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Draft Preview 2024
In this year's edition of The Hockey News' Draft Preview, we give you the lowdown on the top 100 prospects available in the 2024 NHL draft. As we count them down from No. 1 to 100, we have in-depth scouting reports, bio info and stats for each youngster. Also, we have NHL Team Reports on all 32 clubs (including Utah!), which look at the short- and long-term needs of each team. And finally, you'll find feature stories on top-prospect Macklin Celebrini, as well as Taj Iginla, Cole Eiserman, Artyom Levshunov, Sam Dickinson, Michael Hage and more.
BUFFALO SABRES
IN AN IDEAL world, the Sabres wouldn’t be picking in the top half of the draft, but another playoff-less campaign allows Buffalo to leverage five selections in the first four rounds into a prospect pool that’s even deeper than the one they already possess. The Sabres’ top pick last year, left winger Zach Benson (13th overall), jumped right into the lineup, and Buffalo has shown a desire to pick NHL-ready players and bring them into the fold without much hesitation. IMMEDIATE NEEDS: Tage Thompson regressed after last season’s monster 47-goal campaign. And though the Sabres have faith he can return to that form, Thompson’s dip in production made clear the need for another high-end scorer. LONG-TERM NEEDS: In Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Bowen Byram, Buffalo has all the blueline firepower it…
TOP 48 PROSPECTS: 37-48
>37. MANNON MCMAHON C, 22, Minnesota-Duluth (WCHA) 39-14-17-31-28 Bulldogs captain was one of the better pivots in the NCAA. McMahon is a good skater and always has her head up reading the ice. >38. ANNEKE LINSER RW, 24, Djurgarden (Swe.) 36-14-17-31-32 Big forward signed in the PHF before the PWHL’s launch. She’s a net-front presence who wins 50/50 puck battles and can score. >39. KATHRYN REILLY D, 23, Quinnipiac (ECAC) 37-10-29-39-18 Reilly is the top-scoring NCAA blueliner in the draft but has flown under the radar. She’s a right-shot defender who thrives with the puck on her stick. >40. ILONA MARKOVA RW, 22, Ufa (Rus.) 42-14-26-40-8 A near point-per-game player this year. Dangerous in the slot. It will be interesting to see how PWHL teams view the former Russia U-18 captain and all-star. >41. MAGGIE MACEACHERN D, 23, Penn State (CHA) 38-6-13-19-8 Steadying presence wore ‘C’ for Canada’s U-18…
TOP 100 PROSPECTS: 21-24
>21. MATVEI GRIDIN BORN March 1, 2006, Kurgan, Rus. 2023-24 Muskegon (USHL) HT 6-1 WT 182 SHOOTS L POS RW CENTRAL SCOUTING No. 21 (NA skaters) THERE ARE DEFINITELY some divisive opinions on Gridin, though the fact he can put up points in bunches is undisputed. He exploded for 18 points in his first 10 games this season and ended the campaign with the league scoring crown. The fly in the ointment? His play away from the puck. “He’s the same as Cole Eiserman,” said one scout. “Good skill, talented kid, but he doesn’t know who his defensemen are either. He has to play with good players, because I don’t think he can drive a line. He’s a complementary guy at best.” But those who believe in the NCAA Michigan commit are more optimistic. “He is really…
LEAVING HOME FOR THE NHL
ARTYOM LEVSHUNOV HAS BEEN living in a whole new world the past two years. The Belarusian defenseman came over to the United States to play hockey, hoping to be seen by more scouts than he would have been playing in Belarus’ men’s league or in one of the other pro leagues in Europe. His journey took him to the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers in 2022-23, after the CHL became a non-option with its ban on drafting Russian and Belarusian players. Those who saw Levshunov in action witnessed just how much raw talent he possessed. He was a physical freak who was constantly involved in play on the ice. “When I saw what he was capable of last year, it was just so intriguing,” said Michigan State coach Adam Nightingale. “We didn’t…
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