Connect with us

Published

on

The 2024 NHL draft is taking place on Friday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN and ESPN+) and Saturday (11:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+) at Sphere in Las Vegas.

From the first round all the way to pick No. 225 in Round 7, this page is your home for every selection, including scouting notes from Rachel Doerrie, and team fit analysis for the 32 players taken in the first round from Ryan S. Clark and Greg Wyshynski.

More: Final mock
Prospect rankings
Profiles: Celebrini
Tij Iginla

Team: Boston University (H-EAST) | Rank: 1
DOB: 06/13/06 | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 190 | Shot: L
2023-24 stats: GP: 38 | G: 32 | A: 32 | P: 64

Scouting notes: There is no area of the game where legitimate concerns exist. Simply put, he does not have a weak point. He excels as a 200-foot player, making significant contributions on both ends of the ice.

Offensively, he navigates the middle of the ice, disrupts defensive schemes and finds passing lanes that others cannot. His puck protection skills, willingness to play through contact, spin off defenders and maintain play are qualities that will translate well to the NHL. Even without the puck, he remains a scoring threat due to his ability to find open spaces, keep his stick away from defenders and release the puck quickly. — Doerrie

Team fit: Rebuilds require cornerstone players. Celebrini appears to be just that, considering this year’s draft was commonly referred to as “The Celebrini Draft.” Finishing with the NHL’s worst record meant the Sharks had a number of areas that needed to be addressed. Among them: top-six forward help. Enter Celebrini.

While the possibility exists that Celebrini could return to BU for his sophomore year, he could be step right in to the Sharks’ lineup. Since 2005, the forwards that were selected with the No. 1 pick played the next season. It’s a list that includes Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, and last year’s No. 1 pick, Connor Bedard. Furthermore, Celebrini now officially becomes the face of a promising rebuild that already had Thomas Bordeleau, William Eklund, Mario Ferraro, Quinten Musty and the team’s 2023 first-round pick in Will Smith, who is leaving Boston College after one season having signed his entry-level contract with the Sharks. — Clark


Team: Michigan State (BIG10) | Rank: 3
DOB: 10/28/05 | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 208 | Shot: R
2023-24 stats: GP: 38 | G: 9 | A: 26 | P: 35

Scouting notes: The Belarusian is widely regarded as the best defender in the draft class, impressing scouts in many areas. A right-shot defenseman, he imposes himself physically and dictates offensive play. His rapid development has led scouts to believe he could quickly become an impactful two-way defenseman in the NHL. He excels at making good first passes, finding shooting lanes and taking control of the game from the blue line.

Though still raw defensively, he has tremendous upside due to his physical attributes, excellent skating ability and high puck battle success rate. Consistently engaged and a play driver at both ends of the ice, he has the potential to shift momentum. Levshunov could become a top-pairing defenseman who dictates play in transition and tilts the ice in his team’s favor. — Doerrie

Team fit: The Blackhawks found their next foundational player atop last year’s draft in forward Connor Bedard, who won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year on Thursday. But they also had to strip down their team to the foundations to get him. The duration of the rebuild around Bedard is entirely contingent on the players with whom they surround him. To the end, Levshunov is a huge addition, literally and figuratively.

The Blackhawks have some intriguing young defenseman in their system, but not enough of them. Kevin Korchinski played 76 games as a rookie last season and has some upside. Wyatt Kaiser split time between the Blackhawks and AHL Rockford. Sam Rinzel, selected 25th overall in 2022, had an outstanding first season with the University of Minnesota. But what they have in Levshunov is, for lack of a better label, “The Guy.” The giant blueliner that could be their Victor Hedman. Those dynastic Lightning teams were build on offensive stars like Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov, but they won Cups thanks to the efforts of Hedman on the back end. This draft could be looked back on as an essential moment of the Bedard Era in Chicago. — Wyshynski

play

0:35

Artyom Levshunov’s NHL draft profile

Check out the plays that helped make Michigan State’s Artyom Levshunov one of the top prospects in the NHL draft.


Team: Oshawa (OHL) | Rank: 13
DOB: 01/28/06 | Ht: 6-2.25 | Wt: 177 | Shot: R
2023-24 stats: GP: 63 | G: 27 | A: 41 | P: 68

Scouting notes: Offensively, it is difficult to find a weakness. He is a dual-threat menace in the offensive zone and dropped more jaws in one-on-one play than any other draft-eligible player in the OHL this season. His ability to force defenders into bad spots and manipulate his way around them is terrifying. Not only is he a threat in tight situations, but he’s also a threat in transition. The puck follows him around the ice, and he slices defensive coverage with ease through excellent reads, decisive passing and a quality shot.

Off the puck, he uses his awareness to win pucks back. As the season progressed, he became a nightmare on the forecheck, routinely hemming players in and winning pucks back. For lack of a better word, he’s a gamer. If he wants the puck, he’s more than likely going to end up with it on his stick. He’s not an elite skater, but he gets to where he needs to go, plays two steps ahead of his peers and makes his teammates better. There are teams that have him in their top five, and while that is a little high for me, it is easy to understand why scouts believe Sennecke could be a top-line player. — Doerrie

Team fit: Once again, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek went in a bit of an unexpected direction by taking Beckett Sennecke. The Ducks were in a bit of a tricky situation when it came to adding to their rebuild. Not that they couldn’t have used more forwards, but they already have quite a bit of youth with Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish, Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras. The same holds true with defensemen of course, with Jackson LaCombe and Pavel Mintyukov playing as rookies last season and another defenseman, Olen Zellweger, getting nine points in 26 games with the Ducks after spending the majority of the year in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls.

Now that they’ve added Sennecke, the Ducks have another top-six forward with size as the 6-foot-2 Sennecke would be someone who gives the Ducks another option in their attack. — Clark


Team: Medicine Hat (WHL) | Rank: 4
DOB: 02/03/06 | Ht: 6-3.25 | Wt: 210 | Shot: L
2023-24 stats: GP: 32 | G: 27 | A: 19 | P: 46

Scouting notes: Lindstrom combines speed, size and skill, making him a dominant force at the junior level. He effectively uses his frame to protect the puck, win battles and play through contact in challenging areas of the ice. His physical package and skating ability make him a formidable opponent on the rush and in puck battles. If he continues to develop his ability to play through contact, he has the tools to be an excellent power forward at the NHL level. His speed in transition keeps defensemen on their heels and he changes gears to create space.

Without the puck, he reads off his linemates well and finds open pockets of space. As a versatile offensive player, he knows when to use his physicality to create scoring chances or hold the puck to set up plays in the offensive zone. Although his injury history is a concern, projections indicate that Lindstrom could become a second-line center with the potential to score 70 points over a long period. He may take longer to develop, but a player with his toolbox is intriguing to many teams. — Doerrie

Team fit: This is the first Blue Jackets draft since 2012 that didn’t have Jarmo Kekalainen running the table. He was dismissed as general manager earlier this season, creating an opening for one of the NHL’s most interesting jobs. Columbus is a place where the bar for success is low and the talent in the prospect pool is high.

It just got higher. New GM Don Waddell, who took over the Blue Jackets after leaving the Carolina Hurricanes, had a number of options after the Ducks shocked the draft by taking Beckett Sennecke third overall. They fought some temptation and added Lindstrom. The Medicine Hat center joins center Adam Fantilli, the third overall pick in 2023 who had 27 points in 49 games this season; Kent Johnson, another Michigan alum, who is entering his fourth NHL season; and the big body and booming shot of defenseman David Jiricek as the next generation of the Blue Jackets. With Cole Sillinger also up the middle, the days of the Blue Jackets being the NHL’s donut — nothing in the middle — appear over. — Wyshynski


Team: SKA St. Petersburg Jr. (RUSSIA-JR.) | Rank: 2
DOB: 12/10/05 | Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 181 | Shot: L
2023-24 stats: GP: 30 | G: 23 | A: 37 | P: 60

Scouting notes: Offensively, he’s the complete package and is projected to be a top-six difference-maker in the NHL. His dynamic ability to create offense combines an outstanding release, elite vision and elite puckhandling skills, perhaps the best in this draft class. He’s bigger and more physically mature than originally thought, which drew attention at the Florida showcase. Capable of driving play offensively, Demidov consistently took over games in the playoffs, earning the MVP award.

He ranks in the top 5% for shooting and passing metrics and is a transition threat. He drives the middle from the outside and consistently gets himself to the dangerous scoring areas. As a versatile offensive player, Demidov has the potential to be a 40-goal, 40-assist producer and is the only player with a ceiling close to Celebrini’s. — Doerrie

Team fit: Prior to the draft, it appeared that getting a forward was going to be the move for the Canadiens. And they fulfilled that in taking Demidov. They were in a position to take a forward last year but passed on Matvei Michkov before taking defenseman David Reinbacher. With Reinbacher being the pick last season, he added to a defensive setup that already included Kaiden Guhle, Logan Mailloux and Jayden Struble.

Concentrating on defensemen the last few years created that opening to take a forward for the second time in three years, having selected Juraj Slafkovsky with the No. 1 pick in 2022. Now the Canadiens have another top-six forward in Demidov who at some point will make the trek to North America. And when he does, he’ll join Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield as another homegrown player that’s looking to take the Habs back to prominence in the Eastern Conference. — Clark


Upcoming picks

6. Utah Hockey Club
7. Ottawa Senators
8. Seattle Kraken
9. Calgary Flames
10. New Jersey Devils
11. San Jose Sharks*
12. Philadelphia Flyers
13. Minnesota Wild
14. Buffalo Sabres*
15. Detroit Red Wings
16. St. Louis Blues
17. Washington Capitals
18. Chicago Blackhawks*
19. Vegas Golden Knights
20. New York Islanders*
21. Los Angeles Kings
22. Nashville Predators
23. Toronto Maple Leafs
24. Colorado Avalanche
25. Boston Bruins
26. Montreal Canadiens*
27. Carolina Hurricanes
28. Calgary Flames*
29. Dallas Stars
30. New York Rangers
31. Anaheim Ducks*
32. Philadelphia Flyers*

* Traded picks:

  • The Sharks’ selection at No. 11 is the result of the June 27, 2024 trade that sent this pick to San Jose in exchange for picks No. 14 and 42 in the 2024 draft.

  • The Sabres’ selection at No. 14 is the result of the June 27, 2024 trade noted above; the pick was previously acquired by San Jose via the Aug. 6, 2023 trade that sent Erik Karlsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

  • The Blackhawks’ selection at No. 18 is the result of a trade involving this pick, the No. 20 pick and other picks with the Islanders.

  • The Islanders’ selection at No. 20 is the result of the above trade; the Blackhawks originally acquired the pick via a March 18, 2022 trade that sent Brandon Hagel to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

  • The Canadiens’ pick at No. 21 is the result of the June 28, 2024 trade that sent this trade to Montreal in exchange for picks No. 26, 57 and 198.

  • The Kings’ pick at No. 26 is the result of the June 28, 2024 trade above. The Canadiens originally secured it via the Feb. 2, 2024 trade that sent Sean Monahan to the Winnipeg Jets.

  • The Flames’ selection at No. 28 is the result of the Jan. 31, 2024 trade that sent Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks.

  • The Ducks’ selection at No. 31 is the result of the trade on March 6, 2024 that sent Sam Carrick, Ty Taylor and a 2024 seventh-round pick to the Oilers.

  • The Flyers’ selection at No. 32 is a result of the trade on March 19, 2022 that sent Claude Giroux, German Rubtsov, Connor Bunnaman to the Panthers, and Owen Tippett to the Flyers.

Continue Reading

Sports

2025 MLB Home Run Derby: The field is set! Who is the slugger to beat?

Published

on

By

2025 MLB Home Run Derby: The field is set! Who is the slugger to beat?

The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is set.

Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He was followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Brent Rooker of the Athletics and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.

On Friday, however, Acuna was replaced by teammate Matt Olson.

With all the entrants announced, let’s break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.

Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more


2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 434 feet

Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.

Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.


2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet

Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.

Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.


2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet

Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.

Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.


2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet

Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.

Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.


2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet

Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.

Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.


2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet

Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.

Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.


2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet

Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.

Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.


2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet

Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.

Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.

Continue Reading

Sports

Reds’ Fraley to play through partially torn labrum

Published

on

By

Reds' Fraley to play through partially torn labrum

CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Reds right fielder Jake Fraley was activated from the 10-day injured list on Saturday.

He had injured his right shoulder while trying to make a diving catch June 23 against the New York Yankees.

An MRI revealed a partially torn labrum that will eventually require surgery. Fraley received a cortisone shot and will try to play through it for the rest of the season.

The Reds were 7-4 in his absence.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who hasn’t played since Noelvi Marte returned from the IL on July 4, was optioned to Triple-A Louisville.

Continue Reading

Sports

Royals P Lorenzen (illness) scratched from start

Published

on

By

Royals P Lorenzen (illness) scratched from start

Kansas City Royals right-hander Michael Lorenzen was scratched from Saturday’s start due to an illness.

Left-hander Angel Zerpa replaced Lorenzen for the game against the visiting New York Mets.

Lorenzen, 33, is 5-8 with a 4.61 ERA through 18 starts this season.

Zerpa, 25, is 3-1 with a 3.89 ERA in 40 appearances out of the bullpen this season. His last start was in August 2023.

Continue Reading

Trending