Patience is required for every draft class, but it seems that will be especially true of this one. 

In these early stages of the scouting season, this looks like a class dominated by toolsy, taller players with the upside to fill premier roles in an NHL lineup – if everything breaks right. Development will be critical. 

For the very upper echelons of the draft, NHL-ready talent remains. Macklin Celebrini looked like the top prospect entering the season, and he remains in the pole position after a blazing start to the year with Boston University. 

The endlessly creative Ivan Demidov and the automatic goalscorer Cole Eiserman round out the top-three, but Cayden Lindstrom is working his way into the after-Macklin tier. The 6-foot-4 power centre has the complete package of skill, speed, and smarts. If his development and production continue at their torrid paces, there could be changes in the top-three. 

While 2024 might not have quite the same top-end talent as 2023, it’s a rebound year for defencemen. 

The elusive and confident Anton Silayev is holding down a regular role in the KHL, and producing. Did we mention he’s 6-foot-7? The 6-foot-3 Sam Dickinson teleports from one corner of the ice to the next – that’s how fast he is. There are dynamic talents, like Zayne Parekh and Cole Hutson. And potential do-it-all’ers in Artyom Levshunov and Adam Jiříček. 

Ask our scouts how the defencemen in this class should be ranked, and everyone will give a different answer – it’s just one of those years. 

In the early stages, it also looks like a rebound year for Canadian goaltenders thanks to the hot starts of Ryerson Leenders and Carter George.