Las Vegas – Welcome to the first round of the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft. On Friday at the Sphere in Las Vegas, 32 youngsters will officially begin their NHL journey. NHL.com deputy editor and draft guru Adam Kimmelman will be in Las Vegas to provide information and analysis on the 32 players in the first round.
The 2024 draft is upon us and the Sphere has become the epicenter of the hockey world.
The San Jose Sharks will kick off the celebrations with the No. 1 pick they receive in the NHL Draft Lottery on May 7. The team is widely expected to select Boston University center Macklin Celebrini.
The Sharks will be one of the busiest teams over the two days here with nine total picks, including the 11th pick in the first round they acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.
San Jose is one of six teams with multiple first-round picks, along with the Chicago Blackhawks (2nd, 18th), Anaheim Ducks (3rd, 31st), Montreal Canadiens (5th, 21st), Calgary Flames (9th, 28th) and Philadelphia Flyers (12th, 32nd).
You can see how NHL.com's draft experts predict the first round will go in their final mock draft here.
1. San Jose Sharks – Macklin Celebrini, C, Boston College (NCAA)
NHL Central Scouting Rankings: #1 (North American skaters)
Celebrini played in 38 games as a freshman at Boston University, scoring 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists), third in the NCAA, and was awarded the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA men's ice hockey player of the year, becoming the youngest player to ever win the award and the fourth Boston University player to do so after Jack Eichel (2015), Matt Gilroy (2009), and Chris Drury (1998). Celebrini was the youngest player in NCAA hockey this season, and despite only turning 18 on June 13, he was named Hockey East Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player, becoming just the fourth player to win both awards in the same season after Eichel (2015), Paul Kariya (1993), and Brian Leetch (1987). A native of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Celebrini chose to develop by playing Tier 1 AAA hockey with the San Jose Jr. Sharks, prep school hockey with Shattuck St. Mary's in Minnesota and Chicago in the United States Hockey League before enrolling at Vancouver University this season and will decide after the draft if he will return to college.
“He competes with himself, he competes with other guys, and that's just the kind of person he is,” Boston College coach Jay Pandolfo said. “I think that makes him a special player, but I think that's going to serve him very well in the National Hockey League.”
NHL.com analysis: With Celebrini's selection, the Sharks have finally made official what they have been speculating since the draft lottery. His skill and work ethic have drawn comparisons to former Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews and former Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. If Celebrini signs with the Sharks this season, he will join Will Smith, the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, as the foundation for what the Sharks hope will be a return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
2. Chicago Blackhawks — Artyom Levshunov, D, Michigan State University (NCAA)
NHL Central Scouting Rankings: 2nd (North American skaters)
The right-handed shooter (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, and was named to the All-Big Ten First Team and All-Freshman Team. At 18 years old, the third-youngest player in college men's hockey, he scored 35 points (9 goals, 26 assists) in 38 games, good for second among NCAA freshman defensemen and tied for ninth among all defensemen. He played on the top defensive pairing all season and led the Big Ten with a plus-27 rating. Refshunoff is looking to become just the third player and first defenseman from Michigan State to be drafted in the top three after forward Joe Murphy was selected first overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1986 NHL Draft and forward Craig Simpson was selected second overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1985 NHL Draft.
“He's a guy that can play defense and he can play offense, and I think that's why he brings a lot of value to our team,” Michigan State coach Adam Nightingale said. “He's very talented offensively. He's good on the power play, he's got the deception skills. He can get through screens and get a shot and put it on their video. But he's really focused on defense. He wants to play in the NHL and he wants to play meaningful minutes. To play meaningful minutes, you've got to do it on both sides of the puck.”
NHL.com analysis: The Blackhawks acquired a forward anchor in the 2023 NHL Draft with Calder Trophy winner Connor Bedard, but this year they have shifted their focus to strengthening their defense with Refshunoff. Refshunoff has stated that he is built to play in the NHL and will wait until after the draft to decide whether to play one more season of NCAA hockey or move to the NHL. Either way, Refshunoff is expected to be a top-pairing defenseman and a key part of a young group that saw Kevin Korchinski and Alex Vlasic make big strides last season, and 2022 first-round draft pick Sam Lindsell (25th overall) is close to being ready to play professionally.
3. Anaheim Ducks — Beckett Senneke, RW, Oshawa (OHL)
NHL Central Scouting Rankings: 13th (North American skaters)
The 18-year-old Senneke is blessed with size (6'3″, 182 lbs.) and strength and skill, which, combined with his hockey sense, consistently creates quality scoring opportunities. Senneke scored 68 points (27 goals, 41 assists) in 63 regular season games, including seven power play goals, to lead the Generals to seven wins. He also scored 10 goals in 16 games during the Ontario Hockey League playoffs, tied for fourth all-time. Senneke is a versatile 200-foot player with a positive work ethic on both ends of the ice.
NHL.com analysis: The Ducks were the surprise first pick of the draft, but Senneke projects to be a great top-six wing to complement up-and-coming young centers Mason MacTavish, Leo Karlsson and Trevor Zegras. Senneke is a strong skater who knows how to get the puck out of traffic and play in tight spaces, and he has a great shot. He'll need some time to develop his size, but with another season or two of growth, he should join the ranks of some of the other top prospects the Ducks have acquired over the past few seasons.
4. Columbus Blue Jackets — Kayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat (WHL)
NHL Central Scouting Rankings: 3rd (North American skaters)
Lindstrom (6-foot-3, 213 pounds) is a powerhouse who remained the draft's top forward option despite missing the final 36 games of the regular season because of back and hand injuries. The 18-year-old Lindstrom had 46 points (27 goals, 19 assists) in 32 games before being removed from the lineup on Dec. 16. After recovering from surgery for a back injury, he returned on March 29 and recorded two points (one goal, one assist) and 17 shots on goal in four Western Hockey League playoff games.
“Lindstrom is an elite NHL prospect that every NHL club would want, and the fact that he missed time with an injury that is not expected to hinder his future career does not change the NHL's projections,” Central Scouting director Dan Mahl said. “The reason Central Scouting ranked him the same is because he is one of the best prospects in this class and has not submitted a report that would remove him from the rankings.”
NHL.com analysis: The Blue Jackets appear confident that Lindstrom is recovered from the back injury that caused him to miss the second half of the Medicine Hat season. Lindstrom is working on his rehabilitation under the guidance of an NHL team doctor, and all 32 teams have been kept updated on his status. Lindstrom is a goal scorer with speed and impressive hard hitting power that comes with his track and field background. The one-two center punch of Lindstrom and Adam Fantilli gives the Blue Jackets a strong foundation as they seek to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
5. Montreal Canadiens — Ivan Demidov, RW, SKA St. Petersburg Junior (RUS-JR)
NHL Central Scouting Rankings: 2nd (International Skaters)
Demidov is a fine skater who can play right wing, left wing and center, and he is also good with the puck. The left-handed shooter (6'0″, 192 lbs) led the St. Petersburg team in Russia's junior league, the MHL, with 60 points (23 goals, 37 assists), including six game-winning goals and 144 shots on goal in 30 games. The 18-year-old Demidov averaged 18:06 ice time and 4.8 shots on goal per game in the regular season, and 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) and averaged 17:37 ice time and 4.5 shots on goal in 17 MHL playoff games. Demidov also appeared in four games for SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League, but did not earn a point.
“I think he's a better player than (Matvey) Mishukov (Philadelphia Flyers, No. 7 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft),” said Craig Button, TSN director of scouting and NHL analyst. “To me, he's (Nikita) Kucherov. He can pass, he can shoot. He's a great player. Like Kucherov, they [both] “As soon as they step on the ice, they become dangerous. The puck hits that player's stick, and you're going to buckle up, be careful, and go on a dangerous drive.”
NHL.com analysis: Some scouts consider Demidov the second-best talent in this year's draft behind Serebriny. He dominated in Russia's junior leagues and will likely continue to develop for at least one more season in the Kontinental Hockey League next season. But his dynamic skills and skating could provide a surprise element the Canadiens haven't had in a long time.
6. Utah Hockey Club – Tiji Iginla, C, Kelowna (WHL)
NHL Central Scouting Rankings: 9th (North American skaters)
Iginla (6-foot-0, 191 pounds), who turns 18 on Aug. 4, has learned a lot on and off the ice from his father, Jarome Iginla, a Hockey Hall of Fame forward. With the skill and competitive spirit he inherited from his father, Tizzi led the Rockets with 47 goals this season and was second with 84 points and 11 power play goals in 64 games. Led Kelowna with nine goals in the Western Hockey League playoffs and was tied for first with 15 points in 11 games, the left-handed shooter is known as a goal scorer for his big shot and good handle around the net. His competitive spirit and hockey sense are also major aspects of his game.
