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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…
OTTAWA SENATORS
IT WON’T ENTIRELY make up for going two years without a first-round pick, nor will it undo the lack of choices in any of the first three rounds in 2023, but Ottawa enters the 2024 draft with two first-rounders to its credit. The Sens will also have either three or four fourth-rounders, depending on how Florida fares in the playoffs. The question is how GM Steve Staios leverages those picks to improve his club’s future. IMMEDIATE NEEDS: There’s high-end offense and talented ‘D’ in Ottawa, but the Joonas Korpisalo gambit in net blew up spectacularly this year. That backup Anton Forsberg wasn’t much better did little to push the club forward, either. One way or another, Ottawa needs to find reliable goaltending. LONG-TERM NEEDS: From Thomas Chabot down to Jacob Bernard-Docker, the…
BOSTON BRUINS
WITHOUT A PICK in the first, second or third round, and with only three total selections at their disposal, the Bruins enter the draft in the role of observer as much as active participant. It’s also the third consecutive draft in which Boston doesn’t have a first-round choice, which puts more pressure on making every pick count. IMMEDIATE NEEDS: Though the B’s are solid up and down the lineup, the possible departures of pending UFAs Jake DeBrusk and James van Riemsdyk would leave the team searching for secondary scoring. Boston has to explore retaining the wingers or finding a way, be it through trade or free agency, to replace the 30 or so combined goals the pair can provide. Adding another legit top-six threat wouldn’t hurt, either. David Pastrnak could use…
VANCOUVER CANUCKS
A SURPRISE RISE to the top of the Pacific Division led Vancouver to go all-in this season. The Canucks don’t have their first- or second-round picks this year and will lose their third-rounder to Calgary if they advance to the conference final. IMMEDIATE NEEDS: Vancouver’s rebuilt defense corps meshed well, and it’s a shame for the club that there’s bound to be significant changes in the off-season. Tyler Myers, Ian Cole and Nikita Zadorov are all UFAs on a team that doesn’t have much salary-cap room. Shoring up the second and third pairings is of great importance if the Canucks are to remain in the upper tier. LONG-TERM NEEDS: Jonathan Lekkerimaki is the only can’t-miss forward prospect in the system, and he’ll be brought along gradually. The Canucks would be wise to…
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