Manor Predicting The Top Ten Picks For The 2024 NHL Draft

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by Dan Adkisson


The draft lottery is officially behind us, leaving less than a month for teams to evaluate the incoming class of young talent as they look to prepare for the future. On June 28 and 29 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, the lives of young players will be changed and so to hopefully will the luck of each NHL franchise. 

The lottery picks for this year’s draft are likely to be set in three stages with a young center from British Columbia breaking away from the pack as the first overall selection. The second tier looks to have a pair of favorites, and then there is a wide-open market for the remainder of the top ten and the rest of the draft. 

While anticipation for the event has already begun for all but the four remaining playoff teams, NHL betting sites have started to buzz with activity regarding who is going to be drafted in which spot. With the ever-growing popularity and a sport that spans the end of each calendar year and into the start of summer, hockey, specifically the NHL is one of the four main sports that people enjoy betting on.

1. Macklin Celebrini – San Jose Sharks


Last year the Blackhawks added prodigy Connor Bedard and this season the Sharks will look to begin rebuilding their roster around Celebrini, another North Vancouver native. A dynamic center with elite offensive skills, Celebrini has the ability to create scoring chances for himself and his teammates with ease thanks to his speed, agility, exceptional vision, and lethal shot. 

2. Ivan Demidov – Chicago Blackhawks


Adding a player of Demidov’s talent to the same line as Bedard will give the Blackhawks a 1-2 punch with similar firepower to former Blackhawk greats Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Coming from the MHL (Russian Junior Hockey League), Demidov will give Chicago a powerful winger who uses his size, skill, and powerful shot to protect the puck and create scoring opportunities. 

3. Artyom Levshunov – Anaheim Ducks


The Ducks front line is already set for the foreseeable future, which gives them that much more reason to improve their blueline. Aside from Celebrini, the Michigan State defenseman could be the most NHL-ready at the start of the 2024-25 season. A two-way defender, Levshunov’s ability to move the puck and kickstart the break is a huge asset in today’s NHL. A mobile defender with an active stick, Levshunov’s size and speed will make it difficult for opponents around the net. 

4. Cayden Lindstrom – Columbus Blue Jackets


A hand injury in December and some questionable decision-making could make this a questionable choice for the Blue Jackets. However, prior to his surgery, Lindstrom had recorded 46 points in 32 games during his third season with the Medicine Hat Tigers. Standing 6’4”, 215lbs, Lindstrom has all the physical tools to battle in the corners and bang in front of the net when he isn’t releasing a booming shot as he potentially plays alongside Adam Fantilli.   

5. Berkeley Catton – Montreal Canadians


At 5’11”, 170lbs, the eighteen-year-old Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native is in need of a growth spurt. While the height may or may not happen, adding some bulk and muscle shouldn’t be a problem at the professional level. Despite his physical stature, Catton more than makes up for it with his elite playmaking and offensive creativity. With Nick Suzuki holding down the first-line center position, Catton will help add depth to the second or third-line. 

6. Zayne Parekh – Utah Hockey Club


Picking sixth likely means that Utah (Mammoth or Yeti) gets their pick of players who are in the third tier of the draft. While not the most attractive pick if Utah is looking to sell tickets, Recording 133 points in 116 games during his two years in the OHL, Parekh has drawn comparisons to Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar. One of, it not, the most offensively skilled defensemen in the draft, the Nobelton, Ontario native possesses a strong shot and quick skating ability, something that Utah will need at the point. 

7. Anton Silayev – Ottawa Senators


Silayev is a towering presence on the ice, standing 6’4”. Armed with a booming shot, Silayev still needs a lot of work on the offensive end, scoring just three goals in 63 games this past season with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the KHL, but his ability to play shut-down defense is where he will make his money at the NHL level. An exceptional skater for a player of his size, Silayev defends well in transition. 

8. Zeev Buium – Seattle Kraken


The Kraken have begun to build their offense around Matthew Beniers (2nd pick 2021) and Shane Wright (4th pick 2022), so it makes sense to add youth to their blueline as they look towards the future. In his one-and-done season with the University of Denver, Buimum recorded 50 points in 42 games. Where he lacks in physical play, Buium makes up for it with his ability to move the puck and high defensive IQ. 

9. Tij Iginla – Calgary Flames


If Tij Iginla becomes even half the player his Hall-of-Fame father was, the Flames will have a solid player on their roster. Finishing his final season in the WHL with 84 points (47 goals) in 64 games, Iginla could be a risky pick, but he has been one of the biggest risers in the draft pool since the start of the season. A combination of quick hands and shot speed makes Iginla an enticing prospect that may be too much to pass up.  

10. Beckett Sennecke – New Jersey Devils


The Oshawa Generals winger could hear his name called anywhere from third to tenth, especially following his strong showing during the OHL playoffs. If Sennecke can find a happy medium between trying to do it himself and involving his teammates, he will certainly find life easier in the NHL. A smooth-skating winger, Sennecke has the ability to carry and create with the puck on the offensive end. 

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