Round 1: Mock Draft by DansLesCoulisses

It’s with great pleasure that DansLesCoulisses.com presents its mock draft of the long-awaited first round of the 2024 draft! For the occasion, our occasional contributor, the very hip and passionate prospect Marc-Olivier Beaudoin joins our regular prospect analyst Tony Patoine. The two will offer their thoughts on what could happen – or not! – in the Sphere in Vegas on June 28.

Tony is the winner of the draw, so he’ll start the exercise by keeping the picks odd throughout, while Marc-Olivier will concentrate on the picks even. The two will attempt to defend their selections, sometimes putting themselves in the shoes of the various managers, sometimes playing detective, sometimes using their intuitions and more personal tastes.

At the time of writing, the Edmonton Oilers, who traded their 1st-round pick to the Ducks, are 3-2 down in the series against the Panthers, who traded their pick to the Flyers. So, for what it’s worth and for the sake of the exercise, the Ducks will pick 31st, while the Flyers will select 32nd.

That said, we don’t really want Florida to win!

1- San Jose: Macklin Celebrini | C

There are no surprises here: Mike Greer confirmed his choice on lottery night! Sort of a cross between Crosby and Toews, big rookie season at Boston University, all-around player, blah, blah, blah. We don’t necessarily expect Celebrini to turn the league upside down next year, but otherwise, everything has been said about him. A future superstar. Next!

2- Chicago: Artyom Levshunov | DD

No, this isn’t a very original choice here either. The big, right-handed defenseman is projected to be Chicago’s^{No. 2} pick in several mock drafts, and when there’s that much smoke… there’s usually fire. The Hawks drafted their #1 center last draft, now they want to add their #1 defenseman of the future via this draft and I think Levshunov is the obvious player there. Of course, the fact that he’s right-handed also works in his favor, since right-handed defensemen are a rarer commodity, including with the Hawks.

3- Anaheim: Ivan Demidov | AD

This is where the fun begins! Perhaps this is more a selection I’d make in their place than the choicethey’ll make – the Ducks often surprise us – but with Zegras set to leave the team soon, they should seriously consider adding an exceptional talent to their offensive arsenal made up of some very good players, even future stars (Carlsson, McTavish, and Gauthier), but none who seem to have genuine game-breaking talent of Demidov’s calibre. That said, after trading Jamie Drysdale to the Flyers last winter, Verbeek expressed interest in adding a right-handed defenseman, and if he wants, he’ll have the option of choosing one here too, probably between Levshunov (if he’s still around) and Yakemchuk… But perhaps he was talking more about a more seasoned NHL defenseman. Finally, passing on Demidov at No. 3, or even No. 2, could be a decision that will “bite you in the behind” very quickly, as the English say…

4- Columbus: Sam Dickinson | GM

In my opinion, the best defenseman of this year’s crop. Yes, the Jackets already have good depth on the left side of their defensive brigade, but Ivan Provorov will be an uncompensated free agent at the end of next season and Zach Werenski is often bothered by injuries. Denton Mateychuk is also left-handed, but by drafting Sam Dickinson, they’re getting their hands on the player who’s still available and who can have the biggest impact on his club in the long term, in my opinion. And the left side of the blue line will be settled for a long time to come!

5- Montreal: Zeev Buium | GM/DD

If the Flanelle’s good doctors give anunequivocal ” go” to Cayden Lindstrom, who had to deal with a herniated disc over the winter – that’s a pretty big ” if ” in itself! – the staff might have a hard time getting past the big, fast, mean and talented left-handed center forward. He’d tick a lot of boxes for a team that’s sorely lacking in depth, talent and size up front.

That’s if he’s available, of course. That’s a very big second ” if “, as the Blue Jackets’ new GM, Don Waddell, recently stated that unearthing scoring talent was more difficult than cleaning up his defensive territory. With Patrik Laine looking to jump ship to Columbus, this is even more understandable…

And so, if Lindstrom and Demidov are no longer available OR, with such a high pick, the risks are deemed too great for them for xyz medical or other reasons, what will the Habs do?

If he isn’t already selected, my preference would clearly be for Zeev Buium, the best defenseman of this auction(hehe!). Already 7th on my February rankings, he ended up 3rd on my final June list.

Buium has won literally EVERYTHING over the past two seasons (U18, CMJ, NCAA) and has set new individual marks for points-per-game average and points (50 in 42 games) for a 17-18 year-old rookie defenseman in the NCAA, as well as leading this league with a +33 differential!

Don’t look for red flags, there aren’t any!

He would be the best player available AND the optimal choice for the organization. There would be nothing at this rank worth more than a true future number-one defenseman.

He’s simply a very safe home run, far, far away, in center field.

If there’s anyone who can get close to Makar and company in 2024, it’s Buium, and he’s not even finished growing, at 6 feet, 186 lbs…

Does this mean that Kent Hughes could go back on his words of May 7 that there was very little chance of drafting a left-handed defenseman?

Is this one of the reasons why Chantal Machabée recently said he talked too much sometimes?

But Buium was so impressive at the CMJ, in the regular season and even more so at the NCAA Frozen Four , beating Lane Hutson and Celebrini (Boston University) back-to-back in the semi-finals, then Boston College in the final (with its infernal quartet: Gauthier, Smith, Leonard, Perreault) that he too may no longer be available at No. 5…

6- Utah: Anton Silayev | GM

There’s been a lot of buzz around Anton Silayev. Many rank him in the top 2-3 of this year’s crop, mainly due to his size/skate ratio. A big guy skating like that doesn’t come along very often! But I think his nationality could make him slip a little in the draft, and the Coyotes (I mean, the Utah HC!) have shown in the past that they’re not afraid to draft in and around Russia, selecting defenseman Dmitry Simashev ^6th overall and forward Daniil But ^12th in the last draft. The Fire-Coyotes have a lot of good youngsters up front (Keller, Cooley, Guenther, Maccelli, Geekie and others), but it’s very thin on the blue line. So selecting Anton Silayev would make a lot of sense for them.

7- Ottawa: Cayden Lindstrom | C

Even though they already have young left-hander Sanderson under long-term contract, the Sens would no doubt have liked Buium or Silayev to come their way. First, there’s Chychrun, who probably won’t be around much longer in Ottawa, then Chabot, who’s been arch-fragile for too many years already, and finally Brannstrom, who’s just not good enough… They’ll no doubt be thinking long and hard about the right-handers Yakemchuk and Parekh, but with Norris’ uncertainty at forward, Giroux’s age and Tkachuk’s lack of wickedness outside (his future remains unclear in Ottawa), a package like Lindstrom’s is hard to ignore. If his health hasn’t convinced them, Sennecke, who almost plays in their backyard, could be a nice option…

8- Seattle : Carter Yakemchuk | DD

A fullback who’s ranked a bit lower on most lists, but who could climb high in the draft in my opinion. A 6’3, 200-pound right-handed defenseman who produces offensively and performs well in all three zones is worth his weight in gold! The Kraken have drafted more forwards with their top picks since entering the league, including Matty Beniers and Shane Wright. The timing would be right for them to add a quality defensive prospect, considering their positioning in the draft order and the possible glut of quality defensemen that will be available at their position!

9- Calgary: Tij Iginla | C/AG

If Iginla goes to the Flames and the draft goes pretty much the way it did in this exercise – in order or out of order! – it’s hard to see Craig Conroy turning up his nose at Jarome’s son. Unless you like making thousands of enemies in fractions of a second… Iginla is one of the safest picks in the entire draft, but the pressure will still be on him in Calgary… An interesting story to follow!

10- New Jersey: Konsta Helenius | C

Maybe I’m writing this little paragraph for nothing, considering that the Devils’ #10 pick is on the trade market, but for now, I’ll ignore it. The Devils have a good young club at all positions, but with the recent selections of Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec in addition to the presence of veterans Dougie Hamilton, John Marino and Jonas Siegenthaler, I have a feeling the Devils will be looking more on the attacking side. Alex Holtz hasn’t lived up to his promise so far, and Jack Hughes is a frequent visitor to the infirmary. The Devils could definitely do with a bit of offensive reinforcement, and I think that Helenius’s complete game could appeal to them.

11- Buffalo: Zayne Parekh | DD

Parekh, a right-handed defenseman, would be the perfect addition to the “Big Three” of left-handers (Dahlin, Power, Byram) already in place in chicken-wing country. I have my personal doubts about the Ontarian, who scored 96 points in Saginaw, but the Sabres’ potent brigade will provide the ideal environment to take advantage of his offensive qualities, while also being able to camouflage his defensive shortcomings.

12- Philadelphia: Beckett Sennecke | AD

One of the biggest risers in this draft, Beckett Sennecke has had to learn to cope with an intense growth spurt in a short space of time, gaining almost 5 inches in just 1 year. He’s shaping up to be a complete NHL player, but frequently offers Sports 30-worthy highlights in the offensive zone. After trading Cutter Gauthier and with the uncertainty surrounding Matvei Michkov, I have a feeling that the Flyers will be looking to add a forward to their “pipeline” and Sennecke should come out around ^12th!

13- Minnesota : Stian Stolberg | GM

It’s so thin on relief at the blue line for the Wild… The big, mobile, mean and talented Norwegian left-hander would join his compatriot Zuccarello, who surely had good things to say about him following a spectacular World Championship this spring… Solberg, another ” late riser“, could well become one of the good players of this draft in my opinion.

14- San Jose: Cole Eiserman | AG/AD

Cole Eiserman was tipped to fight a war for Macklin Celebrini’s^{No. 1} pick just a year ago, but we’ve seen him slide down the lists ever since. At least, on the “internet lists”. Eiserman has good size for his age (6′ and almost 200 pounds) and a scoring instinct like no one else in this draft, but it doesn’t seem to be enough to seduce scouts further, as he also has several “red flags” in his game, including his involvement. He reminds me a little of Phil Kessel. The will isn’t always there, the commitment is weak, but the talent is enormous and the offensive contribution is still very high. The Sharks will be happy to add him to their prospect pool alongside Macklin Celebrini(his best friend since their days at Shattuck St. Mary’s), and I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if he became a 40-goal scorer in the NHL. Which would make quite a selection at No. ¹⁴!

15- Detroit : Michael Brandsegg-Nygard | AD

My favorite (!) and a second consecutive Norwegian for me! Yes, Catton is still available, but even if their ceiling isn’t very high, with Danielson (2023) and Kasper (2022), the Wings have just recently chosen better-sized centers. Despite his 116 points, in my opinion, Catton’s game looks more like junior stuff that might not translate to the NHL (along the lines of Jost and Krebs). Not fast, strong and dynamic enough for a small player (compared to, say, Seth Jarvis) and I don’t find his execution particularly fast. Above all, the Wings sorely need a complete, strong, fast and talented winger in the top-6. MBN , the most tactically mature and complete winger in the entire draft, could just as easily line up with them next year. A pro. The most underrated player in the top-15/top-20. He would have literally destroyed everything in his path had he played in Canadian junior, but nobody seems to realize that!

16- St-Louis: Berkly Catton | C

I know, it doesn’t seem to make any sense that Berkly Catton is still available at number ¹⁶. It’s quite possible that a club will fall in love with him and draft him long before that. But NHL scouts still worship size, and incredible talent still doesn’t seem to make up for it, as we saw with the selections of Cole Caufield at ^#15 and, more recently, Zach Benson at ^#12. Two players I had in my top 5. I also have Berkly Catton at No. ⁶ on my personal list. But managers generally want big players to withstand the rigors of the playoffs, and that’s why Catton could slide all the way to the Blues, who won’t let him slide any further!

17- Washington : Cole Hutson | GM

To the surprise of many, in 17th place the Caps could be very proud to ” select ” Cole Hutson! Carlson is aging and we’ll need to develop a future quarterback quickly, and the “little brother”, like the “big brother”, won’t take too long to reach the NHL. The best U18 defenseman and USNTDP record-holder among backs, Cole is even bigger and stronger physically than Lane, as well as being a better skater and more reliable defensively. In short, in terms of talent, Hutson has little to envy the 5-6 big names in this draft among defensemen. I recently ranked him 8th on my personal list. I’ve never seen him higher anywhere else.

18- Chicago : Sacha Boisvert | C

I don’t know if there’s a connection between the two events, but the Hawks called Sacha Boisvert to chat with him several times in the week leading up to the acquisition of this #18 pick from the Islanders. Boisvert is generally ranked between ^18th and ^25th on the lists of various experts, but I believe that NHL executives place greater importance than “internet scouts” (and I don’t mean that pejoratively) on character, intensity and “grit”. His offensive talent is undeniable, and although he’ll have to improve his skating and face-offs (according to the man himself), he’s already got a major-league shot, and his versatility on the ice (he can play on the power play as well as the shorthanded), as well as the fact that he’s not afraid to throw down the gloves, will undoubtedly appeal to management. Whether you’re for or against fighting, management is in favor of it, and it remains one more card in Sacha Boisvert’s deck, even if he’s much more than a pugilist.

19- Vegas : Terik Parascak | AD

A smart, complementary winger who could eventually replace Stone and Marchessault alongside Eichel. Definitely not an explosive skater, but a guy who will always find a way to make points because he’s always in the right place and executes his plays very quickly, with nuances when needed. Think a Joshua Roy or Tyler Toffoli type. He made my top-15…

20- NYI : Liam Greentree | AG

Lou Lamoriello selecting a “big guy” makes too much sense. Greentree doesn’t have the highest offensive potential, but he’s got good size and advocates a style of play that would suit the Islanders perfectly. On the other hand, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Islanders moved the pick for immediate reinforcement, given that this is what they frequently do. But if they can’t find a dance partner, I think they’d be happy to add Greentree to their pool of prospects, after all, he scored 90 points in 64 OHL games this season.

21- LA: Henry Mews | DD

The just-confirmed departure of Pierre-Luc Dubois may affect the Kings’ decision here, as there are still a few good “middle of the pack” centers left, but Doughty will soon be arriving at the 18th hole and, much like the Capitals, the Kings also need a puck moving, smooth skating defenseman. Brandt Clarke, 21, 8th overall in 2021, is developing relatively well, but is still thin on the ground at this level of the Kings’ organization. Mews will have to continue to develop his defensive game: he has played center for most of his hockey career and is still a little soft at times in his territory. However, he did a marvellous job for Canada at U18, contributing to the team’s medal-winning performance as #1 defenseman. There’s a possibility of a long ball with Mews, but we agree that he’ll never be as complete a player as Doughty. We’ll keep an eye on center Michael Hage…

22- Nashville : Adam Jiricek | AD

The Preds are starting to look sorry for themselves at the blue line! General Roman Josi is still there, but then they have to fall back on Dante Fabbro, Jérémy Lauzon and Luke Schenn. It’s not much better stocked in the prospect pool, so they have to jump at the chance to add a talented back like Jiricek with this pick. Jiricek, 6’3, is one of the youngest players of his generation, which is normally seen as a very positive thing. His stats in the Czech league are meagre this season, but holding his own surrounded by adults at 17 is impressive in itself. We’ll need quality defenders in front of Yaroslav Askarov eventually, and Jiricek will fill that role wonderfully.

23- Toronto: Charlie Elick | DD

Even though they’ve drafted some good forwards in recent years (Knies, Minten), with the early departures of Marner and Tavares, the Leafs are still tempted to select a forward since there are still some good ones left (including Michael Hage!). But a change in philosophy will begin in the Queen City, and they may want to put more emphasis on defense and toughness to win in the playoffs. The Leafs are making their mark by drafting a solid defensive back in the first round, one who is mobile, strong and robust to a fault.

24- Colorado: Michael Hage | C

The Avalanche lack a little bit of everything (depth-wise), both in the lineup and in the prospect pool, as they’ve been in the habit of trading their picks or drafting late in the round for the past few years. I wouldn’t be surprised if the pick was traded for a player between the time of writing and the release of the mock draft, but in the meantime, the Avalanche would do well to add Michael Hage to their “pipeline”. A center with good size, speed and efficiency in all three zones could be quite a catch at No. ²⁴!

25- Ottawa: Cole Beaudoin | C

The Sens would have loved Hage’s talent, but much like Toronto, Ottawa sorely needs to change the team’s culture. The imposing, mature Ontario center Beaudoin is a hard worker like few others, and his arrival with the team shouldn’t be long in coming. Here’s one who’ll keep the lace in the drawers… But we’re talking strictly about a character guy for the bottom-6 and the power play.

26- Montreal: Andrew Basha | AG

While keeping a close eye on Cayden Lindstrom this season, Habs officials fell in love with one of his ultra-talented teammates, Andrew Basha. If they select Lindstrom, it’ll be a Medicine Hat Tigers-flavored first round! Basha isn’t the most imposing at 5’11 and 187 lbs, but he can still develop and reach the 6′ and 200 lbs mark. So considering all the talent he possesses, that wouldn’t be a barrier for me. I think his vision, speed and playmaking skills will translate well to the NHL, and I think he could be a steal for the Habs if he’s still available at No. ²⁶. A future^2nd-line forward in my opinion.

27- Carolina: Trevor Connelly | AG

Trevor Connelly made it all the way to ^27th? That’s right, and Carolina is the kind of market where his many nonsense moves are going to fly under the radar… (see, among others, DeAngelo, Anthony). The possible loss of Necas could also motivate the Canes to turn to a talent of Connelly’s calibre. Very frail as well as tactically and mentally immature, he’s still a long way from the NHL, and in his case, who knows if it might be the KHL that awaits him one day…

28- Calgary: Leo Sahlin Wallenius | GM

After using their 9th overall pick to draft a forward, the Flames will no doubt use their late-round pick acquired in the Elias Lindholm trade to select a fullback. Defensively, Calgary is very weak. MacKenzie Weegar is very good, Rasmus Andersson is a good^2nd-pair defenseman and the arrival of defensive giant Kevin Bahl won’t hurt. But after that, we’re talking about Miromanov, Okhotiuk, Pachal and Hanley… nothing to write home about, I’m sure you’ll agree. The Swedish defender isn’t in the “top tier” of defenders for the 2024 crop, but he could still prove a great catch in the “second tier”. The left-hander’s game is more offensively oriented, but he seems to be able to develop as a complete defender. His skating definitely helps him in all facets of the game, even if he may end up being pretty good at everything but excellent at nothing. He could become a good #4 defenseman in my opinion, and that’s already a win for a late 1st-round selection!

29- Dallas : Dean Letourneau | C

There are still quite a few nice, safe little options at the end of the first round, but the Stars, as they often like to do at this stage of the draft, are once again trying to get the ball out of the stadium. They hesitated between Luchanko and Stiga, but opted for THE unicorn of this auction with the giant Letourneau, 6’7, 209 lbs. The Ontarian continues their tradition of players of imposing stature. A fluid skater with a devastating shot, Letourneau is a long-term project that could pay off handsomely in beef brisket country. And as with the cooking of beef brisket, the Stars might say to themselves, “all things come to those who wait”. Like.

30- Rangers: Igor Chernyshov | AD/AG

I explained my preferences above, which are in line with Kent Hughes’ simple reaction when he learned that his club would be drafting fifth:

“I can tell you that our scouts are very hopeful of drafting a very good player at No. 5.”

They might even get the chance to hit a home run…

As for what they’ll do with their 26th-round pick, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s 50/50, based in part on the opposing answers offered to me by Simon Boisvert and Mathias Brunet during the wonderful evening spent last Tuesday evening at Relais Boréale during the live taping of their “Trevor Timmins Special”.

As Boisvert points out, there will undoubtedly be some good players left (Stiga? Basha? Letourneau?), but Brunet is just as pertinent in retorting that, if we want to speed up the “process” a little, we could swap this pick in a transaction for a forward ready to perform right now.

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