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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

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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.

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Sources: Kings expected to name Holland next GM

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Sources: Kings expected to name Holland next GM

Ken Holland, who won four Stanley Cups as an executive with the Detroit Red Wings, is expected to become the next general manager of the Los Angeles Kings, multiple NHL sources told ESPN on Monday, confirming a report.

Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 2020, Holland replaces Rob Blake, the Kings’ general manager and vice president of hockey operations whose contract was not renewed after a fourth straight first-round playoff exit.

An announcement is expected later this week. Rod Pedersen, host of “The Rod Pedersen Show,” first reported the news.

Holland, 69, was the executive vice president and general manager of the Red Wings from 1997 through 2019, winning four Stanley Cups for the franchise. He was bumped upstairs in 2019 to senior vice president, clearing the way for Steve Yzerman to become the team’s general manager.

That promotion lasted only a month, as Holland left to take over the Edmonton Oilers as general manager and president of hockey operations. Powered by stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the team made the conference finals in 2022 and 2024, losing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last year with a roster Holland constructed. Among his key acquisitions were forward Zach Hyman (free agent) and defensemen Mattias Ekholm (via trade with Nashville) and Philip Broberg (drafted eighth in 2019). The Oilers made the playoffs in all five seasons of Holland’s tenure.

Holland’s five-year contract with the Oilers expired on July 1, 2024. Edmonton eventually hired former Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman to replace him. Since then, Holland had been working as a consultant to the NHL’s hockey operations department.

Sources told ESPN that Holland had been considering a front office role with the New York Islanders, either as team president, general manager or both. Former Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin, a senior adviser for the Kings who many believed might be their next general manager, is in the mix for the Islanders’ openings.

Kings president Luc Robitaille played for Holland’s Red Wings from 2001-2003, winning his only Stanley Cup as a player in 2002. He will now reconnect with Holland, who will take over a Kings roster that features holdovers from their Stanley Cup wins in 2012 and 2014 (Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty), scorers in their prime (Adrian Kempe and Kevin Fiala), young players on the rise (Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke) and goalie Darcy Kuemper, who was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy this season.

But Los Angeles has failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs since 2014. The Kings have lost four straight first-round series to the Oilers — conveniently, Holland’s former team — including their six-game defeat this postseason.

Holland will now determine the fate of Jim Hiller, who finished his first season as Kings head coach after serving on an interim basis in 2023-24. Hiller was an assistant coach with the Red Wings for one season (2014-15) during Holland’s time in Detroit.

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Report: Oilers’ Pickard likely out rest of series

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Report: Oilers' Pickard likely out rest of series

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard is expected to miss the remainder of the Western Conference semifinal series against the Vegas Golden Knights due to an injury, according to a TSN report on Monday.

Later Monday, with veteran Stuart Skinner in net, the Oilers defeated the Golden Knights, 3-0, in Game 4, securing a 3-1 series lead. Skinner made 23 saves in the victory.

Pickard has won all six starts in the net for the Oilers during this postseason run. After Edmonton lost the first two games against the Los Angeles Kings in the first round, coach Kris Knoblauch replaced Skinner, the team’s regular-season starter, with Pickard. The 33-year-old career backup posted wins in the next four games to help the Oilers oust the Kings and then earned victories in the first two games of the second round in Las Vegas.

Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl fell into Pickard’s left leg during the Oilers’ 5-4 overtime triumph on May 8. The Moncton, New Brunswick, native finished the game but has not practiced since. With Skinner back in the net, host Edmonton lost 4-3 in Game 3, as Vegas forward Reilly Smith scored with 0.4 seconds remaining.

TSN reported “it will probably be at least a week” before Pickard could return, and during Game 4 on Monday night, Olivier Rodrigue was the backup netminder on the bench. Rodrigue, 24, played in just two games for Edmonton in his first NHL season.

Prior to Monday’s shutout, Skinner, who starred during the Oilers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final last spring, had allowed 15 goals in just 168 minutes of playing time this postseason and owns a lowly save percentage of .817. During the regular season, Skinner went 26-18-4, with a 2.81 goals-against average and an .896 save percentage.

Since falling down 2-0 to the Kings, the Oilers have won seven of eight postseason games. Game 5 is back in Las Vegas on Wednesday night.

Information from Field Level Media was used in this report.

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Canes use ‘huge’ late goals to push Caps to brink

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Canes use 'huge' late goals to push Caps to brink

RALEIGH, N..C. — The Carolina Hurricanes twice found their two-goal margin halved in the third period of their latest playoff game with the Washington Capitals.

Each time they found a prompt response.

And that pushed the Hurricanes to within a win of the Eastern Conference finals for the second time in three seasons.

Taylor Hall scored on a breakaway chance roughly three minutes after the Washington Capitals scored their first goal, then Sean Walker added one minutes after NHL all-time goals leader Alex Ovechkin struck with a 5-on-3 one-timer. Those kept the Hurricanes in control on the way to a 5-2 win Monday night, securing a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven second-round series.

“We get an individual effort, and that’s really what those were, good plays,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “But burying it, finishing your chances at a crucial time in the game. … Both of those goals were huge for us.”

Both Hall and Walker finished with two points, with Walker getting the second assist on Hall’s score and Hall returning the favor by springing Walker’s surge up the ice on the way to his first career postseason goal. But the timing of the goals stood out, with each blunting the momentum of a Washington team that had been shutout for five straight periods going back to Saturday’s 4-0 loss in Game 3.

Carolina carried a 2-0 lead into the third before Jakob Chychrun beat Frederik Andersen on a feed from Matt Roy after Roy had denied Carolina’s chance to clear the zone. That score came at the 5:18 mark of the third to add a jolt of tension rippling through the Lenovo Center after Carolina had kept a firm grip on the game to that point.

But Hall — acquired in January in the blockbuster deal that brought in Mikko Rantanen as the headliner — made a veteran read to blunt that momentum.

After being knocked to the ice in the offensive zone, Hall was getting up as the Capitals pushed the puck toward the other end. But as Hall got to center ice, he was alone — Washington coach Spencer Carbery said the defense lost track of Hall behind the forecheck and were too deep in the zone — and the Hurricanes were on the verge of collecting the puck as it went around the end wall.

So Hall turned in back toward the blue line, straddling it long enough to stay onside until Jack Roslovic‘s long pass arrived to spring the breakaway chance.

“Yeah, everyone’s asking me if I was cheating for offense,” Hall said, adding; “I thought it was just something to try.”

Hall skated in and beat Logan Thompson to the glove side at the 8:24 mark, pushing the margin back to 3-1.

“It’s a read, we had possession of the puck,” Brind’Amour said. “So that’s actually a good play by him.”

The Capitals again kept the pressure on with Ovechkin’s blast past Andersen on a two-man advantage at the 12:14 mark, dampening the rowdy zeal in Carolina’s home arena. But that’s when Hall and Walker teamed up for the goal that would reassert control.

It started on a puck battle and the unusual sight of Washington’s Rasmus Sandin skating in to get the puck from Walker, only to get the blade of his stick stuck in a gap along the boards. Walker got to his feet as Hall collected the puck, then flipped a pass to Walker as he charged up the left side.

Walker hesitated to cut inside Roslovic toward the slot and beat Thompson at the 16:45 mark, pushing the lead back to 4-2 in what became a backbreaking score.

“I feel like they were backchecking really hard, so I kind of just read that,” Walker said. “Tried to be patient. Once I stepped inside, I felt like I had a good lane so I shot it, and just happy it went in.”

Ovechkin’s blast got the NHL’s career goals leader on the scoresheet for the first time this series. Thompson finished with 32 saves.

“We’re giving ourselves some opportunities, we’re just not executing, making the play, whatever you want to call it,” Washington coach Spencer Carbery said. “And making some mistakes — and they’re capitalizing.”

To that point, the Eastern Conference’s top seed got a quick start after a Game 3 shutout, starting with Connor McMichael getting a 1-on-1 chance on Andersen in the opening minute. Aliaksei Protas followed by ringing the right post shortly after.

Washington also managed only one shot on goal during a 4-minute power play, the first 3½ minutes of those coming to close the first period.

“Their penalty kill is excellent, best in the league, has been for the last, whatever, five years call it,” Carbery said. “But it can’t look like that. It cannot look like that.”

Andrei Svechnikov added the empty-net clincher less than a minute later to deny Washington’s bid to retake home-ice advantage, the capper to Carolina’s steady response amid growing third-period danger.

“I think that’s something that’s really important, especially this time of year,” Walker said. “You’ve got to answer when teams are making their push.”

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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