NHL Draft 2024: Breaking Down Top Prospects in Draft Class

The NHL draft is heading to Las Vegas for the first time, as the two-day event will be held there from June 28-29. However, at this point, the order hasn’t been set (the draft lottery will occur in May) and plenty of teams still have Stanley Cup aspirations, considering the playoffs have not yet begun.

But it isn’t too early to start looking ahead to the draft. No matter which teams end up near the top of the selection order, some of the same players are likely to get taken within the first few picks.

This year’s class is filled with intriguing talent. While there’s a consensus top prospect (Macklin Celebrini), there are plenty of other strong players for teams that don’t end up with the No. 1 overall pick to consider.

Here’s a look at several of the best prospects in this year’s NHL draft class.

It may not be known which team Celebrini will be joining to his NHL career, but it sure seems like it will be whichever organization lands the No. 1 overall pick in the draft lottery. Because the 17-year-old forward out of Boston University is the best prospect in this year’s class.

Celebrini, who had 32 goals and 32 assists over 38 games in his first season with the Terriers, is widely considered the favorite to go No. 1 in the draft.

“He’s a special player and belongs in that special category because in every environment, every situation he goes, he can excel and that’s hard to do as a 17-year-old,” NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr said, per NHL.com.

Don’t expect to hear any name called other than Celebrini’s to open this year’s draft.

The 2024 NHL draft class is fairly deep beyond Celebrini. The best non-American prospect could be Ivan Demidov, an 18-year-old Russian forward who put up incredible numbers while playing for SKA St. Petersburg this past season.

In 30 games, Demidov tallied 23 goals and 37 assists to help power his team into the playoffs. Then, he recorded 10 goals and 15 assists in 13 postseason games.

“What makes Demidov so dangerous on offense is his patience,” Dayton Reimer of The Hockey Writers wrote. “By now, most teams know that when he gets the puck, it’s likely ending up in the back of the net, so he frequently is pressured more than his teammates.”

If the team at No. 2 in the draft order is seeking offensive help, Demidov could be the answer.

There are a lot of talented defensemen in this year’s NHL draft class. Several of them could be in consideration in the top five, including Michigan State’s Artyom Levshunov, who may even end up getting taken as high as the No. 2 or No. 3 pick.

Levshunov, who could become the highest-drafted Belarus-born player to be drafted, had a strong first season for the Spartans. In 40 games, he had nine goals and 26 assists.

Earlier this year, Marr of Central Scouting called Levshunov “the most complete package for a defenseman.” That could be enticing to a lot of teams early in this year’s draft.