B/R's Initial Big Board for the 2024 NHL Draft

The NHL draft lottery is complete, with San Jose landing the first overall pick. It's a franchise-changing moment.

The implications of the draft order are different from year to year. In last year's loaded draft class, at stake was the chance to add a generational talent in Connor Bedard.

There is no prodigy available this time around, but there is a unanimous choice for the top player, and Macklin Celebrini is a prospect whom a rebuilding team can build around.

More significant is the gigantic gap between him and the rest of the class. There are some really good young players available, but none who are guaranteed stardom and immediately change the outlook of a franchise like Celebrini does.

As such, the second overall pick is where this draft really starts, as margins are thin between four or five different prospects. The Blackhawks are unofficially on the clock.

The first round of the draft will take place on June 28, but it's time to start seriously considering where all draft-eligible players slot. Here is Bleacher Report's first stab at the top 10 players available in the 2024 NHL draft.

The 2024 NHL draft class may not be overly impressive, but that has nothing to do with the man at the top of the list.

Macklin Celebrini had one of the best freshman seasons in NCAA history. The 17-year-old center posted 32 goals and 32 assists in just 38 games for Boston University. His goal total is the highest ever for a draft-eligible player in men's college hockey; more than Paul Kariya, Jack Eichel, and Adam Fantilli.

That alone doesn't describe what Celebrini accomplished this season. The BU Terriers won 28 of their 40 games largely on the back of their freshman center. Celebrini dragged an otherwise unimpressive team to the Frozen Four semifinal.

Celebrini is a true five-tool player. What first stands out is how eager he is to attack with the puck. Celebrini combines bold thinking with silky hands and above-average skating ability to create offense for his team.

He loves to gain speed through the neutral zone and, when holding the puck, he is super comfortable making plays through the middle lane; an essential trait for any high-level center. He has no signature move but instead mystifies defenders with his unpredictability.

Celebrini is equal parts shooter and playmaker. The release off his stick is effortless, and he can roof it over the goaltender's shoulders from distance. He grades high in terms of his 360-degree vision on the ice and his ability to execute and feed the puck onto his teammates' tape.

He makes high-difficulty plays but does so with a level of calmness. Rarely does he try to force a play that isn't available.

At 6'0" and 190 pounds, Celebrini doesn't play a violent game, but he's not going to be intimidated by the physical components of NHL hockey. He is strong on his skates and does not shy away from battles.

His defensive temperament is also laudable. Regarding players his age, the hope is often that they can keep their heads above water in the defensive end. Celebrini has advanced beyond that stage already and was more than capable defensively even against good NCAA teams.

The only real knock on Celebrini is that he does not have a trait that stands out as bordering on generational. Connor Bedard has his shot. Connor McDavid is defined by his skating. Celebrini is a fantastic shooter and has high-end puck skills, but they are not at such a rare level as to be unmatched. As such, he is not a generational prospect.

Yet there is no doubt that Celebrini is the top player available in this draft. The gap between him and the rest of the group is enormous. Whichever team lands the first pick will be getting a player who should be one of the top centers in the NHL.

Ivan Demidov is a hard player to project for a few reasons. A comparable player is hard to find both statistically and stylistically. He has played almost exclusively in a weak MHL, and Russia's lack of involvement in international tournaments stopped most attempts to directly size him up against his peers in this draft class.

Nevertheless, a team will bet on the most offensively talented player in this draft class.

Demidov made a mockery of the MHL this season with 23 goals and 37 assists in 30 games. That is the highest points-per-game by a draft-eligible player in MHL history, with nobody within shouting distance. His numbers in his draft-minus-one season were similarly bountiful; only Flyers top prospect Matvei Michkov outranks him in MHL history.

Demidov's top tool is his hands. He keeps the puck on his stick like they're glued together and he can beat defenders with creative misdirections like it's nothing. Forget about worrying about whether Demidov is a perimeter player. He actively thrives off of being able to take the puck from the perimeter and directly penetrate the defense with moves to the middle of the offensive zone.

Demidov's speed needs work, but his skating is better than advertised. Demidov is good on his edges, and his ability to effortlessly change speeds, in combination with his tricky hands, sends defenders the wrong way.

He keeps his feet in the 10-and-2 position more often than most players, and the few who do so are usually defensemen. Demidov makes that work for him all around the offensive zone.

Primarily a playmaker, Demidov sucks defenders to him because of his unpredictability and his legitimate ability to beat one or even two defenders with skill. Remarkably, Demidov will draw that pressure and then change the angle of attack and send a pass to a now-open teammate. But he also has a good shot and beats goaltenders with his unpredictability.

He's not an imposing physical player, but he plays with energy and will take contact to make a play. Demidov is at his best when he holds the puck, but he puts in the work off the puck to find ways to get open.

The lack of proof of concept at any level other than Russian juniors will make some scouts nervous, and he has some kinks in his game he'll need to work out. But Demidov's skill is a rarity even at the NHL level and, in my view, his upside as an electric first-line offensive producer makes him the second-best forward in this draft class.

What do Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes and Roman Josi all have in common? Elite edgework.

This is not a promise that Zeev Buium will turn into a superstar, but the point is that he has a foundational trait that will set him up for success in the offensive end of the rink.

Buium is a brilliant skater. The straight-line speed is good, but he wows with his agility. Buium casually sidesteps pressure. He can walk the blue line in the offensive zone. He slaloms through forecheckers in the neutral zone. He can escape pressure when retrieving pucks in the defensive end.

The proof is in the numbers. On a Denver team that won the national championship, Buium ranked second in points.

And while Buium has some work to do in the defensive end, the same knocks against him about his lack of size and absent physical game were sloppily applied to Hughes at the same age.

Here's the deal: No, Buium will never be the coach's top choice for the penalty kill nor push a 6'4" center out of the crease. What separates him is his skating and brain; that should be enough to defend at the NHL level. He can gap up tightly to puck-carriers, defend against transitions by closing space, and ensure the puck stays out of the defensive end by escaping the forecheck with either his feet or a quick pass.

He already proved this as a 17-year-old against the top players in college hockey. He'll do it again at the pro levels.

It won't be a surprise if he settles in on an NHL second pairing, but Buium's ceiling is much higher, and he could be a top offensive defenseman.

All of the tools are there for Artyom Levshunov.

He's 6'2" and already well over 200 pounds. Despite his bulky build, his skating does not lag. He could build some explosiveness into his first few steps but once he's moving he has a powerful stride. With his length and power, he can cover a lot of ground.

As such, the Belarussian is always looking to join the rush and activate from the points in the offensive zone. This aggressive form allows him to become a creator of offense both on transitions as well as involving himself more down low in the O-zone, and though he does sometimes need to pick his spots better, he is usually able to get away with taking risks specifically because of his range; Levshunov covers a lot of ground on the backcheck and get back behind the puck in time to prevent odd-man rushes.

Levshunov has some ability to manipulate defenses, though his decision-making with the puck can be questionable. Levshunov's outlets are always quick, whether that's a soft flip to a teammate supporting the breakout or a missile through the neutral zone to a forward hovering at the opposition's blue line.

And in the offensive zone, Levshunov can create space for himself with the puck along the blue line. His shot is a missile but he wisely waits for traffic and tries to beat goalies through screens or try to create rebounds. He's not looking to pick corners from the point, which represents a necessary evolution for defensemen like him in the modern NHL.

Nine goals and 26 assists is impressive for any 17-year-old defenseman in the NCAA. Levshunov did it on a low-scoring team. On the other hand, I do not see a player who creates high-danger chances either as a shooter or passer. Whether he is a legitimate offensive catalyst or a supplementary producer at the NHL level remains to be seen.

He's strong in the defensive zone. He bullies players who attempt to get in the front of the net. He boxes out well as a preventative measure but can deal out pain to move players. When he defends with his body, Levshunov does a good job keeping puck-rushers to the outside. He needs to lean into that part of his game. Despite his skating and strength, Levshunov tries to defend with suboptimal swipes of the stick way too often and, in doing so, stops moving his feet.

Levshunov is the exact type of defenseman who can simultaneously intrigue and terrify a scout. The high level of his tools is inarguable but will he be able to put it all together? There is so much to like about his game and he has the foundation to address the weaknesses. With some patient development, he could be in the mold of Noah Hanifin.

Statistics aren't everything, but sometimes it's not worth overthinking what they indicate. In Zayne Parekh's case, they tell the story of one of the best offensive defensemen of a generation. He led all OHL defensemen in both goals and points this season, but that's just the warm-up. His 33 goals and 63 points would make him a top prospect at any position, let alone defense.

In fact, among all first-year draft-eligible defensemen in OHL history, Parekh ranks second by goals scored and third by points. Nobody has put up the numbers he has in well over 30 years. Not Aaron Ekblad, not Evan Bouchard, and not Ryan Ellis.

There is a calmness to the way Parekh operates. His posture is casual with the puck and, although it may give scouts the wrong impression, there's a method to his madness. There are a lot of offensive defensemen who get described as "evasive" but he truly embodies that term in a way few can. Parekh floats around the ice and carves up the opposition with agility and tight puck-handling.

His wrist shot is excellent. He is tremendous at finding lanes and then shooting through traffic from the blue line but he can also torque his body to rip one past goaltenders as he's skating into dangerous shooting areas. He is a brilliant passer who can operate in crowded spaces and make those lateral and diagonal passes across the slot to set up high-danger scoring chances.

His defensive game is a work in progress but there are reasons for cautious optimism. Parekh is brilliant at timing his movements to keep loose pucks in the offensive zone and recycle possession or outright bait a pass and then jump in to intercept it. While that's not technically defensive hockey, teams can't score when they don't have the puck and are stuck in their own end.

He's a bit of a rover. So too was Pavel Mintyukov, who also played in Saginaw's system and has successfully translated his game to the NHL level. They are different players, but the greater point here is that talented offensive players often figure out how to shore up the defensive side with experience, physical growth, and the right usage.

It's easy to see Parekh's path to becoming one of the NHL's top offensive defensemen and a high-end power-play quarterback. Maybe the defensive side forces teams to shelter him in certain situations, but so what? There are five other spots in the lineup for shutdown defensemen. Parekh presents an opportunity to potentially add a unique difference-maker.

It's Cayden Lindstrom's athleticism that stands out. Having turned 18 in February, he's already 6'3" and 210 pounds, and that frame suits him well. Despite playing in the middle, he is at his best when he's carrying the puck along either wing.

The 18-year-old is a powerful skater in straight lines, which gives him an edge on transition rushes. He then lowers the shoulder and holds off most checks while driving from the outside toward the crease for a true power forward's goal.

His in-zone offense is also credible. Lindstrom has a powerful wrist shot and can shoot while being stationary and while curling toward the high slot. He has good puck handles for his size and can beat defenders and escape pressure in smaller areas of the ice.

Lindstrom plays with tenacity. He'll drive through puck-carriers with his body to throw heavy hits. He wins battles using his size as leverage but also by moving like a freight train as the first forechecker into the offensive zone.

While Lindstrom's decision-making doesn't set off any alarms, there are limits to his vision and puck poise that could keep him out of the top five of this draft class. His playmaking is on the lower spectrum relative to top-center prospects.

He is a good passer off the rush but hasn't shown an ability to create the passes that unlock defenses. And sometimes, when he does locate those opportunities, he fails to execute, putting the pass where a teammate cannot easily receive it.

In his defense, he hasn't had too much of a chance to develop that skill. He often plays net front for Medicine Hat—particularly on the power play—and he missed much of this season with an injury. Maybe Lindstrom turns into an average second- or third-line center, or maybe his drafting team eventually decides his speed is best served on the wing.

But he could just as easily round out his game and figure out all the little ways to dominate with his size and speed. The injury offers a lot of what-ifs about where Lindstrom might've slotted had he had a full season to develop and build a resumé. His upside is very high and, in a weaker draft such as this one, the cost/benefit analysis pushes in his favor.

Berkly Catton is a dynamic offensive force. The Saskatoon native is incredible at both generating and executing off rush offense. Despite his sub-6-foot frame, Catton has no problems operating in the middle lane and holding off attempts at disruption from much bigger players.

That is credited to his tremendous edgework and gifted stick-handling. Catton has the acceleration to blow past defenders to their outside. Yet if a defender attempts to keep pace, he'll just as easily do a quick cutback to lose the defender and create space high in the offensive zone either for him to move into and shoot or for a trailing teammate to skate into like an open runway.

What's most impressive is how he can make dangerous plays rushing down either side of the offensive zone. Left-handed shooters typically have a tough time making plays down the right wing because they are forced to lead with their backhand. Catton can keep teams honest with a good backhand shot or the ability to dish the puck laterally, and that creates the foundation for the real danger. Catton is adept at cutting outside-in to put the puck on his forehand as he cuts across the slot.

With a great wrist shot, high-end vision, and the ability to create zone entries to then either take on defenders by himself or hold up to set up a sustained O-zone possession, Catton was able to score 58 goals and add 62 assists in just 68 WHL games. Only Connor Bedard has scored more as a draft-eligible WHLer over the last 20 years while his 1.71 points-per-game ranks fifth in that same span.

Catton puts in effort defensively and even got some time on the penalty kill in Spokane this season. A lack of physical game and reach will lead to some questions about whether he can truly stick at center, though there are no doubts as to his capability to play in the middle offensively. Even if he does eventually move to wing, his offensive skill set indicates a bona fide top-six NHL offensive winger.

The word that comes to mind for Konsta Helenius is "mature." He held his own as a 16-year-old in Finland's top league last season and thrived this season. Helenius scored 14 goals and added 22 assists in 51 games for Jukurit, plus six points in six playoff games.

And though the point total doesn't prove it—just two in seven games—the 17-year-old Helenius was one of the few bright spots for a putrid team Finland at the 2024 World Junior Championship.

Back to his maturity: Helenius thinks through the game at a high level.

He has a good awareness of where all the chess pieces are on the ice and how to manipulate them. He has strong anticipatory skills both with and without the puck. Using his mobility, Helenius can move with the puck harassed, evading checkers.

Off the puck, he has really good instincts for where the puck is going to end up and how to best support where the play is headed. His feet are always moving and he'll touch all areas of the offensive zone on a typical cycle shift, whether that's to support the cycle below the goal line or to cover for a pinching defenseman.

More a playmaker than a shooter, Helenius times his passes well to hit his teammates in stride and finds teammates in the slot from the perimeter. He's not a big shooter, but he has a deceptive release off the rush and accuracy in the slot to beat goaltenders.

He lacks elite tools, and that is why Helenius shouldn't be a top-five pick. But he grades out average to very good in every category. The motor, agility and brain are enough to make Helenius a top prospect. He's going to be a 200-foot player in the NHL with the upside to match up against other teams' top players as a second-line center.

Cole Eiserman is a goal scorer. It's that simple.

He lit the lamp a ridiculous 55 times in 55 games for the USNTDP this season and then buried six goals in five games at the U18 World Championships. In the history of the USNTDP, only he, Cole Caufield and Phil Kessel have achieved a goal-per-game pace.

But it is by scoring that Eiserman will either sink or swim. The limitations to his game are obvious. He doesn't have an impact physically. His defensive game is lacking. He has decent playmaking within the offensive zone, but he's not someone who will either drive his team up the ice or make the connecting plays on breakouts in the defensive and neutral zones to gain possession. Nor is he a puck hawk on the forecheck.

None of that will matter if he can score 40 goals in the NHL.

How Eiserman scores is critical in an optimistic analysis of his future. Yes, Eiserman is at his best when ripping the puck above the circles in an umbrella formation. However, he is not a power-play merchant and doesn't rely on a teammate feeding the puck into his wheelhouse in loads of space.

The 17-year-old can score different types of goals with different releases. His catch-and-release is lightning quick, and he has the dexterity to receive passes in different spots and shoot without much of a hitch.

He loads his front foot while in stride and shoots past defenders off the rush. Eiserman will also use a sneaky flick of the wrists to score while in motion and posturing for a carry or pass.

Although he is better off the puck than on the puck in the offensive zone, he does create enough of his shooting opportunities. He has good bursts of speed and has enough agility and puck skills to find space around defenders.

His off-the-puck movements are also commendable. He's continually moving his feet and shifting his positioning in reciprocation to the puck, finding new spots open enough to receive a pass and use that release before the defense can close down.

No doubt, Eiserman is an uncertain commodity. If the rest of his game is sufficient, he could be like Caufield or Phil Kessel. If not, he's the next Oliver Wahlstrom or Kieffer Bellows.

One of the subplots to this draft is how many defensemen there are who can skate.

Yes, that applies to the smaller guys who can zip around the ice. However, players like Sam Dickinson show how hockey is changing. Size is only as valuable as a player's ability to make use of it, and NHL teams are finally realizing that.

Sam Dickinson is indicative of that change. He's 6'3" and over 200 pounds, but he is really mobile for that size. His testing scores ahead of the 2024 CHL Top Prospects Game show how well he gets around the ice both forward and backward and with or without the puck.

He is dangerous as the trailer or far-side option on a breakout. Dickinson changes directions without having to pump the brakes. When he has a chance to build speed he absolutely blows past the opposition in the neutral zone. His ability to transition the puck up the ice with his feet is a real asset.

Dickinson's strong backward skating and crossover ability mean he can use both large and tight gaps when defending the rush. He also has his movements in rhythm with those he is defending. I like his ability to extinguish rushes. Dickinson needs to learn to implement his size more when defending, but his timing is excellent when tying up sticks in the defensive zone, and particularly at the net front.

In the offensive zone, Dickinson's standout trait is his shot. He has a quick release and his slapshot is deafening. Dickinson tallied 18 goals and 52 assists in 68 games for the London Knights of the OHL this season.

He's going to be an NHL player, and he has the tools to become a really good one, but I'm not as sold on his likelihood of achieving that upside as others are. For one, he makes some decisions that cause fans to want to throw pillows at the TV. He'll try to force passes or he'll toss the puck into vulnerable areas without due diligence, resulting in some painful turnovers.

Of course, he's still 17 and played an elevated role for London this season. He'll have a lot of time to improve his decision-making. The bigger limitation to his game is a lack of creativity. If he can't beat a defender with speed, then he likely won't with stick-handling, vision, or poise. Inside the offensive zone, he does not routinely break through the other team's structure with passes.

On a good NHL team he's probably not on the top power-play unit. If Dickinson can add a manipulation component to his game with the puck and become someone who creates on controlled breakouts and within offensive zone cycles, then he could be a top-pairing, maybe even No. 1 defenseman.

Currently, I hesitate to push him above the threshold of a second-pairing defenseman who drives possession for his team.