Welcome back to Top Shelf Prospects, the daily column that brings you the next crop of professional hockey players. Each day we brought you a new player profile or topical article in the lead-up to the 2024 NHL Draft. Be sure to bookmark the site, follow Ben Kerr and Frederik Frandsen on Twitter, and spread the word for the site that will bring you analytical and critical profiles and scouting reports! Last Word On Hockey Prospects is your new headquarters for everything “NHL Draft”! We have a complete listing of our draft articles here. Today we bring you our 2024 NHL Draft Grades.
The big day has come and gone, and now we look back to see how each team did in the NHL Draft. Granted, we know that it is way too soon to evaluate a draft and that the true evaluation will be seen four or five years from now. However, we don’t want to wait, instead, we follow our yearly tradition and do our NHL Draft Grades now.
To be clear, our 2024 NHL Draft Grades are based on the quality and quantity of total talent added in the draft. It is not based on getting value for where you pick. For example, a team that lacks picks are likely to be given a very poor grade for this year’s draft regardless of how they use them.
LWOS 2024 NHL Draft Evaluation and Grades Part 4
Note: VALUE PICK does NOT mean the best player drafted. It means the best value. For example, Macklin Celebrini was the first player taken in this draft. However, he is not our best value pick for the San Jose Sharks. Why? Because anyone can take the best player with the first overall pick, we are looking for value here, what steal did the team get in the draft that went later than we thought he would? If it was merely an exercise in naming the best player drafted, might as well just name the team’s first pick, as that is who their own scouts felt was their best player.
Our grades are based on every player in the class, even where the later picks are not mentioned in the write-up. Of course the higher the pick, the more he will affect the grade though.
Click Here for Part One, and Here for Part Two, and Here for Part Three
Seattle Kraken: B
Value Pick: Julius Miettinen
Berkley Catton is an undersized forward, but makes up for it with dynamic offensive skills. He is lightning quick, one of the best skaters in the draft class. He combines this with the ability to make plays while moving at top speed. This makes him deadly off the rush. Add in a tremendous shot and quick release and he terrifies WHL goalies. Catton is also an effective playmaker. Another Kraken pick, Julius Miettinen, is a bigger centre and is effective on the cycle and in the dirty areas of the ice. As he got adjusted to playing in North America, and his game improved in the second half of the WHL season.
Nathan Villeneuve is a two-way centre who plays a very direct game. He gets in quickly on the forecheck and loves to take the puck to the front of the net. Defensively he gets in his opponent’s face and makes life miserable for them. Next, Alexis Bernier is an excellent skater in both directions and this helps immensely in his two-way game. He loves to push the pace and lead the rush or join in as a trailer. His speed allows him to get back defensively. Strong lateral movement keeps him in good position and make him tough to beat one-on-one.
Tampa Bay Lightning: D
Value Pick: Joona Saarelainen
The Lightning didn’t have a single pick before the fourth round of the draft and this hurts their grade immensely. It’s tough to get high-end talent when your first pick comes at 118th overall. Jan Golicic is a 6-foot-6 defender, who is at his best in the defensive end of the ice. He uses his size and long reach to keep opponents to the outside, poke-check the puck away and win battles. There isn’t a lot of offence there.
Joona Saarelainen is an undersized (5’9″) centre with good skating and a relentless work ethic. He is always around the puck, battling and making life miserable for opponents. The high-end skill is a question though. Kaden Pitre is a little bigger than Saarlainen (5’11”) but not quite as good a skater. He plays a similar game, battling and being a pest in all three zones. Finally, for the Bolts, Hagen Burrows controls the puck down low and likes to work give-and-goes with teammates in the cycle to maintain possession and create opportunities.
Toronto Maple Leafs: C-
Value Pick: Ben Danford
The Leafs are another team whose draft grade is hurt by the lack of picks. They had a first-rounder but didn’t make their second pick until 120th overall. Ben Danford is one of the best defensive defencemen in the OHL. He maintains gap control, forces attackers to the outside, plays physically, and blocks shots. His offensive game started to come around in the second half of the year with better passing skills. However, his shot needs a lot of work before it is truly effective at the NHL level.
Victor Johansson is strong positionally and good defensively in his junior league. He’s got a slight frame right now and needs to add serious muscle. He also hasn’t shown much offence to date. Another player is Miroslav Holinka. He has good hands and an excellent shot. His skating and play without the puck are, however, question marks. Alexander Plesovskikh uses his size effectively on the boards and is good in his end of the rink, but his offensive talent is questioned.
Utah Hockey Club: A-
Value Pick: Veeti Väisänen
Utah scores well in their first NHL Draft Grades, start their picks with Tij Iginla. His offensive game is creative, skilled, and mature all at once. His toolkit for creating chances is extremely deep, and he makes excellent decisions quickly on the ice. Also, his shot is excellent and lightning-quick. Especially the snapshot, which he utilizes well. It’s an amazing mix between power and accuracy, with a constantly changing release point. Cole Beaudoin is a fast power forward, who is the type of player who is a real pain to play against. He hits hard on both the forecheck and backcheck. He has a decent shot and playmaking ability.
For Utah’s value pick, Veeti Väisänen, plays a very controlled and simple offensive game. It won’t blow anyone away, but he is a smart puck mover and makes simple but correct plays on the blue line. His shot is also a decent. Defensively he is solid as well. He doesn’t really have any standout skill, but simply does everything well, the old five-tool player. Will Shakan is 6-foot-5 and extremely strong. He plays a punishing, physical defensive game. Finally, Tomas Lavoie was the first overall pick in his QMJHL draft year. He has size, skill, and skating ability. However, he has not put it all together in a consistent package game to game yet.
Vancouver Canucks: D+
Value Pick: Riley Patterson
Vancouver didn’t have a pick until the third round and just five picks overall. As a result, this hurts their grade. Melvin Fernström is a natural goal scorer who has the hands to score in tight, get deflections, or pounce on rebounds. He also has a nice wrist shot and one-timer. The rest of his game needs work though. Riley Patterson started the year really slowly in Barrie in the OHL, but turned it on in the second half. He improved his strength and his skating. He has a knack for finding open ice and being an outlet for teammates. Once he gets the puck he can make a quick pass or take the puck to the net.
Vegas Golden Knights: C+
Value Pick: Pavel Moysevich
In Trevor Connelly the Golden Knights get a talented forward on the ice, but one whose off-ice issues have been well covered. Connelly is a speedster, not only able to burn defenders in a straight line dash into the offensive zone, but also able to catch defenders off guard with elite-level edges. He pairs that skating with high-end creativity and a very impressive ability to manipulate defenders into opening up the slot for him. Pavel Moysevich is a big goalie at 6-foot-5. He likes to play deep in his crease, allowing him to get side to side quickly and make saves.
Washington Capitals: B+
Value Pick: Cole Hutson
Terik Parascak is great at finding open use to make himself an option without the puck. He also has a great shot and hands to great it off on quickly, even when it’s in his feet. He also drives the net well and attacks it without fear. He is fast skating in a straight line but needs to work on his edgework and agility. Next, our value pick, Cole Hutson. He is the brother of Habs prospect, Lane Hutson. Like his brother, he’s a dynamic offensive defenceman but is a bit undersized. His skating, puckhandling, passing, and shot are all high-end though. He sees the ice well and makes plays through the neutral zone and in quarterbacking the power play.
Leon Muggli is a Swiss defenceman who loves to play with a physical edge. He is willing to hit anyone who comes down his end of the ice with his head down. His offensive game is showing signs of developing as well. Ilya Protas has good playmaking and vision but really needs to work on his skating.
Winnipeg Jets: C
Value Pick: Alfons Freij
Alfons Freij is a dynamic offensive defenceman. He has the skating, puckhandling, vision and playmaking skill to make plays through the neutral zone. Effective at starting the breakout and the rush, Freij helps to control possession when he is on the ice. In the offensive zone, he can quarterback the power play and create offensive chances. He must get stronger physically and improve his defence to play in the NHL.
Kevin He is a fast winger who plays a gritty game. He is a real pest, throwing his body around and getting to the net. Once there he can score in tight. Markus Loponen is another forward willing to play a gritty and physical game. He is good defensively and hard to play against. However, a lack of offensive skill sees him projected as a bottom-six forward.
Be sure to check out the rest of our 2024 NHL Draft Grades, as we do provide coverage of all 32 teams.
Main photo credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
