The NHL Draft Lottery has come and gone, meaning the first 16 picks of the 2024 NHL Draft are set in stone. The event itself, which takes place in Las Vegas this year, is still a month and a half away. However, it is not officially NHL Mock Draft season. And it's time for ClutchPoints to present its third mock draft.
This mock will be different from the first two editions. Versions 1.0 and 2.0 featured a full first round of picks with a lottery drawn on Tankathon. Non-lottery selections were determined by the NHL standings at the time of publication. However, that will not be the case here.
This NHL Mock Draft will only contain the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery selections. It begins with the San Jose Sharks at first overall and goes until the St. Louis Blues make their pick at 16. The following two mock drafts — tentatively scheduled for after the Stanley Cup Playoffs and before the 2024 NHL Draft, respectively — will feature the entire first round once again. With no further ado, let's get started.
Previous NHL Mock Drafts: The way-too-early edition, the post-trade deadline edition
1) San Jose Sharks – Macklin Celebrini, C, Boston University (NCAA)
The San Jose Sharks won the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery and have the first overall pick. This year, there is a clear favorite to go first overall. Macklin Celebrini had a historic season in college, which culminated with him winning the Hobey Baker Award. He doesn't exactly have an elite trait, but there are few weaknesses in his game. The Sharks need a legitimate cornerstone to build around. They get just that in this NHL Mock Draft.
2) Chicago Blackhawks – Ivan Demidov, RW/C, SKA St. Petersberg (KHL)
Ivan Demidov is one of the best Russian junior players going right now. This year, he averaged two points per game in the Russian junior league. And in the playoffs, he scored nearly 30 points in 17 games. He can take over games with his skill and his competitiveness. There are concerns over his skating, and that has seen his stock slip a little bit. The Blackhawks could go in a few directions with this selection. But Demidov's skill paired with Connor Bedard's playmaking is a frightening prospect for the rest of the league.
3) Anaheim Ducks – Artyom Levshunov, RD, Michigan State University (NCAA)
Michigan State was one of the best college hockey teams in the nation this year. Artyom Levshunov was a major reason for their success. He emerged as one of the best rearguards in the Big Ten even as a freshman. The Michigan State product is a creative offensive force from the blueline. His hockey sense, in particular, stands out. On the defensive end, there is work to be done. But the Ducks traded Jamie Drysdale to the Philadelphia Flyers during the season. So they have room to add an offensive blueliner to their prospect pipeline.
4) Columbus Blue Jackets – Anton Silayev, LD, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
The Columbus Blue Jackets, similar to the Ducks, can go best player available. Whoever the new general manager is in Columbus can go in a few directions. However, in this NHL Mock Draft, the best player left is Anton Silayev. Silayev is a massive human being, standing 6'7″. He skates incredibly well for his size and has impressed as a defender against grown men in the KHL. The Blue Jackets have a wealth of Russians on their roster. Taking another one in Silayev could give them a potential number-one defenseman in the 2024 NHL Draft.
5) Montreal Canadiens – Cayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Cayden Lindstrom has seen his stock drop a bit in the second half of the season. He struggled with injuries and wasn't as impressive as he was in the first half. When he's healthy, though, there is a lot to like. Lindstrom uses his size and power to play with an edge. The Tigers star is also quick on his feet, allowing him to evade defenders with ease. Some question his playmaking ability, but he does have an intriguing offensive upside. The Canadiens have signaled their desire for added forward depth, and they get it here.
6) Utah Hockey Club – Cole Eiserman, LW, USNTDP
The Arizona Coyotes are officially no more, at least for now. In June, we will see the Utah Hockey Club make their franchise's first selection in the NHL Draft. And this pick could go a few different ways. In fact, they could trade this in order to make a run at the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, there are no trades in this NHL Mock Draft.
With that in mind, Utah selects Cole Eiserman. Eiserman entered this season as a candidate to go first overall. Over the course of the season, though, his stock has dropped. The American star is the best pure goal scorer in this class, and in US National Team Development Program history. But concerns around the rest of his game could see him fall. Here, Utah falls in love with the goal-scoring and believes they can develop him into a more all-around player.
7) Ottawa Senators – Zayne Parekh, RD, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
The Ottawa Senators likely want Cole Eiserman to fall to them. Since he doesn't in this NHL Mock Draft, they go the defensive route. Zayne Parekh has shot up draft boards all season round. The Spirit star was one of the best defensemen in his league this year. He put up nearly 100 points as a defenseman in Saginaw this season. And he helped the Spirit to their conference final. There are concerns over his effort level from time to time. But he still plays solid defense and could be an elite offensive defenseman in the NHL.
8) Seattle Kraken – Sam Dickinson, LD, London Knights (OHL)
The Seattle Kraken are up now for their first-round pick in this NHL Mock Draft. And they add to their defensive pick with this selection. Sam Dickinson played big minutes for the London Knights this season. He is one of the best skaters in the class and is an explosive defender. His offensive skill isn't as prominent as it is with some of his peers. But he can chip in secondary offense and play on the power play in the right situation. Seattle missed the playoffs this season, but take a defenseman who can potentially anchor their blueline for years to come.
9) Calgary Flames – Tij Iginla, C/LW, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
With the ninth selection, the Flames pull the trigger on an obvious selection. Tij Iginla is the son of Flames legend Jarome Iginla. Jaorme played parts of 16 seasons for the Flames and made a Stanley Cup Final with them in 2004. That's a lot for Tij to live up to, but he is an excellent hockey player in his own right. Iginla rocketed up draft boards this year thanks to his performance with Kelowna. He possesses a high-end shot that should help him score at the NHL level. He isn't the most competitive player, but he has the makings of a top-six player at the next level.
10) New Jersey Devils – Berkly Catton, C, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
The New Jersey Devils had a disappointing season in 2023-24. They could be a team that moves this pick to acquire a star player to help them win now. In this NHL Mock Draft, though, they pick a player that could very well go higher in the top-10. Berkly Catton was a star with the Spokane Chiefs, scoring 116 points this year. He is an incredible skater who plays an all-around game. Catton could contribute on the power play or penalty kill, and may be a potential top-line center in the NHL.
11) Buffalo Sabres – Zeev Buium, LD, University of Denver (NCAA)
Zeev Buium is another who has shot up draft boards during this season. And he very well could go in the top-10 once the NHL Draft begins in June. Here, though, he falls to a Buffalo Sabres team that is taking the best player available. Buium can drive offense from the point and quarterback a team's power play. He is not a physical defenseman, but he competes and disrupts opposing offenses well enough. The Denver product has the potential to break games wide open and could give Buffalo one of the most imposing bluelines in the NHL.
12) Philadelphia Flyers – Konsta Helenius, C, Jukurit (Liiga)
The Philadelphia Flyers are up, falling into the NHL Draft Lottery after disappointingly missing the playoffs. With this selection, they add to their center depth. Konsta Helenius has found himself in the top 10 in previous mock drafts. He is one of the best playmakers in the class and may be able to run a power play in the NHL. He doesn't excel at any one thing, but Helenius is an all-around center who can be depended on in any situation. Sounds like a perfect fit for John Tortorella and the Flyers organization.
13) Minnesota Wild – Carter Yakemchuk, RD, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
The Minnesota Wild may be ending up with a bit of a steal here. Carter Yakemchuk is a very impressive defenseman. He is another blueliner with the ability to take over games offensively. His shot is one of the more lethal shots in the entire class, especially among defensemen. The issues come in when discussing his skating and hockey sense. His defense and overall consistency are also areas for improvement. If he hits, he would form quite the pair with Brock Faber down the line.
14) San Jose Sharks (via PIT) – Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW, Mora IK (HockeyAllsvenskan)
The San Jose Sharks are back up with their second pick in the NHL Draft Lottery. And they take one of the more intriguing prospects of the entire class. Brandsegg-Nygard is the best Norwegian prospect in NHL Draft history. He is also one of the most competitive players in this NHL Mock Draft. The Norwegian star doesn't have an elite trait, but plays a complete 200-foot game and plays with an edge. He could pair nicely with the Macklin Celebrini on the Sharks in the future.
15) Detroit Red Wings – Beckett Sennecke, RW, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
The Detroit Red Wings narrowly missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year. Detroit certainly hopes this is the last time they participate in the NHL Draft Lottery for a long time. Drafting Beckett Sennecke would go a long way toward achieving that. He was way overlooked in our last NHL Mock Draft, and that's on us. The Generals star saw his stock rise with an excellent second half of the season. He is one of the most creative offensive players in the class who can help create offense for his teammates. Sennecke may not be the best goal scorer, but there is a lot to like here.
16) St. Louis Blues – Adam Jiricek, RD, HC Plzen (Extraliga)
Finally, we reach the end of this NHL Mock Draft. The St. Louis Blues could use help on the right side of their defense. And they take a chance on Adam Jiricek, brother of David, a Blue Jackets prospect. The younger Jiricek struggled with injuries this season. When healthy, though, he shows promise. He isn't a great skater, but he is a fine skater. He battles for pucks using his size to his advantage. Jiricek isn't an offensive game-breaker, but his solid defense should see him earn a top-four role in the NHL.
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