NHL Draft Grades: Metropolitan Division
With the 2024 draft complete, it's time to hand out initial grades for each team's haul of new prospects.
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Atlantic | Central | Metropolitan | Pacific
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 34 | D Dominik Badinka | Malmo (Sweden) |
| 50 | F Nikita Artamonov | Torpedo (Russia) |
| 69 | D Noel Fransen | Farjestad (Sweden-Jr.) |
| 124 | D Alexander Siryatsky | Magnitogorsk (Russia-Jr.) |
| 133 | F Oskar Vuollet | Skelleftea (Sweden-Jr.) |
| 156 | F Justin Poirier | Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) |
| 168 | D Timur Kol | Omsk (Russia-Jr.) |
| 184 | D Roman Shokhrin | Loko-76 (Russia-Jr.) |
| 188 | F Fyodor Avramov | Stupino (Russia-Jr.) |
| 220 | F Andrey Krutov | Torpedo (Russia-Jr.) |
The Hurricanes traded out of the first round, landing a mobile 6-foot-3 defender at the top of the second in Badinka. As per tradition, Carolina added six prospects out of Russia.
Poirier was a classic Canes swing. A stud in the QMJHL, he led the league in goals in both the regular season and playoffs. And he was almost too young for the draft. The only issue is he's 5-foot-8.
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | F Cayden Lindstrom | Medicine Hat (WHL) |
| 36 | D Charlie Elick | Brandon (WHL) |
| 60 | G Evan Gardner | Saskatoon (WHL) |
| 86 | D Luca Marrelli | Oshawa (OHL) |
| 101 | D Tanner Henricks | Lincoln (USHL) |
| 165 | D Luke Ashton | Langley (BCHL) |
Lindstrom's blend of speed, skill, and power is a general manager's dream. He'll form a nightmare one-two punch with Adam Fantilli down the middle for years to come.
The Blue Jackets added a mean, rangy defender in Elick who has shutdown potential. He could be a perfect match with top prospect Denton Mateychuk.
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | D Anton Silayev | Torpedo (Russia) |
| 49 | G Mikhail Yegorov | Omaha (USHL) |
| 85 | F Kasper Pikkarainen | TPS (Finland-Jr.) |
| 91 | F Herman Traff | HV71 (Sweden-Jr.) |
| 139 | F Max Graham | Kelowna (WHL) |
| 146 | G Veeti Louhivaara | JYP (Finland-Jr.) |
| 171 | F Matyas Melovsky | Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) |
Many thought Silayev would be long gone by No. 10 with his towering 6-foot-7 frame and legitimately good skating. His lack of offensive game is no concern for a Devils team that already has Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec. Silayev's potential as an elite-level shutdown defender could make him a perfect match with the aforementioned blue-liners.
Yegorov has starting upside. Melovsky was one of the QMJHL's best playmakers and impressed at the world juniors.
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | F Cole Eiserman | U.S. NTDP |
| 54 | D Jesse Pulkkinen | JYP (Finland) |
| 61 | F Kamil Bednarik | U.S. NTDP |
| 115 | G Dmitry Gamzin | Zvezda (Russia-2) |
| 147 | G Marcus Gidlof | Leksand (Sweden-Jr.) |
| 179 | D Xavier Veilleux | Muskegon (USHL) |
Did the league overcorrect on Eiserman? Once considered the No. 2 prospect in the class, it was once unthinkable that a team would be able to scoop him up at 20th overall. The Islanders have drafted two snipers out of the NTDP in Kieffer Bellows and Oliver Wahlstrom, who have failed to deliver in the NHL. However, Eiserman is the best shooter of the bunch, so maybe third time's the charm.
Pulkkinen is 6-foot-6 and impressed at the world juniors. Though he's an over-age prospect, he's still very much a developmental project.
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | D EJ Emery | U.S. NTDP |
| 119 | F Raoul Boilard | Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) |
| 159 | F Nathan Aspinall | Flint (OHL) |
| 191 | F Rico Gredig | Davos (Swiss) |
The Rangers developed K'Andre Miller into a top-four defenseman and will look to do the same with Emery. The 6-foot-3 rearguard has drawn comparisons to Miller with his elite athleticism and rangy, shutdown potential.
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | F Jett Luchanko | Guelph (OHL) |
| 51 | F Jack Berglund | Farjestad (Sweden-Jr.) |
| 59 | D Spencer Gill | Rimouski (QMJHL) |
| 107 | F Heikki Ruohonen | Kiekko-Espoo (Finalnd-Jr.) |
| 148 | F Noah Powell | Dubuque (USHL) |
| 173 | F Ilya Pautov | CSKA (Russia-Jr.) |
| 205 | D Austin Moline | Shattuck St. Mary's (High-MN) |
It felt early for Luchanko with the caliber of players still on the board. Yes, he fits an organizational need as a center, but the pick swap with the Wild that helped Minnesota land Zeev Buium could haunt the Flyers. Luchanko's speed is his top trait. He'll need to showcase more offensive upside to justify the pick.
The rest of the class leaves some to be desired in terms of potential NHL impact.
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | D Harrison Brunicke | Kamloops (WHL) |
| 46 | F Tanner Howe | Regina (WHL) |
| 111 | D Chase Pietila | Michigan Tech (NCAA) |
| 175 | D Joona Vaisanen | Dubuque (USHL) |
| 207 | F Mac Swanson | Fargo (USHL) |
| 223 | D Finn Harding | Mississauga (OHL) |
The Penguins landed two very Kyle Dubas players in Brunicke and Howe in the second round. Brunicke is 6-foot-3, skates well, and he played big minutes on a poor Kamloops team. Howe competes, and he proved he can score even without Connor Bedard on his line in Regina.
Swanson is the smallest player in the draft at only 5-foot-8 but was a top scorer in the USHL and plays a determined style. A textbook swing in the seventh round.
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | F Terik Parascak | Prince George (WHL) |
| 43 | D Cole Hutson | U.S. NTDP |
| 52 | D Leon Muggli | Zug (Swiss) |
| 75 | F Ilya Protas | Des Moines (USHL) |
| 90 | F Eriks Mateiko | Saint John (QMJHL) |
| 114 | G Nicholas Kempf | U.S. NTDP |
| 178 | F Petr Sikora | Trinec (Czechia-Jr.) |
| 212 | F Miroslav Satan | Bratislava (Slovakia-Jr.) |
The Capitals signed Parascak's linemate Zac Funk in March, so maybe we should've seen this pick coming. Clearly, Washington wants high potential players. Parascak has top-six upside, and Hutson is the NTDP's all-time leading scorer among defenders.
Protas joining his brother Aliaksei in Washington is a cool story. And Satan is a fun seventh-round project with his massive 6-foot-7 frame and NHL bloodlines.