A new beginning is on the way for the Utah Hockey Club as they enter the 2024 NHL Draft. General Manager Bill Armstrong will make his first draft picks (13!) in Las Vegas on June 28th and 29th. It will be a historic two days as these will be the first players to be drafted by the team since relocating from Arizona. Therefore, the 2024 NHL Draft will be a bit more meaningful than other drafts, with Armstrong having the opportunity to be drafted sixth overall for the second year in a row, bringing with it an elite crop of prospects headed to the Beehive State.
Related: THW's 2024 NHL Draft Guide
Of course, we all know about the selection of Russians Dmitry Simashev and Daniil Butt in last year's draft, but needless to say it came as a surprise to most fans. No mock draft or scouting team predicted these picks, but every year it seems like there's a pick that makes you hold your breath and think “who is that guy?” This year there are a lot of options and a ton of defensemen, allowing for a wide range of play styles, which we'll get to later.
There are a lot of questions being asked of Utah, and while we don't have answers to all of them, it doesn't hurt to think about them. That's what we do. So let's take a look at the five biggest questions for Armstrong and Utah heading into the 2024 NHL Draft.
What will happen to Ivan Demidov?
Ivan Demiov, Russia's top pick for the 2024 NHL Draft, has shone in the MHL (Russia's top junior league) and his skill is unquestionable. Now we have to ponder the following questions: When will he arrive in North America? How will he perform against men in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) instead of the MHL? What is his ceiling? Of course, we don't have all the answers to these questions, and frankly, we may not know until a few years from now.
That being said, there were plenty of draft-eligible players in attendance at Gold Star Hockey's pre-draft camp in Fort Lauderdale, including Artyom Levshunov, Zayn Parekh, and of course Demidov. As many will remember, Matvey Mishukov was in a similar situation in the 2023 NHL Draft when he was drafted seventh overall by the Philadelphia Flyers. There's no denying the incredible skill Mishukov possesses, but it's still unclear when he'll be able to play on the ice for Philadelphia.
Even GM Daniel Briere isn't entirely sure what's going to happen with Mishukov, which shows how unpredictable drafting Russian players can be, at least with the recent Ukraine war. Given how recent and ongoing the Mishukov situation is, teams will likely hesitate to draft Demidov. There's no question about that. The question is how many teams will hesitate, which leaves the question: Could Demidov fall to Utah at No. 6?
This question is very complicated, but anything can happen on the draft floor. After the recent news about the Russian superstar, it's not a sure thing if he'll drop down the rankings. “He met all of the expectations last year,” one scout said. “He has the smooth hands, ability to finish around the net and weight on the stick in tight play. Many of his goals are highly contested by defenders, but he still scores because he has a natural talent for tight play.”
Next season, 2024-25, is his final contract year with SKA St. Petersburg, so he could theoretically be on American/Canadian soil by the end of the regular season. A lot would have to go right for that to happen, but it's encouraging, especially as he dropped to sixth place.
Will Armstrong prioritize the height of Shiraev, Dickinson or Yachemchuk?
Height matters in the NHL, but how far will they go to build the biggest NHL team? That's a good question for GM Armstrong, but seriously, who is he going to add in this year's draft? Last year he drafted 6'4″ defenseman Simashev and 6'6″ teammate Butt. Let's not forget they also got Maverick Lamoureux (6'7″) and Connor Geekie (6'4″) for 2022. This isn't a basketball team, but they'd be pretty good on that front too.
Seriously, there are some big guys in the 2024 NHL Draft. The one that is likely to attract the most attention is Russian defenseman Anton Siraev. He stands at 6'7″ and has been active in the first few games in the KHL this season. His skating is elite, but his hockey IQ raises other concerns. That said, there is no standard for height in the NHL, you either have it or you don't, and Siraev is definitely tall.
Carter Jakemchuk is another big defenceman at 6'3″. He played for the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League this season and led all defencemen in scoring with 30 goals in the WHL. It was an impressive season to say the least and his size and offensive presence can be greatly appreciated. There's also London Knight's Sam Dickinson who shone in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and played a big role in the Knights' run to the postseason, but they were ultimately defeated by the Saginaw Spirit. At 6'3″, he knows how to use his size to his advantage and could be an everyday player in the NHL in the future.
All three players have distinctive traits and it will be interesting to see where they go on draft day. Dickinson could go as high as No. 3, but so could Jakemchuk. It's a bit of a coin toss. That said, there will be some confusion after Celebrini is selected No. 1 overall by the San Jose Sharks.
Will Utah make any moves on the trade front?
One of the most exciting things to do as a fan is see a trade happen during the draft. Watching Commissioner Gary Bettman announce a trade and the crowd react is priceless, especially if it's your team. In this case, we might see Armstrong and Utah about to make a big move. It will go down as the first trade in Utah history.
So the first option is to trade up to a top 5 pick. Is that possible? Of course it is. Utah has a ton of assets they could use to trade up. This is similar to when they traded up to the Sharks at 11th to acquire Geeky. That trade included a late 1st round pick (27th overall) and two 2nd round picks (34th and 45th overall), so it would be prohibitively expensive to trade up. At this point in the rebuild, unless there is a reasonable offer that would benefit the team now and 5 years from now, trading up is probably not the smartest way to go.
The other part of the equation is a lower pick, which is certainly quite possible. Let’s assume the draft position goes to Celebrini, Refshunov, Shiraev, Demidov, Lindstrom, or some variation of those five players. There’s a ton of talent at No. 6. If Armstrong’s goal is to get an elite defenseman, picking lower at No. 8 or 9 still gets him one of those defensemen. If you like Dickinson, Buium, Parekh, and Yachemchuk equally, there’s no reason not to acquire more assets and pick lower, since they’re relatively the same. In that case, it’s a no-brainer if it guarantees you’ll get one of those defensemen or your preferred forward.
Is Beckett Senneke the No. 6 option?
Every year, some prospects come out of nowhere and work their way up into the top 10, top 5, and sometimes even top 3. Last year's prospect was probably Simashev, who Armstrong drafted and is currently the top-ranked defenseman in the Utah system. It was a surprise to everyone when Simashev was selected at No. 6. Not a single mock draft projected Simashev to join the Coyotes, but so far he seems like a pretty good pick.
That player this year is Beckett Senneke, and there is a wide range of opinions about him in NHL and scouting circles. He has a lot of attractive traits – size, athleticism, shooting – all of which would help him be a first-round draft pick. It's just a matter of how high he will be taken, and there seems to be some debate among scouts, fans, and analysts.
“Seneke has a great balance of intensity, skill and awareness on both sides of the puck. He excels at fighting for the puck low, along the boards and in tight spaces, and he has soft hands to maintain control and manipulate defenders in the offensive zone. He's very crafty and his improved size allows him to protect the puck effectively and push through crowded areas. He definitely has the upside to be a strong power forward.” – Peter Baracchini, The Hockey Writers
Taking Senneke sixth overall wouldn't be the worst thing since there are plenty of other players who aren't ideal, but drafting him this early isn't likely, and while there's a chance Senneke could go to Utah with the fourth overall pick, it's unlikely Senneke will end up going to Utah since the Columbus Blue Jackets invited him to dinner at the 2024 NHL Draft Combine.
Would Armstrong add an offensively talented defenseman like Bouyum or Parekh?
Currently, Utah has no game changers in their system. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's a problem we want to find a solution to. Simashev is a defenseman who can buy time, but he's far from a game changer. Geeky and Butt may have the ceiling, but it's unclear if they can get there. So, we're going to touch on two players in the 2024 NHL Draft who could get you out of your seats at any time. They're none other than Zeev Bouyum and Zain Parekh.
Coming out of the University of Denver, Bouyum had a great freshman season, scoring 50 points in 42 games. He's an aggressive, dynamic defenseman who is a real treat to watch in the offensive zone, just a real spectacle to watch. He knows how to use his skating to his advantage, and while he's not very tall, he has an advantage. In Utah's three-round mock draft, I projected Armstrong to select Bouyum, and if that happens, they'll be getting a superstar.
Parekh is also extremely talented in the offensive zone. He had a fantastic season this season scoring 33 goals with the Saginaw Spirit and winning the Memorial Cup. His momentum is unstoppable and he is very difficult for teams to predict, whether in the offensive or defensive zone.
It would make a lot of sense to have one of these two players selected sixth overall, and honestly, all things considered, one of them should be the selection.
The 2024 NHL Draft is full of surprises
The 2024 NHL Draft is just a week away and will undoubtedly be full of surprises. Last year's 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville saw no trades in the first round, but I expect that to change this season in Las Vegas. With no one else scheduled besides Celebrini, there could be some big surprises, whether it's a trade or a draft selection. That said, the highly anticipated draft is just around the corner and will be a big two days for all teams, starting with Utah.
