The Elite Prospects November Top-32 ranking for the 2024 NHL Draft

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.