The first round begins Friday. Which players will hear their names called? Here's our final updated rankings list.
Rachel Doerrie is a professional data consultant specializing in data communication and modelling. She's worked in the NHL and consulted for professional teams across North American and Europe. She hosts the Staff & Graph Podcast and discusses sports from a data-driven perspective.
Here is my final Big Board, with coverage beginning Friday and Saturday, June 29 .who will have an immediate impact, Celebrini is the top prize of the class for good reason. There is no area of the game where legitimate concerns exist. Simply put, he does not have a weak point. He excels as a 200-foot player, making significant contributions on both ends of the ice. A talent so rare, he became one of the few true freshmen to win the Hobey Baker as the top player in college hockey.
He ranks in the top 5% for shooting and passing metrics and is a transition threat. He drives the middle from the outside and consistently gets himself to the dangerous scoring areas. As a versatile offensive player, Demidov has the potential to be a 40-goal, 40-assist producer and is the only player with a ceiling close to Celebrini's.The Belarusian is widely regarded as the best defender in the draft class, impressing scouts in many areas.
His defensive game improved throughout the OHL season, and while it's not as robust as some might prefer, his skating and hockey sense equip him to defend effectively at the NHL level. His offensive instincts are innate and form the foundation of his play-driving offense. Combine his offensive instincts with demonstrated ability to move pucks to dangerous areas, create shooting opportunities and get pucks through, and Parekh presents an intriguing package.
Without the puck, he finds open spaces, forechecks tenaciously and exhibits the competitiveness his father was known for. Although he needs to improve his defensive play, his combination of skating, puck skills, tenacity and shooting ability should enable him to contribute consistently in a top-six role, with a ceiling of a top-line winger.Meet the top prospects ahead of the 2024 NHL draft, including Macklin Celebrini, Artyom Levshunov, Cayden Lindstrom and Zeev Buium.
As is the case with any player of this skill set, he needs to pick his spots a little better to improve his offensive efficiency. The turnovers are not going to fly at the NHL level, and he'll need to develop his ability to create offense when he's not in transition. The same manipulation, stick skill and deception he uses on the rush needs to be applied in smaller areas.
Offensively, it is difficult to find a weakness. He is a dual-threat menace in the offensive zone and dropped more jaws in one-on-one play than any other draft-eligible player in the OHL this season. His ability to force defenders into bad spots and manipulate his way around them is terrifying. Not only is he a threat in tight situations, but he's also a threat in transition.
The offensive skills and shot are undeniable. Yakemchuk's physical play, handedness and size will earn him more chances than similar players of smaller stature. There are tools, but there are warts. If Yakemchuk can improve his transition game through his skating and puck distribution, and understand how to use his size without running out of position, there is a chance he becomes a minutes-eating, second-pairing defenseman.The case of Trevor Connelly is one where much ink has been spilled.
Greentree was effectively a one-man show on a rebuilding Windsor team. His production is likely 20% better on a team that doesn't finish near the bottom of the OHL standings. Not only is he a quality offensive driver, but he is also reliable defensively. He gets himself in good positions, wins puck battles and routinely outmuscles opponents all over the ice. He's fun to watch because you wonder how he is as effective as he is with his skating deficiencies.
The deceptiveness of his shot and the array of shots in his arsenal makes him equally dangerous with and without the puck. He can pull the puck and fire it through defenders as easily as he receives the puck and releases in a single motion. A heady player, Hage understands how to manipulate defenders and open shooting lanes up. If he can add a step to his pace, he will be able to take advantage of the compromising positions he puts defenders in.
He's a high-ceiling player, and those players get harder to find the further you get from the top 10. Ritchie's ability to impact the game in transition was noticeable all season and is largely transferrable to the NHL. He understands how to attack off the rush, create scoring opportunities at the net front and have patience to hit the trailer in space. He dictates the pace of the play in transition and forces defenders to play to him, a task of which many are incapable.
For a midsized player, Artamonov understands his body, positions it well and gets himself in positive positions on both sides of the puck. Off the puck, he supports well, forechecks with tenacity and applies pressure to disrupt the transition game. He's an excellent puck handler, a skill he can become over reliant on when he doesn't have his A game.
Boisvert can really shoot the puck, and regardless of where he receives the puck, he is a threat. He gets pucks through layers with accuracy and has excellent hands to finish plays at the net front. There is reason to believe his deceptive release will transfer to the NHL level, but if it does not, his ability to finish plays in tight will surely make him worthy of attention.
He's struggled to develop offensively, and his overall development stagnated due to injury, playing only seven games in Liiga this season. He's got excellent instincts combined with high-end transition play. As an underage player, his ability to break the puck out is among the best in the draft class, attacking the middle and hitting players in stride. Through this, it is easy to envision a power-play quarterback as a facilitator in his future.
He doesn't get knocked off the puck easily; in fact, his puck protection skills are some of the best in the class. His passing game is underrated, finding teammates in open spaces with laser precision. He doesn't manipulate defenders to create space or lanes, and still manages to make things happen.
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