NHL Staff Mock Draft 2.0: Celebrini is No. 1, but where do Levshunov, Silayev, Demidov land? (2024)

Today we asked The Athletic’s staff of NHL writers to prepare a mock draft of the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft, using their knowledge of the teams they cover to try to predict which direction they think the organizations may go in two weeks. Trades were allowed, though none occurred in this edition.

1. San Jose Sharks: Macklin Celebrini, C, Boston University (NCAA (H-EAST))

There is no debate on this, and GM Mike Grier effectively removed any suspense by basically stating on the night of the lottery that Celebrini would be his choice. He’ll be the centerpiece of the Sharks’ future. Now, will the 17-year-old Hobey Baker Award winner return to BU for another season or leave school and start teaming up with Will Smith, his Boston College rival and the No. 4 pick in 2023, who recently signed his entry-level contract? — Eric Stephens

2. Chicago Blackhawks: Artyom Levshunov, D, Michigan State (NCAA (BIG10))

I believe the Blackhawks are largely deciding between Levshunov and Ivan Demidov. This could change in the next month, but as of today, I think they’d select Levshunov. Since taking over as general manager, Kyle Davidson has prioritized building a defense. It’s what crumbled first under the last regime and held the Blackhawks back from extending their Cup window. Although the Blackhawks have a lot of promising defensem*n in the pipeline, what Levshunov brings would likely bolster and complete the group. Davidson could then turn his focus to bolstering the offense around Connor Bedard. — Scott Powers

3. Anaheim Ducks: Anton Silayev, D, Nizhny Novgorod (RUSSIA)

If Levshunov is on the board, it will leave GM Pat Verbeek and his staff with an interesting choice as the Michigan State righty would potentially fill out an impressive young top four on defense the Ducks are putting together. But if he’s gone, they’ll be left with choosing between Silayev, Cayden Lindstrom and Ivan Demidov. What can swing Verbeek in Silayev’s direction is it’s hard to pass up a mobile 6-foot-7 defender who can become a shutdown beast while also showing some offensive instincts from the blue line. Now the Ducks are stacked on the left side of the roster and in the pipeline but at No. 3, you’re taking a big swing regardless of position. Silayev has two years left on his KHL deal so they can afford to wait on someone who might be Nikita Zadorov at worst or someone who could approach Victor Hedman in upside. — Eric Stephens

4. Columbus Blue Jackets: Cayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat (WHL)

The Blue Jackets have invested heavily in the draft in recent seasons, so they could go in a lot of different directions with this pick, especially with such a wide-open draft class. But Lindstrom, an exceptional athlete and imposing player at center ice, is a rare find. Yes, his injury-riddled season is a concern, and the Jackets would be wise to investigate that further. But for a franchise that has historically been chronically weak down the middle, a 1-2-3 punch (in some order) of Adam Fantilli, Lindstrom and Cole Sillinger is too tempting to pass. — Aaron Portzline

5. Montreal Canadiens: Ivan Demidov, RW, Ska St. Petersburg Jr. (RUSSIA-JR.)

The draft falling this way would take much of the potential debate on this pick at the Montreal draft table out of the equation. If Lindstrom and Demidov were both on the board, the Canadiens — who have a strong belief that size wins in the playoffs — would likely have some disagreement among the decision-makers. But with Lindstrom gone, this becomes a much easier call. While Demidov’s skating is not perfect and his size is not ideal, the Canadiens view him as a potential game-breaking talent, something they sorely lack in their pipeline. — Arpon Basu

6. Utah: Carter Yakemchuk, D, Calgary (WHL)

Utah has inherited a nice prospect pool from the Arizona Coyotes, with a handful of high-end forwards like Dylan Guenther, Daniil But and Conor Geekie. They’ve also got Dmitri Simashev, a left-hand shooting defenseman whom they grabbed with the sixth overall pick last season. But what they could probably use is a premium right shot defenseman and Yakemchuk fits that bill. He’s got size (6-foot-3) and some game-breaking skill to go along with his frame. Yakemchuk has a high enough upside that Arizona should consider taking a swing on him with the sixth pick. — Ian Mendes

7. Ottawa Senators: Zayne Parekh, D, Saginaw (OHL)

The Senators have the most barren prospect cupboard of anybody picking inside the Top 10. They should be looking at taking the best player available, regardless of position. And if the draft unfolds as it has, there is a legitimate case for taking Zeev Buium in this spot. But Parekh has a lot of the attributes the Senators should be seeking: a supremely talented, offensive defenseman who is a right shot. There are question marks around Parekh’s defensive game, but those should be erased by his ceiling as a PP1 quarterback and premier offensive defenseman. Considering Steve Staios’ deep connections inside the OHL network, he should be able to get enough intel on Parekh to erase any lingering doubts. — Ian Mendes

8. Seattle Kraken: Zeev Buium, D, Denver (NCAA (NCHC))

The Kraken have yet to use a high pick on a defenseman. That changes this year and they take Buium, a West Coast kid who had one of the better freshman seasons by a D in recent college hockey history. He’s got a chance to be a first-pairing, PP1 type. London’s Sam Dickinson would also likely be a strong candidate here. — Scott Wheeler

9. Calgary Flames: Tij Iginla, C, Kelowna (WHL)

The Flames feel whoever they get at nine could impact their franchise positively, whether at forward or defense. Calgary gets that in Iginla, who outscored his dad’s totals in his draft year while flashing shooting and skill at Kelowna and the U18s. That very tournament is a huge reason why he’s vaulted himself into top-10 status at the draft and the Flames feel it won’t be a reach to grab him at this spot. The Craig Conroy regime would gain a ton of favor with fans if they picked the young Iginla, but it would be on that very regime to manage expectations for him going forward. — Julian McKenzie

10. New Jersey Devils: Beckett Sennecke, RW, Oshawa (OHL)

The Devils are in a good spot here with no glaring organizational need, but in Sennecke they add a highly skilled winger in a big frame. He’s a nice complement to some of their smaller-framed wings, while still bringing the great skating, puck skills and overall offensive ability you want from a top-10 pick. — Max Bultman

11. Buffalo Sabres: Sam Dickinson, D, London (OHL)

If the Sabres don’t trade this pick to bolster the NHL roster, drafting the best player available makes sense. The Sabres have four left-handed defensem*n who are 24 or younger on the NHL roster, but Dickinson is too good of a value to pass up here. Berkly Catton, Konsta Helenius and Cole Eiserman were tempting here, but Dickinson’s blend of size and skating ability would be a big boost to Buffalo’s pool of prospects on defense. — Matthew Fairburn

12. Philadelphia Flyers: Berkly Catton, C, Spokane (WHL)

One of the Flyers’ bigger challenges will be finding a center they can eventually play with high-end prospect right wing Matvei Michkov, who is expected to arrive in Philadelphia in the 2026 offseason at the latest. Catton falling this far would probably be a welcome and perhaps unexpected development. The only worry might be that the Flyers already have many small-ish type players in their system and Catton, listed at 5-foot-10, wouldn’t exactly be giving them any more bulk. — Kevin Kurz

13. Minnesota Wild: Cole Eiserman, LW, USA U-18 (NTDP)

The Wild went by positional need in last year’s draft in taking center Charlie Stramel. Here they are able to land a dynamic winger in Eiserman, who was at one point in time projected to be a top-3 pick. Any added offensive firepower they can around Kirill Kaprizov in the next couple of years will be important in helping convince him to stick around. Eiserman was initially committed to the University of Minnesota, so perhaps coming here was meant to be. — Joe Smith

14. San Jose Sharks: Adam Jiricek, D, Plzen (CZECHIA)

This spot is an interesting one for the Sharks. They’ve got Celebrini in the fold and they’re amassing an emerging forward pipeline. While it’s not unheard of for a team to invest two first-round picks at the same end of the ice, it’s logical for them to use the 14th pick on a defenseman. Stian Solberg is among the biggest risers and the physical Norwegian lefty showed his shutdown upside with a terrific world championships. The Sharks have plenty of quality prospects on the left side, though, and Jiricek – the younger brother of Columbus’s David Jiricek — would move to the top of their prospect list on the right side. He’s got good size and some bite himself while maybe offering a little more offense. The Sharks aren’t devoid of RHD prospects — they’ve added Mattias Havelid, Axel Landen, Michael Fisher and Eric Pohlkamp in recent drafts and Jack Thompson via trade — but they don’t have any of Jiricek’s pedigree. — Eric Stephens

15. Detroit Red Wings: Konsta Helenius, C/RW, Jukurit (FINLAND)

The Red Wings get a tricky decision here, with multiple compelling options on the board. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard offers a well-rounded blend of physical tools and offense that would fit well in their top six. Stian Solberg could give them a mobile, physical stopper who could add to their future top four. But Helenius offers more pure skill, and while he doesn’t have the physical tools the other two possess, he competes hard and thinks the game well, both of which will appeal to Detroit. I’m not certain if he’s a center or winger at the next level, but the Red Wings have the center depth to manage either outcome, and Helenius’ skill and sense at either position would be a welcome addition to Detroit’s farm system. — Max Bultman

16. St. Louis Blues: Stian Solberg, D, Valerenga (NORWAY)

At this point in the draft, it’s likely going to come down to Jiricek or Solberg, and it doesn’t seem like the Blues could go wrong with either. With Jiricek going two picks higher to San Jose in this particular mock draft, the Blues get Solberg, who has good size (6-2, 196 pounds), mobility, and most importantly, he enjoys playing physical. The Blues desperately need a defenseman who’s hard to play against in their system, and the fact that Solberg has top-four potential in the NHL makes him even more attractive. — Jeremy Rutherford

17. Washington Capitals: Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW, Mora (SWEDEN-2)

Brandsegg-Nygard doesn’t have as much natural offense as the Capitals’ 2023 first-round pick, Ryan Leonard, but like Leonard, he is a well-rounded winger as a great shooter who forechecks well, shows impressive detail for his age and has a little more size. A defenseman might have been ideal, as Washington hasn’t picked a blueliner in the first round since 2018, but with Solberg and Jiricek snapped up soon before this, the Capitals draft another winger whose game looks very well suited for playoff hockey. — Max Bultman

18. Chicago Blackhawks: Michael Hage, C, Chicago (USHL)

The Blackhawks moved up two spots in the first round with their recent trade with the Islanders, so you would think that means they envision having a better shot at a player they’re targeting being at 18 rather than 20. There haven’t many surprises in the previous picks, and Hage feels like one of the few players still on the board who could go at any point now and might be worth that type of aggressive trade if you’re really sold on his potential. He certainly looked as if he had a huge ceiling with the way he played late in the USHL season. He was dominant and carried the Steel into a playoff spot over the last month or so. He had 12 goals and 19 assists over his final 16 games. He has a lot of attributes the Blackhawks have liked in their draft picks the last few years, plus a bit more size. Just like Frank Nazar, the Blackhawks can let Hage develop at Michigan and in college hockey for a few years and then add him to their growing list of young NHL players. — Scott Powers

19. Vegas Golden Knights: Jett Luchanko, C, Guelph (OHL)

Luchanko is exactly the type of prospect the Golden Knights love to draft in the mid- to late-first round. He’s an excellent skater who plays hard and is responsible in all three zones. If there’s a question about his game, it’s his offensive upside, but the Vegas scouting staff has proven it values a solid 200-foot game to flashy offensive playmaking. He can score, with 20 goals and 54 assists this season for Guelph Storm, but his skating and stick work are what make him the choice here. — Jesse Granger

20. New York Islanders: Liam Greentree, RW, Windsor (OHL)

The Islanders need a bit of everything in their prospect pool and there’s always room for a big, skilled winger like Greentree. The aging out of the Isles’ forward core is coming and adding a player like Greentree, who could end up being a decent top-nine wing and power-play contributor, would be a plus for an organization that doesn’t exactly have tons of depth on the wing. — Arthur Staple

21. Los Angeles Kings: Sacha Boisvert, C, Muskegon (USHL)

Trevor Connelly is still on the board and there is that connection as a Southern California native with a lot of skill, but there are the character questions that are part of his past. Connelly will be drafted — he’s got first-round ability, and someone will take the chance. It doesn’t feel like the Kings will take that leap as they tend to go more for players with a higher floor than boom-or-bust types. Boisvert, a North Dakota commit, checks a lot of boxes for them as a center with a projectable 6-foot-2 frame, offensive ability and a lot of compete in his two-way game. It almost sounds like fellow Quebecois Phillip Danault with possibly a little more goal-scoring potential. As our Scott Wheeler profiled, he’s also got a boxing background. — Eric Stephens

22. Nashville Predators: Eric (EJ) Emery, D, USA U-18 (NTDP)

The Predators drafted a high-end skating left-shot D in the first round last year when they selected Tanner Molendyk, and they’re excited to take a high-end skating righty with more size who could potentially pair with him long term in Emery. That’s a strong start to their back end of the future. — Scott Wheeler

23. Toronto Maple Leafs: Igor Chernyshov, LW, Dynamo Moscow (RUSSIA)

I’m not convinced Chernyshov will be available at No. 23 but if he is, the competitive and skilled power forward ticks a lot of boxes as a Leafs pick under director of amateur scouting Wes Clark. Chernyshov has an impressive motor, inner drive and high-end hockey IQ that the Leafs covet. What he showed in both the MHL and the KHL is that he can skate well and create plenty of offense off the rush. As a plus, Chernyshov isn’t afraid to get physical either. With a pro-ready 6-foot-2 frame and KHL experience, he might be closer to the NHL than others in his range. — Joshua Kloke

24. Colorado Avalanche: Leo Sahlin Wallenius, D, Vaxjo Jr. (SWEDEN-JR.)

Wallenius has a great skill set to fit in with the style of hockey that the Avalanche love to play. He is a smooth skater who excels in quick breakout passes to fuel transition, and perhaps no team in hockey transitions from defense to the attack quicker than Colorado. The Swedish defenseman is a bit undersized, but would fit in well on the Avalanche’s quick, skilled blue line. Wallenius was one of the top players on Sweden’s U18 team this season and should be picked somewhere in this range, so the fit was natural. — Jesse Granger

25. Ottawa Sentators: Cole Beaudoin, C, Barrie (OHL)

The Senators desperately need to replenish their depleted draft pool with high-end talent. And while Beaudoin is a natural center — which the Senators have an abundance of at the NHL level — he’s as talented and well-rounded of a prospect sitting on the board right now. — Ian Mendes

26. Montreal Canadiens: Andrew Basha, RW, Medicine Hat (WHL)

I’m not convinced the Canadiens will be making this pick; it will in all likelihood be included in a trade prior to the draft. But if they hang on to it, and he’s still on the board the way he is here, Basha is a player they really like; his speed, compete and motor really pop. The Canadiens met with Basha five times over the course of the season, even after his linemate Cayden Lindstrom was injured, and they see an NHL projectable game. Basha says he can play anywhere in the lineup, from the first line to the fourth, and the Canadiens seem to see something similar. — Arpon Basu

27. Carolina Hurricanes: Terik Parascak, RW, Prince George (WHL)

The Hurricanes have often prioritized smarts and game sense. They haven’t shied away from going after players with an unconventional look, or who’ve taken an unconventional path, either. Parascak, the Cougars’ 105-point breakout rookie, is all of those things. — Scott Wheeler

28. Calgary Flames: Charlie Elick, D, Brandon (WHL)

If the Flames hold on to their pick at 28 instead of trading up, I can see them taking a flier on the Calgary native. He’s a right-shot defensive defenseman with size and skating as his primary qualities. The offensive side of his game appears limited, but perhaps there’s room to grow. If he hits his ceiling, the Flames won’t complain too much about adding a potential top-four defender for their future. — Julian McKenzie

29. Dallas Stars: Trevor Connelly, LW, Tri-City (USHL)

Connelly’s fall here reflects the risks and hesitance around picking him, but at some point, his skill and skating combination will make him the clear best player on the board, and Dallas is in a position to take that chance with a loaded NHL team and more talent on the way. — Max Bultman

30. New York Rangers: Dean Letourneau, C, St. Andrew’s College (HIGH-ON)

There’s a 6-foot-6 center with decent skills on the board when the Rangers pick? Sign them up! They haven’t done it with this high a pick yet, but under GM Chris Drury there’s been an emphasis on forwards with size. And on the development side, fan favorite Matt Rempe and under-the-radar Adam Edstrom, who are 6-8 and 6-7, have a chance to play NHL minutes next season. Letourneau may not project as a fourth-line heavy but he has enough skill and intrigue to be the choice here. — Arthur Staple

31. Philadelphia Flyers: Dominik Badinka, D, Malmo (SWEDEN-2)

If the Flyers end up taking a forward with the No. 12 pick (as we did above), it would make sense for them to add another blueliner with this selection that they originally acquired from Florida in the Claude Giroux trade. A team still trying to build can never have enough big, right-shot defensem*n that can skate, and Badinka could give the Flyers some insurance if 2023 first-round pick Oliver Bonk doesn’t pan out. — Kevin Kurz

32. Anaheim Ducks: Ryder Ritchie, RW, Prince Albert (WHL)

The Ducks could go in a few directions here. They’ve got five picks between the second and third rounds and with already possessing No. 3 overall, they could dangle this one they got from Edmonton in the Adam Henrique/Sam Carrick deal in a package for notable lineup help now. If they choose a defenseman, going the forward route is possible here. Ritchie isn’t big and dealt with some injury this past season but he’s got enough offensive ability to potentially fill a middle-six role. Right-shot defenseman Henry Mews could also be an option here, though Mews may be around for them early in the second round. — Eric Stephens

Pronman’s analysis

The first five picks going Celebrini, Levshunov, Silayev, Lindstrom then Demidov seems to be the emerging “chalk” scenario for the somewhat consensus top five prospects. There is plenty of room for surprises in the top five, but this seems to be the most likely scenario. It would also fit how NHL teams tend to prioritize centers and defensem*n over wings and players in North America versus Russia.

It was the opinion of several scouts polled that Dickinson probably goes higher than 11, and I share this opinion. He doesn’t have the pure skill of Buium, Parekh and Yakemchuk, but he’s such an elite skater for 6-foot-3, and does have good puck play; it seems likely someone in the top 10 will bet on him.

Trevor Connelly is expected to be the subject of much debate within NHL teams over the coming weeks. That he ended up 29th on our mock is indicative of the reservations some of our self-designated GMs would have in picking him even though he’s a very talented player. However, several NHL scouts feel he will go much higher than where he went in our mock. It will be one of the more interesting storylines on draft day.

Cole Eiserman has been the subject of much debate this season, but many scouts feel he still has a strong chance to be a lottery pick, and there was still some top 10 buzz on the player at the NHL combine. Thirteenth feels like a good rough range for him even if he’s been labeled as a potential faller.

Chernyshov is a mostly consensus top 20 prospect in this draft; many scouts believe he projects as a top-six wing. But he gets to 23 in our mock. As one head scout said on Chernyshov after seeing where he went in our mock, “It’s hard to step on a Russian in the top half of the first round who isn’t a special player, and while Chernyshov is very good, he’s probably not a special Russian.” Many scouts believed Danila Yurov was a top 15 prospect in his draft class two years ago but he went in the mid 20s to Minnesota.

(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic. Photos: Larry MacDougal, John Mersits /Cal Sport Media / AP; Maksim Konstantinov / SOPA Images / Sipa USA)