The Anaheim Ducks moved up to grab defenseman Stian Solberg with the 23rd overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
The Ducks dealt picks No. 31 and 58 in this year's draft to the Toronto Maple Leafs for the 23rd selection.
Solberg is the second-highest-drafted Norwegian in NHL history after the Detroit Red Wings took Michael Brandsegg-Nygard 15th overall Friday. Marius Holtet was the previous highest-drafted Norwegian when the Dallas Stars selected him 42nd overall in 2002.
Stian Solberg
Solberg was a considerable riser on Central Scouting's international skater list, jumping from 26th on the midterm rankings to 20th on the final edition. The Norwegian blue-liner represented his country impressively at the world juniors and world championships this year, and he's set to make the jump to tougher competition with Farjestad BK in the Swedish league next season.
Solberg isn't as flashy as some of the other top-rated defensive prospects this year but is highly mobile for his size and plays with plenty of physicality. His punishing, old-school style of defense should translate to the NHL whenever he gets his chance.
The Detroit Red Wings drafted winger Michael Brandsegg-Nygard with the 15th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday.
Brandsegg-Nygard is the first Norwegian player to ever to be selected in the first round.Marius Holtet was the previous highest-drafted Norwegian when the Dallas Stars selected him 42nd overall in 2002.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
Brandsegg-Nygard possesses an NHL-ready frame and a lethal shot that projects to make him a top-six scoring winger in the pros. He improved as the season progressed and showed well for Norway at the World Juniors and the World Championship.
He told theScore at the 2024 NHL Scouting Combine that he felt his physicality was the aspect of his game that improved the most.
"As the season went on, I felt more comfortable having to protect the puck and be physical," Brandsegg-Nygard said.
The Minnesota Wild moved up one spot to select defenseman Zeev Buium 12th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday.
In return, the Philadelphia Flyers receive the 13th overall pick and a 2025 third-rounder from Minnesota.
Zeev Buium
Buium played an integral role in helping Denver win the national title in April. The freshman blue-liner led all defensemen in the nation in assists and points while topping all Pioneers skaters in helpers and ranking second on the club in the latter category.
The San Diego-born rearguard was named to the All-Tournament team at the Frozen Four and also took home NCHC Rookie of the Year and Offensive Defenseman of the Year honors. He accomplished all of that as the second-youngest player in Division I men's hockey this season.
He reeled off a 12-game point streak that ended in December, breaking Lane Hutson's mark for the longest such run by a freshman rearguard in the last 21 years.
Buium helped the United States capture gold at the World Junior Championship this year, producing nearly a point per game and nearly half a goal per contest. He also notched a goal and five assists in seven games for the U.S. side that took home gold at the Under-18 World Championship in 2023.
What they're saying
"(Buium) was ... one of the best draft-eligible defensemen I've ever seen at (the college) level," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote in late May. "He is an extremely intelligent puck-mover who can run a power play like a top NHL player. He makes high-end plays routinely and can break shifts open with his puck-handling and passes."
Pronman added that Buium's defensive skills were "good enough at the amateur level, but he isn't very physically imposing." However, he noted that Buium "breaks up enough plays to go with his great offense to be a major positive at even strength," that he has "game-breaking potential," and that he "looks like a potential star No. 1 defenseman in the NHL who will put up big numbers."
The New Jersey Devils chose 6-foot-7 defenseman Anton Silayev with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Anton Silayev
Silayev impressed in his first season at Russia's highest level this past campaign. The imposing blue-liner blocked 74 shots and led his team with 98 hits. Silayev rose from second on Central Scouting's midterm rankings for international skaters to the top spot in the final edition.
His 11 points may not seem like much (offense isn't his biggest strength), but he collected them as a 17-year-old against men in a professional league. That total is the most by an under-18 player in KHL history. Silayev, who turned 18 on April 11, broke the record previously set by Vladimir Tarasenko, who collected 10 points in 38 games for Novosibirsk in 2008-09.
Silayev, under contract in the KHL through 2025-26, also captained Russia's Under-20 squad to punctuate his draft year. He's displayed an impressive level of physicality for such a young player, even considering his hulking stature.
What they're saying
"It's not often you find a 6-foot-7, 211-pound defenseman capable of moving like him with his smooth and active skating stride," NHL director of European scouting Jukka-Pekka Vuorinen told NHL.com's Mike G. Morreale in April.
"He seems to always be alert and able to quickly get pucks to his forwards in transition," Vuorinen added. "He can carry the puck and has a great release. His personal skills are still a bit raw, but his ceiling is high. He's looked so composed in the KHL. He seems to be ready to play in the NHL almost immediately."
"He is a unique type of prospect who's easy to dream on," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote in late May. "He can play all situations and play on his off wing. Silayev ... skates very well for his size. He has excellent footwork and a smooth stride, with strong four-way mobility. He closes gaps quickly on his check, plays a very physical brand of hockey, and thus projects to be a premier shutdown type of defenseman in the NHL."
Pronman compared Silayev to Zdeno Chara and added that Silayev has the potential to be a No. 1 rearguard one day.
The Seattle Kraken drafted Canadian forward Berkly Catton with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday.
Berkly Catton
Following up his strong rookie campaign in the WHL with a stellar sophomore season, Catton finished with the third-most goals in the league and the fourth-most points with 116 in 2023-24. He teed up the performance with a dominant showing at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August, where he paced the tournament with eight goals and tied for the lead with 10 points in five games to lift Canada to a gold medal.
Despite his lack of size, the 18-year-old has been praised for his abilities as a well-rounded center and talented skater. Catton won 53.4% of his faceoffs for the Spokane Chiefs this past season and dazzled as a key cog on their penalty kill, leading the league with seven shorthanded goals.
Catton moved up one spot on NHL Central Scouting's final rankings after placing ninth on the midterm list.
What they're saying
Catton makes a ton of difficult plays on the move and has a lot of pace in his game," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote in May. "He's not overly physical, but he competes. He wins pucks, gets to the net, and can kill penalties. He projects as an excellent top-six center with a chance to be a No. 1 center."
Pronman also likened him to Utah youngster Logan Cooley. "On the rush, Catton can slice through opponents with ease while handling the puck as well as anyone, so he likes to beat his competition with pace. ... Catton's ability to weave through traffic makes him so difficult to contain," Daily Faceoff's Steven Ellis wrote in June.
The Calgary Flames drafted defenseman Zayne Parekh with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday.
Zayne Parekh
Parekh just completed one of the best offensive seasons ever by a draft-eligible OHL defenseman.
His 33 goals and 96 points are the most by any OHL rearguard since 1990. Ryan Ellis is the only blue-liner to come close in that span, as he tallied 22 goals and 89 points in 56 contests in 2008-09.
Parekh earned CHL Defenseman of the Year honors and finished the season by winning the Memorial Cup with the hosting Saginaw Spirit.
The Nobleton, Ontario, native can look lackadaisical at times, but that's partially due to his style. He's become a bit of a pest, adding a chippy element to his game over the campaign.
Parekh's defensive limitations may frustrate future coaches, but his immense offensive potential could more than make up for that.
What they're saying
"If he can defend at a reasonable level in the NHL ... he's got star power offensively. He won't be for every team, but I'd pick him early without much hesitation and bet on the rare skill," The Athletic's Scott Wheeler wrote.
"There aren't many defensemen in the game that can score goals like Parekh has shown, which makes him an especially exciting prospect and at least gives him a chance to challenge for a top-pairing role at his peak," wrote FloHockey's Chris Peters.
"The big issue with Parekh is his play away from the puck. He gives half-efforts at times defensively and doesn't engage physically. I've seen worse defenders, though," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote.
Demidov is a highly skilled winger with arguably the best hands in the draft. He's a dangerous threat as both a passer and a shooter.
He didn't make much of an impact during his four-game stint in the KHL this season, but he dominated Russia's junior league, finishing four back of the league lead in points despite skating in 24 fewer games.
There's always some level of concern about a player who has a modest frame and an unorthodox skating stride like Demidov, but his skill is so far off the charts that he's bound be a high-end point producer in the NHL who can run a power play from the flank.
Still, Demidov needs at least one more year of seasoning - maybe even two - before playing in the NHL. He's signed for one more year in Russia, so expect him to spend the 2024-25 campaign in the KHL. Ideally, he could come to North America afterward to hone his craft with an NHL player development staff. He could begin 2025-26 in the AHL while pushing for a job with the big club that season or the year after.
Demidov said Friday that he doesn't have a Canadian visa so he won't be able to attend Montreal's development camp, according to The Athletic's Arpon Basu.
What they're saying
"He is the most purely skilled player in the draft and is extremely creative in making plays with the puck," wrote The Athletic's Corey Pronman, who ranked Demidov No. 8 on his board and compared him to Detroit Red Wings phenom Lucas Raymond. "He has an excellent motor, attacks the net consistently, and competes hard to win pucks. Demidov created scoring chances seemingly every shift this season."
The Ottawa Senators drafted defenseman Carter Yakemchuk with the seventh overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday.
Carter Yakemchuk
Yakemchuk dazzled with the Calgary Hitmen this season. He was a human highlight reel, often showcasing his immense skill and making opposing defenders look silly.
With 30 goals, 71 points, and 120 penalty minutes, Yakemchuk's campaign resembled that of a power forward, not a rearguard. He's the first draft-eligible defenseman to hit the 30-goal mark since Ian White in 2002.
Yakemchuk is on the older side of the class with a September 2005 birthday. He's an incredibly exciting talent with quality skating, a bomb of a shot, and legitimate high-end puck skills. Questions remain about how much one-on-one play he can get away with at the next level. He'll also need to improve defensively and cut down significantly on the amount of penalties he takes.
What they're saying
"Yakemchuk has star potential and projects to be a major minutes player in the NHL with a lot of offensive upside," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote.
"The dynamic elements of his game, especially in a player of his size, make him a little bit of a rarer commodity, and with a bit more development, I think the rest of his game smooths out enough for him to challenge for a top-four role," wrote FloHockey's Chris Peters.
"While his game in the WHL does come with some give and take, he's got pro size, a pro shot ... and an attack mentality that is complemented by an active disposition to eagerly jump off the line or into the rush," The Athletic's Scott Wheeler wrote.
The Utah Hockey Club drafted forward Tij Iginla with the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday, the first selection in team history.
Tij Iginla
Once projected to go outside the first round, Iginla's stock has been steadily rising over the past year. He wasn't an everyday player for the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds in 2022-23, mustering 18 points in 48 regular-season outings while appearing in just three playoff games during their run to the Memorial Cup final.
The soon-to-be-18-year-old broke out in a big way this past campaign for the Kelowna Rockets, though. Iginla ranked seventh in the WHL in goals and second on his team with 84 points before adding nine tallies and 15 points in 11 playoff games. He also enjoyed a standout performance at this spring's World U18 Championship, where he helped Canada win gold. He jumped up two spots between NHL Central Scouting's midterm and final rankings.
Tij is the son of Hall of Fame winger Jarome Iginla.
"I don't think it's any one thing," Tij said when asked about the biggest lesson he's learned from his dad. "It's hard to just put one thing, so many life lessons, things like that, over the years. I guess a big one would be effort. You can make mistakes, but effort's got to be there."
The youngster outscored his father's production in his draft year, with Jarome putting up 33 goals and 71 points in 72 games for the WHL's Kamloops Blazers before being selected 11th overall by the Dallas Stars in 1995.
After being drafted higher than Jarome, Tij conceded that "it's nice" to have some family bragging rights.
"Tij is a very talented offensive player," wrote The Athletic's Corey Pronman in May. "His stick-handling displays stand out constantly. He beats defenders one-on-one at a high rate and improvises very well with the puck. ... He gets to the inside to score as well and displays a strong effort away from the puck. ... He projects as a strong top-six wing who will score a lot of goals."
"Score, score, and score some more. That's what (Iginla) does best," Daily Faceoff's Steven Ellis wrote in April. "Iginla is a solid distributor ... but with the puck on his stick, he's a dangerous generator. He plays with good pace, and while he isn't big, he's physically strong."
