The Leafs Nation’s 2024 NHL Draft live blog: Maple Leafs trade down to 31st overall with Ducks

After a summer full of anticipation, the 2024 NHL Draft is finally set to get underway. The Leafs Nation will keep you posted on everything that emerges before, after and during the draft.

It’s shaping up to be an eventful night for the Toronto Maple Leafs. General manager Brad Treliving told assembled reporters Wednesday in Las Vegas that it’s ‘more than likely’ the Maple Leafs will use the No. 23 pick, rather than trading the selection. Last year, Toronto selected Easton Cowan from the OHL’s London Knights with the No. 28 selection, going against consensus draft rankings. One year later, Cowan looks to be a home run pick and he’ll be competing for an NHL roster spot this fall after falling one game short of a junior hockey triple crown.

In many respects, this is Treliving’s first draft with the Maple Leafs. As per the provisions of accepting the Maple Leafs’ job, Treliving was barred from the draft floor until the Calgary Flames made their first-round selection in 2023. Calgary used the No. 16 pick to select forward Samuel Honzek from the WHL’s Vancouver Giants.

Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis provided comprehensive coverage of this year’s draft and made the case for EJ Emery, Aron Kiviharju, Stian Solberg, Liam Greentree and Charlie Elick to join the Maple Leafs. It appears likely Toronto will use its first-round pick on a defenceman and if it does, it will be the first time since selecting Rasmus Sandin in 2018. Cowan’s OHL teammate, Sam O’Reilly, should also be in consideration for the No. 23 pick, coming off a strong Memorial Cup performance.

Here’s how Ellis projects the Maple Leafs’ draft unfolding over the weekend. Ellis also provided his final draft rankings, with comprehensive summaries of the top 120 players in this year’s class.

Let’s get right into it!

1:15 PM: We have our first major move of the day as the Los Angeles Kings have received the No. 26, No. 57 and No. 198 selections in this year’s event from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for the No. 21 pick. It seems like a consensus win for the Kings, who stockpiled a ton of draft capital to move five slots down, during a draft where you can find exceptional value after the top eight picks.

1:53 PM: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman joined the Pat McAfee Show ahead of the draft and spoke about a potential eight-year, $64-million extension coming to fruition between Jake Guentzel and the Carolina Hurricanes. While nothing is set in stone, Friedman noted that he believes general manager Eric Tulsky and the Hurricanes are willing to move forward with those terms. This would be a huge win for Carolina, who acquired Guentzel at this year’s deadline and became a perfect fit within their lineup. Not to mention that most believed he would command upwards of $9.5-10 million on the open market.

2:11 PM: According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Calgary Flames are exploring trade options for Nazem Kadri. Despite a forgetful season from the Flames, the 33-year-old led the team with 75 points and scored 29 goals. He still has a full no-move clause for the four seasons remaining on his contract, and with a $7 million cap hit, it could be a difficult contract for Calgary to move on from.

2:39 PM: Further to rumours reported earlier in the week, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli says that the New Jersey Devils are looking to potentially move their 10th overall selection as well as right-handed defensemen John Marino. After missing out on a Wild Card spot this season despite their star-studded roster, it shouldn’t be surprising that the Devils are looking to upgrade their immediate roster with higher ambitions for success next year.

2:45 PM: Vancouver Canucks GM Patrik Allvin spoke with the media for his pre-draft press conference and revealed that contract negotiations with Nikita Zadorov are now complete, and he will test the open market on July 1. It’s been a busy offseason so far for the Canucks, who have re-signed Tyler Myers and Dakota Joshua and sent off Sam Lafferty and Ilya Mikheyev to the Chicago Blackhawks. After a strong showing in his time with the Canucks, Zadorov will undoubtedly be one of the most sought after free agents this summer.

3:14 PM: First reported by Kevin Weekes, the Edmonton Oilers have extended goaltender Calvin Pickard to a two-year, $2 million extension. Pickard suited up for 23 regular season games, putting together a .909 SV% and a 2.45 GAA. However, it’s likely that Pickard’s performance in the playoffs is what earned him this extension, suiting up five times for the Oilers and carrying a .915 SV% along with a 2.21 GAA. While Stuart Skinner is still the number one option, Pickard has proven to be a solid secondary option during his time with the Oilers, and provides them with a layer of stability in the crease if Skinner can’t replicate the same success he found this year.

3:40 PM: The St. Louis Blues started their draft day off by acquiring Alexandre Texier from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for a 4th-round pick. According to TSN’s Chris Johnston, The Blues have also extended Texier to a two-year, $4.2 million extension. This is a solid move for the Blues given the small price they paid to acquire the 24-year-old, and adding a two-year extension solidifies him as a potential replacement on their third line if they decide to let pending UFA Kasperi Kapanen walk. St. Louis is projected to have just over $14 million in cap space this summer, and this will likely be just the start of a re-tool for GM Doug Armstrong and company.

4:12 PM: Following the announcement earlier this morning about a extension being in place for Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun has reported that multiple teams have checked in on the availability of Predators goaltending prospect Yaroslav Askarov. The 22-year-old was selected 10th overall in the 2020 draft and has since played just three NHL games, and with this extension looming for Saros, it’s likely that Askarov will be headed elsewhere.

4:29 PM: It’s been a short celebration for Bill Zito and the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers as management heads to Las Vegas for the draft, but Andy Strickland of Bally Sports Midwest has reported that two huge extensions will be made with Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe. Strickland is projecting Reinhart to get a max extension similarly structured to captain Alexander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk, which would be a massive win for the Panthers.

5:56 PM: Further to the shocking reveal earlier this morning that Steven Stamkos will enter the free agent market on July 1, Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper spoke with the media ahead of the draft, with Sportsnet’s Luke Fox quoting him saying, “I know this is a big weekend for management.” Cooper declined to comment beyond that statement and asked that questions related to Stamkos were left for GM Julien BriseBois and Tampa Bay’s management team.

The first shocking pick of the draft, Beckett Sennecke skyrocketed to the top of the draft by being selected by the Anaheim Ducks at third overall. Sennecke’s stock has shot up throughout the year and especially after an incredible playoff run where he recorded 22 points in 16 games, but third overall was not anticipated by anyone. Sennecke had a huge growth spurt heading into this season, and at 6-foot-3, it was very easy to tell earlier on that he was adjusting to his size. However, the advantages that have come from adapting his playmaking ability to a larger frame made him a great contributor for the Generals. Sennecke is a very good skater for his size, and his stickhandling compliments his ability to accelerate through the neutral zone and create transition offense. In the offensive zone, he has great vision and leaves his body open all the time to threaten as a passer or shooter.

Utah spoiled the Calgary Flames’ hopes from drafting the next member of the Iginla family by selecting Tij sixth overall. Iginla’s biggest asset is his hockey sense. He’s able to make smart decisions under pressure at a consistent rate and is always creating space for his teammates with and without the puck. He anticipates plays at an elite level and his willingness to engage physically causes disruptions for the opposition. Iginla also does a great job of putting defenders in uncomfortable positions using his skating and handling. He beats defenders one-on-one at a high rate and is a great improviser with the puck. While Iginla doesn’t overwhelm with speed, his strong spatial awareness allows him to leverage every inch of ice he is given. While there are improvements needed in his defensive game, Iginla is undoubtedly one of the most intelligent players and one of the best goal scorers in this class. His progression over this past year has shown the potential for him to grow into a solid offensive contributor at the NHL-level someday.

Carter Yakemchuk is going to be a fun project for the Ottawa Senators. He’s got game-breaking offensive potential with his size and stickhandling ability, but still has a ton of work to do in order to become a reliable two-way defensemen in the NHL. Yakemchuk’s offensive game is where he shines the most. He’s a high-end stickhandler and is great at manipulating defenders with his large frame, regularly deking through players in one-on-one engagements. To see how easy it is for him to toe-drag through tight spaces despite his size is truly remarkable, and he could easily quarterback a power play in the NHL with the right development.

The Seattle Kraken get an incredibly dynamic playmaker in Berkly Catton. At 5-foot-10, 170 lbs, Catton is a little undersized for his position, but that doesn’t mean his on-ice presence isn’t felt by his opponents. His skating ability is extremely fun to watch. While he may not have the break-neck speed to blow by opponents, he’s very efficient with his strides and watching him accelerate through the neutral zone looks effortless. While he put up 54 goals in the WHL this season, Catton’s playmaking ability is still his best asset. His puck handling and passing abilities are nearly flawless, and he can do it to either push the pace in transition or set up a teammate in the offensive zone. He doesn’t just create great scoring chances, he attempts plays that most skaters would never try or even see, and makes them at a high rate. Based on his size it’s unlikely that Catton will remain as a center, but there’s no doubt that he has the potential to become an elite top-line forward in the NHL.

While rumours all week suggested that the New Jersey Devils would be moving on from their first round pick, they instead bolster their core of young defencemen by taking Anton Silayev. At 6-foot-7, Silayev would already enter the NHL as one of the biggest players in the league, and he’s an incredibly gifted skater for his size. He’s got great mechanics combined with some impressive footwork, and he’s able to use both to close gaps quickly. Because of the tools and physical advantages Silayev possesses, he’s able to overcome a lot of mistakes that other players can’t. At 17-years-old, he’s shown the potential to become an elite defensive-defenceman in the NHL. To excel in all of these areas in the KHL at such a young age, while also getting penalty kill and power play time, reinforces how reliable and composed he is at both ends of the ice.

After drafting their cornerstone center with Macklin Celebrini, the Sharks get a foundation on their blue line by taking Sam Dickinson. Everything that Dickinson does is, at minimum, above average. His ability to create transition offense with his skating is one of his standout attributes, as he’s able to easily separate himself from forecheckers to create space for a rush or a breakout pass. Dickinson may not be the most creative offensive player in the draft, but 70 points as a defencemen is definitely noteworthy. He’s got an elite shot and consistently makes the proven and effective plays that will work at the NHL level, which is exactly what the Sharks need.

There was some drama leading up to this pick as Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin made the first trade of the draft with Philadelphia to move up one spot. As a result, they took the highest scoring defenceman in the NCAA this season in Zeev Buium. He’s one of this class’ most intelligent defensemen, and you can see it in every area of the ice. The way he processes breakout plays after retrieving the puck is extremely impressive, and he’s able to constantly outsmart forecheckers with smart passes and an arsenal of quick moves. Buium also has great defensive instincts. He’s able to quickly identify when opponents are flat-footed or are on the verge of losing a handle, and knows when to pounce on them with a sweeping pokecheck or a thunderous hit. Those instincts translate to Buium’s offensive game as well. He sees when defenders are off their angle and knows what manipulations he needs to make in order to maximize space, making him a threat off the rush and on cycle plays. While Buium may not project to be an elite offensive producer at the NHL level, his hockey sense alone will make him a strong top-pairing defenceman on any team that he’s drafted to.

The Philadelphia Flyers desperately needed to build up their depth down the middle, and they get a huge boost with Jett Luchanko. He doesn’t necessarily have the offensive tools to project as a top-six centre, but teams adore two-way players, and Luchanko is exactly that. His motor and attention to detail in all three zones will make him a reliable player for John Tortorella’s group in the future.

The Buffalo Sabres are filled to the brim with high-end prospects at forward and at defence, and they get a centermen who will shoot up their pipeline in terms of NHL-readiness with Konsta Helenius. While he may not be the most creative forward in this draft, there are few players in this class with a better work ethic than Helenius. He’s playing against much older competition in Liiga and he’s finding ways to win battles and overcome his physical disadvantages on a consistent basis. His defensive game is very advanced for his age, and a lot of scouts believe that he could slot in as a third line player on most NHL rosters right now.

The Detroit Red Wings get the best prospect to ever come out of Norway in Michael Brandsegg-Nygard. His standout trait is his shot, with a release that makes him a lethal threat from distance. He doesn’t possess the speed or creativity to create many high-end scoring chances for himself, but his tenacious forechecking will make him a great complimentary player on most teams at the next level. Brandsegg-Nygard is a very north-south offensive player. He challenges defenders head on and doesn’t bring many flashy elements to his game, but he has professional habits in all three zones and his game has become very refined over the course of the season. There aren’t a lot of holes in his game, but there also aren’t any game-breaking elements that warrant him being put above anyone on this list. Based on how mature of a game he plays, he could easily slide in as a third line player on most NHL rosters with special teams upside within the next two years.

Steven Ellis’ scouting report:

Steven Ellis’ scouting report:

Steven Ellis’ scouting report:

Steven Ellis’ scouting report:

Steven Ellis’ scouting report:

Steven Ellis’ scouting report:

Steven Ellis’ scouting report:

Steven Ellis’ scouting report:

Steven Ellis’ scouting report:

Steven Ellis’ scouting report:

Steven Ellis’ scouting report:

Steven Ellis’ scouting report:

Steven Ellis’ scouting report:

Steven Ellis’ scouting report:

Steven Ellis’ scouting report:

Steven Ellis’ scouting report: