Stars Re-Sign Matt Duchene
3:49 PM: The Stars have announced the signing.
9:28 AM: UFA center Matt Duchene won’t test the market. He’s returning to the Stars on a one-year deal worth roughly $3MM, per Chris Johnston of The Athletic.
It’s a great deal for Dallas, who gets Duchene on a solid discount and reserves cap space for later in the day. Assuming a $3MM cap hit, they still have nearly $15MM in space with nine open roster spots. It isn’t enough to keep deadline pickup Chris Tanev around, though – the veteran blue-liner landed with the Maple Leafs on a six-year deal after they acquired his signing rights via trade during the draft.
The deal could be identical to the one-year, $3MM pact that landed him in Dallas as a free agent last summer. Duchene was a surprise addition to the market after having the final three seasons of his seven-year, $56MM deal with the Predators bought out.
It’s hardly an unexpected outcome. Reporting over the last month indicated strong mutual interest in an extension, and Duchene was public about his willingness to take a discount.
A considerable discount it is for the 33-year-old, who had 25 goals and 65 points in 80 games for Dallas last year. He was the No. 5 free agent on our Top 50 list.
Duchene will be relied upon heavily to help replace the offense lost by Joe Pavelski‘s expected retirement. It’s a solid bet that he’ll keep up his previous level of production – it’s roughly in line with his averages over the past three years.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Panthers, Sam Reinhart Agree To Eight-Year Deal
8:33 a.m.: Florida has made Reinhart’s extension official.
6:56 a.m.: The Panthers managed to get top pending UFA right winger Sam Reinhart signed to a max-term, eight-year extension before last night’s midnight ET deadline, per multiple reports (including Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic). As such, last year’s 57-goal man is off the market and will stay with the defending Stanley Cup champions through the 2031-32 season. The deal will carry an annual cap hit of $8.625MM, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
They ran close to the deadline, but Florida has found a way to sign Reinhart to the maximum extension after a career-defining year on the team’s top line. Reinhart chased history, with his 57 goals the most scored by any Panther in the club’s history, save for Pavel Bure. Reinhart added 37 assists, bringing his scoring up to a career-high 94 points in 82 games. The totals trump his previous career-high of 82 points – set during his first year with the Panthers in 2021-22. But it wasn’t just all offense, as Reinhart also finished fourth in Selke Trophy voting – the first behind finalists Aleksander Barkov, Jordan Staal, and Auston Matthews.
Reinhart achieved his scoring on the back of fantastic shooting any time he came close to the slot. That made him all the more dangerous when he had extra space on the power play, with Reinhart scoring a league-leading 27 goals on the man advantage this year. He kept things hot in the postseason, too, with nine goals and 15 points in 22 games – one more goal and assist than he managed in 21 playoff games last year.
Florida acquired Reinhart’s rights in July of 2021, trading away the rights to goaltender Devon Levi and the first-round selection used on Jiri Kulich. The deal, most notably, freed Reinhart from a middling Sabres team. Reinhart had found success in Buffalo, scoring 20 goals in five of his six seasons with the Sabres and flirting with the 50-point mark. But with little support around him, Reinhart was tasked with the duties of play-driving and even taking faceoffs, pulling him away from the high-tempo offense he clearly prefers.
That role has changed with the Panthers, who have been much more content to let Reinhart play a shoot-first game from the wing. That’s certainly helped along by Florida’s much-improved center depth, headlined by the incredibly quick and always-responsible Barkov. The change has clearly inspired something within Reinhart, who’s posted 121 goals and 243 points across 242 games with the Panthers.
Reinhart now receives the contract of a lineup staple, though surprisingly avoiding the illustrious $9MM figure that many top players are seeking. Only 11 players have scored 50 or more goals in the last five seasons. Of them, Chris Kreider is the only other player not making at least $9MM. He instead carries a very team-friendly $6.5MM cap hit through the next three seasons. Florida couldn’t get so lucky to sign Reinhart to that kind of deal, but they’ll come close by keeping him under $8.75MM.
With a new deal in place, Reinhart is destined for a starring role in Florida for as long as he can hold onto it. Meanwhile, the team will now enter the open market with $10.892MM in cap space. They still need to re-sign restricted free agents Anton Lundell and Josh Mahura – and will still sit three forwards and one defender shy after those deals. That could set them up for a few meager additions on the open market, though strained cap space could have Florida instead looking to promote players like Mackie Samoskevich, Rasmus Asplund, or Michael Benning.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Hurricanes, Jaccob Slavin In Agreement On Eight-Year Extension
July 1: Slavin’s extension today will be an eight-year deal with a cap hit of $6.43MM, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports.
June 14: A large slate of pending free agents still plagues Hurricanes interim general manager Eric Tulsky‘s to-do list over the next few weeks, but as previously reported, it’s not the organization’s only top priority. The team has all but agreed to terms on an extension for defenseman Jaccob Slavin, which should be announced promptly when he becomes eligible to sign on July 1, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said on Friday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast.
Slavin, 30, is entering the final season of a bargain-bin seven-year, $5.3MM AAV extension inked back in 2017.
It’s no surprise to see Carolina aggressively try to retain arguably their most consistent blue liner of the past decade amid an offseason of change that could see them lose both members of their second pairing, Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei, to unrestricted free agency. They’ve been discussing the framework of a deal for at least the past few weeks, per The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta. The 6’3″ Colorado native would have been one of the top targets available on the UFA market in 2025 if he remained unsigned.
Slavin, who has finished top 20 in Norris Trophy voting for seven years in a row, has spent his entire career in Raleigh since being drafted by the Canes in the fourth round in 2012. Not only does getting an extension out of the way early quell any rumors of the franchise cornerstone leaving next summer, but it also provides them with an increased deal of cost certainty as the salary cap increases in 2025 and beyond.
It’s a stark contrast to their situation this summer, where nine everyday players are still pending free agents. They still have nearly $24MM in cap space to burn after inking defenseman Jalen Chatfield to an extension, which will likely all be used up as they navigate losing and replacing some top-of-the-lineup skaters.
The extension comes after a bit of an odd platform year for Slavin. After years of being the club’s de facto top-pairing anchor by ice time, head coach Rod Brind’Amour rolled three pairings almost equally at even strength after offseason signing Dmitry Orlov gave them five arguably top-pairing talents on the roster. With Orlov also taking away some special teams usage from Slavin, his ice time dipped to 20:56 per game, the lowest of his career.
That didn’t stop his offensive production from rebounding from last season’s disappointing figures, though. Slavin recorded 31 assists and 37 points, the second-most in a single season in his career. The Canes also controlled more than 60% of shot attempts with Slavin on the ice at even strength for the second year in a row.
Slavin served as part of Carolina’s leadership group last season along with Jordan Martinook and captain Jordan Staal. He and Chatfield will be the only defenders under contract for the 2025-26 season as the Canes look to build out their defense of the future.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Lightning Sign Jake Guentzel To Seven-Year Contract
The Lightning have taken our No. 1-ranked UFA off the board. After acquiring his signing rights from the Hurricanes yesterday, they’ve locked in left winger Jake Guentzel on a seven-year, $63MM deal ($9MM cap hit), per a team announcement.
Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic has the full breakdown of the deal:
2024-25: $1MM base salary, $12.26MM signing bonus, no-move clause
2025-26: $1MM base salary, $8.95MM signing bonus, NMC
2026-27: $3.96MM base salary, $4MM signing bonus, NMC
2027-28: $1MM base salary, $6.96MM signing bonus, NMC
2028-29: $1MM base salary, $6.96MM signing bonus, 10-team trade list
2029-30: $1MM base salary, $6.96MM signing bonus, 10-team trade list
2030-31: $1MM base salary, $6.96MM signing bonus, 10-team trade list
While many had questioned Guentzel’s value after spending nearly all of his eight-year NHL career stapled to Sidney Crosby‘s wing in Pittsburgh, a trade deadline deal to Carolina proved beyond a reasonable doubt that he’s a top-flight first-line talent in his own right. The 29-year-old has averaged more than a point per game over the last six seasons, totaling 189 goals, 221 assists and 410 points in 398 games since his breakout 40-goal campaign with the Penguins in 2018-19.
Carolina acquired Guentzel at the trade deadline, hoping to get him signed to an extension as he hurtled toward free agency, but it wasn’t in the cards. Guentzel’s initial ask was a reported eight-year, $64MM deal ($8MM AAV), something the Hurricanes weren’t willing to meet until too late in the process, LeBrun said last week. He was excellent down the stretch while alternating between Carolina’s top two forward lines, ending the year with eight goals and 17 assists for 25 points in 17 games with a +16 rating. Playing mostly alongside Sebastian Aho in the playoffs, Guentzel continued his reputation as a strong playoff performer with four goals and five assists in 11 contests.
A third-round pick of the Penguins in 2013, Guentzel played a key role in the second of the Penguins’ back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2017. He led the league in playoff goal-scoring as a rookie, lighting the lamp 13 times in 25 games – five of which were game-winners.
It’s clear that Lightning GM Julien BriseBois is banking on Guentzel being a more expensive yet more sustainable long-term replacement for Steven Stamkos. Their longtime captain is expected to find a new home on the open market today after failing to come to terms on an extension.
In Tampa, Guentzel could form one of the most terrifying top lines in the league alongside Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point. Kucherov is coming off a 100-assist, 144-point campaign that won him the second Art Ross Trophy of his career, while Point has hovered around the 50-goal mark for the past two seasons.
The Lightning have $7.5MM in projected cap space remaining for 2024-25 after the Guentzel signing, per CapFriendly. They still have six open roster spots, including newly acquired RFA defenseman J.J. Moser.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Jonathan Marchessault To Hit Open Market
It appears the Jonathan Marchessault era in Vegas is over. The Golden Knights’ 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy winner didn’t agree to an extension as of last night and is set to find a new home in free agency today, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports.
Getting a Marchessault extension done in Vegas was always going to be a difficult proposition without a significant cap-clearing move, something that hasn’t happened to date. He’s likely to command upward of $6MM annually on the open market, a figure that would have swallowed up all of the Golden Knights’ remaining space, even with goaltender Robin Lehner‘s $5MM cap hit projected to remain on long-term injured reserve next season.
Among the teams expected to express interest in the 33-year-old today include the Devils, reports The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta. They’re on the hunt for a top-six winger, especially after parting ways with prospect Alexander Holtz via trade to the Golden Knights and with Dawson Mercer and Ondřej Palát coming off underwhelming seasons.
Both Vegas and Marchessault were intent on a reunion, but today’s news isn’t the most surprising. LeBrun had indicated last week that Marchessault was preparing to move on from Sin City without an agreement in close reach.
The Québec native immediately becomes one of the most attractive goal-scoring options on the market and will almost certainly have a new home within hours. He’s coming off a career-high 42 goals for Vegas while also playing in all 82 games for the second time in his career. He added 27 assists for 69 points, six short of his career-high of 75 set with the Knights back in 2017-18. Some regression should be expected, though, as he shot 4.2% higher than his career average of 11.6% last year.
PHR Live Chat Transcript: Free Agency 2024
It’s the busiest day of the year for hockey fans and writers alike. The unrestricted free agent market opens at 11 a.m. CT and will see a flurry of action, including some star power changing hands. PHR’s Josh Erickson is kicking off today’s festivities with a live chat beginning at 7 a.m. CT. You can view the transcript using this link.
Blackhawks Sign Tyler Bertuzzi To Four-Year Deal
Multiple reports overnight indicate the Blackhawks are expected to land winger Tyler Bertuzzi when the UFA market opens at 11 a.m. CT today, although Daily Faceoff’s Jay Rosehill was on it first. It’ll be a four-year, $22MM deal ($5.5MM AAV), David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports.
Chicago will be Bertuzzi’s first turn after a one-year stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Bertuzzi joined Toronto on a one-year, $5.5MM deal last summer and proceeded to have a fine year, netting 21 goals and 43 points in 80 games. He also added four points in seven postseason games. It was a middling performance, though still a step up from Bertuzzi’s 2022-23 campaign.
He kicked off that year with 14 points in 29 games with the Detroit Red Wings before being traded to the Boston Bruins at the 2023 Trade Deadline in exchange for a 2024 first-round pick and a 2025 fourth-round pick. Bertuzzi managed a modest 16 points in 21 regular season games with Boston, though he found his spark when the team needed him – tallying 10 points, split evenly, in seven games during the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Bertuzzi looked comfortable in Boston after spending the previous six seasons with the Detroit Red Wings. Detroit originally drafted Bertuzzi in the second half of the 2013 NHL Draft’s second round, promoting him to the NHL in the 2016-17 season. And while he was able to set a trend of topping 45 points each season in Detroit, there were concerns about how his rough-and-tumble style would translate to a new scene. That made a strong performance with the Bruins imperative – and Bertuzzi held up enough to convince Toronto that they were missing his top-of-the-lineup grit.
But Bertuzzi wasn’t able to carve out too comfortable of a role with the Leafs. He spent the year bouncing around the team’s top six as they looked for how to best deploy their new additions of Bertuzzi and Max Domi. In the end, it was Domi who found more comfort next to stars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner – ultimately kicking Bertuzzi down to the second line. Toronto, amidst their typical cap crunch, was only expected to keep one of these new additions and made their choice by delivering a four-year extension to Domi.
That leaves Bertuzzi free to join an up-and-coming Blackhawks club. He joins the lineup as, presently, their highest-paid forward, speaking to the leadership role he’ll have over a group of young forwards, headlined by star youngsters Connor Bedard and Artyom Levshunov. Bertuzzi could vie for a role on Bedard’s line, sat opposite Taylor Hall, though it seems more likely that the Hawks keep Philipp Kurashev next to their star and use Bertuzzi to offer a punch on the second line. If that is the role he finds himself in, Bertuzzi will instead be supporting top prospect Frank Nazar, who’s poised for his rookie season after signing an entry-level contract this summer.
A four-year deal will carry Bertuzzi through his age-33 season in 2027-28. With Bertuzzi signed, Chicago now has $23.4MM in cap space, with one forward spot and three defense spots still open. Some of those roles could go to prospects like Nick Lardis, Ethan Del Mastro, or Nolan Allan – though Chicago still has plenty of budget for other free-agent additions.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
2024 NHL Draft Pick Tracker
June 29, 2:40 p.m.: The draft is now complete. The full order of selection and list of picks throughout all seven rounds can be found below.
June 29, 10:00 a.m.: Day 2 of the draft is kicking off shortly! Keep up with your team’s later-round picks using our pick tracker below. You can also check out all of yesterday’s pick swaps and the trades leading up to the picks with our offseason trade tracker.
June 28: The 2024 NHL Draft at Sphere in Las Vegas is getting underway momentarily. We’re providing in-depth coverage on all the happenings tonight and Saturday for Rounds Two through Seven, but if you’re looking for a quick reference list of who’s been picked, we’ve got you covered. This tracker will be updated live all throughout tonight and tomorrow.
As the first round progresses, you can check out how well our Gabriel Foley did at projecting the picks with his 2024 Mock Draft.
First Round
1. San Jose Sharks – C Macklin Celebrini / Boston University (NCAA)
2. Chicago Blackhawks – D Artyom Levshunov / Michigan State (NCAA)
3. Anaheim Ducks – RW Beckett Sennecke / Oshawa Generals (OHL)
4. Columbus Blue Jackets – C Cayden Lindstrom / Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
5. Montreal Canadiens – RW Ivan Demidov / SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)
6. Utah Hockey Club – C Tij Iginla / Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
7. Ottawa Senators – D Carter Yakemchuk / Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
8. Seattle Kraken – C Berkly Catton / Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
9. Calgary Flames – D Zayne Parekh / Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
10. New Jersey Devils – D Anton Silayev / Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
11. San Jose Sharks (from BUF) – D Sam Dickinson / London Knights (OHL)
12. Minnesota Wild (from PHI) – D Zeev Buium / University of Denver (NCAA)
13. Philadelphia Flyers (from MIN) – C Jett Luchanko / Guelph Storm (OHL)
14. Buffalo Sabres (from PIT) – C Konsta Helenius / Jukurit (Liiga)
15. Detroit Red Wings – RW Michael Brandsegg-Nygård / Mora IK (HockeyAllsvenskan)
16. St. Louis Blues – D Adam Jiříček / HC Plzeň (Czechia)
17. Washington Capitals – RW Terik Parascak / Prince George Cougars (WHL)
18. Chicago Blackhawks (from NYI) – C Sacha Boisvert / Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
19. Vegas Golden Knights – LW Trevor Connelly / Tri-City Storm (USHL)
20. New York Islanders (from TBL) – LW Cole Eiserman / U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
21. Montreal Canadiens (from LAK) – C Michael Hage / Chicago Steel (USHL)
22. Nashville Predators – C Yegor Surin / Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)
23. Anaheim Ducks (from TOR) – D Stian Solberg / Vålerenga (Norway)
24. Utah Hockey Club (from COL) – C Cole Beaudoin / Barrie Colts (OHL)
25. Boston Bruins – C Dean Letourneau / St. Andrew’s College (U18 AAA)
26. Los Angeles Kings (from WPG) – RW Liam Greentree / Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
27. Chicago Blackhawks (from CAR) – LW Marek Vanacker / Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
28. Calgary Flames (from VAN) – RW Matvei Gridin / Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
29. Dallas Stars – RW Emil Hemming / TPS (Liiga)
30. New York Rangers – D EJ Emery / U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
31. Toronto Maple Leafs (from EDM) – D Ben Danford / Oshawa Generals (OHL)
32. Edmonton Oilers (from FLA) – RW Sam O’Reilly / London Knights (OHL)
Second Round
33. San Jose Sharks – LW Igor Chernyshov / Dynamo Moskva (KHL)
34. Carolina Hurricanes (from CHI) – D Dominik Badinka / Malmö Redhawks (SHL)
35. Anaheim Ducks – C Lucas Pettersson / MoDo Hockey J20 (J20 Nationell)
36. Columbus Blue Jackets – D Charlie Elick / Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
37. Winnipeg Jets (from MTL) – D Alfons Freij / Växjö Lakers HC J20 (J20 Nationell)
38. Colorado Avalanche (from UTA) – G Ilya Nabokov / Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)
39. Ottawa Senators – D Gabriel Eliasson / HV71 J20 (J20 Nationell)
40. Seattle Kraken – C Julius Miettinen / Everett Silvertips (WHL)
41. Calgary Flames – LW Andrew Basha / Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
42. Buffalo Sabres (from NJD) – D Adam Kleber / Lincoln Stars (USHL)
43. Washington Capitals (from BUF) – D Cole Hutson / U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
44. Pittsburgh Penguins (from PHI) – D Harrison Brunicke / Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
45. Minnesota Wild – RW Ryder Ritchie / Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
46. Pittsburgh Penguins – LW Tanner Howe / Regina Pats (WHL)
47. Detroit Red Wings – LW Max Plante / U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
48. St. Louis Blues – D Colin Ralph / Shattuck St. Mary’s 18U Prep (USHS-Prep)
49. New Jersey Devils (from WSH) – G Mikhail Yegorov / Omaha Lancers (USHL)
50. Carolina Hurricanes (from NYI) – LW Nikita Artamonov / Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
51. Philadelphia Flyers (Note: compensatory pick for not signing 2018 first-round pick Jay O’Brien) – C Jack Berglund / Färjestad BK J20 (J20 Nationell)
52. Washington Capitals (from VGK) – D Leon Muggli / EV Zug (NL)
53. San Jose Sharks (from TBL) – D Leo Sahlin Wallenius / Växjö Lakers HC J20 (J20 Nationell)
54. New York Islanders (from LAK) – D Jesse Pulkkinen / JYP (Liiga)
55. Nashville Predators – C Teddy Stiga / U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
56. St. Louis Blues (from TOR) – D Lukas Fischer / Sarnia Sting (OHL)
57. Los Angeles Kings (from COL) – G Carter George / Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
58. Florida Panthers (from BOS) – C Linus Eriksson / Djurgårdens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan)
59. Philadelphia Flyers (from WPG) – D Spencer Gill / Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL)
60. Columbus Blue Jackets (from CAR) – G Evan Gardner / Saskatoon Blades (WHL)
61. New York Islanders (from VAN) – C Kamil Bednarik / U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
62. Calgary Flames (from DAL) – RW Jacob Battaglia / Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
63. Seattle Kraken (from NYR) – C Nathan Villeneuve / Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
64. Edmonton Oilers – G Eemil Vinni / JoKP (Mestis)
65. Utah Hockey Club (from FLA) – D Will Skahan / U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
Third Round
66. Anaheim Ducks (from SJS) – RW Maxim Massé / Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
67. Chicago Blackhawks – C John Mustard / Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
68. Anaheim Ducks – C Ethan Procyszyn / North Bay Battalion (OHL)
69. Carolina Hurricanes (from CBJ) – D Noel Fransén / Färjestad BK J20 (J20 Nationell)
70. Montreal Canadiens – C Aatos Koivu / TPS U20 (U20 SM-sarja)
71. Buffalo Sabres (from UTA) – RW Brodie Ziemer / U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
72. Chicago Blackhawks (from OTT) – RW AJ Spellacy / Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
73. Seattle Kraken – D Alexis Bernier / Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
74. Calgary Flames – D Henry Mews / Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
75. Washington Capitals (from NJD) – LW Ilya Protas / Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)
76. Colorado Avalanche (from BUF) – LW William Zellers / Shattuck St. Mary’s 18U Prep (USHS-Prep)
77. Nashville Predators (from PHI) – D Viggo Gustafsson / HV71 J20 (J20 Nationell)
78. Montreal Canadiens (from MIN) – C Logan Sawyer / Brooks Bandits (BCHL)
79. Anaheim Ducks (from PIT) – D Tarin Smith / Everett Silvertips (WHL)
80. Detroit Red Wings – C Ondřej Becher / Prince George Cougars (WHL)
81. St. Louis Blues – LW Ondrej Kos / KOOVEE (Mestis)
82. San Jose Sharks (from WSH) – RW Carson Wetsch / Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
83. Vegas Golden Knights (from NYI) – G Pavel Moysevich / SKA-Neva St. Petersburg (VHL)
84. Calgary Flames (from VGK) – G Kirill Zarubin / AKM Tula (MHL)
85. New Jersey Devils (from TBL) – RW Kasper Pikkarainen / TPS U20 (U20 SM-sarja)
86. Columbus Blue Jackets (from LAK) – D Luca Marrelli / Oshawa Generals (OHL)
87. Nashville Predators – RW Miguel Marques / Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
88. Seattle Kraken (from TOR) – G Kim Saarinen / HPK U20 (U20 SM-sarja)
89. Utah Hockey Club (from COL) – D Tomas Lavoie / Cape Breton Eagles (QMJHL)
90. Washington Capitals (from BOS) – LW Ēriks Mateiko / Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
91. New Jersey Devils (from WPG) – RW Herman Träff / HV71 J20 (J20 Nationell)
92. Chicago Blackhawks (from CAR) – RW Jack Pridham / West Kelowna Warriors (BCHL)
93. Vancouver Canucks – RW Melvin Fernström / Örebro HK J20 (J20 Nationell)
94. Nashville Predators (from DAL) – RW Hiroki Gojsic / Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
95. St. Louis Blues (from NYR) – C Adam Jecho / Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
96. Utah Hockey Club (from EDM) – D Veeti Väisänen / KooKoo (Liiga)
97. Florida Panthers – D Matvei Shuravin / Krasnaya Armiya Mosvka (MHL)
Fourth Round
98. Utah Hockey Club (from SJS) – D Gregor Biber / Rögle BK J20 (J20 Nationell)
99. Nashville Predators (from CHI) – G Jakub Milota / Cape Breton Eagles (QMJHL)
100. Anaheim Ducks – C Alexandre Blais / Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL)
101. Columbus Blue Jackets – D Tanner Henricks / Lincoln Stars (USHL)
102. Montreal Canadiens – D Owen Protz / Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
103. Utah Hockey Club – C Gabe Smith / Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
104. Ottawa Senators – LW Lucas Ellinas / Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
105. Seattle Kraken – C Ollie Josephson / Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
106. Calgary Flames – RW Trevor Hoskin / Cobourg Cougars (OJHL)
107. Philadelphia Flyers (from NJD) – C Heikki Ruohonen / Kiekko-Espoo U20 (U20 SM-sarja)
108. Buffalo Sabres – D Luke Osburn / Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
109. Winnipeg Jets (from PHI) – LW Kevin He / Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
110. Minnesota Wild – D Elliott Groenewold / Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL)
111. Pittsburgh Penguins – D Chase Pietila / Michigan Tech (NCAA)
112. Ottawa Senators (from DET) – LW Javon Moore / Minnetonka High (USHS-MN)
113. St. Louis Blues – C Tomas Mrsic / Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
114. Washington Capitals – G Nicholas Kempf / U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
115. New York Islanders – G Dmitry Gamzin / Zvezda Moskva (VHL)
116. San Jose Sharks (from VGK) – G Christian Kirsch / Zug U20 (U20-Elit)
117. Ottawa Senators (from TBL) – LW Blake Montgomery / Lincoln Stars (USHL)
118. Tampa Bay Lightning (from LAK) – D Jan Goličič / Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)
119. New York Rangers (from NSH) – C Raoul Boilard / Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
120. Toronto Maple Leafs – D Victor Johansson / Leksands IF J20 (J20 Nationell)
121. Colorado Avalanche – C Jake Fisher / Fargo Force (USHL)
122. Minnesota Wild (from BOS) – D Aron Kiviharju / HIFK (Liiga)
123. Buffalo Sabres (from WPG) – D Simon-Pier Brunet / Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)
124. Carolina Hurricanes – D Alexander Siryatsky / Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL)
125. Vancouver Canucks – C Riley Patterson / Barrie Colts (OHL)
126. Detroit Red Wings (from DAL) – G Landon Miller / Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
127. Nashville Predators (from NYR) – LW Viktor Nörringer / Frölunda HC J20 (J20 Nationell)
128. Tampa Bay Lightning (from EDM) – RW Hagen Burrows / Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
129. Florida Panthers – C Simon Zether / Rögle BK (SHL)
Fifth Round
130. Montreal Canadiens (from SJS) – RW Tyler Thorpe / Vancouver Giants (WHL)
131. San Jose Sharks (from CHI) – D Colton Roberts / Vancouver Giants (WHL)
132. Colorado Avalanche (from ANA) – G Louka Cloutier / Chicago Steel (USHL)
133. Carolina Hurricanes (from CBJ) – LW Oskar Vuollet / Skellefteå AIK J20 (J20 Nationell)
134. Montreal Canadiens – G Mikus Vecvanags / Tukums (Latvia2)
135. Utah Hockey Club – C Owen Allard / Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
136. Ottawa Senators – D Eerik Wallenius / HPK U18 (U18 SM-sarja)
137. Colorado Avalanche (from SEA) – G Ivan Yunin / Yastreby Omsk U18 (Russia U18)
138. Chicago Blackhawks (from CGY) – C Joel Svensson / Växjö Lakers HC J20 (J20 Nationell)
139. New Jersey Devils – C Max Graham / Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
140. Minnesota Wild (from BUF) – D Sebastian Soini / KOOVEE (Mestis)
141. Seattle Kraken (from PHI) – LW Clarke Caswell / Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
142. Minnesota Wild – G Chase Wutzke / Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
143. San Jose Sharks (from PIT) – D Nate Misskey / Victoria Royals (WHL)
144. Detroit Red Wings – D John Whipple / U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
145. St. Louis Blues – D William McIsaac / Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
146. New Jersey Devils (from WSH) – G Veeti Louhivaara / JYP U20 (U20 SM-sarja)
147. New York Islanders – G Marcus Gidlöf / Leksands IF J20 (J20 Nationell)
148. Philadelphia Flyers (from VGK) – RW Noah Powell / Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)
149. Tampa Bay Lightning – C Joona Saarelainen / KalPa U20 (U20 SM-sarja)
150. Calgary Flames (from LAK) – C Luke Misa / Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
151. Toronto Maple Leafs (from NSH) – C Miroslav Holinka / HC Oceláři Třinec U20 (Czechia U20)
152. Toronto Maple Leafs – LW Alexander Plesovskikh / Mamonty Yugry (MHL)
153. Utah Hockey Club (from COL) – D Aleš Čech / BK Mladá Boleslav (Czechia)
154. Boston Bruins – C Jonathan Morello / St. Michael’s Buzzers (OJHL)
155. Winnipeg Jets – C Markus Loponen / Kärpät U20 (U20 SM-sarja)
156. Carolina Hurricanes – RW Justin Poirier / Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
157. Toronto Maple Leafs (from VAN) – G Timofei Obvintsev / Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)
158. Dallas Stars – D Niilopekka Muhonen / KalPa U20 (U20 SM-sarja)
159. New York Rangers – LW Nathan Aspinall / Flint Firebirds (OHL)
160. Edmonton Oilers – LW Connor Clattenburg / Flint Firebirds (OHL)
161. Colorado Avalanche (from FLA) – C Maxmilian Curran / Tri-City Americans (WHL)
Sixth Round
162. Vancouver Canucks (from SJS) – RW Anthony Romani / North Bay Battalion (OHL)
163. Chicago Blackhawks – D Ty Henry / Erie Otters (OHL)
164. Los Angeles Kings (from ANA) – D Jared Woolley / London Knights (OHL)
165. Columbus Blue Jackets – D Luke Ashton / Langley Rivermen (BCHL)
166. Montreal Canadiens – C Ben Merrill / St. Sebastian’s School (USHS-Prep)
167. Utah Hockey Club – C Vojtěch Hradec / BK Mladá Boleslav (Czechia)
168. Carolina Hurricanes (from OTT) – D Timur Kol / Omskie Krylia (VHL)
169. Florida Panthers (from SEA) – C Stepan Gorbunov / Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk (MHL)
170. Calgary Flames – C Hunter Laing / Prince George Cougars (WHL)
171. New Jersey Devils – C Matyáš Melovský / Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
172. Buffalo Sabres – D Patrick Geary / Michigan State (NCAA)
173. Philadelphia Flyers – RW Ilya Pautov / Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)
174. Minnesota Wild – D Stevie Leskovar / Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
175. Pittsburgh Penguins – D Joona Väisänen / Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)
176. Detroit Red Wings – LW Charlie Forslund / Falu IF J18 (J18 Region)
177. Calgary Flames (from STL) – D Eric Jamieson / Everett Silvertips (WHL)
178. Washington Capitals – C Petr Sikora / HC Oceláři Třinec U20 (Czechia U20)
179. New York Islanders – D Xavier Veilleux / Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
180. Vegas Golden Knights – LW Trent Swick / Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
181. Tampa Bay Lightning – C Kaden Pitre / Flint Firebirds (OHL)
182. Anaheim Ducks (from LAK) – RW Austin Burnevik / Madison Capitols (USHL)
183. Edmonton Oilers (from NSH) – D Albin Sundin / Frölunda HC J20 (J20 Nationell)
184. Carolina Hurricanes (from TOR) – D Roman Shokhrin / Loko-76 Yaroslavl (MHL)
185. Colorado Avalanche – D Tory Pitner / Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
186. Boston Bruins – D Loke Johansson / AIK J20 (J20 Nationell)
187. Winnipeg Jets – C Kieron Walton / Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
188. Carolina Hurricanes – LW Fyodor Avramov / Kapitan Stupino (MHL)
189. Vancouver Canucks – D Parker Alcos / Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
190. Utah Hockey Club (from DAL) – D Ludvig Lafton / Färjestad BK J20 (J20 Nationell)
191. New York Rangers – LW Rico Gredig / HC Davos (NL)
192. Edmonton Oilers – C Dalyn Wakely / North Bay Battalion (OHL)
193. Florida Panthers – LW Hunter St. Martin / Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Seventh Round
194. San Jose Sharks – G Yaroslav Korostelyov / SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)
195. Tampa Bay Lightning (from CHI) – LW Joe Connor / Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
196. Edmonton Oilers (from ANA) – C William Nicholl / London Knights (OHL)
197. Vegas Golden Knights (from CBJ) – C Lucas Van Vliet / U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
198. Los Angeles Kings (from MTL) – RW James Reeder / Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)
199. Tampa Bay Lightning (from UTA) – LW Noah Steen / Mora IK (HockeyAllsvenskan)
200. Toronto Maple Leafs (from OTT) – D Matthew Leahy / Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL)
201. Florida Panthers (from SEA) – G Denis Gabdrakhmanov / Tyumenski Legion (MHL)
202. Seattle Kraken (from CGY) – D Jakub Fibigr / Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
203. Detroit Red Wings (from NJD) – LW Austin Baker / U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
204. Buffalo Sabres – RW Vasily Zelenov / RB Hockey Juniors (AlpsHL)
205. Philadelphia Flyers – D Austin Moline / Shattuck St. Mary’s U18 Prep (USHS-Prep)
206. Tampa Bay Lightning (from MIN) – G Harrison Meneghin / Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
207. Pittsburgh Penguins – C Mac Swanson / Fargo Force (USHL)
208. Detroit Red Wings – D Fisher Scott / Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)
209. St. Louis Blues – C Antoine Dorion / Québec Remparts (QMJHL)
210. Montreal Canadiens (from WSH) – RW Makar Khanin / Dynamo St. Petersburg (VHL)
211. St. Louis Blues (from NYI) – C Matvei Korotky / SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)
212. Washington Capitals (from VGK) – C Miroslav Šatan / HC Slovan Bratislava U20 (Slovakia U20)
213. Nashville Predators (from TBL) – C Erik Påhlsson / Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)
214. Anaheim Ducks (from LAK) – D Darels Uļjanskis / AIK J20 (J20 Nationell)
215. Colorado Avalanche (from NSH) – C Christian Humphreys / U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
216. Toronto Maple Leafs – LW Sam McCue / Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
217. Colorado Avalanche – C Nikita Prishchepov / Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL)
218. Edmonton Oilers (from BOS) – D Bauer Berry / Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
219. Buffalo Sabres (from WPG) – G Ryerson Leenders / Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
220. Carolina Hurricanes – LW Andrei Krutov / Chaika Nizhny Novgorod (MHL)
221. Vancouver Canucks – D Basile Sansonnens / Gottéron U20 (U20-Elit)
222. Dallas Stars – C William Samuelsson / Södertälje SK J20 (J20 Nationell)
223. Pittsburgh Penguins (from NYR) – D Finn Harding / Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
224. Montreal Canadiens (from EDM) – D Rasmus Bergqvist / Skellefteå AIK J20 (J20 Nationell)
225. Toronto Maple Leafs (from FLA) – D Nathan Mayes / Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
Canadiens Select Ivan Demidov Fifth Overall
The Canadiens have taken star Russian winger Ivan Demidov, who’s fallen past his consensus No. 2 public ranking to Montreal at fifth overall.
The Canadiens organization should be pinching themselves with the reality that Demidov fell to them at fifth overall. Outside of Macklin Celebrini, there was a consensus that Demidov was the most talented player in the draft. However, much like the fall of Matvei Michkov in last year’s draft, it may take some time for Demidov to find his way to North America.
Demidov played most of the 2023-24 season with SKA-1946 of the MHL, a junior hockey league in Russia. With his contract rights owned by SKA St. Petersberg of the Kontinental Hockey League, Demidov should suit up for them as soon as next year.
This season, Demidov showed why he was one of the most dynamic players available in the 2024 NHL Draft with 23 goals and a 60-point effort in only 30 games. In the postseason, Demidov continued to put points on the board with 11 goals and 28 points in 17 playoff games.
There are some questions surrounding his play on the defensive side of the puck, but his offensive characteristics should play nicely for the Canadiens. Even if Demidov spends the next 2-3 years in his native Russia, he projects to be worth the wait for Montreal.
Blue Jackets Select Cayden Lindstrom Fourth Overall
The Blue Jackets have taken center Cayden Lindstrom with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. In just two years the Blue Jackets have selected their 1-2 combo at the center position at the top of the draft.
Lindstrom is a prototypical center who can score goals and use his size to his advantage. With a high motor and his ability to work in the corners, Columbus will not have any complaints about Lindstrom being their second-line center for the foreseeable future. In the WHL this season, Lindstrom scored 27 goals and 46 points in 32 games while scoring 46 goals and 88 points in 99 total games in the major junior league.
With a glut of forwards already on the roster at the NHL level, Lindstrom may be a prime choice to spend another year in the WHL to expand on his skills. Nevertheless, given that his body is already NHL-ready, the Blue Jackets may be bullish enough on the selection to have him crack the roster as soon as next season.
It was always going to be difficult for Columbus to make a bad selection at fourth overall since the team could use talent at nearly every position. In Lidstrom, the team maximized their selection in the top five by adding a top-notch heavy sniper.