Grading Every Team’s 2024 NHL Draft Class

Draft picks are, when it comes down to it, a series of bets. You can affect the odds of whether those bets pan out with a good system, but that only goes so far.

More than any year in recent memory, the 2024 NHL draft was always going to devolve into a “scouts going for Their Guy” free-for-all all fairly quickly. Past a certain point, it’s a draft full of guys with good or great tools who simply haven’t put it all together yet.

What you’re betting on, as an organization, is that you can help them put those tools together. There were some true gems to be had with time, patience and a good development staff.

Here’s how all 32 teams’ selections shook out at the 2024 draft. (As a note: no A-plus grades were given intentionally—A is the highest, just so everyone has a sense of the scale here.)

The Ducks shocked quite a few people—the player in question included—when they took Beckett Sennecke third overall.

Many will call it a reach, but to us, Sennecke feels like a perfect fit for the vision the Ducks appear to have for their future. Adding a skilled but mean defenseman in Stian Solberg rounded out their day one.

Day two brought with it seven new Ducks with a good bit of potential, particularly center Lucas Pettersson and winger Maxim Masse. Aiming high on potential is the best way to see success at the draft, and the Ducks’ prospect pool is for sure deeper than it was.

Grade: A

Dean Letourneau has an exciting offensive ceiling. Whether he lives up to that promise remains to be seen, and he was a bit of a reach when the Bruins took him at No. 25 purely because. He was also their only pick in the top 100, making the fact that they left more certain talent on the table to select him difficult to swallow.

The Bruins had three picks on day two and seemed to prioritize size. They didn’t do much to address the lack of depth in their prospect pool, though.

Grade: C

Konsta Helenius was one of the better forwards available this year. He’s a mature, mobile forward who thinks the game like it’s a chess match, whether he has the puck or not. And, even better, the Sabres traded down and still got him. That’s always a win.

Their day two selections weren’t as high-impact as Helenius. With that said, there’s some real promise. Goalie Ryerson Leenders left it all on the ice this season in Mississauga, and Adam Kleber is one of those coveted right-shot defensemen. It’s not an overwhelming haul, but very solid.

Grade: B+

The Flames had one of the more ridiculous hauls in the 2024 draft, top to bottom. First, they got Zayne Parekh, the best pure offensive defenseman in the draft. Then they added Matvei Gridin late in the first round, and while there is some question about his offense translating, we understand the appeal.

Day two was where they shone, snagging Andrew Basha, Jacob Battaglia, Henry Mews, and Luke Misa far below where those players could’ve been drafted, and adding some later-round picks with solid size. The Flames really went all-in on skill, though, and frankly, that’s where the draft is won. Nicely done.

Grade: A

Somehow, the Hurricanes continue their trend of trading back out of the first round and picking first-round talent anyway. This year it was Nikita Artamanov, who we had ranked 25th on our last big board. Other notables added by the Hurricanes on day two include defenseman Dominik Badinka, who was ranked as a first-round talent by many (and wasn’t far outside it for us) and Justin Poirier.

One interesting pick was one of our projected draft sleepers, Fyodor Avramov, at 188th overall. While he’s a true project, the Hurricanes betting on him isn’t a surprise, and if any organization can turn a project into a key piece, it’s them.

Grade: A-

The Blackhawks followed up last year’s forward-heavy draft haul with a similar run this year. With three first-round selections, they took defenseman Artyom Levshunov, center Sacha Boisvert, and winger Marek Vanacker. Levshunov will anchor their blue line for quite some time, and Boisvert has an incredible hockey mind. Vanacker was a bit of a reach in the first, but the Blackhawks clearly knew what they wanted there, and he’s got real potential.

As far as their day two picks go, there’s nothing to quibble with. John Mustard, their second-round selection, was one of our potential sleepers. He’s one of the best skaters available, with potentially game-breaking speed.

Grade: A

Nine picks, but no first-rounders and no significant upside makes for a not-especially-impressive 2024 draft class. Goalie scouts have spoken highly about Ilya Nabokov, who has a KHL playoffs MVP title under his belt, and he’ll likely end up as the standout pick in this year’s draft for the Avalanche. Without him, this grade might look worse.

The other intriguing player in this group is Will Zellers, a winger from Shattuck St. Mary’s who tore up the prep school circuit with 111 points on the season. He’s headed to the University of North Dakota and we’ll get a better sense of his game, and whether it can translate to the NHL, during his time there.

Grade: C+

Any team that adds Cayden Lindstrom is instantly making their prospect pool better. If that team can also add defenseman Charlie Elick, who we had ranked inside the first round, on day two, a high grade from us is in the bag.

Columbus wasn’t satisfied with adding two impact players, though. There is some very real potential in their later picks, including defender Luca Marrelli, who doesn’t hesitate to jump into the play. A lot to like about this draft class.

Grade: A-

Finnish winger Emil Hemming was a great get for the Stars—and an unsurprising one, given Jim Nill and co.’s penchant for drafting Finns. He was the only real standout, though. That’s pretty par for the course when you only have three picks and two are late-rounders.

Still, if you’ve gotta have a draft where you only hit on one pick, Hemming’s a very good choice for that hit.

Grade: C+

I waffle on Detroit’s draft grade—could be a C+ instead of a B-, could pan out to be a solid B. The addition of Michael Brandsegg-Nygard is undoubtedly a good one; he’s potentially the best forechecker available this year. Still, he’s not that different from other player types they already have in their prospect pool. It would’ve been nice to see them take a swing and add someone more dynamic, particularly given the players who were available at 15.

That said, they took one of our potential sleepers, Max Plante, in the second round. If his playmaking potential bears out, he will be a quality addition to their prospect pool. Overall, this group was safe but skilled.

Grade: B-

Not used to giving kudos to the Oilers, but I’ll say it: that Sam O’Reilly pick is going to look great when he explodes offensively next year. It wasn’t his fault he was buried on a deep London Knights roster, and if it was possible for a London Knights player to ever be underrated, I’d say he was underrated by some.

The rest of the draft was kind of a snooze. Size was a priority, and no one had exciting enough skill to jump out and push this grade higher.

Grade: C

It’s possible to get a high grade without a first-round pick, but the Panthers didn’t really wow me. The word “productive”, rather than “impressive”, comes to mind. There’s enough potential there to keep it an average grade, but not enough to push it into B-level territory. I’m sure they’re crying into their Stanley Cup about it.

Linus Erikkson has the hockey sense necessary to help drive possession, so keep an eye on that one—he should be an effective player.

Grade: C

The Kings got a really fun and creative prospect in Liam Greentree, a smart player who works his tail off to overcome any challenge thrown at him. He really shouldn’t have dropped to 26. He’s gotta fix that skating stride, though.

Greentree’s ceiling is high enough to push this into B territory despite the Kings only having three other picks. Undersized winger James Reeder and goaltender Carter George are both intriguing players.

Grade: B

Two of the Wild’s picks this weekend were defensemen who dropped lower than they should have. In the first round, it was University of Denver product Zeev Buium, who will no doubt be a key piece on the Wild’s blue line for quite some time. The other was Finnish defenseman Aron Kiviharju, who was discussed as a first-round talent before the injury ended his season. The Wild managed to pull him at 122. That pick is going to look really good in a few years.

They also snagged Ryder Ritchie, a winger from the Prince Albert Raiders, who was ranked as first round talent by several outlets. Those three picks alone are enough to grab that A grade.

Grade: A

The Habs as good as assured their A-grade in this draft when they managed to snag top offensive talent Ivan Demidov at fifth overall. Everything else was just gravy—but they took it further, adding dynamic skating center Michael Hage from the Chicago Steel later in the first.

Their late round picks included center Aatos Koivu, who in addition to being the son of former Habs captain Saku Koivu, is also a pretty solid player in his own right. Making 10 picks in a single draft also boosts your grade a bit—not that they needed it.

Grade: A

Overall, the Predators’ system got more skilled this weekend. And they needed it. Selecting Egor Surin, who we had just outside the first round, at 22 was a slight reach given the talent still available, but he still brings a never-ceasing motor and stellar hands. And they more than made up for the reach on Surin by selecting Teddy Stiga, a first-round talent from the USNTDP, in the second round.

As far as their later picks go, they dug into the WHL and came out with some nice talent. Miguel Marques brings well-rounded offensive potential and Hiroki Gosjic already has an NHL-level shot.

Grade: B+

Snagging Silayev at 10 was smart. While we had him ranked at 12, he probably wouldn’t have lasted, and the Devils clearly wanted him. We understand why—he’s 6’7″ and an incredible skater. He’s not just an incredible skater for someone who is 6’7″, though; just an incredible skater period. Having him as an anchor for the rest of their offense is going to look great for the Devils.

The rest of their draft class was size, size, size. Not always an ideal approach, but understandable given their current prospect pool.

Grade: B-

The Isles got themselves a pair of NTDP linemates when they selected highly-skilled goal-scorer Cole Eiserman in the first round and driven, defensively-gifted center Kamil Bednarik in the second. Add to that creative and confident re-entry defenseman Jesse Pulkkinen and you have a pretty solid top-of-draft selection.

Later-round picks didn’t bring anyone especially electric, but the Isles did pick two goalies, a position where you can never have too many options in your arsenal.

Grade: B

Four picks isn’t really ideal, and as noted with the Bruins, it makes a draft class hard to grade. With that being said, the Rangers knocked it out of the park with their first-round selection of defenseman EJ Emery. He’s the best shutdown defenseman in the class, and he brings excellent vision to boot.

Their other picks weren’t as exciting, hence the lower grade. Still, there’s potential in Raoul Boilard and Nathan Aspinall, and if they pan out, this grade will look low.

Grade: C+

Another team that prioritized size. That’ll probably work out for them with defenseman Carter Yakemchuk because he’s also got a very nice scoring touch—he netted 30 this season, which hasn’t happened in a couple of decades in the WHL. Seven was a bit high (we had him at 14) and he needs to work on his skating. But he’s worth the swing in a vacuum.

Whether it’ll work out for the rest of the class is a toss-up. That’s not to say there isn’t potential. Javon Moore, in particular, is an intriguing winger from the Minnesota high-school circuit. He’s a clever guy with solid puck skills who lacks the awkwardness his size might make you expect. College hockey will be good for him.

Grade: B-

From the moment they went quite off the board to select Jett Luchanko at 13, the Flyers set the tone for a draft class that has low NHL upside compared to the talent left on the board at each pick. This is no slight to Luchanko, who has a serious work ethic and high-end hockey sense. He just doesn’t appear to have first-line potential.

As far as their other picks go, there weren’t many that stood out. Defenseman Spencer Gill has shown flashes of playmaking ability that I imagine the Flyers are betting on panning out. Swedish center Jack Berglund could end up fitting the power forward mold—emphasis on could. The draft is supposed to improve your prospect pool, and at the end of the weekend, the Flyers didn’t do that in a significant way.

Grade: D+

Likely aware that, coming into today, they had one of the lowest-ranked prospect pools in the league, the Penguins immediately set to work restocking their cupboards and mostly did their best with what they had. Both of their second-round selections—forward Tanner Howe and defenseman Harrison Brunicke—were high-value picks with very real NHL potential, particularly Brunicke, who we had rated as a first-round talent.

As for their late round picks, Mac Swanson in particular is intriguing. Don’t let the 7th-round tag fool you—Swanson is a creative and skilled playmaker, and probably would’ve gone much earlier if he wasn’t 5’7″ and 165 pounds. Keep an eye on this one.

Grade: B+

The Sharks obviously get top marks in our book. Macklin Celebrini alone might’ve been enough to assure that—he’s a home-run add any day. But to also acquire defenseman Sam Dickinson in the first, and then snag a first-round talent in winger Igor Chernyshov in the second round? Sold.

Defenseman Leo Sahlin Wallenius was another player we had noted as one who could look like a steal down the road. The Sharks’ late-round picks, including goalies Colton Roberts and Yaroslav Korostelyov, are just icing on the cake of a fantastic draft.

Grade: A

For their first few picks, it seemed like the Kraken might be taking an “oops, all centers” approach to this year’s draft. As far as draft strategies go, that one isn’t awful. After taking Berkly Catton, a dynamic forward from the WHL, at eighth overall, the Kraken also got Julius Miettinen at 40. As we had Miettinen just outside our first round, that feels like a solid choice.

We would’ve preferred to see them take swings on some of the high-risk, high-reward defense prospects available at their post-Catton picks, given the current state of their prospect pool. That being said, there’s no real miss here.

Grade: B+

Adam Jiricek in the first round was a solid choice by the Blues—some might’ve been scared off by his injury (we saw that reflected in later season rankings) but his vision is incredible. If he can improve his skating stride he’ll be an important piece of their blueline for quite some time. The Blues clearly prioritized defense this year, adding Colin Ralph and Lukas Fischer.

A highlight of their later-round picks was forward Adam Jecho, whose skating is terrific for his 6’5″ size and whose puck skills are high-end. He was slotted around the second round in many rankings, so the Blues getting him at 95 was a great value add.

Grade: B-

This was not your typical Tampa Bay Lightning draft. They had no picks until the fourth round, but they had seven picks once they got going. What they did with those picks, though, didn’t really improve their prospect pool in any meaningful way.

Still, there was some upside. Kaden Pitre could pan out as a solid bottom-six center, and Hagen Burrows is another Minnesota high school pick with an intriguing offensive toolkit—particularly his quick passing. He was also this year’s Mr. Hockey award winner.

Grade: C-

Ben Danford will be a better pick than some people expect, and if it weren’t for his potential this grade would be lower. He’s a solid shutdown guy who thinks the game is at such a high level, and he began activating more as the season went on. If he can add an offensive gear to his game, he’ll really shine.

There are things to like about Sam McCue, if he can put them together (that’s a running theme in this draft, I’m afraid)—his motor, work ethic, and attention to detail are promising. His puck skills are lacking any high-end upside, though. I am not familiar enough with their other picks to have a good read on them, but the Leafs’ scouts clearly came in knowing what they wanted.

Grade: C

If Utah wanted to make a splash with their first-ever draft pick, they got it. Tij Iginla was an excellent way to start things off, and he’ll bring his engaging offensive play to their roster sooner rather than later. Trading up to get Cole Beaudoin at 24 was a slight reach, but if they wanted him and heard others did too, well—we get it. The kid’s a menace in the best way. Notable picks on day two include NTDP defenseman Will Skahan. Skahan is a defensive defenseman who skates well and pressures opponents well.

A note: if we were grading on all draft weekend activity, rather than just draft picks, this would be an easy A thanks to Utah’s addition of defensemen Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino.

Grade: B+

Surprise of all surprises: the Canucks took a Swede with their first pick, which didn’t happen until pick 93. They only had five picks total, and none of them overly impressed—certainly not enough to move the needle on the Canucks’ prospect pool.

That being said, winger Melvin Fernstrom has shown that he reads the ice well and has solid anticipation. Taking him at 93 could prove to be a solid value pick.

Grade: C-

Any discussion of the Golden Knights’ draft haul has to begin with the selection of Trevor Connelly, which in an ideal world would prompt a genuine discussion of just how much high-end skill should trump legitimate off-ice character concerns. This being the NHL, that probably won’t happen. Connelly’s skill can’t be denied, nor would we try to—it’s exceedingly obvious he’s one of the top offensive talents in this draft class. The question is whether teams are truly evaluating players off the ice in a good-faith manner.

Vegas only had three other picks, including Lucas Van Vliet in the seventh round. The dynamic winger is a smart project pick that late, and has a real shot at panning out after some time in college hockey.

Grade: B-

Taking Terik Parascak at 17—we had him at 31 and felt that was betting on his upside—was a pretty bold swing. If Parascak pans out, though, some folks will be eating crow. His offensive upside is fantastic. He’s so smart and is always in the right place at the right time. The Capitals are clearly betting on his skating improving enough that he can translate that to the NHL.

The addition of defenseman Cole Hutson, who looks extremely similar to brother Lane, really solidifies this B+ grade even before other picks are taken into consideration. Hutson is elusive and creative, with solid attention to detail.

Grade: B+

The Jets coasted through this year’s draft, if you’ll forgive the pun. Just not a lot to get excited about in this haul. The highlight is Kevin He, who we nearly named as one of our potential sleepers in this year’s class. He’s got a high-end motor and is relentless on the forecheck.

Outside of He, nothing about this year’s draft from the Jets impressed.

Grade: D