Final B/R Big Board for the 2024 NHL Draft

The 2024 NHL draft is just days away, with Boston University's Macklin Celebrini expected to be the first pick by the San Jose Sharks on Friday at the Sphere in Las Vegas.

Celebrini tore up the NCAA in posting 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) in 38 games for the Terriers and was our No. 1-ranked player on our Big Board in May.

But that was then and this is now.

Who's moved up? Who's slid? Scroll on for our top 32 draft prospects on our final Big Board.

Scouting reports provided by B/R NHL draft experts Adam Herman and Hannah Stuart.

Note: Select player profiles have appeared on a previous edition of B/R's big board.

The 2024 draft class may not be overly impressive, but that has nothing to do with the man at the top of the list.

Macklin Celebrini had one of the best freshman seasons in NCAA history. The 17-year-old center posted 32 goals and 32 assists in just 38 games for Boston University. His goal total is the highest for a draft-eligible player in men's college hockey; more than Paul Kariya, Jack Eichel and Adam Fantilli.

That alone doesn't describe what Celebrini accomplished this season. The BU Terriers won 28 of their 40 games largely on the back of their freshman center. The next-highest goal scorer on the team had 18, and the second-ranked point producer was a defenseman (Lane Hutson). Celebrini dragged an otherwise unimpressive team to the Frozen Four semifinal.

Celebrini is a true five-tool player. What first stands out is how he is eager to attack with the puck. Celebrini combines bold thinking with silky hands and above-average skating ability to create offense for his team.

He loves to gain speed through the neutral zone and, when holding the puck, he is super comfortable making plays through the middle lane; an essential trait for any high-level center. He has no signature move but instead mystifies defenders with his unpredictability. He cuts diagonally across the zone and then feeds a teammate into the space he just left. The Canadian can deke past defenders with moves through their bodies

Celebrini is equal parts shooter and playmaker. The release off his stick is effortless, and he can roof it over the goaltender's shoulders from distance. He grades high in terms of his 360-degree vision on the ice, and his ability to execute and feed the puck onto his teammate's tape. He makes high-difficulty plays but does so with a level of calmness. Rarely does he try to force a play that isn't available.

At 6'0" and 190 pounds, Celebrini doesn't play a violent game, but he's not going to be intimidated by the physical components of NHL hockey. He is strong on his skates and does not shy away from battles.

His defensive temperament is also laudable. Regarding players his age, the hope is often that they can simply keep their heads above water in the defensive end. Celebrini has advanced beyond that stage already and was more than capable defensively, even against good NCAA teams.

The only real knock on Celebrini is that he does not have a trait that stands out as bordering on generational. Conor Bedard has his shot. Connor McDavid is defined by his skating. Celebrini is a fantastic shooter and has high-end puck skills, but they are not at such a rare level as to be unmatched. As such, he is not a generational prospect.

Yet there is no doubt that Celebrini is the top player available in this draft. The gap between him and the rest of the group is enormous.

Ivan Demidov is a hard player to project for a few reasons. A comparison is hard to find both statistically and stylistically. He has played almost exclusively in a weak MHL, and Russia's lack of involvement in international tournaments stopped most attempts to directly size him up against his peers in this draft class

Nevertheless, a team will bet on the most offensively talented player in this draft class.

Demidov made a mockery of the MHL this season with 23 goals and 37 assists in 30 games. That is the highest points-per-game average by a draft-eligible player in MHL history, with nobody within shouting distance. His numbers in his draft-minus-one season were similarly bountiful; only Flyers top prospect Matvei Michkov outranks him in MHL history.

Demidov's top tool is his hands. He keeps the puck on his stick like they're glued together, and he can beat defenders with creative misdirections like it's nothing. Forget about worrying about whether Demidov is a perimeter player. He actively thrives off being able to take the puck from the perimeter and directly penetrate the defense with moves to the middle of the offensive zone.

Demidov's speed needs work, but his skating is better than advertised. Demidov is good on his edges, and his ability to effortlessly change speeds, in combination with his tricky hands, sends defenders the wrong way.

He keeps his feet in the 10-and-2 position more often than most players, and the few who do so are usually defensemen. Demidov makes that work for him all around the offensive zone.

Primarily a playmaker, Demidov sucks defenders to him because of his unpredictability and his legitimate ability to beat one or even two defenders with skill. Remarkably, Demidov will draw that pressure and then change the angle of attack and send a pass to a now-open teammate. But he also has a good shot and beats goaltenders with his unpredictability.

He's not an imposing physical player, but he plays with energy and will take contact to make a play. Demidov is at his best when he holds the puck, but he puts in the work off the puck to find ways to get open.

The lack of proof of concept at any level other than Russian juniors will make some scouts nervous, and he has some kinks in his game he'll need to work out. But Demidov's skill is a rarity even at the NHL level and his upside as an electric first-line offensive producer makes him the second-best forward in this draft class.

It's Cayden Lindstrom's athleticism that stands out. Having turned 18 in February, he's already 6'3" and 210 pounds, and that frame suits him well. Despite playing in the middle, he is at his best when he's carrying the puck along either wing.

The 18-year-old is a powerful skater in straight lines, which gives him an edge on transition rushes. He then lowers the shoulder and holds off most checks while driving from the outside toward the crease for a true power forward's goal.

His in-zone offense is also credible. Lindstrom has a powerful wrist shot and can shoot while being stationary and while curling toward the high slot. He has good puck handles for his size and can beat defenders and escape pressure in smaller areas of the ice.

Lindstrom plays with tenacity. He'll drive through puck-carriers with his body to throw heavy hits. He wins battles using his size as leverage but also by moving like a freight train as the first forechecker into the offensive zone.

While Lindstrom's decision-making doesn't set off any alarms, there are limits to his vision and puck poise that could keep him out of the top five of this draft class. His playmaking is on the lower spectrum relative to top-center prospects.

He is a good passer off the rush but hasn't shown an ability to create the passes that unlock defenses. And sometimes, when he does locate those opportunities, he fails to execute, putting the pass where a teammate cannot easily receive it.

In his defense, he hasn't had too much of a chance to develop that skill. He often plays net front for Medicine Hat—particularly on the power play—and he missed much of this season with an injury. Maybe Lindstrom turns into an average second- or third-line center, or maybe his drafting team eventually decides his speed is best served on the wing.

But he could just as easily round out his game and figure out all the little ways to dominate with his size and speed. The injury offers a lot of what-ifs about where Lindstrom might've slotted had he had a full season to develop and build a résumé. His upside is very high and, in a weaker draft such as this one, the cost/benefit analysis pushes in his favor.

All of the tools are there for Artyom Levshunov.

He's 6'2" and already well over 200 pounds. Despite his bulky build, his skating does not lag. He could build some explosiveness into his first few steps, but once he's moving, he has a powerful stride. With his length and power, he can cover a lot of ground.

As such, the Belarusian is always looking to join the rush and activate from the points in the offensive zone. This aggressive form allows him to become a creator of offense both on transitions and while involving himself more down low in the O-zone. Though he does sometimes need to pick his spots better, he is usually able to get away with taking risks specifically because of his range; Levshunov covers a lot of ground on the backcheck and gets back behind the puck in time to prevent odd-man rushes.

Levshunov has some ability to manipulate defenses, though his decision-making with the puck can be questionable. Levshunov's outlets are always quick, whether that's a soft flip to a teammate supporting the breakout or a missile through the neutral zone to a forward hovering at the opposition's blue line.

And in the offensive zone, Levshunov can create space for himself with the puck along the blue line. His shot is a missile but he wisely waits for traffic and tries to beat goalies through screens or try to create rebounds. He's not looking to pick corners from the point, which represents a necessary evolution for defensemen like him in the modern NHL.

Nine goals and 26 assists is impressive for any 17-year-old defenseman in the NCAA. Levshunov did it on a low-scoring team. On the other hand, I do not see a player who creates high-danger chances either as a shooter or passer. Whether he is a legitimate offensive catalyst or a supplementary producer at the NHL level remains to be seen.

He's strong in the defensive zone. He bullies players who attempt to get in the front of the net. He boxes out well as a preventative measure but can deal out pain to move players. When he defends with his body, Levshunov does a good job keeping puck-rushers to the outside. He needs to lean into that part of his game. Despite his skating and strength, Levshunov tries to defend with suboptimal swipes of the stick way too often and, in doing so, stops moving his feet.

Levshunov is the exact type of defenseman who can simultaneously intrigue and terrify a scout. The high level of his tools is inarguable but will he be able to put it all together? There is so much to like about his game and he has the foundation to address the weaknesses. With some patient development, he could be in the mold of Noah Hanifin.

Statistics aren't everything, but sometimes it's not worth overthinking what they indicate. In Zayne Parekh's case, they tell the story of one of the best offensive defensemen of a generation. He led all OHL defensemen in both goals and points this past season, but that's just the warm-up. His 33 goals and 63 points would make him a top prospect at any position, let alone defense.

In fact, among all first-year draft-eligible defensemen in OHL history, Parekh ranks second by goals scored and third by points. Nobody has put up the numbers he has in well over 30 years. Not Aaron Ekblad, not Evan Bouchard and not Ryan Ellis.

There is a calmness to the way Parekh operates. His posture is casual with the puck and, although it may give scouts the wrong impression, there's a method to his madness. There are a lot of offensive defensemen who get described as "evasive," but he truly embodies that term in a way few can. Parekh floats around the ice and carves up the opposition with agility and tight puck-handling.

His wrist shot is excellent. He is tremendous at finding lanes and then shooting through traffic from the blue line but he can also torque his body to rip one past goaltenders as he's skating into dangerous shooting areas. He is a brilliant passer who can operate in crowded spaces and make those lateral and diagonal passes across the slot to set up high-danger scoring chances.

His defensive game is a work in progress but there are reasons for cautious optimism. Parekh is brilliant at timing his movements to keep loose pucks in the offensive zone and recycle possession or outright bait a pass and then jump in to intercept it. While that's not technically defensive hockey, teams can't score when they don't have the puck and are stuck in their own end.

He's a bit of a rover. So too was Pavel Mintyukov, who also played in Saginaw's system and has successfully translated his game to the NHL level. They are different players, but the greater point here is that talented offensive players often figure out how to shore up the defensive side with experience, physical growth, and the right usage.

It's easy to see Parekh's path to becoming one of the NHL's top offensive defensemen and a high-end power-play quarterback. Maybe the defensive side forces teams to shelter him in certain situations, but so what? There are five other spots in the lineup for shutdown defensemen. Parekh presents an opportunity to potentially add a unique difference-maker.

What do Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes and Roman Josi all have in common? Elite edgework.

This is not a promise that Zeev Buium will turn into a superstar, but the point is that he has a foundational trait that will set him up for success in the offensive end of the rink.

Buium is a brilliant skater. The straight-line speed is good, but he wows with his agility. Buium casually sidesteps pressure. He can walk the blue line in the offensive zone. He slaloms through forecheckers in the neutral zone. He can escape pressure when retrieving pucks in the defensive end.

The proof is in the numbers. On a Denver team that won the national championship, Buium ranked second in points.

And while Buium has some work to do in the defensive end, the same knocks against him about his lack of size and absent physical game were sloppily applied to Hughes at the same age.

Here's the deal: No, Buium will never be the coach's top choice for the penalty kill nor push a 6'4" center out of the crease. What separates him is his skating and brain; that should be enough to defend at the NHL level. He can gap up tightly to puck-carriers, defend against transitions by closing space, and ensure the puck stays out of the defensive end by escaping the forecheck with either his feet or a quick pass.

He already proved this as a 17-year-old against the top players in college hockey. He'll do it again at the pro levels.

It won't be a surprise if he settles in on an NHL second pairing, but Buium's ceiling is much higher, and he could be a top offensive defenseman.

The son of Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, Tij Iginla shares some similarities with the Calgary Flames legend but is best evaluated as his own person.

Iginla is one of the most talented players with the puck in this draft. He is a crafty stick-handler who lives to take on defenders and beat them with weight shifts and stick maneuvers. He splits the defense through the neutral zone and is excellent at taking the puck from the walls to the middle of the offensive zone with decisive movements and stick work.

Iginla's wrist shot snaps off his stick, and he is shrewd with how he hides or changes the angles of his release. He can be eager to shoot but will also wait to see how lanes develop and find a teammate in scoring position as he draws attention to himself. Though he is also effective when a teammate has the puck, Iginla is a guy who wants the puck on his stick and creates both for himself and his teammates.

Iginla is 6'0" and 185 pounds, though his August birthday leaves room to grow. He's well built for his frame given his age already, and it shows in his game. Iginla is rabid on the forecheck and insatiable when protecting pucks, fighting for inside position and proactively finding a low stance for leverage. He's not necessarily going to blow defensemen through the glass, but he is going to force a lot of turnovers.

The key to Iginla's development will be calming his game. Sometimes with the puck, he'll take the scenic route when there are more efficient options available. Though the overall skill will translate, he won't get away with convoluted moves as often at the NHL level.

This is true off the puck as well. In the defensive zone, he can occasionally be too eager to fly the zone in hopes of a teammate sending him a home run pass. And while his relentless effort on the forecheck is a major asset, he too often is overeager to force a clean turnover at full speed when the moment calls for him to contain.

Those are forgivable traits. Coaches will love his motor and fearlessness and will work with him on optimizing his decision-making. Iginla has a definite top-six upside as a point-producer and momentum shifter. And if he misses that mark, It's frankly hard to see him not making the NHL in some capacity.

Berkly Catton is a dynamic offensive force. The Saskatoon native is incredible at both generating and executing off rush offense. Despite his sub-6-foot frame, Catton has no problems operating in the middle lane and holding off attempts at disruption from much bigger players.

That is credited to his tremendous edgework and gifted stick-handling. Catton has the acceleration to blow past defenders to their outside. Yet if a defender attempts to keep pace, he'll just as easily do a quick cutback to lose the defender and create space high in the offensive zone either for him to move into and shoot or for a trailing teammate to skate into like an open runway.

What's most impressive is how he can make dangerous plays rushing down either side of the offensive zone. Left-handed shooters typically have a tough time making plays down the right wing because they are forced to lead with their backhand. Catton can keep teams honest with a good backhand shot or the ability to dish the puck laterally, and that creates the foundation for the real danger. Catton is adept at cutting outside-in to put the puck on his forehand as he cuts across the slot.

With a great wrist shot, high-end vision, and the ability to create zone entries to then either take on defenders by himself or hold up to set up a sustained O-zone possession, Catton was able to score 58 goals and add 62 assists in just 68 WHL games. Only Connor Bedard has scored more as a draft-eligible WHLer over the last 20 years while his 1.71 points-per-game ranks fifth in that same span.

Catton put in effort defensively and even got some time on the penalty kill in Spokane this season. A lack of physical game and reach will lead to some questions about whether he can truly stick at center, though there are no doubts as to his capability to play in the middle offensively. Even if he does eventually move to wing, his offensive skill set indicates a bona fide top-six NHL offensive winger.

With this class being such a wide-open field, there's been plenty of room for late risers. Beckett Sennecke, right wing for the Oshawa Generals, came on strong in the second half of the season, and though his rise coincided in part with the return of fellow General and Colorado Avalanche prospect Calum Ritchie, Sennecke's tools are too good to attribute his success to his teammate.

An obvious concern some may leap to is that Sennecke, at 181 pounds and 6'2", could stand to add strength to his frame—he isn't really used to his height yet, and he could stand to be a little harder to push around. That sort of thing isn't enough of a knock in our view, though. Adding strength and muscle comes with time, and Sennecke's talent is too high to leave him out of the top 10.

He's a strong skater—he's very agile, with his edgework allowing him to evade pressure from opponents—and he isn't afraid to drive the net. Sennecke is a terrific, deceptive playmaker, and a key reason is the confidence with which he handles the puck.

He reads the ice extremely well. His fast hands allow him to use his creativity and hockey IQ at the game's top speeds to pull off absurd plays that, at first glance, seem like they shouldn't work out. He's not just a playmaker, though. He's persistent on the forecheck, and he can fire the puck off with one of several releases he has in his back pocket.

One of the subplots to this draft is how many defensemen there are who can skate.

Yes, that applies to the smaller guys who can zip around the ice. However, players like Sam Dickinson show how hockey is changing. Size is only as valuable as a player's ability to make use of it, and NHL teams are finally realizing that.

Dickinson is indicative of that change. He's 6'3" and over 200 pounds, but he is really mobile for that size. His testing scores ahead of the 2024 CHL Top Prospects Game show how well he gets around the ice both forward and backward and with or without the puck.

He is dangerous as the trailer or far-side option on a breakout. Dickinson changes directions without having to pump the brakes. When he has a chance to build speed he absolutely blows past the opposition in the neutral zone. His ability to transition the puck up the ice with his feet is a real asset.

Dickinson's strong backward skating and crossover ability mean he can use both large and tight gaps when defending the rush. He also has his movements in rhythm with those he is defending. I like his ability to extinguish rushes. Dickinson needs to learn to implement his size more when defending, but his timing is excellent when tying up sticks in the defensive zone, and particularly at the net front.

In the offensive zone, Dickinson's standout trait is his shot. He has a quick release and his slapshot is deafening. Dickinson tallied 18 goals and 52 assists in 68 games for the London Knights of the OHL this season.

He's going to be an NHL player, and he has the tools to become a really good one, but I'm not as sold on his likelihood of achieving that upside as others are. For one, he makes some decisions that cause fans to want to throw pillows at the TV. He'll try to force passes or he'll toss the puck into vulnerable areas without due diligence, resulting in some painful turnovers.

Of course, he's still 17 and played an elevated role for London this season. He'll have a lot of time to improve his decision-making. The bigger limitation to his game is a lack of creativity. If he can't beat a defender with speed, then he likely won't with stick-handling, vision, or poise. Inside the offensive zone, he does not routinely break through the other team's structure with passes.

On a good NHL team he's probably not on the top power-play unit. If Dickinson can add a manipulation component to his game with the puck and become someone who creates on controlled breakouts and within offensive zone cycles, then he could be a top-pairing, maybe even No. 1 defenseman.

Currently, there's a hesitation to push him above the threshold of a second-pairing defenseman who drives possession for his team.

The word that comes to mind for Konsta Helenius is "mature." He held his own as a 16-year-old in Finland's top league two seasons ago and thrived this past season. Helenius scored 14 goals and added 22 assists in 51 games for Jukurit, plus six points in six playoff games.

And though the point total doesn't prove it—just two in seven games—the 17-year-old Helenius was one of the few bright spots for a putrid Team Finland at the 2024 World Junior Championship.

Back to his maturity: Helenius thinks through the game at a high level.

He has a good awareness of where all the chess pieces are on the ice and how to manipulate them. He has strong anticipatory skills both with and without the puck. Using his mobility, Helenius can move with the puck harassed, evading checkers.

Off the puck, he has really good instincts for where the puck is going to end up and how to best support where the play is headed. His feet are always moving and he'll touch all areas of the offensive zone on a typical cycle shift, whether that's to support the cycle below the goal line or to cover for a pinching defenseman.

More a playmaker than a shooter, Helenius times his passes well to hit his teammates in stride and finds teammates in the slot from the perimeter. He's not a big shooter, but he has a deceptive release off the rush and accuracy in the slot to beat goaltenders.

He lacks elite tools, and that is why Helenius shouldn't be a top-five pick. But he grades out average to very good in every category. The motor, agility and brain are enough to make Helenius a top prospect. He's going to be a 200-foot player in the NHL with the upside to match up against other teams' top players as a second-line center.

It's easy to get enamored with a player's size in hockey, but in reality, it's more about how a player utilizes his tools than what he looks like.

With Anton Silayev, it's hard to ignore his size. The Russian defenseman, who turned 18 in April, is a breathtaking 6'7" and 207 pounds. There are several ways in which Silayev utilizes that size, and we'll get to that.

But what makes him such an intriguing prospect is how well he moves. No, not how well he moves for his size. If he was 6'1", he'd still be considered one of the draft's best skaters. Silayev is explosive in straight lines. His stride is clean, and his four-way mobility is incredible.

He can move laterally with ease thanks to his long legs without the downside of skating himself out of position, as can be the case for bigger defensemen. It's not just that Silayev is fast, but it's that his movements are extremely controlled.

A refined skater with the reach of a 6'7" defenseman? That's the recipe for a monster. Silayev always seems to be in the way. He's impossible to get around on the rush. He is on the winning end for so many races to free pucks. He gets in shooting lanes in the offensive zone.

Despite his size, Silayev first attempts to defend with his stick and body positioning. That being said, he does utilize his strength. He ends forechecks and cycles by smothering players along the walls. He boxes out from above the crease with ease. He does need to learn to make better decisions defensively, as he got burned a few too many times this past season when he abandoned the net front without support to chase behind the net.

Few draft-eligible players in Russia get meaningful minutes in the KHL, and the ones who do are typically wingers. For a defenseman to have played a regular role for a decent KHL team all season is nearly unprecedented.

Where opinions diverge is in relation to Silayev's offensive game. His three goals and eight assists in 63 KHL games are solid, but most of that output came in a small run of games early in the season. His production at the junior level was close to non-existent. He is composed with the puck and keeps his head up, but he struggles with the accuracy of his passing on breakouts.

If Silayev can turn his tools into offense, then he's going to become a special player. But I'm far less inclined to buy the Victor Hedman-esque hype that some scouts are offering.

Regardless, Silayev is a true outlier. If his trajectory holds, then he's going to be one of the best shutdown defensemen in the NHL with the kind of makeup that many teams will spend years searching for without success.

Cole Eiserman is a goal scorer. It's that simple.

He lit the lamp a ridiculous 55 times in 55 games for the USNTDP this season and then buried six goals in five games at the U18 World Championships. In the history of the USNTDP, only he, Cole Caufield and Phil Kessel have achieved a goal-per-game pace.

But it is by scoring that Eiserman will either sink or swim. The limitations to his game are obvious. He doesn't have an impact physically. His defensive game is lacking. He has decent playmaking within the offensive zone, but he's not someone who will either drive his team up the ice or make the connecting plays on breakouts in the defensive and neutral zones to gain possession. Nor is he a puck hawk on the forecheck.

None of that will matter if he can score 40 goals in the NHL. How Eiserman scores is what is critical in an optimistic analysis of his future. Yes, he is at his best when he is ripping the puck above the circles in an umbrella formation.

However, he is not a power-play merchant, and he does not solely rely on a teammate feeding the puck into his wheelhouse in loads of space. Eiserman can score many different types of goals with many different types of releases. His catch-and-release is lightning-quick, and he has the dexterity to receive passes in different spots and shoot without much of a hitch.

He loads his front foot while in stride and shoots past defenders off the rush. Eiserman will also use a sneaky flick of the wrists to score while in motion and posturing for a carry or pass.

Although he is better off the puck than on the puck in the offensive zone, he does create enough of his own shooting opportunities. He has good bursts of speed and has enough agility and puck skills to find space around defenders. His off-the-puck movements are also really commendable.

He's continually moving his feet and shifting his positioning in reciprocation to the puck, finding new spots to be just open enough to receive a pass and use that release before the defense can close down.

No doubt, Eiserman is an uncertain commodity. If the rest of his game is sufficient, he could be like Caufield or Kessel. If not, he's the next Oliver Wahlstrom or Kieffer Bellows. Finding game-breaking talent is extremely hard in free agency or trades, so the draft is the one chance for teams to make it happen. Rebuilding teams should bet on Eiserman's upside.

Calgary Hitmen defenseman Carter Yakemchuk, on puck skills alone, is a special player. He's a big guy, offensively gifted and isn't afraid to play physical. This past season he scored 30 goals, becoming the defender with the highest goal total since 2002, and was second only to OHLer Zayne Parekh in Canadian major-junior hockey goal-scoring. He ended up with the fifth-most productive draft year by a defenseman in WHL history.

He has incredible puck-handling skills—Yakemchuk is able to deceive opponents and can dangle creatively with the best of them—and he has a terrific shot, with a release that's already NHL-worthy. He could easily go in the top 10 this year, depending on the team, but his mobility just isn't where it needs to be in order to use those puck skills most effectively.

Yakemchuk really needs to improve his mobility in order to support his puck-handling at the speed of the NHL game. He lacks explosiveness, and he simply isn't an agile skater.

This isn't the kind of strike that should knock him out of first-round contention, not with the hands he has—he's got so much potential—but you just can't do all the things an offensive defenseman needs to be able to do at the NHL level unless you can move. Dramatic improvement to his stride is going to be a key part of his development.

Michael Brandsegg-Nygård could be the best forechecker in this year's draft. He likely will be the highest-drafted Norwegian in NHL history. He and countryman Stian Solberg are on track to be the first Norwegian-born first-round picks ever, in fact. He spent his draft season in the HockeyAllsvenskan, the second-tier Swedish pro league, and ended up with 18 points (8G/10A) in 41 games.

Brandsegg-Nygård already plays like a pro, pushing opponents around with purpose as he goes after the puck. To say he hits hard feels like an understatement, and it's not just singular forceful hits—he's also got subtlety in his physicality, jabbing at the puck until he can steal it for himself and doing whatever necessary to win those battles.

While his game begins with physicality, though, it doesn't end there. He's a smart player, knowing how to position himself to be most effective and able to read the ice to determine the smart play in a given situation.

He's defensively responsible, using his vision to support teammates, and he's an excellent and persistent backchecker. He's also got an incredible shot to go along with smooth, confident puck-handling—his playmaking may not snap necks, but that doesn't matter when opponents can't catch him thanks to his quick skating.

Adam Jiříček fell down some draft boards this past season, but not because of his play. Due to sustaining a knee injury in Czechia's first game of the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, Jiříček only saw 19 games in the Czech Extraliga this season. He ended the season with one assist.

Not surprisingly, this does not tell the story of Jiříček as a player, and a smart team will recognize that.

He has excellent vision that allows him to slow the game for himself in order to identify the correct play at the sport's top speeds. He has great puck retrieval and puck-moving skills and a high-end hockey sense that translates to playmaking that lets him manipulate opponents. He's a fantastic passer, confident with the puck even under significant pressure, and is composed and poised when defending opponents.

He could stand to add muscle to his frame, but he can already handle the physical nature of higher-level hockey. The biggest issue with Jiříček's game is that the mechanics of his skating stride are, frankly, not pretty. Combine that with a nasty knee injury and the concerns about how he'll play down the road are understandable.

As a defender, being a step behind is less than ideal, especially as the game grows more dynamic and roving. Still, he's a very hard-working player who will no doubt put in the effort to improve, and there's a lot to like about the tools he has.

Windsor Spitfires captain Liam Greentree shouldered the leadership of an admittedly awful team this past season and came out looking like a clear and determined first-round choice. He had 90 points in 64 regular-season games, including 36 goals, and led the second-highest scorer on the Spitfires by a 24-point margin.

He was, more or less, asked to do it all, and he really rose to the occasion.

He's like watching a highlight reel in action. Greentree makes complicated plays look easy as can be—he's such a creative player, and he has fantastic puck control. He's able to slow the game down for himself to problem-solve in the moment, and he works his tail off (not that he had the option to do otherwise).

He's also a big guy and able to throw a lot of power behind his shot, especially his wrister. He's got a quick release, something that is undoubtedly agitating to goalies as it makes his shot hard to track, and his wrister isn't the only good shot in his arsenal.

There are legitimate concerns about Greentree's skating—he's never going to be the fastest, flashiest skater on the ice, for example—but the fact that scouts keep complimenting his work ethic makes it clear he'll be willing to put in the effort to improve his skating stride. It would also be great to see him use his intelligence to be a little more aware of what's going on around him, though having better team support will likely also help in that area.

Trevor Connelly is incredibly talented—probably one of the best talents in this draft—but a board like this, much like an NHL team scout's board, can't be built solely on talent. Any discussion of him as a draft prospect has to begin with the acknowledgement that there are character concerns.

In terms of solely on-ice play, Connelly is a phenomenal skater with tons of speed that allows him to create space for himself and for his teammates. He's a creative, intelligent playmaker—his hockey IQ and vision are high-end and make him one of the more dynamic offensive players available this year.

He can get a little too creative at times, which can cause turnovers and get him into trouble. That could be a concern at a higher level. Connelly will join the Providence Friars of the NCAA in the fall, where he'll get more experience against older, more physical players.

College hockey should be a good field against which to work on his defensive responsibility and judgment at the game's top speeds.

Andrew Basha is a high-energy guy who played a supporting role to top 2024 pick Cayden Lindstrom this past season, and who undoubtedly benefited from all the scouts traveling to Medicine Hat to watch Lindstrom and top 2026 prospect Gavin McKenna. He ended the season with 85 points (30G/55A) in just 63 games. Basha has exciting potential and is one of the top playmakers in this draft class.

Basha is a dynamic skater and incredible in transition, with terrific speed and agility he uses to evade opponents and get through gaps in the other team's space. His speed also allows him to draw in those opponents after him, which creates room for his teammates. He has a high hockey IQ, but he also has a strong checking game that utilizes his speed to create turnovers.

One question people have about Basha is just how much he relies on his speed for offense, and whether that offense will translate to the NHL. Looking just at his creativity with the puck and intelligence without it, as well as his skill on the rush, it feels like it should, but it would be ideal to see some improvement to his edgework so he isn't solely relying on straight-line speed.

He's going to be a quality pick for whatever team nabs him regardless—even if parts of his offense don't translate, others will.

Add another entry to the book of talented players the Chicago Steel have prepared for the path to the NHL. Michael Hage, who was arguably the best center in the USHL this past season, really shone in the second half of the year, finishing with 75 points (33G/42A) in 54 games.

He's leaving one powerhouse and heading to another this fall, making the jump to the NCAA to play for the University of Michigan.

He's quick, with a great first step and terrific edgework that allows him to separate himself from his opponents. The dynamic nature of his skating combined with his excellent hands make him a terrific puck-carrier, especially on the rush. He's also able to use his hands to create space for his shot when necessary. Adding muscle and putting more strength behind his shot will only make it better.

Hage's defensive game improved across the season as well, and there's no reason to think that won't continue as he makes the move to college hockey. He does need to improve his pace, particularly defensively, and really learn to take control in game situations to allow himself to use his playmaking abilities to their fullest and more consistently.

Igor Chernyshov split his draft season between the KHL and MHL (the second-tier Russian league). Don't let his four points in 34 KHL games fool you—he really held his own playing against men in the KHL this past season, even though he was really only playing bottom-six minutes.

He already has size, at 6'2" and 196 pounds, and is a well-rounded player who projects as a power-forward type if he continues along his current development trajectory.

Chernyshov is a hard worker and is great at creating chances off the rush. He's a powerful skater with excellent edge work, and he will ideally become a more dynamic skater with time.

He has terrific puck-handling abilities, and his high-end hockey sense allows him to spot chances his opponents are leaving open and take advantage of them. He makes smart decisions both with and without the puck, and, perhaps more importantly in today's game, can do it in a snap. He's not afraid to drive the net or to drive through an opponent.

He has work to do on utilizing those playmaking tools and his puck-handling ability more consistently—especially when it comes to identifying opportunities for teammates. With solid work in that area, though, he could become a dominant power forward in the NHL.

Defenseman Stian Solberg is the other Norwegian player projected to go in the first round. He played in the top Norwegian men's league this year and really came on strong late in the season, beginning to showcase the type of player he has the potential to be at the NHL level.

He has a reputation for being difficult to play against, even as an 18-year-old, and when you take a closer look at his approach to the game, that isn't a surprise.

Solberg is an absolute menace of a defensive defenseman with a terrific physical game that allows him to box out opponents. He's reliable and has a very strong work ethic, but the biggest hallmark of his game is that he plays mean as all get out. He's intimidating and isn't afraid to go for his opponent's weak spots to get the puck.

When you combine that with his skating and the flashes of playmaking ability he's shown—Solberg is always willing to try to make the offensive play even though it's not always successful, he has a lot of confidence bolstering his game—it's easy to see why scouts salivate over his potential.

He has a longer development road ahead of him than some other defenders in this draft, but it seems very clear that path is one that will come to fruition for a team that can afford to be patient.

In September, Teddy Stiga was nowhere near first-round conversation. His fast rise, caused by his clear improvement across the season, was well-earned and is due to many factors. His skills as a playmaker are at the top of the list. Watching Stiga on the ice sometimes feels like he saw the game ahead of time, a la That's So Raven—he's that good at reading the ice and anticipating where the play is going.

Stiga is incredibly smart and creative, and knows how to use the tools he has at his disposal to drive play. He's tenacious, working his tail off on the forecheck and backcheck, and his relentless nature agitates opponents and creates opportunities for his teammates. He's speedy and elusive, though his posture could use work. He's strong defensively, getting involved in all areas of the ice.

He had 79 points (36G/43A) in 61 games with the USNTDP this season, and he's headed to Boston College in the fall. Combining his work ethic and ability to contribute in any situation with his skill set, if his development continues on its current path, projects him as a two-way guy who should be a key piece of an organization for a long time to come.

Canadian center Sacha Boisvert has spent the last two seasons with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL, where he ended this season with 68 points (36G/32A) in 61 games.

Boisvert is foremost a goal scorer. He has an excellent one-timer, his wrister is impressive, he's a great netfront presence—you name it. When he's at his best, you can see his puck control shine, whether that's snagging loose pucks or carrying pucks in or making deceptive passes to his teammates before opponents can foil his efforts.

He's got great attention to detail across his game. The vision and hockey sense is there. He could just stand to use it more consistently, and playing at the next level should push him to do this. He's also extremely useful off the puck, where his intelligence allows him to read the ice and have excellent timing.

Boisvert is headed to the University of North Dakota next season, where he should focus on improving his skating. His stride is almost clunky, in terms of mechanics, and it runs the risk of holding him back when it comes to his playmaking.

With how well he's able to process the game, and how great his offensive skills are when he's at his best, no one wants to see that go to waste. With a little work, it won't.

Nikita Artamonov, winger for Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo, had The Professor as his coach this past season, and it showed in his growth as a player. Hockey Hall of Famer Igor Larionov is quite a guy to have on your side when you're focused on getting better ahead of your NHL draft.

Artamonov was on a team with a lot of younger guys, including fellow 2024 prospect Anton Silayev. He ended this season with 23 points (7G/16A) across 54 games as an 18-year-old playing against men in the KHL.

Artamonov is an intelligent playmaker, and a great passer. His intelligence is supported by his skating—his motor is truly going at all times, with a high-end top speed and great edgework, though his stride is not especially good. He's a hard hitter who knows how to use the strength he has, and he works his tail off, especially to win battles.

His intelligence makes him particularly adept at anticipating what and where the next play is, and he's able to use that skill to identify and utilize lanes to get the puck to teammates before opponents realize what he's doing. He's also reliable away from the puck, thanks to that high-end hockey sense.

He needs to improve his scoring touch, and he needs to use his playmaking abilities more consistently. Artamonov is a raw prospect, but with some refinement, he will be a valuable addition to some NHL team's prospect pool.

Kamloops Blazers defenseman Harrison Brunicke is poised to be the first South African-born player to be drafted in NHL history. He's also an incredibly stressful player to evaluate. He's not afraid to take risks—some nights those risks pay off, and some nights they don't.

Brunicke is a dynamic offensive defenseman, much like many of his 2024 draft peers. When he's at his best, it almost feels like there's nothing he can't do, nothing he can't succeed at.

He can be an absolute joy to watch. He's a terrific, creative playmaker, trying anything and everything he feels will work in the moment. He's a speedy, smooth skater who activates at any possible opportunity. He has moments when he dangles opponents, and his zone exits are clean and slippery.

The issue is that he's not always at his best. Brunicke is inconsistent, and sometimes one of those key skills will just disappear for a minute. He'll get too loose with his hands and turn the puck over. He'll misread a play. His breakout won't always succeed. His inconsistency was, if you'll excuse the phrasing, consistent enough that it's difficult to project what sort of player he'll be at the NHL level.

If he can put all those tools together on a nightly basis, though, he'll be an incredible get for whatever team takes a chance on him.

Brandon Wheat Kings defenseman Charlie Elick is brutal to play against and is, frankly, the platonic ideal of what people likely imagine when they picture a WHL defenseman. Go ahead, close your eyes—even if you've never seen Elick play, you can probably conjure up a good sense of his strengths.

He's an explosive skater both backward and laterally, and is able to use that to break up attempted entries from opponents. He's a punishing player, throwing huge hits and using his body to win puck battles against the board, and he'll gladly take hits in order to regain puck possession or protect the puck.

He doesn't get too creative without the puck, keeping his game simple and making the smart play, and he's a solid netfront defender who can force opponents away from his goalie. He gets his stick in every opponent's lane of choice. He's truly infuriating to anyone playing against him in his own end.

The issue with Elick is whether he can improve and translate his offensive skills: namely, his hands. The desire to get involved in the play is there; he's always looking for the most intelligent read when it comes to creating with the puck, and he's got good vision. But his hands undermine this, and he often can't keep hold of the puck. Ruthless NHL forecheckers will be able to exploit this unless he really puts in the work.

Another product of the US National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, EJ Emery is a fantastic rush defender, and it all starts with his skating and posture. Fluid skating is such a foundational part of what makes a good defender in today's mobile, high-speed hockey game, and he's got what it takes. Emery is a smooth backward skater with a great stride, he's speedy, and he uses this ability to close gaps on his opponents.

Emery has exceptional vision, and he's able to use that to identify scoring opportunities for his teammates; he's also a skilled passer, which complements that vision nicely. He could stand to improve his puck-handling, especially in transition—he has shown improvement in this area across this season, but development here will ideally continue.

He doesn't have flashy scoring totals and probably won't ever be a dynamic scoring defenseman, but his contributions come in other areas. He sees chances and creates space for teammates to take advantage of those chances. Emery is 6'3", but he uses his size in his reach—when he's using it to force opponents to the outside, for example. His high-end hockey sense, especially in the defensive zone, allows him to take away opponents' lanes and break up rushes or entries.

He could stand to add muscle to his frame, but that sort of thing comes with time. Emery's next stop is the University of North Dakota.

If you look up the word "tenacious" in the dictionary, you might see a picture of Barrie Colts center Cole Beaudoin. None of the skills in his toolbox are elite, but when you watch him play, you can sometimes find yourself questioning whether that actually matters. Beaudoin finished the season with 62 points (28G/34A) in 67 games, and he can only go up from here.

He's a very smart player who will work his tail off from the second he steps on the ice. Despite the lack of truly elite-level skills, he knows exactly how to use the passing and shooting skills he does have, and has an incredible work ethic to go along with his playmaking—he'll go out there and try stuff that you wouldn't necessarily expect, always looking for an opportunity.

He's strong, too, winning battles, infuriating opponents and generally churning up mess in a really productive way that gains puck possession and tilts the game back in his team's favor.

He's improved his skating over the course of the last year, but it would be great to see more work in that area—particularly with regard to his edgework and his stride. Adding an improved skating ability to the skills he already has will give any team a forward who can light a fire under his teammates, and that makes him absolutely worth the risk late in the first.

Don't look at Emil Hemming's scoring totals. Look at his toolkit.

This, of course, could be said of every player in the draft, but it feels especially important to note for the 17-year-old Hemming, who spent the majority of the season with TPS of Finland's top men's league.

There has been some hesitation about Hemming, because he didn't look as good in the Liiga as he did playing U20, but that's not surprising, and he's a smart call in the late first round regardless.

Hemming's high-end skill set allows him to manipulate opponents, though there is growth to be had both in this area and his playmaking ability. His standout entry in that toolkit is his shot—he has several different types in his arsenal, including a dangerous one-timer, and he has a very good and quick release. He's consistently hard-working on the backcheck and isn't afraid to drive the net or aid his teammates in a breakout situation. He's incredibly mobile, with excellent acceleration.

Ideally, moving forward Hemming will display the flashes of higher-level offensive ability more consistently. That's a factor that seems to separate the top group in this year's draft class from the next tier of guys—players who have really good tools but just aren't using them at 100 percent yet—of whom Hemming appears to be one. With time, he projects to be a solid power forward.

You might be asking why a guy who scored 105 points (43G/62A) in 68 games is down here at the end of the first-round list. It's really simple, actually: Terik Parascak has a terrific offensive skill set, but for the most part, he's not the player in the driver's seat.

The Prince George Cougars forward is incredibly clever, with impeccable timing when it comes to being in the right spot at the right moment. He's capable of setting up his teammates, but he can finish the play himself if that's the right choice—he's got a solid arsenal of shots, as his 43 goals showcase.

He can either sneak around defenders, or draw them to himself to create room for his teammates to make a play. He has the potential to be a significant offensive threat if his puck skills continue to improve.

Parascak's skating needs work, there's no doubt about that. More pressing, though, is his need to improve his play-driving ability. There's nothing wrong with being a useful guy who can shine alongside a play-driving center; these types of players are necessary in the modern NHL.

But with Parascak's vision and instincts, he could be doing so much more. He thinks the game at a high level, and as such, he shouldn't settle for being a passenger or a complementary guy. This was, of course, only his first WHL season, so we'll see where he takes it from here. There's a lot of promise, but sometimes promise fizzles.

Dean Letourneau is large. That's not why he's on our first-round list. At 6'7", it often feels like he shouldn't be able to create offensively the way that he does. A prep school player from Ontario who spent the season ruining his opponents' lives—he finished the year with 127 points (61G/66A) in 56 games—his quick, soft hands and playmaking touch caught the eye of many scouts.

Letourneau is relentless on the forecheck, moving more freely than his size necessarily feels it should allow. He's a good skater, explosive and agile (a word that initially doesn't feel like it belongs to a player with a 6'7" frame, but that does apply). He knows how to use his size to protect the puck, and he's got a quick, heavy release. He can be a little awkward sometimes, but it didn't impede him at the prep school level.

Letourneau is still a raw project, with a good bit of development ahead of him. While he was planning to play in the USHL this fall, an opening at Boston College (thanks to the signing of San Jose Sharks prospect Will Smith) finds him headed to the NCAA instead.

It'll be important that he improves his consistency this season, showing that he can be engaged night in and night out, regardless of who he's playing against. Thanks to his high-level tools, his upside is incredibly high. He's likely worth the risk at the end of the first, especially for a team that trusts their development staff. The possibility of combining size and skill is just too appealing.