. They need elite skill in their prospect pool, and Connelly is a player that they can build their next core around. They have likely done their work getting to know him and have taken on other players with less-than-stellar histories and made them into players.
18. Chicago Blackhawks: Beckett Sennecke, LW
Greg: A late riser, Beckett Sennecke is in conversation to go much higher than this. Grabbing a potential impact forward for Connor Bedard to work with here only serves to make the Blackhawks more steadfast in taking Levshunov at second overall.
19. Vegas Golden Knights: Michael Hage, C
James W: I’m a big fan of Michael Hage’s game. He’s a great skater with an incredible offensive mind who I think is flying under the radar. Many rankings have him in the 20s, but I think he’s great value in the mid-teens. A dynamic centre with a high upside falls into the Vegas Golden Knights’ lap here at #19.
20. New York Islanders: Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW
James J: This is an easy pick for the Islanders. They need *everything* in their prospect pool, so they’ll take the best available. For this draft, it is Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, who happens fits the identity that the Islanders like to play with to a tee. He could be a replacement for one of the Islanders’ aging wingers in a year or two.
21. L.A. Kings: Liam Greentree, LW
Karim: The Kings continue their high-value drafting with one of the most underrated players in the entire draft class. Liam Greentree is among the leaders in every single offensive category and has all the makings of a top-six winger.
22. Nashville Predators: Charlie Elick, D
Greg: A big, physical, right-shot defenceman with some apparent breakout passing skills; I’m very comfortable valuing Charlie Elick as a first-rounder. Looking at Nashville’s system, I thought some size at RD was appropriate. In my defence, the team did trade for Andrew Gibson the day after this mock draft happened.
23. Toronto Maple Leafs: Andrew Basha, LW
Khalid: If this is the end of the “core four” in Toronto, the Leafs are going to need to add more skill up front. In drafting Andrew Basha, the Leafs get a ton of speed and skill with the potential for him to develop into a great middle-six forward. As great as it would be to add a blueliner, Basha’s upside makes him hard to pass on.
24. Colorado Avalanche: Igor Chernyshov, RW
Joshua: With the extension for Casey Mittelstadt, the Avalanche are finally set down the middle of the ice. At #24, they go with the high upside pick in Russian winger Igor Chernyshov. With Valeri Nichushkin’s status unknown, the Avs desperately need some more talent on the wing.
25. Boston Bruins: Aron Kiviharju, D
John: Originally projected to be a much higher pick, Aron Kiviharju’s injury-plagued season derailed a lot of his progress. That being said, it makes him one of the biggest later-round steals in this draft if he can stay healthy, and Boston would love to switch that up after acquiring the pick in the Linus Ullmark deal.
26. Montreal Canadiens: Cole Hutson, D
Joshua: At #26, the Canadiens take a big swing on Lane Hutson’s brother Cole. They’ve had success picking a Hutson in the past, so why not add another? After going forward at five, going defence here makes sense.
27. Carolina Hurricanes: Henry Mews, D
James W: Henry Mews feels like a very “Hurricanes” pick. He’s not big by any means—listed at 6-foot-0 and 185 pounds—and he plays a skill game, racking up a lot of points. His defensive game needs work, but I see him developing into a top-four defenceman who can run a power play, at the very least. Most rankings have him going somewhere in the mid-second round, but I think he’s worth a swing late in the first, and the Carolina Hurricanes are certainly a team that would do it.
28. Calgary Flames: Leo Sahlin Wallenius, D
Khalid: With their second first-round pick, the Flames go across the pond and add a blueliner. Leo Sahlin Wallenius is a strong puck-moving blueliner with defensive skills that projects to be a top-four NHL defenceman in a few years. The team has been very good at finding defencemen from Sweden, and he should be another complementary piece for the rebuild.
29. Dallas Stars: Sacha Boisvert, C
John: The Stars have been known to draft a ton of dynamic scoring forwards, and Sacha Boisvert could fit that bill as well. Maybe a bit more of a project compared to the last few picks, he would be a strong addition to a deep prospect pool.
30. New York Rangers: Jesse Pulkkinen, D
Greg: One of the more curious players of the draft, Jesse Pulkkinen is an over-ager, passed over last season as a first-time draft eligible. There are some skating concerns, but Pulkkinen has a lot of tools to work with, including strong defensive play, immense size, and soft hands. The Rangers are free to bet on upside.
31. Anaheim Ducks: Dean Letourneau, C
John: After adding a defenceman with their earlier pick, I’m guessing they’ll go for a forward here. There are lots of options, but it could prove beneficial to take a gamble on Dean Letourneau. He’s 6″7″ and has garnered comparisons to Tate Thompson. However, he’s a wild card due to him playing U18 AAA and PHC in 2023–24. Those aren’t traditional development leagues. For the Ducks, it’s a worthy gamble with an extra first-rounder. They can take their time with him.
32. Philadelphia Flyers: Yegor Surin, C
Karim: With the Yakemchuk pick earlier in the draft, the Flyers address another area of need with this centre. Yegor Surin is a monster, fits the Flyers’ mould, and has a great chance of being an impact player. At 32nd overall, this is exceptional value and rounds out an extremely successful first round for Daniel Briere and Co.
Let the draft begin
We’ll soon see how the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft pans out, but there are lots of reasons for teams to make sure bets, make reaches, or outright swing for the stars.
Want to know more about each of these players?
Check out all of The Win Column’s individual player profiles of selected 2024 NHL Draft prospects:
Macklin Celebrini | Ivan Demidov | Artyom Levshunov | Sam Dickinson | Cayden Lindstrom | Berkly Catton | Cole Eiserman | Zeev Buium | Konsta Helenius | Zayne Parekh | Carter Yakemchuk | Anton Silayev | Tij Iginla | Adam Jiricek | Michael Brandsegg-Nygard | Liam Greentree | Igor Chernyshov | Trevor Connelly | Aron Kiviharju | Michael Hage | Ryder Ritchie | Sacha Boisvert | Nikita Artamonov | Maxim Masse | Cole Hutson | Beckett Sennecke | Dominik Badinka | Emil Hemming | Henry Mews | Terik Parascak | Alfons Freij | Charlie Elick | EJ Emery | John Mustard | Luka Misa | Tanner Howe | Lucas Pettersson | Matvei Gridin | Dean Letourneau | Leo Sahlin Wallenius | Jesse Pulkkinen | Cole Beaudoin | Kamil Bednarik | Jett Luchanko | Andrew Basha | Stian Solberg | Adam Jecho | Matvei Shuravin | Veeti Vaisanen
