2024 NHL Mock Draft 1.0: Macklin Celebrini leads the pack with hot NCAA start

The NHL standings are only beginning to take shape. A hot start can turn into a cold spell overnight, and a key injury, like we saw with Connor McDavid, could keep a team like the Edmonton Oilers out of the playoff picture for the time being.

After Yahoo Sports released our own NHL draft rankings earlier this month, the NHL recently released its Players to Watch list. For the first time this season, the NHL has added to the traditional “A” (potential first-round picks), “B” (potential second- or third-round picks) and “C” ratings (potential fourth- or fifth-round picks), with a “W” ranking, indicating “a "watch" player for potential sixth- or seventh-round consideration, and first-time draft eligible "work in progress" players with a limited scouting history and games played.”

On the NHL’s list were 28 “A” rated players including 22 of Yahoo Sports’ top 25 prospects from our October rankings.

While the standings — and the prospects themselves — find stability this season here’s a way too early 2024 first-round NHL Mock Draft.

1. San Jose - Macklin Celebrini, C (Boston University, NCAA) - San Jose grabbed Will Smith at fourth overall last year, but don’t expect that to dissuade them from choosing another center if they’re picking first overall and Celebrini has separated himself from the pack. If Celebrini and Eiserman, however, remain neck and neck in this draft race, San Jose could grab Eiserman, a left winger, to run shotgun with Smith in the future.

2. Edmonton - Cole Eiserman, LW (USNTDP) - In an organization with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who can all play down the middle, adding Cole Eiserman on the wing would be a dream scenario in Edmonton. Given who Edmonton is sending out down the left side right now, Eiserman could be asked to forgo the NCAA altogether and step into a second line role.

3. Chicago - Artyom Levshunov, RHD (Michigan State University, NCAA) - After not selecting a defender among their first ten picks, Chicago used their final pick in 2023 to take a blueliner. That said, if Chicago falls anywhere outside the top two, they could reach up for a defender to open their draft. Currently, there are 4-5 blueliners who could be top ten picks and earn this spot, but for now, Artyom Levshunov is the closest thing to an NHL-ready defender in the draft. For a team with Connor Bedard and Kevin Korchinkski in the lineup, Chicago will continue to be looking to add youth, something Levshunov adds in addition to his size, right-handed shot, and offensive upside.

4. Washington - Ivan Demidov, RW (SKA St. Petersburg, KHL) - How do you replace an aging Russian legend like Alex Ovechkin? Simply, you don’t. However, selecting another young Russian talent like Ivan Demidov who provides speed, an edge on the attack, and a two-way presence is a decent place to start. He could easily be a top three pick, so getting him here would be an exciting moment for the Caps.

5. Anaheim - Berkly Catton, C (Spokane, WHL) - Anaheim has young talent up and down the lineup, but their scoring remains an issue. Catton won’t be an immediate fix, but his skill set screams second line center. He pushes the pace and generates offense off the rush and in tight. He’d be a nice compliment for Anaheim’s young core in the future.

6. Pittsburgh - Anton Silayev, LHD (Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, KHL) - There will be no easy or quick fix for Kyle Dubas, who is stepping into a situation where the runway has ended, and all Pittsburgh is doing at this point is prolonging the inevitable rebuild while they begin to secure prospects. Pittsburgh has such a shallow pool that when the cliff arrives, it could be a very painful stretch. Anton Silayev is a 6-foot-7 defender already playing significant minutes in the KHL and when he arrives, there’s a potential for him to play a Zdeno Chara or Victor Hedman-type role, which would be the best-case scenario for the Pens.

7. Seattle - Sam Dickinson, LHD (London, OHL) - Seattle is now suffering the fate of a typical expansion team, and it looks like it could last longer than a short term slump. Keeping their eyes on the future, Seattle has an older NHL blueline, although they have a group of solid prospects at the position. Still, adding another to keep the waves of reinforcements coming in the future makes sense here, particularly given the talent available. Big, smooth left hand defender Sam Dickinson from the OHL’s London Knights is a low risk pick, who should consistently develop and could eventually land in Seattle’s top four.

8. Calgary - Adam Jiricek, RHD (Plzen, Czechia) - Prospect management in Calgary has been abysmal, which is why looking at their system can be a disheartening experience for fans. Taking the best player available, regardless of position in this draft, should be Calgary’s mantra. In a world where right-handed defenders are at a premium, selecting and patiently developing Adam Jiricek is the smart pick. Like his brother, he could come to North America next season to join the AHL, or if needed, play for a team in the Canadian Hockey League.

9. Carolina - Konsta Helenius, RW (Jukurit, Liiga) - In recent seasons, Carolina has taken several swings at Russian prospects, which could lead them to stretch for Igor Chernyshov here. The safer, however, pick at this point is to grab Finnish forward Konsta Helenius, who's off to a solid start in Liiga — another popular source for Carolina picks. Fast and physically mature, Helenius could climb higher in the rankings by the time all is said and done, and if he’s available, Carolina should pounce.

10. Buffalo - Zayne Parekh, RHD (Saginaw, OHL) - With their top young defensive players — Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power — already in the NHL and a dearth of elite offensive players in or close to the NHL, going back to the blue line looks like the safe move in Buffalo. There are few defenders in this draft with the ability to offensively contribute like Zayne Parekh of the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit, who scored 21 goals in the league as a rookie and is off to a roaring start once again, scoring at over a point per game through the opening month. Power and Dahlin are also both left shots, so adding a right handed option to future power play units would be a steal.

11. Nashville - Henry Mews, RHD (Ottawa, OHL) - Always good, but never quite good (or bad) enough has left Nashville picking the middle of the opening-round more often than not recently. Nashville’s blue line is aging, so continuing to add high-potential prospects like Ottawa’s Henry Mews fits both a retool, and possible rebuild scenario. Mews loves to join the rush and is an exciting defender when he activates from the blueline. Nashville fans have been lucky enough to watch Roman Josi do it for years, and Mews could help ease the loss of Josi in the coming years.

12. St. Louis - Trevor Connelly, C (Tri-City, USHL) - It’s not hard to envision Trevor Connolly centering a line with 2022 first-round pick Jimmy Snuggerud or Dalibor Dvorsky on his flank in the future. A born shooter, Connelly also has high-end playmaking skills to help set up those wingers. He’s headed to Providence College next year, taking the NCAA route which has become a fast-track path to pro hockey for many.

13. New York Islanders - Ryder Ritchie, RW (Prince Albert, WHL) - The New York Islanders have been close, but have failed to get over the hump to stick with the NHL’s elite. Looking at their prospect pool, it’s not rife with blue chip forward prospects, so taking Ritchie, a creative winger who can serve as a playmaker and score, would be a welcome addition to their pool.

14. Ottawa - Aron Kiviharju, LHD (HIFK, Liiga) - Early apologies to Aron Kiviharju, after the Senators placed two defenders who were recent first-round picks on waivers earlier this fall. Ottawa has a young and skilled blue line core, but adding Kiviharju to that group — particularly given that he may need a few seasons in the AHL, — would mark an excellent addition, avoiding the organization’s urge to rush him and allowing the skill that had Kiviharju as a favorite to go top-five to flourish.

15. Philadelphia (via Florida) Igor Chernyshov, LW (Dynamo Moscow, MHL) - The Flyers currently have two picks in the middle of the opening-round, allowing them to take a risk early. Igor Chernyshov definitely has an element of risk, but with immense upside that comes with his size and skill. Only under contract through next season, Chernyshov has more flexibility than most Russian prospects to join an NHL program soon.

16. Chicago (via Tampa Bay) Maxim Massé, RW (Chicoutimi, QMJHL) - Considering we pegged Chicago to choose a defender with their first pick of the opening-round, adding a skilled winger who can someday become a running mate for Connor Bedard feels like the right selection in Chicago. Maxim Massé is scoring well over a point per game early in the QMJHL and had a good showing for Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

17. Arizona - Carter Yakemchuk, RHD (Calgary, WHL) - There’s a lot to like about Arizona’s young talent pool at the moment, and last year at the draft, they showed interest in swinging for the fences with their picks. Heading in a slightly safer direction, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Arizona select a blueliner like 6-foot-2 right-shot defender Carter Yakemchuk. He’s off to a strong offensive start and could someday play a key role on Arizona’s powerplay.

18. Winnipeg - Zeev Buium, LHD (University of Denver, NCAA) - One of Winnipeg’s needs is help on the blue line in their prospect pool. Luckily for the Jets, there is strong defensive depth in the first-round of this draft, including Zeev Buium. The left-shot defenseman is already enjoying a strong start to his NCAA career, and given another season in college hockey, could be NHL-ready sooner than later. He’s on the small side, but fits the mold of a modern puck-moving defender that is coveted.

19. Montreal - Cole Hutson, LHD (USNTDP) - There’s this young defensive prospect with the last name Hutson that many Montreal fans already love. It would be an incredible reunion bringing Cole Hutson to Montreal to play with his brother Lane. Similar to Lane, Cole is a good skater, creative, and loves to join the attack. They might be too similar for Montreal to want both, but can you ever have too much of a good thing?

20. Columbus - Sacha Boisvert, C (Muskegon, USHL) - It’s been a rough stretch for Columbus fans, but there are some reasons for hope, most notably compiling one of the best young defensive cores in the NHL. That’s why it’s likely the Blue Jackets likely look elsewhere with this pick, which could become 6-foot-2 pivot Sacha Boisvert. Headed to North Dakota next season, Boisvert can really bury the puck. He’s still filling out, but when he adds even more strength to his shot and stride, watch out.

21. Philadelphia - Michael Hage, C (Chicago, USHL) - Another pick in the opening-round for Philly, so why not take a second swing? In recent years, few players have been hyped like Michael Hage, but his stock suffered after missing almost all of last year with an injury. Now back and healthy, Hage has a season to claim his spot in the opening-round…or fall flat out of the mix. The potential with this player is immense, and as a second opening-round pick, the risk is one worth taking.

22. Minnesota - Charlie Elick, RHD (Brandon, WHL) - Minnesota has selected forwards with four of their last five first-round picks, and the fifth was a goaltender. It’s time to change things up and grab a defender earlier, and Elick is one of the last remaining first-round caliber blueliners. He’s playing big minutes in Brandon, and for a team wanting to take defensive talent, the pool shrinks following the opening tier in the draft.

23. Los Angeles - Matvei Shuravin, LHD (Krasnaya Armiya Moskva, MHL) - While Shuravin wasn’t in Yahoo’s initial top 25, he’s shown upside, not only as a mobile defender with a 6-foot-3 frame, but in holding his own among tough competition in stints with CSKA of the KHL. Right now, Shuravin isn’t producing big numbers at the junior or pro level, but he’s got a toolkit that suggests he could develop that portion of his game. A bit of a project, but one worth taking on.

24. Toronto - Emil Hemming, RW (TPS, Liiga) - We haven’t seen a full NHL draft cycle without Kyle Dubas involved in Toronto recently. Hemming is a big-bodied forward making positive strides in Liiga, while looking dominant against his peers at the U-20 level, and at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. If he’s still available at this point in the draft, Toronto will be a happy team.

25. Vancouver - Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW (Mora, Allsvenskan) - Sometimes a player just feels like they belong with a specific franchise, and Brandsegg-Nygard matches Vancouver’s drafting profile in recent years. What does that mean exactly? High risk, high reward. Playing against pros in Allsvenskan, he’s getting limited time and opportunities. At the junior level, he’s been dominant. Which version of the Norwegian prospect is real? Time will tell.

26. New York Rangers - Veeti Väisänen, LHD (KooKoo, Liiga) - Väisänen is a beautiful skater, and that mobility has served Väisänen well in Liiga. He’s performed admirably to open the season against veteran pros and could find himself climbing higher into the opening-round if he can continue to put up points.

27. Detroit - Tanner Howe, LW (Regina, WHL) - Imagine a smaller forward who can flat out score making their way to Detroit and finding success. Wings fans will know this story well with Alex DeBrincat, and Howe has the potential to become that kind of player. Some expected his offense to drop off without Connor Bedard by his side, but Howe is actually scoring more this year. He’s the kind of player that teams end up kicking themselves for passing on later.

28. Dallas - Cayden Lindstrom, C (Medicine Hat, WHL) - A 6-foot-5 forward who is scoring more than a point per game in the WHL. Lindstrom has good skill for his size, but also likes to use his frame to gain pucks, and take space at the net. He’s a bit of a project, but his assets are enticing.

29. San Jose (via New Jersey) - Lian Greentree, RW (Windsor, OHL) - This second pick in the opening-round may depend on who San Jose takes at the top. If they nab Celebrini, a winger may remain on the table, however, if they end up with Eiserman or Demidov, we could be looking at a blueliner here. Greentree thinks the game well, can shoot, but will need to continue to develop his skating.

30. Colorado - Beckett Sennecke, RW (Oshawa, OHL) - It hasn’t been a dream start for Sennecke in Oshawa, but he’s showing a diverse arsenal on the attack. The key to his game is balance, and the fact he’s an intelligent player. He won’t wow you with one particular attribute, but the end result is often positive.

31. Ottawa (via Boston) - Adam Jecho, C (Edmonton, WHL) - It’s been a relatively smooth transition to North America for the 6-foot-5 Czech center. Likely a player teams would consider switching to the wing, Jecho is a good skater for his size.

32. Vegas - Anthony Cristoforo, RHD (Windsor, OHL) - Rounding out a deep first-round of defenders, which could also include players like Will Skahan and EJ Emery from the USNTDP, the edge goes to Cristoforo who is outperforming his peers early. He plays a well-balanced game, and utilizes his tuned skill set to make up for the size he lacks.