The 2024 NHL draft is full. After Macklin Celebrini went first general to the San Jose Sharks, there have been many twists and turns all through the occasion.
From sure prospects dropping to others going effectively above their pre-draft rating to the Utah Hockey Membership making main trades on Day 2, it was a wild weekend.
Now that every one 225 choices have been made, what stands out essentially the most? ESPN reporters Ryan S. Clark, Kristen Shilton and Greg Wyshynski establish the picks, trades and moments we’ll bear in mind most — for higher or worse.
WINNERS
Holding the draft at Sphere
Hockey followers ought to take a second to thank UFC for serving to to create essentially the most aesthetically spectacular NHL draft ever held.
The NHL knew it had one weekend on which to schedule the draft, due to the late finish of the Stanley Cup Ultimate and the start of free company on July 1. The NHL knew it wished to carry the occasion in Las Vegas, as each a well-liked vacation spot for group personnel and a banger of a farewell social gathering if that is the final in-person draft. One drawback: T-Cell Area, residence of the Vegas Golden Knights and the logical place for the draft, was booked for UFC 303.
Editor’s Picks
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So Steve Mayer, NHL chief content material officer, and his group pursued a extra formidable various: Sphere in Las Vegas, the James Dolan-owned leisure orb beforehand finest recognized to hockey followers because the place the place the Nashville Predators did not get to observe U2 carry out. The end result was an NHL draft like no different and a landmark second for the ability, which hosted its first (of many) sporting occasions.
The league used the peak of Sphere to create unbelievable imagery, from a draft board that cascaded into the sky to shifting photographs of tons of of draft picks in an enormous collage. Each decide felt epic, each inside Sphere and outdoors, the place they had been broadcasted to the remainder of The Strip on the outside of the constructing.
However essentially the most memorable use of the constructing was, after all, the commerce horn. Followers just like the NHL draft for the offers as a lot as as prospects. Leaning into that, the NHL had an ostentatious purpose horn sound and graphics take over Sphere when a commerce was introduced. From the blockbusters to the decide swaps, each deal caught the followers’ consideration with the loudest area gimmick for the reason that Columbus Blue Jackets purpose cannon. From sights to sounds, Sphere was a singular expertise. — Wyshynski
The San Jose Sharks
Free company hasn’t even began, and the argument may very well be made that the Sharks have had one of many strongest offseasons within the NHL as a result of they added a pair of top-six facilities. That is what it meant for them to draft Boston College freshman middle Macklin Celebrini with the primary decide after signing Boston School freshman middle Will Smith, their first-rounder from final 12 months, to an entry-level contract.
Again when the Sharks began their rebuild, the purpose was to middle it across the form of elite gamers they felt may develop into franchise cornerstones, just like what’s been carried out in Colorado, Edmonton, Dallas and Florida.
Celebrini reiterated that he would weigh his choices with regards to both signing with the Sharks or returning to BU, whereas Smith can be in coaching camp. No matter Celebrini decides, normal supervisor Mike Grier added a pair of top-six facilities who can be on team-friendly contracts at any time when Celebrini does be part of the group.
And bear in mind, they strengthened their farm system considerably by including defenseman Sam Dickinson with their second first-rounder. Excessive marks throughout for Grier and his entrance workplace. — Clark
It was essentially the most wholesomely unwholesome second from Friday’s first spherical when the Anaheim Geese introduced Sennecke because the third general decide — and a shocked Sennecke mouthed “what the f—?” to his equally shocked dad and mom earlier than they embraced.
Naturally, Sennecke’s response made the social media rounds. At a draft the place the No. 1 general decide was all however confirmed for months forward of time, it was a pleasant distinction to see Sennecke’s sincere astonishment at seeing his personal dream come true much more shortly than he anticipated it might. — Shilton
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Beckett Sennecke has wonderful response to being drafted No. 3 by the Geese
Beckett Sennecke is chosen by the Anaheim Geese with the No. 3 decide within the 2024 NHL draft.
School hockey
The victories faculty hockey had in Las Vegas began Thursday on the NHL Awards, when NCAA merchandise Connor Hellebuyck (Vezina Trophy) and Quinn Hughes (Norris Trophy) took residence {hardware}. It saved going into Friday with Celebrini going first and the Chicago Blackhawks choosing Michigan State defenseman Artyom Levshunov No. 2. Collectively, Celebrini and Levshunov turned the second pair of faculty hockey gamers to go 1-2 at a draft since 2021 when College of Michigan teammates Owen Energy and Matty Beniers had been chosen with the primary two picks.
One other layer to Celebrini and Levshunov going 1-2 is how the faculty sport continues to draw elite gamers past the US. In Celebrini’s case, he turned the fifth first-round decide from Canada since 2016 who both performed faculty hockey or was dedicated to a school program of their draft 12 months. It is a group that features Cale Makar, Owen Energy, Kent Johnson and Adam Fantilli. It’s kind of of a development now, contemplating there have been solely three Canadians that both performed faculty hockey or had been dedicated to a program who had been taken within the first spherical between 1993 and 2015.
Celebrini, Levshunov and Zeev Buium had been the three faculty gamers who went within the first spherical. However there have been additionally six USHL gamers who went within the first spherical, and all of them are presently slated to play faculty hockey along with St. Andrew’s School middle Dean Letourneau, who is ready to play at Boston School within the fall. — Clark
Norwegian hockey
There have been solely 9 Norwegians who’ve ever made it to the NHL. And but the nation had 4 gamers drafted in 2024, with two of them coming within the first spherical. It began when the Detroit Purple Wings drafted Michael Brandsegg-Nygard with the fifteenth decide, changing into the primary Norwegian to ever go within the first spherical. Eight picks later, the Geese drafted one other Norwegian, Stian Solberg.
The primary Norwegian to play within the NHL was Bjorn Skaare, who performed as soon as for the Purple Wings through the 1978-79 season. It is a path that was later traveled by Espen Knutsen, Andreas Martinsen and present Norwegian nationwide group captain Peter Thoreson, earlier than Mats Zuccarello turned the nation’s most distinguished participant, with 636 factors in 835 video games.
Zuccarello and Tampa Bay Lightning prospect defenseman Emil Martinsen Lilleberg had been the one Norwegians to play within the NHL through the 2023-24 season. However with Brandsegg-Nygard and Solberg going within the first — whereas 4 Norwegians as an entire had been drafted — it seems this may very well be one thing of a golden age for Norwegian hockey. — Clark
The Utah Hockey Membership
Welcome to the NHL!
Proprietor Ryan Smith famous that the league’s latest group was getting boos from the gang with out having performed a single sport but — perhaps the primary inkling of a geographic rivalry between Vegas and Salt Lake Metropolis. If UHC wished to make a giant first impression, then mission completed. GM Invoice Armstrong chosen probably the most distinguished names within the first spherical in Kelowna ahead Tij Iginla, son of Hockey Corridor of Famer Jarome Iginla.
Then he opened Day 2 with the weekend’s largest blockbuster, buying defensemen Mikhail Sergachev from the Lightning and John Marino from the New Jersey Devils.
As Armstrong mentioned, his group can rating, however wanted assistance on the again finish, and boldly sought it out on the draft. My, how occasions have modified: Might you ever think about Armstrong buying and selling for a participant with seven years and $56.59 million left on his contract as GM of the Arizona Coyotes? Free company needs to be enjoyable occasions in Salt Lake Metropolis. — Wyshynski
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Utah Hockey Membership selects Tij Iginla with first-ever decide
Tij Iginla turns into the primary participant to be drafted by the Utah Hockey Membership enlargement franchise.
The Golden Knights had really impeccable timing, buying and selling Thompson to Washington on Saturday morning proper earlier than Thompson was set to do an autograph signing session for hometown followers at Sphere. Thompson mentioned he was at residence in mattress when GM Kelly McCrimmon referred to as to share information of the deal, and the goaltender may have simply skipped out on following by means of with the meet and greet.
However Thompson saved it stylish and went to Sphere anyway to cycle by means of a protracted line of Golden Knights’ devoted who got here for his signature — and now, an opportunity to say goodbye (and thanks). Credit score to Thompson for benefiting from an unexpectedly poor scenario and honoring one remaining dedication in Vegas earlier than his subsequent chapter begins. — Shilton
Logan Thompson is a champ for staying to signal autographs and take footage with followers half-hour after being traded. pic.twitter.com/sJ2QByxorT
— Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) June 29, 2024
LOSERS
Goaltenders within the first spherical
No goaltenders had been taken within the first spherical this 12 months. No goaltenders had been taken within the first spherical final 12 months. There wasn’t a goaltender taken within the first spherical in 2022, both. Altogether, it means there hasn’t been an NHL group that is taken a goalie within the first spherical since 2021. Metallurg Magnitogorsk’s Ilya Nabokov was the primary goalie off the board, drafted No. 38 general by the Colorado Avalanche.
Purple Wings prospect Sebastian Cossa and Minnesota Wild prospect Jesper Wallstedt had been the 2 goalies who had been first-round picks in 2021. What’s it about goaltenders that has led to them being shut out of the primary spherical? Might it’s doable that it has one thing to do with extra goalies taken within the later rounds are having success? None of this season’s Vezina Trophy finalists had been first-round picks, whereas the final three Vezina Trophy winners had been drafted no larger than 118th.
Whereas there hasn’t been a goalie drafted within the first spherical since 2021, there was a time when it was a reasonably widespread prevalence. There was no less than one goalie drafted within the first spherical from 2019 by means of 2021. However when it comes to what the figures have appeared like since 2014? The NHL has had 5 drafts (2015, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021) when a goalie went within the first spherical, with six drafts (2014, 2016, 2022, 2023 and 2024) wherein a goalie wasn’t taken till Day 2. — Clark
Having to rationalize a problematic decide
When Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon described nineteenth general decide Trevor Connelly, he described the participant’s high-end expertise and offensive ability. Absent was something about his character, till he was requested about it.
“We’ve a consolation stage that it is a participant that may symbolize our group as we would anticipate any participant to take action,” he mentioned.
Many imagine Connelly fell to No. 19 due to two incidents as a youthful participant. When he was 16, he posted a picture to Snapchat of a teammate subsequent to a swastika product of constructing blocks within the youngsters’s space of a library. In response to The Athletic, his group, the Lengthy Island Gulls, dropped him after that. In 2021, he was accused of directing a racial slur at an opponent throughout a sport and was suspended, though the California Beginner Hockey Affiliation lifted the ban when it could not corroborate the accusation. Connelly has denied utilizing a slur.
McCrimmon would not elaborate on what Connelly informed him to ease any considerations, though Connelly informed the Related Press that he knowledgeable groups that he had “put in a whole lot of work in [himself] and carried out a whole lot of issues locally and volunteered lots.”
That form of obscure clarification might need labored previously, however followers are demanding extra from groups that make this type of decide at this time. It is one factor for McCrimmon is say his group’s “due diligence could be very in depth” and that Connelly had “some development and a few recognition of areas the place he made errors.” It is one other to elucidate what any of that really means, given the circumstances. — Wyshynski
Swedish hockey
Whereas Norway had a second, Sweden had its lowest variety of gamers chosen for the reason that 2015 draft, when simply 19 Swedes had been chosen. This season, that quantity was 22 gamers from Sweden taken, fourth most behind Canada (87), the U.S. (39) and Russia Federation (27).
Maybe the largest indication that this wasn’t essentially the most strong 12 months for Swedish prospects: They did not have a participant chosen within the first spherical of the draft. The primary Swede drafted was middle Lucas Pettersson of Modo Jr. at No. 35 general to the Anaheim Geese.
In response to ESPN Stats & Info, 2010 was the final 12 months {that a} Swedish participant wasn’t taken within the first spherical. It is the fourth time it has occurred previously 25 years (2024, 2010, 2004, 2003). Previous to this 12 months, the final time no Swede was picked within the high 10 was 2015; Joel Eriksson Ek was the primary Swedish participant taken, twentieth general that 12 months. — Wyshynski
No participant trades on Night time 1
The NHL had put in a kitschy purpose horn graphic (and sound impact!) at Sphere for use when golf equipment made a commerce. But it surely took some time for that factor to get any use — as a result of not one normal supervisor made a big commerce throughout Friday’s first spherical.
And that was a bummer. Participant trades are the lifeblood of a draft after concerning the tenth decide, when you understand the variety of prospects being taken who will truly see NHL motion within the subsequent season or two is dwindling.
In years previous, we have seen trades go down even earlier than the draft’s opening bell that gave us one thing to speak about lengthy into the night time forward. Alas, that wasn’t the case this 12 months.
Kudos to Utah GM Invoice Armstrong and Tampa Bay’s Julien BriseBois for bringing the warmth to begin off Day 2, although. That purpose horn was blowing loud and proud out of the gate on the pre-9 a.m. hour native time, little question electrifying all those that had an pleasant time in Sin Metropolis the night time earlier than. — Shilton
No QMJHL gamers within the first spherical
This was one other draft cycle that noticed the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League have greater than a dozen gamers get chosen. This was additionally one other draft cycle that noticed the QMJHL fail to supply a first-round decide; the second 12 months in a row. Previous to that, the earlier time the QMJHL did not have a first-rounder was the 2008 draft, when goaltender Jake Allen was a second-round decide by the St. Louis Blues.
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Granted, the 12 months Allen was drafted got here off a draft cycle that noticed the QMJHL produce 4 first-rounders. And since then, the QMJHL has had three years wherein they’d the No. 1 decide, with Nathan MacKinnon (2013), Nico Hischier (2017) and Alexis Lafreniere (2020). They’ve additionally had draft courses that noticed as many as 5 gamers go within the first spherical. That got here as just lately as 2020, the identical 12 months that Lafreniere was chosen with the primary decide.
Altogether, that is the fourth time since 2000 that the QMJHL did not have a first-round decide, and the primary time in league historical past that it is gone consecutive years with out a first-round decide, in keeping with the QMJHL’s data. — Clark
The timing of the draft and free company
Not {that a} weekend in Las Vegas is a few form of punishment, nevertheless it’s additionally not a super scenario for a lot of entrance workplaces. Why? Due to the extraordinarily tight turnaround they face with making an attempt to get again residence as they search to have the whole lot so as earlier than free company opens Monday at midday ET.
However that is additionally the NHL, the place managing the small window between the draft and free company has develop into a ceremony of passage. It was like that final season when groups traveled from an albeit extra centralized metropolis in Nashville the place they’d two days to organize. Again in 2022, the NHL needed to readjust due to the truncated 56-game schedule it performed whereas navigating the pandemic. That 12 months, the draft ended July 8 with free company beginning July 13 — a four-day window in between.
It is what makes the choice to maneuver to a decentralized draft subsequent season one thing that would plausibly profit extra entrance workplaces. As an alternative of touring to a central location, groups will be capable of function from their respective amenities. One novice scouting director informed ESPN final week that the choice to maneuver to a decentralized draft resulted in “a divided opinion.” Alternatively, one other novice scout mentioned they had been in favor of the brand new strategy, as a result of it allowed groups to brazenly discover their choices in a personal room moderately than in a extra public setting just like the draft flooring. — Clark
