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Draft Rankings

2024 Draft Class

By Jesse Ambrock

2024 NHL Draft — Top 20 Pre-Draft Rankings

As of late June 2024.

Top 20 Rankings

1. Macklin Celebrini, C, Boston University (NCAA)

The lone true franchise center in this class and the consensus No. 1 prospect heading into the draft. As the youngest player in college hockey, he scored 32 goals and 32 assists (64 points) in 38 games, won the Hobey Baker Award, and finished in the top three in NCAA scoring while playing a complete 200-foot game. His blend of pace, compete, shooting, playmaking, and defensive responsibility gives him legitimate No. 1 center upside with almost no major holes.

2. Ivan Demidov, RW, SKA St. Petersburg (MHL/KHL)

The class’s most purely gifted offensive winger and a strong candidate to be the best raw point producer from this draft. In the MHL he scored 23 goals and 37 assists in only 30 games — 2.0 points per game — while looking a cut above the league whenever he touched the puck. The combination of elite puck skill, creativity, release, and top-line offensive upside pushes him just behind a franchise center.

3. Artyom Levshunov, RD, Michigan State (NCAA)

The best bet in the class to become a true No. 1 NHL defenseman. The 6-foot-2 right shot produced 9 goals and 26 assists (35 points) in 38 games as a freshman — leading Michigan State defensemen — and posted a plus-27 rating, all while playing big minutes in all situations. His combination of size, mobility, activation instincts, and offensive drive from the back end, together with a right-shot profile, gives him cornerstone value at a premium position.

4. Berkly Catton, C, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)

An undersized but electrifying WHL center whose production and usage demand top-five status. He scored 54 goals and 62 assists (116 points) in 68 games with Spokane, driving their offense in all situations while maintaining a strong plus-minus. His skating, skill, and dual-threat scoring and playmaking give him clear top-six center upside, and improvements in his defensive commitment over the season help offset size concerns.

5. Tij Iginla, C/W, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

A high-motor, goal-scoring forward with strong hockey sense and a complete game. He produced 47 goals and 37 assists (84 points) in 64 games, played heavy minutes, and showed he could both finish and make plays while holding his own defensively. His combination of shot, intelligence, and competitiveness suggests a strong chance to become a top-six forward who can handle big minutes in all situations on a playoff team.

6. Zeev Buium, LD, University of Denver (NCAA)

The top offensive defenseman in the class and another real candidate to become a top-pair NHL blueliner. As a freshman at Denver, he led all NCAA defensemen with 11 goals and 39 assists (50 points in 42 games) and finished in the top ten of overall NCAA scoring while also helping Team USA win gold at the World Juniors. His ability to run a power play, activate off the blue line, and still defend effectively at pace gives him first-pair potential and significant modern-NHL value.

7. Zayne Parekh, RD, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)

The most purely creative defenseman in the draft and one of its biggest play-drivers from the back end. He posted a historic OHL draft-year season for a defenseman with 33 goals and 63 assists (96 points) in 66 games, showing elite deception, puck skill, and power-play quarterbacking ability. Questions about his defending and physical game are real, but the offensive ceiling and transition impact from a right-shot defenseman keep him firmly in the top-10 tier.

8. Sam Dickinson, LD, London Knights (OHL)

A big, smooth-skating all-situations defenseman whose profile projects to a safe top-pair or high-end No. 3 NHL defender. At 6-foot-3, he logged heavy minutes for London in all situations and produced 18 goals and 52 assists (70 points) in 68 games, combining efficient skating, strong breakout play, and power-play value. His size, mobility, and two-way profile at high usage make him one of the most projectable top-four defenders in the class.

9. Cayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)

The class’s prototypical power center with first-line tools but more risk due to injury and sample size. At 6-foot-4 and about 210 pounds, he scored 27 goals and 19 assists (46 points) in 32 games before injuries limited his season, showing he could dominate physically, attack off the rush, and match up against top lines. If his health holds and his decision-making continues to refine, his size-skating-scoring package gives him one of the highest forward ceilings in the draft.

10. Beckett Sennecke, RW, Oshawa Generals (OHL)

A tall, highly skilled winger who surged in the second half once given tougher matchups and more responsibility. At 6-foot-2, he posted 27 goals and 41 assists (68 points) in 63 games and impressed with his ability to corral pucks in traffic, make plays in small areas, and attack off the rush despite his length. His late-season growth and skill set suggest genuine top-six upside if he continues to get stronger and adds more pace.

11. Anton Silayev, LD, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)

A 6-foot-7 left-shot defenseman with exceptional skating for his size who already played full-time KHL minutes in his draft year. He logged regular ice time against men, was trusted in tough defensive situations, and used his reach and mobility to suffocate entries and protect the slot while showing enough puck skill to move the play the right way. His projection as a 24-minute, matchup, two-way shutdown defender is valuable enough to keep him solidly in the top 12.

12. Liam Greentree, RW, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)

A power winger whose offensive production on a rebuilding Windsor team was among the more impressive contextual stat lines in the draft. At 6-foot-2 and 211 pounds, he recorded 36 goals and 54 assists (90 points) in 64 games with 11 power-play goals, carrying a heavy offensive load for a weak club. His shot, strength on the puck, and ability to generate offense from the hash marks down point to a top-six scoring winger with real net-front and board-play value.

13. Konsta Helenius, C, Jukurit (Liiga)

A smaller but highly skilled center who spent the entire year playing against men in Finland’s top league. He scored 14 goals and 22 assists (36 points) in 51 Liiga games and earned time on Finland’s World Junior roster, showing he can drive play at high pace, lead power-play entries, and create off the rush. His high-end processing, agility, and proven pro-level production offset size concerns and give him a realistic projection as a top-six NHL center or high-end second-line pivot.

14. Cole Eiserman, LW, USNTDP

The best pure shooter in the 2024 class and one of the best goal-scoring prospects of the last several years. He broke Cole Caufield’s NTDP career goals record during his draft year, ripping one-timers from the weak-side flank and rarely passing up a shooting opportunity. His defensive game and off-puck detail remain works in progress, but his elite shot and scoring instincts give him top-line goal-scoring winger upside if he reaches even average NHL habits away from the puck.

15. Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, RW, Mora (Allsvenskan)

A hard-driving Norwegian winger who already plays a mature pro game in Sweden’s second-tier league. He impressed at the World Juniors with 3 goals and 2 assists for Norway while showing improved speed and three-zone detail. His willingness to battle in the hard areas, growing pace, and strong sense away from the puck suggest a high-floor projection as a top-nine winger with realistic top-six upside.

16. Terik Parascak, RW, Prince George Cougars (WHL)

A high-IQ scoring winger with counting stats that stand out and a game built around extending plays and finding soft ice. He produced 43 goals and 62 assists (105 points) with a plus-49 rating in 68 games for Prince George, thriving as a play extender who consistently converts chances created by strong linemates while making smart reads in all three zones. His offensive touch and reliable detail project to a top-six or high-end third-line scoring role.

17. Andrew Basha, LW, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)

An energetic, skilled winger whose game blends pace, tenacity, and strong playmaking. He was a key part of Medicine Hat’s offensive evolution, posting strong WHL numbers (over a point per game) and consistently driving play with his work rate and intelligence. His offensive upside may settle as a 55–65-point winger, but his motor and versatility across all three zones give him a clear path to NHL middle-six impact.

18. Sacha Boisvert, C, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)

A goal-scoring center with size and a lethal catch-and-release in traffic. At 6-foot-2, he produced 36 goals and 32 assists (68 points) in 61 USHL games, showing he can beat goalies from range and finish off plays around the net. His skating and play-driving are still catching up to his shot, but the projection as a middle-six NHL center with 25-goal potential is strong enough to keep him in the back half of the top 20.

19. Igor Chernyshov, LW, Dynamo Moscow (KHL/MHL)

A big, skilled Russian winger who split his season between the KHL and MHL. He recorded 3 goals and 1 assist in 34 KHL games in a limited role while producing 13 goals and 15 assists in the MHL, showcasing both finishing and playmaking ability. With a 6-foot-3 frame, NHL-caliber release, and good straight-line speed, he projects as a top-six winger if his consistency and defensive engagement continue to improve.

20. Michael Hage, C, Chicago Steel (USHL)

A skilled center whose USHL production and offensive skill set justify a late first-round slot. He recorded 33 goals and 42 assists (75 points) in 54 USHL games, playing with pace and posing a threat off the rush with strong vision in the offensive zone. His skating, playmaking, and shot give him a realistic path to a top-six or strong third-line NHL center role.

Notable Prospects Just Outside the Top 20