NHL 2024 Draft Preview

It took a while, but the Florida Panthers won their first-ever Stanley Cup. The Final went the full seven-game distance, so a quick turnaround to the 2024 draft. As the NBA has its draft this Wednesday and Thursday, hockey waits until Friday and Saturday evening, both inside the Las Vegas Sphere.

A year ago, hockey’s Connor Bedard (Chicago Blackhawks) and his basketball counterpart, Victor Wenbanyama (San Antonio Spurs), were both chosen first overall as transformational players. That’s not the case this season in either sport.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t very good players out there, and the woebegone San Jose Sharks (19-54-9 last season, the worst record in the NHL) are on the clock.

Boston University’s Macklin Celebrini is expected the be the first player chosen, and not dissimilar to Bedard, he’s in need of much help. It’s been a five-year postseason drought in San Jose, so not as if one player is going to right this ship by himself. 

Celebrini’s scouting report includes phrases and praises such as “He’s smart, he’s creative, he’s a passer, he’s a shooter, he can do it all. When he doesn’t have the puck, he’s the hardest worker on the ice to get it back. He’s complete. He’s elite.” 

By the way, San Jose is the 250-1 (+25000) rank outsider to win the next title, according to NHL Stanley Cup odds.

Here’s the Order

Barring last-minute wheeling and dealing (which isn’t far-fetched), the draft’s first round is…

• 1. San Jose Sharks
• 2. Chicago Blackhawks
• 3 Anaheim Ducks
• 4. Columbus Blue Jackets
• 5. Montreal Canadiens
• 6. Utah Hockey Club
• 7. Ottawa Senators
• 8. Seattle Kraken
• 9. Calgary Flames
• 10. New Jersey Devils
• 11. Buffalo Sabres
• 12. Philadelphia Flyers
• 13. Minnesota Wild
• 14. San Jose Sharks (via Pittsburgh Penguins)
• 15. Detroit Red Wings
• 16. St. Louis Blues
• 17. Washington Capitals
• 18. Chicago Blackhawks (via New York Islanders)
• 19. Vegas Golden Knights
• 20. New York Islanders (via Tampa Bay Lightning and Chicago Blackhawks)
• 21. Los Angeles Kings
• 22. Nashville Predators
• 23. Toronto Maple Leafs
• 24. Colorado Avalanche
• 25. Ottawa Senators (via Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings)
• 26. Montreal Canadiens (via Winnipeg Jets)
• 27. Carolina Hurricanes
• 28. Calgary Flames (via Vancouver Canucks)
• 29. Dallas Stars
• 30. New York Rangers
• 31. Anaheim Ducks (via Edmonton Oilers)
• 32. Philadelphia Flyers (via Florida Panthers)

Who’s After Celebrini?

Belarusian Artyom Levshunov (via Michigan St.) and Russian Ivan Demidov are not expected to be around past the third choice in the draft, with Demidov projected to join Connor Bedard in Chicago. However, beyond Mackline Celebrini to the San Jose Sharks atop the draft, there’s nothing set in stone. 

Learn the names of Cayden Lindstrom, Beckett Sennecke and Sam Dickinson as well, as the trio also figures to try on new sweaters very early, as per NHL draft odds.

Today’s History Lesson

The past No. 1 overall selections over the past two decades…2023: Connor Bedard, C Chicago Blackhawks
2022: Juraj Slafkovsky, RW, Montreal Canadiens
2021: Owen Power, D, Buffalo Sabres
2020: Alexis Lafreniere, LW, New York Rangers
2019: Jack Hughes, C, New Jersey Devils
2018: Rasmus Dahlin, D, Buffalo Sabres
2017: Nico Hischier, C, New Jersey Devils
2016: Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
2015: Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers
2014: Aaron Ekblad, D, Florida Panthers
2013: Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche
2012: Nail Yakupov, F, Edmonton Oilers
2011: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C, Edmonton Oilers
2010: Taylor Hall, LW, Edmonton Oilers
2009: John Tavares, C, New York Islanders
2008: Steven Stamkos, C, Tampa Bay Lightning
2007: Patrick Kane, RW, Chicago Blackhawks
2006: Erik Johnson, D, St. Louis Blues
2005: Sidney Crosby, C, Pittsburgh Penguins
2004: Alexander Ovechkin, LW, Washington Capitals
2003: Marc-Andre Fleury, G, Pittsburgh Penguins