5 Last-Minute Storylines to Watch at the 2024 NHL Draft
5 Last-Minute Storylines to Watch at the 2024 NHL Draft 0 of 5
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Even though the Stanley Cup was handed out just a couple of days ago, the offseason is here, with the 2024 NHL draft taking place Friday and Saturday.
There isn’t much intrigue regarding the No. 1 pick, as we are 99.9 percent certain the San Jose Sharks will select Macklin Celebrini and use him as a foundation for their rebuild.
After that is where mystery starts to kick in.
However, the actual draft picks are only a small part of the chaos that comes with draft weekend, as it’s also one of the busiest times of the year for tradesâespecially with the free-agent signing period starting on Monday.
So, with all of that in mind, let’s take a look at a few last-minute storylines going into the 2024 draft.
Who Goes No. 2 Overall?1 of 5
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While there’s no mystery around the top pick, things get a little cloudier after that.
After winning last year’s draft lottery and selecting Connor Bedard No. 1 overall, the Chicago Blackhawks have the No. 2 selection this year and have a big decision to make.
Do they give Bedard an impact forward to be his winger for the next 15 years and select Ivan Demidov? Do they go with center Cayden Lindstrom to try to build a two-headed center monster? Or do they try to find a big-minute, all-around defenseman to build their defense around and go with Artyom Levshunov, who might be one of the most NHL-ready players in this year’s class?
Levshunov seems the most likely pick, but Demidov might legitimately be the second-best talent in the draft, and the idea of him and Bedard skating side-by-side should be an intriguing consideration for the Chicago front office.
Where Will Ivan Demidov Get Picked?2 of 5
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Demidov might be the most fascinating player in the draft, because if you were just going by talent, he would be a slam dunk option for the No. 2 spot.
However, the Russia factor always seems to scare off teams because nobody knows for sure how long it will take for them to actually get to the NHL. It will be interesting to see if the quick arrival of Philadelphia Flyers prospect Matvei Michkov alleviates some of those concerns.
Demidov is under contract in Russia through the 2024-25 season, so any team that takes him will probably have to wait at least a year to see him in North America.
That could be worth the wait, especially for a rebuilding team at the top of the draft that is not likely to compete this season anyway.
Does Chicago take him at No. 2? Anaheim at No. 3?
New Columbus general manager Don Waddell has already talked about how it is easier to clean up defensive-zone issues than it is to find pure scorers, so the Blue Jackets could be an option at No. 4 to add to an already impressive collection of prospects. Demidov and Adam Fantilli would be one heck of a duo to build around.
If Demidov does not get picked by any of those teams, it’s hard to imagine him getting by the Montreal Canadiens at No. 5, especially if they are having some regret over not taking Michkov a year ago.
They might get a chance to correct that. They would be wise to take advantage of it if they do.
Will Toronto Trade a Core Player?3 of 5
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After yet another postseason disappointment, the Toronto Maple Leafs front office has taken the approach that everything is on the table as far as offseason moves are concerned.
That could mean Toronto finally breaks up its core of forwards and trades one of them.
The most likely candidate is winger Mitch Marner, who is set to enter the final year of his contract.
Marner’s salary (more than $10 million per season) and the trade protections in his contract will make him a difficult player to move, and he will have a lot of say in where he goes.
But if there was ever a time for a trade to happen, Thursday or Friday would seemingly be it. That’s mainly because it would be an opportunity for the Maple Leafs to get a premium draft pick as part of the return.
There would have to be more than that involved to make it worthwhile for a Toronto team that still has its sights set on competing this season, but you would have to imagine it would want some long-term pieces, such as a prime draft pick, as part of any trade.
Will Martin Necas Get Traded?4 of 5
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The Carolina Hurricanes could be one of the busier teams this weekend, with the potential for trading the free-agent rights for pending UFA winger Jake Guentzel as well as a potential trade involving restricted free agent Martin Necas.
Necas would reportedly like a change of scenery, and he should be an extremely attractive player for teams looking for a top-six winger.
The 25-year-old should appeal to pretty much any team in the NHL no matter where they are in terms of a rebuild or as a contender.
Not only is he a legit top-six winger, but he is also right in the thick of his prime and should be a key contributor for several years. Every team in the league should be able to find a use for him.
If Carolina decides to trade Necas, they need to get a strong return. And they should.
Which Team Will Go ‘Off the Board’5 of 5
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The great thing about the draft process in professional sports is how much variance there is in the team boards versus the mock drafts and experts’ boards, especially when you get beyond the first couple of picks.
We tend to put so much time and effort into mock drafts and prospect rankings that we tend to forget that those making the picks might look at players differently, value different things or have more knowledge or insight into these players than we do.
As a result, there are a couple of picks in the first round every year that always take people by surprise because the selection does not match up with the pre-draft rankings.
It’s a given that it will happen again this year. But which team will it be?
There has been some speculation that the Anaheim Ducks might have interest in Beckett Sennecke at No. 3, a selection that would be way off the board from the mock drafts and rankings.
The Ducks raised eyebrows last year when they took Leo Carlsson No. 2 instead of Adam Fantilli, and they might have an even bigger surprise up their sleeves this season.
