The Chicago Blackhawks currently have two selections during Friday’s opening round of the 2024 NHL Draft, first at No. 2 and next at No. 18. The debate on who they’ll select first with the No. 2 pick has narrowed significantly over the last few weeks to either forward Ivan Demidov or defenseman Artyom Levshunov, but the possibilities for the No. 18 pick are wide open.
While it’s also possible the team trades the pick, for now, let’s take a quick look at some players — broken out by skater position, five each — the Blackhawks could potentially select with their second pick of the first round.
Centers
Sacha Boisvert
Age: 18 (March 17, 2006)
Hometown: Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 183 pounds
Shoots: Left
Team: Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
Production: 68 points (36 G, 32 A) in 61 USHL games
Scouting reports:
Boisvert is a goalscorer. A deceptive wrister and powerful one-timer make him a threat from distance, while his net-front skills and off-puck timing drive his in-tight finishing. He can also make just about every pass in the book, easily navigating layers of sticks with slip and saucer passes, even off the backhand. The passing skills appear mostly off the rush, finding cross-ice targets for high-value entries and faking the shot to prepare the cross-slot lane.
— EliteProspects 2024 NHL Draft Guide
Boisvert’s got desired height and position on his side, room to fill out his once-wiry frame (which he already added a bunch of muscle to last summer; he still looks lean with further growth to come), and NHL skill and competitiveness. Intangibles come up a lot when you speak to people about him (he even dropped the gloves a few times this year, including in the playoffs). The skill includes a quick and accurate NHL-level release, good instincts on and off the puck, above-average feet (he’s a decent skater, even if a little upright in his stance), a developing power game and great feel with the puck on his stick both at speed and in slowing the game down (though a high grip and long stick can occasionally limit him with the puck so far out in front of his body). Add in his impressive work ethic and a two-way commitment and there’s a lot to like… He’s got middle-six upside and there was some top-15 chatter about him late in the year, but after struggling to be a game-changer in tighter playoff games, I wonder if that has softened.
— Scott Wheeler, The Athletic
Boisvert is a player that grew on me all year. Almost every facet of his game improved this year. He is a reliable center who drives play in the ozone and isn’t afraid to go to the dirty areas and win battles. He is a solid skater, and as he gains strength I think his skating will become a strength. He has good edges for a bigger guy and can make defenders miss with them. He has a very quick and accurate release and can beat goalies from distance. He shows flashes of playmaking brilliance but needs to be more consistent with it. His work ethic at both sides of the puck really improved as the year went on and he was very skilled on the PK. Boisvert projects to be a middle 6 center at the NHL level who can be dangerous on the PP, be a reliable PKer, and annoy the other team.
— Tait Borst, Recruit Scouting
Cole Beaudoin
Age: 18 (April 24, 2006)
Hometown: Kanata, ON, Canada
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 209 pounds
Shoots: Left
Team: Barrie Colts (OHL)
Production: 62 points (28 G, 34 A) in 67 OHL games
Scouting reports:
Cole Beaudoin is one of the stronger transitional centermen in the class. He doesn’t have flash, but instead has excellent reach and speed that he will utilize to push the puck around pressure in the neutral zone. Should he run into a brick wall as he approaches the slot off the rush, he will look to complete a drop pass to a teammate skating up behind him. Beaudoin’s ranking is indicative of how consistent he has been offensively with his ice time in the OHL level. I see a third line center at the next level.
— Josh Tessler, Smaht Scouting
Every coach wants a Cole Beaudoin on their team. Similar to Luchanko, Beaudoin is a player with exceptional strength and conditioning, and you see it on the ice too. The only difference is whatever Beaudoin loses in speed to Luchanko, he makes up for it with size and strength… Beaudoin is a relentless competitor who never takes a shift off. He is a menace on the forecheck playing a heavy, physical style to win puck battles down low. Beaudoin out-competes and outmuscles his opponents and consistently comes away with the puck. He gets to the middle of the ice and down low, and has enough finishing ability to score from the slot and sides of the net. The defensive side of his game is advanced and he effectively supports his defensemen in his own end and can help facilitate breakouts to get the puck out and down the ice.
Beaudoin isn’t the most skilled playmaker in the draft, but that’s not really what he’ll be called upon to do at the next level. Still, the offensive upside in his game is lacking at this point and could keep him as more of a bottom 6 C. His skating is just okay, but this isn’t something I’m as concerned about given how elite his work ethic and strength and conditioning are. One would have to assume it’s only a matter of time before the skating improves. Overall, Beaudoin plays winning hockey and is captain material.
— Jordan Harris, DobberProspects
Beaudoin is a very likable player. He’s a tremendously hardworking center, with NHL size and skill. He is constantly noticeable throughout the game in how many pucks he wins and the amount of plays he makes. He is quite physical and doesn’t shy from getting to the tough areas of the ice. He can create offense in junior, but with a somewhat heavy skating stride, the debate is in how his game will translate to the pros. I’ve seen him get by enough defenders and think his compete is so good that his game will work in a potential third-line center role.
— Corey Pronman, The Athletic
Michael Hage
Age: 18 (April 14, 2006)
Hometown: Mississauga, ON, Canada
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 190 pounds
Shoots: Right
Team: Chicago Steel (USHL)
Production: 75 points (33 G, 42 A) in 54 USHL games
Scouting reports:
Hage is a dynamic rush attacker, combining inside drives, flashy dekes, and give-and-go playmaking. A crossover burst gets defenders’ feet moving, then he looks for vulnerabilities. He fakes wide, cuts in, and accelerates to the net. When possible, he moves the puck to the middle on reception, draws the defence, and passes wide… To achieve his lofty upside, Hage must up the pace and add more playmaking. It’s not that Hage is a poor skater – far from it – but falls into the background as he waits for defenders to show vulnerabilities, instead of taking control. He has plenty of passing skill, but must get better at absorbing contact before passing off the wall and finding teammates sooner in open ice. Even if Hage never adds the next layer of pace and playmaking to his game, his improved checking skills could make him a third-line centre.
— EliteProspects 2024 NHL Draft Guide
Hage was one of the top forwards in the USHL this season. Hage is a good-sized center who skates well and has a ton of skill. The high-end one-on-one plays he can make at full flight are clear NHL quality and he has the ability to break open a shift. Hage’s playmaking and finishing are good enough, with a shot that can score from the faceoff dots, but neither match the caliber of his feet and hands. Hage has the potential to break open a game, but I do find his game to be inconsistent and too perimeter at times. He projects as a middle-six wing with a chance to be more.
— Corey Pronman, The Athletic
Hage had a huge first full season with the Steel, scoring 33 goals and 75 points in 54 games. It’s exactly what we expected from him after his great U-16 season with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, and it helped him solidify his status as a first-round pick. Hage was one of the NHL’s best pure forwards with a combination of size, great skating, and tremendous puckhandling. As far as pure centers go, Hage is one of the best available this year. I’d like to see him add more muscle mass, but I think he’s going to end up being one of the best prospects taken in the second half of the first round.
— Steve Ellis, Daily Faceoff
Konsta Helenius
Age: 18 (May 11, 2006)
Hometown: Ylöjärvi, Finland
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 190 pounds
Shoots: Right
Team: Jukurit (Liiga)
Production: 36 points (34 G, 31 A) in 41 Liiga games
Scouting reports:
A talented two-way forward who lacks height, but not strength, showed that he can perform at a high level against pros. His 36 points were the fourth most ever by a U18 player in Liiga. Internationally, Helenius didn’t always put his best foot forward which I think impacts his stock some. That said, he’s committed to playing aggressive defensively and is an excellent distributor of the puck. He navigates all three zones well with above average skating and is hard to take off the puck. The hockey sense is a high-end trait, which is why some believe Helenius could trend favorably to a quick entry into the NHL. I think he’ll have another year to grow his game in Finland before making the jump, but there’s real maturity to the way he plays and the hockey sense could put him on a top-six track.
— Chris Peters, FloHockey
Helenius is a joy to watch navigate, manipulate and pass the puck with his smarts and intuition. He’s got an ability to find his teammates in space and then get pucks to them with the perfect weight and timing, even while he’s well covered. He also stirs the drink through his effort level, regularly coming up with pucks when you don’t expect him to while quietly and efficiently impacting play at both ends of the rink and coming up with a ton of steals and lifts. He’s both a driver and a playmaker… He’s a good, though not great skater (which has led to some ranking him outside their top 10s), [but] he looks like a top-10 pick to me. He has looked pretty clearly like one of the draft’s most intelligent forwards in my viewings.
There were some who wondered for a time if he’d be a center or winger at the NHL level, but he’s solid in the faceoff circle, his defensive play is where it needs to be and then some (it’s a real strength of his game), and he’s got an impressive understanding of how to forecheck, track, and engage for pucks with his body and stick.
— Scott Wheeler, The Athletic
Helenius is a solid two way player who has had a very impressive season against men. He is a better playmaker than goal scorer. He does a great job down low and along the boards. He is able to spin off pressure and protect the puck long enough to get passes to his teammates. He is good in tight and is really positionally sound. While I don’t think many of his traits are elite I think he is one of the smartest players in this class. His brain could help take his above average skills to the next level. Helenius is also one of the most defensively sound forwards in this class. He has a fantastic work ethic and is always hunting to get the puck back.
— Tait Borst, Recruit Scouting
Jett Luchanko
Age: 17 (August 21, 2006)
Hometown: London, ON, Canada
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 187 pounds
Shoots: Right
Team: U.S. National U18 Team (USDP); USNTDP Juniors (USHL)
Production: 65 points (34 G, 31 A) in 54 USDP games; 28 points (19 G, 9 A) in 22 USHL games
Scouting reports:
The speed, effort, and physicality to become a fan-favorite bottom six forwardן and there’s more offense ready to be unlocked… As soon as he steps on the ice, Luchanko increases the pace of the game two-fold. One second, he’s on the heel of an opponent carrying the puck in the neutral zoneן and the next, he’s piercing right through the opposing formation with the puck on his own stick. His speed makes him a retrieval and pressure machine, and his precise position and attention to detailsן one of the better defensive forwards in the class… Luchanko’s shiftiness, awareness, and developing playmaking skills could open up a role for him on an NHL middle-six down the line. It’s more of a long-shot projectionן at this stageן but we believe in the centre’s ability to improve and we’re also keeping in mind his August birthday. He’s one of the youngest players in the draft and probably has more room for development as a result.
— EliteProspects 2024 NHL Draft Guide
What makes Jett Luchanko lethal is his edges, agility and quick decision making. Luchanko has shown consistently that he can dodge pressure with his edges and that has made him extremely difficult to shut down when he is at full speed. Does an excellent job of incorporating delays while in possession of the puck in the offensive zone to draw confusion and a passing lane to a nearby teammate. Luchanko projects to be a middle six center at the next level.
— Josh Tessler, Smaht Scouting
Luchanko took significant steps forward this season into a legit NHL prospect. He is one of the better skaters in the draft. He has an explosive stride and when he winds up he’ll be able to get plenty of controlled entries in the NHL. He competes very hard at both ends of the ice and attacks the tough areas. He has skill and excels as a playmaker. Luchanko often creates chances for his teammates can do so on the move, in tight and off the edge. His finishing touch could use work as he didn’t convert on a lot of chances this season. As a smaller forward, whether his offense is special enough is a minor question but it lessened for me over the course of the season. He looks like a potential third line center or second line wing.
— Corey Pronman, The Athletic
Left Wings
Nikita Artamonov
Age: 18 (November 17, 2005)
Hometown: Nizhnekamsk, Russia
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 187 pounds
Shoots: Left
Team: Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
Production: 23 points (7 G, 16 A) in 54 KHL games
Scouting reports:
Artamanov was the second-most productive U19 player in the KHL this season with 23 points in 54 games. That also puts him seventh all time in the KHL among his age peers. Artamanov is not a big player, but he is strong on his skates and was able to stand up to the battles and pressure against pros in the KHL. He has quick hands, makes creative plays and showed quality finishing ability. His ability to read plays and anticipate at the professional level showed an ability beyond his years as well. Head coach Igor Larionov threw Artamanov into the deep end and not only did he swim, he seemed to thrive. The maturity and skill in his game lead me to believe he can be a strong secondary scoring option in the NHL.
— Chris Peters, FloHockey
Artamonov has that dog in him, and it must be a border collie, because he is a very smart and cerebral player. He is also one of the harder-working players in the draft, regularly creating turnovers and chances in the offensive zone through hard work. He can be underestimated due to his smaller size, but his physical game is mature enough to hold up in the KHL for an entire season.
He is particularly dangerous off the rush, where he shows off his high-end passing ability. He combines good vision with excellent timing to set up chances in the middle of the ice. He often plays from the perimeter, but is always looking for ways to get pucks to the middle of the ice and he was often successful in setting up shot attempts from the slot. Aside from his passing ability, the rest of his tool kit is rather average. This combined with average-at-best skating and his relatively small size does limit his upside. However, he also comes with a relatively high floor thanks to his strong hockey sense and work rate, giving him a relatively narrow spread of possible outcomes at the NHL level ranging from a playdriving bottom-six forward to a complimentary second liner.
— Graham Montgomery, DobberProspects
Artamonov’s a skilled and spatially aware left-shot right winger who plays the game to get open and apply pressure when the puck gets to him with his quick hands and good feel for the game. He knows who he is and how to best fit into a line, he plays within himself, and he allows the game — and the play — to come to him. He’s a good skater who plays the game with decent pace, though I’d say he’s more above average than high end. He’s got above-average tools in most of the areas that matter. And I think he’s got a little more of a finishing/goal-scoring element to his game than his statistical profile in the KHL indicated. He’s a solid B or B-plus prospect, even if there isn’t a star quality to his game and he’s a sub-6-foot winger.
— Scott Wheeler, The Athletic
Andrew Basha
Age: 18 (November 08, 2005)
Hometown: Calgary, AB, Canada
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 187 pounds
Shoots: Left
Team: Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Production: 85 points (30 G, 55 A) in 63 WHL games
Scouting reports:
Basha had a tremendous year with Medicine Hat, picking up the slack while Lindstrom was injured. He finished the regular season with 30 goals and 85 points in 63 games, building upon a campaign that saw him post one of the best goal totals of any Draft-1 players in the CHL last year. He won’t blow you away in the NHL with his skill, but he brings good energy and is strong defensively. Basha’s hockey sense will take him far, and his ability to play a variety of different roles helps, too.
— Steve Ellis, Daily Faceoff
There is always a place in our hearts for hard-working checking forwards who have a strong foundation of skill. Basha fits that mold to a T. He especially showed the latter aspect with Cayden Lindstrom out of the lineup, ending the season for Medicine Hat with 30 goals and 85 points in 63 games.
In his WHL rookie season last year, Basha was very much a complementary middle-six checker. His high work rate, constant engagement and excellent forechecking tools (edgework, agility, stickwork and technique in puck battles) made him a nightmare for defenders trying to escape his grasp and break the puck out. His blistering speed and powerful stride made him extremely hard to beat to loose pucks on dump-ins, as well. However, this season showed more of what Basha can do with the puck. Smart slip passes off the wall, inside cuts, hard net drives, a whippy in-stride wrister and soft hands around the net combine with Basha’s aforementioned speed and checking tools to give him both a safe floor and the upside to be a complementary second-liner. He ticks a lot of boxes for NHL scouts and GMs.
— Hadi Kalakeche, DobberProspects
Andrew Basha is entertaining to watch every shift. His puck movement in transition is excellent. His handling and distribution is excellent. Basha’s puck manipulation makes him a threat on the rush and mid-cycle. He is shifty, mobile, agile and has tremendous speed. Basha does a good job of utilizing tight passing lanes to the slot. He will grab possession of loose pucks off the boards, drive to the trapezoid and look to feather passes to the low slot.
— Josh Tessler, Smaht Scouting
Igor Chernyshov
Age: 18 (November 30, 2005)
Hometown: Penza, Russia
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 196 pounds
Shoots: Right
Team: MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL); Dynamo Moskva (KHL)
Production: 28 points (13 G, 15 A) in 22 MHL games; 4 points (3 G, 1 A) in 34 KHL games
Scouting reports:
Chernyshov is a big bodied player who plays a power forward game. He is a powerful skater who accelerates quickly and does a good job protecting the puck. When playing in the MHL this year he seemed to not have as big of work ethic than when he was playing in the KHL. In the KHL he seemed to play it safe too much and looked like he was afraid to try things for not wanting to turn the puck over. He needs to find a happy medium of continuing to make the smart play but be more willing to use his skills and try things when given space. In the MHL he showed flashes of high-end stick handling and ability to pull off power moves. His best offensive trait is his ability to win battles and quickly transition to offense. He has a heavy shot, but needs to get better at finding soft areas.
— Tait Borst, Recruit Scouting
Chernyshov was very good at the junior level in Russia and earned ice time up in the KHL with a regular shift for a top team in Dynamo Moscow. He’s a big, powerful winger who skates well and has a lot of offensive creativity. He beats defenders routinely with his one-on-one plays, sees the ice well and can create at the net. He’s not going to run players over with his physical play, but he uses his body to create offense. He has the ability to control play at even strength due to his variety of tools and looks the part of a potential strong top-six winger in the NHL.
— Corey Pronman, The Athletic
A powerful skater and a high-end handler, Chernyshov excels at anticipating openings and exploiting them. He beats defenders consistently by properly setting up his dekes, building up speed below the puck and then attacking with a speed advantage and working give-and-goes. While he’s often direct, he also has a rather advanced delay game that he can pull out when the situation calls for it… Much like with Michael Brandsegg-Nygård – the other European power forward prospect we have ranked in the same range – Chernyshov’s floor is a high one. He has an easy path to playing in a top-nine role in the NHL by leveraging his physical game, inside-driveness, defensive capabilities and work rate to play in a more complementary role.
— EliteProspects 2024 NHL Draft Guide
Trevor Connelly
Age: 18 (February 28, 2006)
Hometown: Tustin, CA, USA
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 161 pounds
Shoots: Left
Team: Tri-City Storm (USHL)
Production: 78 points (31 G, 47 A) in 51 USHL games
Scouting reports:
Connelly’s a high-end talent who has room to develop physically and add strength, and whose slight build doesn’t hold back his shot (which uses a quick release to fool goalies, although his one-touch shots in the slot do often lack power) or his skating (which is really fast and pretty fluid even without the muscle/power that’s coming)… He might possess the best hands in the draft after Demidov, and his on-puck movement at speed, offensive-zone problem solving, and touch as a passer all also get high grades, regularly making difficult skill plays in tight coverage and finding his way out of trouble or through traffic… He seems to have a really good understanding of how to deploy his skill and outsmart opposing structures… And while he can try to do too much, or force one-on-one plays into congested areas, or be too cute, you live with it because of all of the times he also makes something out of nothing.
Teams have expressed character-based concerns, though.
— Scott Wheeler, The Athletic
On talent alone, Connelly belongs in the top 15 discussion. But talent alone is not going to be the key part of Connelly’s evaluation. Teams continue to do their due diligence on issues from Connelly’s past, and continue to assess his maturity and overall character to see if they’re comfortable selecting him… As a player, he’s an exceptional skater with good one-on-one skills and creativity to beat defenders. On top of the high-end offensive traits, Connelly is aggressive in puck pursuit and expertly dispossesses other players of the puck and can turn that into better opportunities for his team. Because Connelly has such clear offensive capabilities, he can sometimes rely on them a bit too much and force plays that aren’t there and hold onto pucks a little too long when the simpler play makes more sense. Additionally, Connelly has shown some on-ice discipline issues that included multiple game ejections and plays that showed a lack of awareness that could raise concerns about his overall hockey sense.
There’s a chance Connelly would slip out of the first round, though I think there are a few teams that are willing to take on the risk of drafting him and some outward criticism from fans and media.
— Chris Peters, FloHockey
From an on-ice perspective, Connelly has so much going for him. He’s been the best player on the ice every time he represented the United States and lit up the USHL all season long. He almost cracked 80 points this year, making him one of the most productive wingers in the draft class. It’s too bad his U-18s ended with a bad penalty because he looked like a star out there on USA’s third line. Defensively, Connelly needs work but I do appreciate how well he controls the game with the puck on his stick. One of my concerns about his play was how little it felt like he utilized the talent around him in Tri-City, but that wasn’t as big of an issue when paired alongside LJ Mooney at the U-18s. Off the ice, though, is what teams are concerned about, so it’s up to the teams to decide whether they think the work he has put in over the past few years was adequate enough.
— Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff
Cole Eiserman
Age: 18 (August 29, 2006)
Hometown: Newburyport, MA, USA
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 190 pounds
Shoots: Left
Team: U.S. National U18 Team (USDP); USNTDP Juniors (USHL)
Production: 89 points (58 G, 31 A) in 57 USDP games; 34 points (25 G, 9 A) in 24 USHL games
Scouting reports:
A dynamic goal scorer in the truest sense, Eiserman possesses an exhilarating ability to cleanly pick his spots in the net and regularly beat defenders and goalies one-on-one (though I thought he had a tougher time against good D one-on-one this season)… I actually think he’s a better skater than he has been given credit for in conversations I’ve had with folks about him, too (it’s above-average), but it’s his puck skill, quick release, shot variety (he can rip it in motion, off catch and releases, standing still and from a one-timer, and he’ll make goalies guess wrong in alone because of how fast his hands are) and sneaky strength (when he uses it, which he has started to do more of) that have allowed him to create with relative ease against his peers — though how easy that part of the game has always been to him has also created some bad habits.
— Scott Wheeler, The Athletic
There isn’t a prospect with a better shot in the draft, and he’s now the all-time leading goal-scorer in USA Hockey National Team Development history. I thought he had an up-and-down U-18 World Championship, but he really showed how much energy and violence he can bring at times. Defensively, Eiserman can be invisible, though. I think the upside is still huge but at this point, you’re going to need a more defensively responsible center to take the pressure off him. The right usage will allow Eiserman to be a star, and I truly believe in him.
— Steve Ellis, Daily Faceoff
[But] he’s not a dual-threat scorer by any means; playmaking only showed up in brief flashes across our many, many viewings this season and last… This makes his projection fraught, because there’s always the chance that the NHL won’t be so accommodating of his limitations. But if Eiserman hits, you’re looking at a player who’s going to score 35-40 goals like clockwork and be the focal point of your first unit power play. Not a lot of those around.
The draft’s top goal-scorer has elite instincts and off-the-pass shooting skill, but must develop the rest of his game to achieve his upside… Eiserman has an automatic release that he can fire off the pass from any physical position and any corner of the offensive zone. Eiserman’s game also has a physical dimension that often goes underappreciated. He’s willing to dish and take physical punishment at the net-front and muscle opponents off of loose pucks for rebound opportunities if that’s what it takes to get on the scoresheet.
— EliteProspects 2024 NHL Draft Guide
Right Wings
Liam Greentree
Age: 18 (January 01, 2006)
Hometown: Oshawa, ON, Canada
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 214 pounds
Shoots: Left
Team: Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Production: 90 points (36 G, 54 A) in 64 OHL
Scouting reports:
Greentree’s a big, strong kid whose game is all about being around it. He finds his ways onto pucks inside the offensive zone, stays on them, wins battles, keeps his feet moving (though a little slowly from a standstill) even though he’s not the quickest player, plays an opportunistic style, and then has decent skill and an NHL release (the puck comes off of his stick hard and quickly, and hits his spots). I haven’t seen a dynamic quality, and his skating needs work (though his speed is decent when he gets going and it’s more through his first few steps), but he’s got pro size and a well-rounded toolkit and showed more and more individual skill to build out a nice statistical profile to complement the completeness of his game this season.
— Scott Wheeler, The Athletic
Greentree is a big body player who has a ton of offense to his game. He is extremely smart and has great positioning in the offensive zone. He is hard to knock off pucks and does well at using his body to keep possession. He is good along the walls and does a great job spotting and hitting his teammates with passes through traffic. For a player his size his hands are exceptionally skilled. Along with his quick hands he has a quick release and can beat goalies from distance. The thing that will hold Greentree back from reaching his highest potential is his skating. While he isn’t the slowest player, he lacks separation speed and agility. If he can improve those things he will be a very big offensive threat.
— Tait Borst, Recruit Scouting
Not often does a draft-eligible captain his OHL team and lead them in scoring by 24 points. Greentree often kept a poor Windsor Spitfires team hanging onto games in which they shouldn’t have had a chance, scoring 90 points in 64 games in the process.
Around January, the sizable winger started showing a whole new dimension of his game, going from a pure slot chance finisher to a multi-faceted, hyper-intelligent chance creator. Give-and-goes, hard inside moves and soft handling skill went from occasional flashes to consistent and effective strengths. Seemingly every goal was a highlight-reel play, but more importantly, every decision he made led to better conditions for the puck. He passes with purpose and forward-thinking, making him a high-end offensive facilitator. The concerns about his skating are legitimate — his posture and edgework require a lot of work to get up to an NHL caliber. The added end-of-season questions around his engagement level and conditioning had us favoring other talents in the class over him, but those issues are likely related to how much wasted energy goes into each of his strides. If his skating improves, Greentree should be able to keep up with play, allowing his high-end hockey sense, strength and puck skills to shine in the NHL, perhaps even in a top-six role.
— Hadi Kalakeche, DobberProspects
Beckett Sennecke
Age: 18 (January 28, 2006)
Hometown: Toronto, ON, Canada
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 181 pounds
Shoots: Right
Team: Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Production: 68 points (27 G, 41 A) in 63 OHL games
Scouting reports:
Sennecke oozes confidence and skill, and that’s how he earned himself a spot as an HM just outside our round 1. Sennecke is an absolute hound on the forecheck where his motor will not stop until he gains possession of that puck. From there he flashes elite ability with his hands, and does a great job in small areas weaving and stickhandling through defenders skates, and sticks. He does a great job keeping pucks and plays alive off the wall by slipping through checks or dangling in a phone-booth. Unfortunately, his situation in Oshawa has been iffy at best, and I hope that forward group finds some more chemistry adn purpose in the new year, as I think Sennecke’s draft stock could benefit enormously from it.
— Ben Jordan, Smaht Scouting
Sennecke is a tall skilled forward who had an incredible playoffs. He is lanky and has a lot of room to grow into his body and add muscle. His skating has improved since last year and he is now able to pull away from opponents on occasion. His skating will become a bigger strength as he adds muscle. He does a good job using quick edgework to throw defenders off balance and get around them. One of Sennecke’s best traits is his swift puck handling ability. He times his moves extremely well and is able to do it through traffic. He has good vision and is able to use his hands to keep attention on him and make space for teammates. His shot has decent power but his accuracy is what makes his shot more of a weapon. He has a knack for being slippery and hard to get the puck from. For a skinny player he does a good job at protecting the puck and being able to come away with it in battles. He works hard and wasn’t afraid to throw the body in the playoffs. I’d like to see him be more engaged in the dzone as he tends to curl instead of using stops and starts. A big thing with Sennecke is that adding strength will help him get even better at what are already his strengths, and that makes his upside exciting.
— Tait Borst, Recruit Scouting
So often, when you watch Sennecke, you can see the steady and solid NHL tools and a player who doesn’t overcomplicate the game – most of the time. Every once in a while, you will see Sennecke make a play that leaves you asking where that high level of skill and creativity has been. If he learns to play with a bit more pace and breaks out the highest levels of his skill set more often, he could be worth a much higher pick. If not, he should be at least a steady, intelligent, playmaking forward growing defensively.
— Tony Ferrari, The Hockey News
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
Age: 18 (October 05, 2005)
Hometown: Oslo, Norway
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 207 pounds
Shoots: Right
Team: Mora IK (HockeyAllsvenskan); USNTDP Juniors (J20 Nationell)
Production: 18 points (8 G, 10 A) in 41 HockeyAllsvenskan games; 12 points (5 G, 7 A) in 7 J20 games
Scouting reports:
The best Norwegian prospect in years, [Brandsegg-Nygard] is a competitive power forward with very good skating, excellent offensive instincts and a great winning attitude. He has solid size and strength, effective in battles both in open ice and along the boards. Has the tools needed to become very good. He doesn’t come at you with a lot of flash or bang or anything, but he has got the hockey IQ to be a really strong two-way forward. His maturity level and composure are off the charts, so he could be a little more pro-ready than a lot of players that are in this draft class.
The knock on Brandsegg-Nygard might be his lack of upside. Some teams may prefer higher ceilings in first-round picks.
— Dan Marr, NHL Central Scouting
Brandsegg-Nygard was very good at the Swedish junior level. He started off slow versus men, but was very good in the Allsvenskan playoffs and made Norway’s senior team. He is a well-rounded forward. He’s a good skater. He has strong puck skills. He has a great shot and is often a threat to score from mid-distance. His frame is average-sized, but he plays hard and has physicality in his game. He thinks the game well and sees plays develop, but I don’t think his playmaking is his main asset. Even if he’s not very dynamic, Brandsegg-Nygard has a game that should lend itself to success versus men, eventually as a good NHL forward and potentially in a top six.
— Corey Pronman, The Athletic
Brandsegg-Nygård is widely regarded as one of, if not the, most refined defensive forwards in this draft class. And the big power winger is indeed just that. But, that’s not where his value ends. It is true that his defensive game could earn him a 4th-line NHL role as soon as this Fall if he and the organization who selects him wish for him to be, he’s certainly a high-floor player. That said, in the back half of the season and especially in our HockeyAllsvenskan Playoff and World Championship viewings, Brandsegg-Nygård stood out for his overall 3-zone impact, including offensive generation.
He’s a linear puck rusher who attacks with pace and power, and holds up the play well upon entry in the offensive zone to wait for support to extend possessions. He’s also a very good goalscorer, featuring a dangerous and heavy wrist shot release, a penchant for scoring from both medium-long range and from in tight at the goal-mouth. He’s middle-driven and gets to exactly where his team needs him to be. His highest upside is that of a complimentary top-line piece, and the fallback game of a versatile middle-six winger is more than worth the swing in the early teens of this draft class in our eyes.
— Sebastian High, DobberProspects
Ryder Ritchie
Age: 18 (August 03, 2006)
Hometown: Calgary, AB, Canada
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 176 pounds
Shoots: Right
Team: Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
Production: 47 points (19 G, 25 A) in 44 WHL games
Scouting reports:
There’s a lot of skill in Ritchie’s game, but I don’t think he had the level of production many expected out of him after a spectacular rookie season. Either way, he still has the puck skills to beat defenders and make deceptive plays. When he’s at the top of his game, he can create a lot of highlights, but there’s also games were he shrinks into the background a little more. Without a ton of defensive value or forechecking value in those games where he’s a little less engaged, that can become a problem. Still, the offensive elements of his game lead me to believe he’ll challenge for a middle-six role.
— Chris Peters, FloHockey
Ritchie is a younger player in this class who played on a very bad team this year. In a year he didn’t have a great supporting cast, Ritchie had a solid offensive season. He is a good skater who uses head and shoulder fakes well in transition to make defenders miss. He holds onto the puck a little too long and gives up possession as a result. He has really smooth hands and can make moves in tight, but needs to do a better job recognizing he’s opening up space for teammates and make passes before he’s closed in on. His work ethic needs more consistency as he glides some shifts and then has a relentless motor other shifts. While he is far from a finished product he has shown enough high-end flashes that I think he will be able to put all of his tools together and become a really solid player.
— Tait Borst, Recruit Scouting
After a very strong Hlinka Gretzky tournament for Canada, I think that many were expecting Ritchie to put up better point totals than he managed. Although there may be something to this, Ritchie is still doing a lot of things very well. I have a tough time seeing him falling out of round 1… His feet and hands are ultra quick making him an exceptional puck carrier. If you give Ritchie time to pickup speed and attack defenders downhill, you will be sorry after he beats you, and secures middle ice.
— Ben Jordan, Smaht Scouting
Emil Hemming
Age: 18 (June 27, 2006)
Hometown: Vaasa, Finland
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 205 pounds
Shoots: Right
Team: TPS (Liiga); TPS U20 (U20 SM-sarja)
Production: 11 points (7 G, 4 A) in 40 Liiga games; 18 points (11 G, 7 A) in 13 U20 games
Scouting reports:
Despite not producing much at the World Juniors, I liked what I saw from Hemming. He’s capable of getting creative offensively, but I feel like he’s a future bottom-six forward who can outmuscle players while staying disciplined and grinding it out all game long. His defensive game is nice, too. If he improves his skating, I can see Hemming playing a more prominent role in the NHL, but at a minimum, I think he works hard enough to earn himself a spot deeper down.
— Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff
Hemming’s shot is his offensive calling card. He can score from a distance, has a wide variety of different shot types, comfortably releasing from either leg, and shooting through the defender’s triangle off the rush. To complement the shot, Hemming plays a game reminiscent of many of today’s power forwards. He plays through contact, drives the net, links up well with his teammates on breakouts and works increasingly hard defensively, almost always taking the extra on the backcheck to engage properly instead of reaching.
— EliteProspects 2024 NHL Draft Guide
Hemming was a very good player at the Finnish junior level and for Finland’s U18 team. He got time in Liiga and with the world junior team, although both were in limited-minute roles. Hemming has a lot of offensive talent. He’s a highly skilled winger who can skate well. He is dangerous in transition, creates a lot of controlled entries and can break open shifts with his skill. Hemming can make plays and see openings develop, but his shot is his best weapon. He can rip pucks from range and will be a legit goal-scoring threat versus top goalies. Like a lot of goal scorers, Hemming can lean on his shot too much and stays on the outside. The lack of interior offense and inconsistent effort is the only thing keeping me from tabbing him as a potential middle-six forward.
— Corey Pronman, The Athletic
Defensemen
EJ Emery
Age: 18 (March 30, 2006)
Hometown: Surrey, BC, Canada
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 185 pounds
Shoots: Right
Team: U.S. National U18 Team (USDP); USNTDP Juniors (USHL))
Production: 16 points (0 G, 16 A) in 61 USDP games; 6 points (0 G, 6 A) in 27 USHL games
Scouting reports:
Emery is a plus-level skater with athletic genes (he’s the son of former CFL linebacker Eric Emery and blew people away at the combine, breaking two records) and a projectable makeup given his size, handedness and two-way quality… His offense isn’t natural but he has taken enough steps in the way he sees the ice and moves pucks to complement his other two-way pro qualities. Emery is capable of owning his ice defensively, continues to show growth handling and transporting pucks (especially in transition) and has major steps that he can continue to take in his development because of a very wiry frame that has clear room for significant gains… He’s going to need time and patience to develop the finer qualities of his game and learn to impose himself more consistently on both sides of the puck.
— Scott Wheeler, The Athletic
The offensive numbers are not good, let’s get that out of the way right away. Despite that, there’s so much to like about Emery’s game and his growth as a player. He grew into a shut-down defenseman and played that role excellently in the World U18s for Team USA. That was some of his best hockey of the year and also showcased improved puck play to go with higher-end footwork that allows him to do a little more when he has the puck on his stick. Emery still has a lot of filling out to do, but he’s a 6-foot-3, right-shot defenseman with high-end defensive sense, high-end skating ability and a foundation of skills to build off. He’s headed to the University of North Dakota, which has been a good finishing school for future NHL defensemen in recent years.
— Chris Peters, FloHockey
If it were up to me alone, Emery would be higher in our rankings — but we’re a team, and everyone had their thoughts on him. The concern has been the same all year long: where’s the offense? The answer to that depends on how much more Emery can add to his breakout game. A freak multi-sport athlete who absolutely crushed the NHL combine testing, Emery uses his mobility and reach to stifle opposing rushes better than anyone not named Anton Silayev in this draft — and even then, there are arguments in his favor. I’ve grown more and more fond of his ability to turn those neutral-zone break-ups into offensive rushes for his team with a smart pass. In-zone, he goes from boxing out the net-front to suppressing the cycle in one leap, and times his interventions very well. Personally, I think the lack of offense is a decisional issue. Emery played very little with Cole Hutson this year, who would’ve likely enticed Emery to jump into pockets of space in the offensive zone more frequently. As he climbs the ranks, opportunities to explore his offensive game will become more and more frequent. Even without adding to his offensive skillset, the defensive game alone should carry Emery to a third-pair role in the NHL.
— Hadi Kalakeche, DobberProspects
Alfons Freij
Age: 18 (February 12, 2006)
Hometown: Sölvesborg, Sweden
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 196 pounds
Shoots: Left
Team: Växjö Lakers HC J20 (J20 Nationell); Växjö Lakers HC J18 (J18 Region)
Production: 33 points (14 G, 19 A) in 40 J20 games; 28 points (0 G, 2 A) in 22 J18 games
Scouting reports:
Swedish defenseman Alfons Freij possesses many traits and attributes that give him a shot at hearing his name called on day 1 and still make him a very intriguing prospect for any organization. His two best and most projectable traits are his skating and puck moving ability, and they often go hand-in-hand. Freij is an incredibly mobile defenseman who oozes confidence with the puck on his stick. He often will take the puck from behind his own net and carry it up ice into the offensive zone to create scoring chances. Always with his head up, he also makes a fantastic first pass when it’s a better option than keeping it for himself. He’s a dual threat in the offensive zone as well, capable of creating passing lanes to distribute while also possessing a great shot. Freij is not afraid to take risks with the puck, and those risks don’t always pan out. At times he will turn the puck over and gift odd man rushes to the opposition. He’ll need to learn to be a bit more selective with his playmaking in order to excel at the next level. Another aspect of his game that will need to improve as he develops is his in zone defense. His skating prowess makes him a capable rush defender, however at times he can get caught out of position chasing pucks once the opposition has established possession. That said, his foundational tools and willingness to experiment with them give him serious potential.
— SpokedZ, Smaht Scouting
The calculated Swedish quarterback from defense has been a favourite of ours all season. There may be no better mover in the entire draft class, as Freij blends 4-way mobility, refined stride mechanics, and efficient routes to get from A to B very well. He’s also a creative puck rusher and breakout passer, creating off the rush like few other blueliners in this class, while also offering flashes of truly high-end playmaking skill in the offensive zone. While he remains a favourite of ours stylistically, we have cooled on his NHL projection. As currently constructed, he is a fantastic player at the J20 level, but he will almost certainly need to adapt his style and approach against professional competition on top of making up ground with his physical and defensive lackings.
While the upside remains very high – think an entertaining #3 or even #2 defenseman – his floor has him outside the NHL altogether, while the middle-of-the-road projection resembles players of the Nils Lundqvist ilk, which aren’t the most valuable assets come playoff time. So we settled with 26th overall, as the diverging opinions from our staff were almost as wide-ranging as the possible outcomes in Freij’s development.
— Sebastian High, DobberProspects
Freij’s ability to use his tools in cohesion to manipulate opposing players is impressive. Freij plays calm, cool and collected in the offensive zone with the patience to wait for a passing lane to develop or bolt off the line and attack downhill with the puck on his stick. Freij isn’t a physical player in the defensive zone, but he establishes inside position, ties up sticks and wins short-distance puck races to regain control all the time. His edgework is among the best in the draft class, accentuating his four-way mobility and quickness. Freij’s skating allows him to take a few more calculated chances offensively because he works hard to get back in the play defensively. It would be nice to see him add a bit of physicality to his game, but when that’s the biggest attribute missing and he finds plenty of ways around it, there isn’t much not to like.
— Tony Ferrari, The Hockey News
Adam Jiříček
Age: 18 (June 28, 2006)
Hometown: Plzen, Czechia
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 189 pounds
Shoots: Right
Team: HC Plzeň (Czechia); HC Plzeň U20 (Czechia U20)
Production: 1 points (0 G, 1 A) in 19 Czechia games; 0 points in 3 U20 games
Scouting reports:
Adam Jiricek, the younger brother of Blue Jackets top prospect David, is a summer birthday who worked his way from junior into Czechia’s top pro rung as a 16-year-old last season… He doesn’t have quite the presence his brother has, but Adam plays the game with confidence and intention and has shown real ambition at times against his peers. He’s got good four-way mobility, an active disposition (he has also shown at the pro level that he can simplify and play a more effective game), balanced shooting mechanics, and an eye for spacing and for identifying opportunities to jump on both sides of the puck, plus legit skill with the puck to build upon. There are definitely tools and room to grow his game and fill out his frame. He’s also competitive, I like his defensive habits and he’s got size and ability. I remain a little more cautious in my evaluation of him than most scouts because he feels a little rawer than the defensemen in front of him here to me, though. And the injury is a setback.
— Scott Wheeler, The Athletic
Having missed a chunk of the season due to injury, Jiricek is a tough evaluation. He had one point in 22 games of club play at the pro and U20 level this season, but he played some meaningful minutes as a pro before he was hurt in his first game at the World Juniors. When healthy, Jiricek has shown good mobility and mature puck-moving capabilities. He’s a solid defender who doesn’t back down and can use his 6-foot-2 frame to his advantage, even if he’s not as physically strong as his opponents. There’s a lot of projecting here, but I also look at the defensemen available and I see the most upside in Jiricek at this point. There’s a ton of risk in picking a player who missed so much time this early, but teams that have a good book on him will see a player that has a lot to build on and could be a top-four defenseman down the line.
— Chris Peters, FloHockey
Jiříček has the vision to identify the right play at pace and even the ability to deceive and manipulate opponents from the blue line to create those openings himself. And his touch as a passer? Beyond reproach. He can feather a puck through traffic with the best of them… He’s been on the scouting community’s radar for the better part of three years now, and his reputation was such that he started the season a top-ten, perhaps even top-five player.
Then everything kind of went sideways. Thrust into Czechia’s top professional men’s league, the Tipos Extraliga, suddenly Jiříček couldn’t keep up in transition and couldn’t generate much offense from the blue line. He was a step late on every play, forced to hedge where other, more mobile defenders could step into space to improve the condition of their play before sending the puck from their stick… Perhaps his most well-defined dimension right now though is his defensive game. Jiříček didn’t just handle the physicality of professional hockey; he was the one who knocked on the door, to quote Breaking Bad’s Walter White.
He has the physical tools, developmental runway, and know-how to translate to a middle-pairing role at the NHL level. Jiříček just needs to add a step or two to get there.
— EliteProspects 2024 NHL Draft Guide
Stian Solberg
Age: 18 (December 29, 2005)
Hometown: Oslo, Norway
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 205 pounds
Shoots: Left
Team: Vålerenga (Norway)
Production: 15 points (5 G, 10 A) in 42 Norway games
Scouting reports:
Solberg played all-situations minutes for his pro team in Norway this season and was an important part of Norway’s U20 and senior team, ending his year with a great World Championship where he was one of Norway’s best players. He’s a very good defender due to his combination of size, mobility and compete. He is a hyper physical defenseman who plays with an edge and wins a lot of pucks. He closes on gaps well and breaks up a good number of plays. Offensively he can skate pucks up ice and has decent hands as well. I don’t see top-end puck play, but over the course of the season I came around on that aspect of his game. He can make a first pass and shows enough touch to go with tremendous defensive work, projecting as a legit top-four NHL defender.
— Corey Pronman, The Athletic
Scouts really have come around on Solberg – so much so that he looks like a lock for the first round after starting outside of the second. He’s 6-foot-2 and 201 pounds, something that has helped him play against men for the better part of the past three years. His best play, though, was at the IIHF World Championship, where he was Norway’s best defenseman by a longshot. He took some dumb penalties, but Solberg isn’t afraid to play on the edge and I like him for that. I’m excited to see what he can do in the NHL in a few years.
— Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff
Solberg is a heavy, smooth-skating physical defender who skates fast, hits hard, and takes no prisoners. He’s been playing in Norway’s top men’s league for a few years, and has looked very solid; he also played a big role for Norway at the world juniors and world championships, and performed very well there, putting his skating and physicality on display regularly. He’s a very effective play-killer, both in-zone and on the rush; he defends aggressively, and forces opponents to the boards and into physical battles, where he typically overpowers them and turns play the other way. Offensively, there’s potential, but it needs work. He’s a very good skater overall, which gives him a significant advantage, and he shows good offensive instincts in general: he knows when to join the rush, times his plays well, recognises passing lanes and space to attack; but his offensive toolkit is a bit lacking, and he winds up turning the puck over with lacklustre passes, and taking too many poor shots from the perimeter, as he runs out of options due to a lack of reliable handling skill.
— Gray Matter, Smaht Scouting
Carter Yakemchuk
Age: 18 (Sep 29, 2005)
Hometown: Fort McMurray, AB, Canada
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 203 pounds
Shoots: Right
Team: Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
Production: 71 points (30 G, 41 A) in 66 WHL games
Scouting reports:
Yakemchuk was a top defenseman in the WHL this season. He’s a 6-3 right-shot defenseman who has legit game-breaking skill. He constantly breaks down opponents one-on-one and can pull off a lot of highlight reel moments. That he skates well and can attack with his skill makes him so difficult to stop as he often dances by checkers. His skating stride isn’t technically perfect. It can break down at times with his legs starting to flail at the end of shifts, but it’s a powerful stride and he often pulls away from pressure. Yakemchuk has a bullet shot from the point. He is more of a shot than a pass threat, and while he can see the ice, his vision isn’t at the same level as his shot or stickhandling. He can make stops due to his feet, length and strong physicality but his defensive play and consistency in that area can use work. Yakemchuk has star potential and projects to be a major minutes player in the NHL with a lot of offensive upside.
— Corey Pronman, The Athletic
Yakemchuk is one of my personal favorites in this draft class. He is a rover on the ice and is always jumping up into the rush. While he may get caught out of position because of this, there are many times he will create a high danger chance or be able to get back in time. Yakemchuk has quick hands that allow him to pull off smooth moves to get around defenders. He has a special ability to make players miss at the blue line and get past the first layer of defense. He has a rocket of a shot and does a fantastic job of getting it through traffic. In terms of skating there are some aspects that I like and some that need work. He has good edges and is able to make deceptive maneuvers to create space for himself. On the other hand he needs to get stronger on his skates and become harder to knock off the puck. Yakemchuk has a mean streak to his game and can lay booming hits. He tends to get caught chasing in the D-zone and needs to improve on his defensive positioning. I think he has a good defensive stick and does a good job at being disruptive and getting into passing lanes and blocking shots. While Yakemchuk is more of a raw prospect than some of the other defensemen that are ranked in the top of this draft I think that he has the potential to be one of the best offensive defenseman in this draft if he puts it all together.
— Tait Borst, Recruit Scouting
An easy offensive game with puck skills to go with a 6-foot-3 frame makes Yakemchuk an attractive prospect. Add in that he’s a right-shot defenseman and the stock only grows a little more. There are some legitimate hockey sense concerns, particularly on the defensive side of the game. You can live with the miscues when he produces like he does, but some of the decisions are where I see the risk in his overall projection. Yakemchuk he certainly would not be the first offensive-minded defenseman to overcome those kinds of concerns. He has a fun mix of hand skills and the ability to use his feet to navigate the ice that puts him in position to make a lot of plays. He also has a legitimate goal-scoring touch from the back end that is fairly rare in a defenseman. The dynamic elements of his game, especially in a player of his size make him a little bit of a rarer commodity and with a bit more development, I think the rest of his game smooths out enough for him to challenge for a top-four role.
— Chris Peters, FloHockey