The 2024 NHL Draft is only a couple of weeks away. On June 28 and 29, 224 prospects will accomplish a lifelong goal and begin the next step of their hockey career toward becoming a professional athlete.
With hundreds of prospects eligible to have their names called at the Las Vegas Sphere, fans get the opportunity to meet the next generation of the NHL. With that, comes a lot of new faces and names. Beyond the top prospects, a lot of players get overlooked in the seven-round process.
This list doesn’t evaluate players on their talent, size, speed, or intangibles, but simply on how cool their name is. Whether it trips up commentators, contains endless vowels, or creates a perfect play on words, it’s all up for grabs in this top ten.
Without further ado, the top ten names of the 2024 NHL Prospect class.
10. Micheal Brandsegg-Nygard
Wow, imagine that name bar. Micheal Brandsegg-Nygard starts us off with his 16-character last name. The right-handed forward from Oslo, Norway is a top-15 prospect in the upcoming draft and will almost certainly become the highest-drafted Norwegian in NHL history. Brandsegg-Nygard would surpass Bjorn Skaare, who was selected 62nd overall in the 1978 Draft by the Detroit Red Wings.
Whatever team MBN lands on, the equipment managers will have a fun time prepping all that first-round pick merch.
9. John Stout
John Stout out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth can’t legally purchase alcohol in his home state yet, despite being named after a beer. Stout is quite the opposite at 6’2” 180 pounds. The lengthy defencemen is ranked 165th amongst North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Stout’s name certainly fits the bill of a hockey player and the Minnetonka, Minnesota-born product will most likely get his name called on day two at the upcoming draft.
8. John Whipple
Doubling up on the Johns, Whipple takes eighth on the list. What a great last name for an athlete. It just sounds quick. It’s smooth off the tongue, simple and the opportunity for nicknames is endless.
Whipple is ranked 145th by NHL Central Scouting amongst North American skaters and won a silver medal at this past U18 World Junior Championship with Team USA.
7. Hawke Huff
Maybe the toughest name on the list, Hawke Huff rings in the seventh overall selection. Huff’s legal first name is Luken, but has gone by Hawke his whole life. Badass.
Although Huff is ranked 193rd overall amongst North American Skaters, he could get his name called on June 29. Huff’s high school senior profile describes his nicknames as “Huffer” or “Hufftron”. Again, badass.
6. Zayne Parekh
Zayne Parekh rounds out of the bottom half of the top 10. The fifth overall scouted North American skater by Central Scouting was born in Nobleton Ontario. With the first name Zayne, you immediately know he was a cool kid in primary school.
The right-handed defenceman scored 96 points this season with the Saginaw Spirit. Parekh will give fans and commentators a great hockey name and a skilled offensive game.
5. William Zellers
William Zellers comes in at number five with his nostalgic last name. If you have never experienced a Zellers superstore in your life, I sincerely apologize. Eating potato wedges at green tables with cheap Arborite tops in a Zeller’s diner will forever be etched in my memory. Maybe, in reality, it wasn’t as good as my 10-year-old fat kid brain recalls.
For my sake, hopefully, William can go onto a long and successful career so I can replace that memory with highlights of his spectacular goals and jaw-dropping dekes. Zellers is yet another Minnesota product ranked 54th overall amongst North American skaters.
4. Artur Faizov
Artur Faizov finishes just shy of the podium at fourth overall. The Russian product is listed as a centre but spent time at LW when struggling at the Faizov dot this past season.
Just can’t pass up a bad pun.
Artur is ranked 50th overall among European skaters and is under contract with Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk of the VHL until 2025–26.
3. Zeev Buium
Back to a more serious note, Zeev Buium easily has one of the coolest names in the 2024 prospect pool. The San Diego product plays for the University of Denver and was the second-youngest freshman in D1 NCAA Hockey this past season.
Buium is the fourth-ranked North American skater entering the draft and his first name can easily be a booming chant in any arena.
2. Teddy Spitznagel
Teddy Spitznagel falls just shy of the title as the second-best name. Teddy’s unique last name is both super cool and kind of funny. No disrespect to Teddy or any of his family, but Spitznagel sounds like a mythical creature from Harry Potter.
Spitznagel played his draft season in the USHL and committed to the University of Michigan for next season. The American forward isn’t ranked by central scouting but certainly is by us. I could picture recently retired Bruins play-by-play personality Jack Edwards having a hay day with this one.
1. Diego Buttazoni
Last but not least, the crowning champ, Diego Buttazoni. It’s a perfect combination of a cool first name and a last name that invokes childlike humour the same way saying “do, do” at a meeting makes everyone in the office freeze for a second.
Buttazoni is ranked 134th amongst North American skaters and will hopefully one day don an NHL ice surface. I’d love to hear Chris Cuthbert say “Buttazoni corrals it, down the wing… BUTTAZONI SCORES”.
Honourable mentions
Shout out to Maxmilian Curran, Jan Golicic, Caleb Hadland, Vojtech Hradec, Max Koskipirtti, Ryerson Leenders, Veeti Louhivaara, Nate Misskey, Leon Muggli, Kasper Pikkarainen, and AJ Spellacy as our honourable mentions.
