Now that the first 16 picks of the 2024 NHL Draft have been finalized following Tuesday night’s draft lottery, let’s take a look at some of the top prospects in this year’s class.
Here’s five players to know not named Macklin Celebrini, the presumed 2024 No. 1 pick.
Artyom Levshunov, D, Michigan State (NCAA)
The No. 2-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting, Levshunov is considered by many to be the most NHL-ready player in the 2024 draft class. The 18-year-old blue-liner scored nine goals and 35 points in 38 games during his freshman season at Michigan State, good for 10th-most among NCAA defensemen.
Levshunov has prototypical size for an NHLer (he’s 6-foot-2 and 208 pounds), and he’s a physical defender who hits and shoots hard. He has plus-upside offensively, and he projects as a future top-pairing defenseman.
Ivan Demidov, RW, SKA-1946 Saint Petersburg (MHL)
Demidov is NHL Central Scouting’s No. 2-ranked European skater, and some have even debated if he’s a better prospect heading into his draft year than Matvei Michkov was last year when he went No. 7 to the Philadelphia Flyers.
The 5-foot-11 winger tallied 23 goals and 60 points in only 30 games in Russia’s Maritime Junior Hockey League, and he projects as a top-line forward in the NHL. Demidov excels at driving offense, and he’s got a high hockey IQ and elite puck-handling skills with a penchant for making big plays.
Cole Eiserman, LW, USA U18 (USNTDP)
The No. 2-ranked left winger in North America, Eiserman is one of the more intriguing players in the 2024 class. Depending in which scouting service you believe, he could either be a top-five pick or slip to the 15-20 range.
The 17-year-old forward scored 25 goals and 34 points in 24 games in the USHL, and he logged another 58 goals and 89 points in 57 games with the U.S. National Team Development Program. He’s a gifted scorer with a knack for being around the net and firing off shots from anywhere on the ice. Scouts rave about Eiserman’s shooting ability and shot accuracy.
Zayne Parekh, D, Saginaw (OHL)
An offensive defenseman, Parekh’s 33 goals and 96 points in 66 games in the OHL this season are the first thing most notice about the 6-foot defender, who’s drawn comparisons to Pittsburgh’s Erik Karlsson, arguably the top offensive defenseman in the NHL.
Parekh is a future power-play quarterback and top-pairing blue-liner, with great awareness, strong puck smarts and ability to generate offense off the rush. He can be a load to handle in the offensive zone where he’s usually driving the net and creating scoring chances like Roman Josi and Cale Makar do.
Tij Iginla, C, Kelowna (WHL)
The son of Calgary Flames great Jarome Iginla, Tij plays with the same fiery edge his father did. He had a breakout year with the Kelowna Rockets, notching 47 goals and 84 points in 64 WHL games, he may have seen the most growth in his development from the beginning of the season to now.
Iginla has a strong shot, excellent skating, and he works well from the middle of the ice. Scouts have spoken highly of his creativity and ability to consistently win one-on-one battles and find scoring chances from wherever he is on the ice.
