Canadiens: Latest Draft Ranking Gives Glimpse At Habs Potential Pick

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The Montreal Canadiens sunk to the bottom of the NHL standings and are expected to remain near the bottom in 2023-24. That means fans will have a special interest in the 2024 NHL Draft prospects, and one of the most respected preliminary lists just came out.

Each year Bob McKenzie puts together a consensus list of the top-ranked prospects, derived from a survey of NHL scouts. There are risers, sleepers and even player that disappoint, but this gives fans an idea of who will be available when their favourite team might make their first-round selection. McKenzie’s top 10 rankings will draw the most interest from fans, as these players are considered to be the cream of the crop for the 2024 NHL Draft.

An intriguing echelon that is added to this top 10 is the fact that the Canadiens, while nothing is set in stone, will likely have another pick in the top 10. So with that said, we can now visualize potential players that will be available in the range where they will potentially pick. Potential fits will emerge, and scenarios will now run through every Habs fan’s brain until the day of the draft comes.

There have been questions emerging about whether the Canadiens can make the playoffs this year, and tanking is just not a part of the culture of the organization, but it seems likely they are primed for a similar finish, maybe more in the bottom six to 10 teams in the 2024 season.

There are of course higher probabilities of selecting a better player, should the Canadiens get a higher top-five pick as opposed to a top-ten pick. Adding another top 10 talent to the Canadiens already budding prospect pool will only benefit the rebuild, and here are the scout-voted top 10 prospects.

Number 1 and 2 Ranked Prospects

Macklin Celebrini

Macklin Celebrini makes you think of a smart two-way centre, and according to TSN Head Director of Scouting Craig Button, he is most comparable to Jonathan Toews stylistically. Macklin Celebrini is a smidge under 6 feet tall and physically he still has some room to grow, but at 17 years old, he is already 190 lbs and he has a full season to grow both on the ice and in the weight room. The tangible skills are undeniable and he has a toolkit that projects as a very good number-one centre at the NHL level and he doesn’t really have any glaring holes in his game.

After a dominant rookie season with the USHL’s Chicago Steel saw the Vancouver, BC native post 86 points (46 goals and 40 assists) through 50 games, Celebrini will play his rookie NCAA season with Boston University. Touted as the consensus number-one ranked prospect for the 2024 Draft, Celebrini has a massive year ahead of him, and the Terriers’ supporting cast should help him transition to the college level swimmingly. Headlined by Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson, he and Celebrini could really boost an already quality power play. He showed an ability to perform on the biggest stage, the under-18’s, and emerged as a leader for the young Canadian squad posting six-nine-15 totals through seven games, helping his squad secure a Bronze Medal.

Cole Eiserman

Cole Eiserman is a prototypical goalscorer, and he does it with more than just one shot type. He can devastate goalies with a one-timer, his snap-shot is powerful and accurate, and his wrist shot leaps off his blade, which paired with a great release makes him a constant threat in the attacking zone. Aiding his shooting abilities are his wonderful puck skills and his offensive IQ which help him in working the give-and-go, or moving the puck around the offensive zone with deft passes. A knock on Eiserman is that his skating isn’t really deceptive or explosive, which could hold him back from reaching his full potential.

Worry not, however, as he still has another full season with the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP), as he is a late birthday, having just turned 17 years old on Aug.26. He has another year to work on his defensive game and get stronger, which will only improve his overall game and hopefully allow his skating to grow to another level. He projects as a top-line goalscoring winger at the NHL level, and he has a knack for finding the soft areas, to exploit great scoring chances. Eiserman would partner with Cole Caufield to give the Canadiens a pair of fantastic goal scorers.

Third Through Fifth Ranked Prospects

Ivan Demidov

Ivan Demidov, to this point, has outplayed 2023 seventh overall pick Matvei Michkov with SKA St. Petersberg, to the tune of securing a role on the roster, while Michkov, who the Canadiens passed on at the 2023 NHL Draft, was demoted to HK Sochi. Demidov isn’t huge, but as a 17-year-old, playing in the KHL at 5’11” and 168 lbs, he has a big year of development ahead of him, and the competition against men should be huge for the young winger. He projects as a top-six winger in the NHL, with a fair chance at becoming a top-line winger, who has strong puck skills and an NHL shot.

Defensively, his game could stand to improve, but with more KHL experience this season, he should definitely get some coachable moments, which will only round out his toolkit even more. At this point, he slots in as the third-ranked prospect ahead of the 2024 season, but as we know, nothing is set in stone and he could certainly unseat Eiserman. He has been underutilized through four games in the KHL to start the year, but that isn’t uncommon for a younger player in one of the top leagues on the planet.

Artyom Levshunov

Artyom Levshunov projects as a top-pair right-shot NHL defender, and he doesn’t turn 18 until late October, which makes his 2023 USHL season, all the more impressive. Standing at 6’2″ and just two pounds short of 200 lbs, he already has an NHL frame. He is a powerful skater, with wonderful mobility forward, backwards and laterally, which allows him to shimmy and shake in the offensive zone and keep pace with opposing forwards.

He is committed to play for Michigan State University this season, and anyone who hasn’t seen his great shot and ability to command the game from the blue line will learn exactly why he is the top-ranked defenseman for the 2024 Draft. He should immediately improve the Spartan’s roster and play somewhere in the top four while playing on both the penalty kill and power play. We have seen big right-shot defensemen coveted in the last two drafts, David Reinbacher, David Jiricek and Simon Nemec, which should be exactly what happens for Levshunov.

Sam Dickinson

Sam Dickinson, is a big lefthanded defenseman, who played second fiddle to Canadiens first round pick Logan Mailloux and Oliver Bonk, but he showed glimpses of what he could project to at the next level. With a big year ahead of him, and increased minutes and expectations, he will look to improve upon his rookie season output and grow his game to another level. The 6’3″ 194 lbs defender already has NHL size, and under the tutelage of Dale and Mark Hunter, he should see a steady increase in his all-around game.

A smart defender, with the potential to play in an NHL top four, players like Dickinson don’t grow on trees and surely playing in the Ontario Hockey League will draw a lot of scouts from the Canadian clubs. Bonk was the defensive guy, whose offensive game could stand to improve, and Mailloux was the offensive guy whose defensive game grew, watching their development should prove very important for the Toronto native. One thing can be sure, a big physical presence with skating like Dickinson will be a hot commodity come draft day, and just how early he goes will all depend on his play this season.

Prospects Six Through Eight

Berkly Catton

Berkly Catton was Team Canada’s best player at the U18 Ivan Hlinka tournament, Berkly Catton projects as a number-two centre at the NHL level, but his size is a concern. Like in the 2023 draft, in the case of the undersized, relentless Zach Benson, Catton has the skill and motor that never quits, which should aid him in realizing his NHL dream. He is a pass-first kind of player, who has great edges and the speed to separate himself from opponents.

To excel at the next level, Catton will surely focus on adding some muscle to his slight 163 lbs frame, which should allow him to handle himself better against bigger competition. With no real knock against him, he has a high chance of going early in the ’24 draft, and with another full season in the WHL, there’s a high probability that he will develop into a sold first-line centre. He is the same height as Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki and Sidney Crosby, so a great way to ensure that he establishes himself as a pro is by improving his lower body strength and explosiveness.

Konsta Helenius

Konsta Helenius’ 2022-23 season saw him play in Liiga as a 16-year-old and he didn’t look out of place. He projects as a top-line centre at the NHL level, and his 33 games with Jukurit against the top Finnish competition should prove important for his confidence during his draft season. He didn’t display much of his playmaking prowess during his rookie season, but his focus was on making quick and smart plays to help build his confidence.

The ’24 season should reveal a little more comfort in the centre’s game, which will put on full display his offensive skill, and ability to look off defenders before firing a pass through their stick or feet. He looks to be another great talent from Finland, and one of the draft’s premier centres. His scoring ability shining through in Liiga at such a young age has been described as “special” by some scouts.

Adam Jiricek

Adam Jiricek has top-four NHL blueliner potential, while he doesn’t shoot as hard as his older brother, David, he skates just as smoothly and has the same offensive mind. His strong skating is why he is so highly touted, and it fuels his strong two-way game, add in the fact that he is a right shot, and it’s very easy to understand why he is ranked where he is. He started his ’24 season off in the top Czechia league, where he will look to add to his 152 lbs frame, and take his game to another level, and possibly improve his ranking before June.

At this juncture, Jiricek looks like a sure-fire top-four defender, with some room to grow his offensive game. His shot and ability to use his frame will be dependent on how much muscle he can put on his frame. With an added 25-30 lbs of muscle added to his frame, he could make his shot more of a threat, and bring his skating up to an elite level, which would raise his future potential to a top pairing defenseman. The Canadiens already have David Reinbacher and Logan Mailloux in the system, but you can’t have too many good young right shot defense prospects.

Jul 8, 2022; Montreal, Quebec, CANADA; General view of the Montreal Canadiens. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports /

The Final Two Prospects

Anton Silayev

Anton Silayev might have all the tools to be a top-pair defenseman, he played in the KHL as a 17-year-old this past season and didn’t look out of place which speaks to the brilliance of the young man’s defensive game. When you see a 6’7″ left-shot defenseman, who looks so comfortable at a young age against men, it’s hard not to think of Victor Hedman. Before anybody tries to admit me to an asylum for saying he is the next Hedman, I want to say, I don’t believe he will be, but his frame is comparable.

A knock was his skating and that is something that he improved on this summer, as evidenced by his comfortability through three KHL games so far this season. The most fascinating thing about the behemoth Russian defender is that he was nowhere near any scouts’ top 30, he wasn’t even ranked, but his performance through a handful of games has scouts divided. He looks primed to put himself into the conversation as one of the drafts’ best blueliners, meaning he is a player Canadiens scouts will follow closely this season.

Aron Kiviharju

Aron Kiviharju is an above-average, left-shot offensive defenseman, who needs to prove his offensive upside can cover for his lack of size and physical strength. His skating is quick and has a high level of deceptiveness, which allows the young Finn to burn defenders in his own zone, before pushing the puck up the ice. Adding some weight to his frame, which is sort of a universal thing for many of the eligible draftees, would definitely benefit him with a harder shot and stronger core.

The skating and high hockey IQ are really the biggest strengths of his game, and they allow him to make defenders miss hits on him all over the ice. He thrived in Liiga as a 16-year-old and his playmaking ability was a huge reason for his three assists last year. With experience in hand and the confidence from playing so well, he could really skyrocket up the rankings with a strong outing this season.

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