NHL Draft Grades: Pacific 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | F Beckett Sennecke | Oshawa (OHL) |
| 23 | D Stian Solberg | Valerenga (Norway) |
| 35 | F Lucas Pettersson | MoDo (Sweden-Jr.) |
| 66 | F Maxim Masse | Chicoutimi (QMJHL) |
| 68 | F Ethan Procyszyn | North Bay (OHL) |
| 79 | D Tarin Smith | Everett (WHL) |
| 100 | F Alexandre Blais | Rimouski (QMJHL) |
| 182 | F Austin Burnevik | Madison (USHL) |
| 214 | D Darels Uljanskis | AIK (Sweden-Jr.) |
Sennecke's shocked reaction said it all. His monster run at the end of the OHL campaign and playoffs shot him into the top-10 discussion entering draft season. Few saw him going as high as No. 3.
Sennecke's potential was too much for the Ducks to pass up. He shot up from 5-foot-10 to nearly 6-foot-3 over the past year. Sennecke has the skill of a smaller player in the frame of a power forward. Anaheim's bet could pay off in the long run, but it feels a touch too risky given the array of talent on the board.
The Ducks rounded out their haul with some hard-to-play-against forwards. General manager Pat Verbeek compared Solberg to Radko Gudas, which is all you need to know.
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | D Zayne Parekh | Saginaw (OHL) |
| 28 | F Matvei Gridin | Muskegon (USHL) |
| 41 | F Andrew Basha | Medicine Hat (WHL) |
| 62 | F Jacob Battaglia | Kingston (OHL) |
| 74 | D Henry Mews | Ottawa (OHL) |
| 84 | G Kirill Zarubin | AKM Tula (Russia-Jr.) |
| 106 | F Trevor Hoskin | Cobourg (OJHL) |
| 150 | F Luke Misa | Mississauga (OHL) |
| 170 | F Hunter Laing | Prince George (WHL) |
| 177 | D Eric Jamieson | Everett (WHL) |
Parekh has star potential, and for a Flames system lacking on the backend, that's a huge add late in the top 10. Few defensemen as young as Parekh have ever scored over 30 goals. He plays with a feistiness that'll make him a fan favorite.
The Flames continued to add high potential later, particularly with Gridin, Basha, Mews, and Misa.
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | F Sam O'Reilly | London (OHL) |
| 64 | G Eemil Vinni | Jokipojat (FIN-2) |
| 160 | F Connor Clattenburg | Flint (OHL) |
| 183 | D Albin Sundin | Frolunda (Sweden-Jr.) |
| 192 | F Dalyn Wakely | North Bay (OHL) |
| 196 | F William Nicholl | London (OHL) |
| 218 | D Bauer Berry | Muskegon (USHL) |
The Oilers aggressively moved into the first round by conditionally trading next year's pick. They did so to get a riser in O'Reilly, who was great in the postseason for an elite London Knights team. A competitive center, O'Reilly projects to be a strong defensive pivot who could play in a top nine.
Sundin earned positive reviews from Toronto Maple Leafs assistant GM Hayley Wickenheiser at the team's development camp last summer. The 6-foot-2 rearguard has a physical game and played a regular shift in the Swedish playoffs.
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | F Liam Greentree | Windsor (OHL) |
| 57 | G Carter George | Owen Sound (OHL) |
| 164 | D Jared Woolley | London (OHL) |
| 198 | F James Reeder | Dubuque (USHL) |
Greentree put up big numbers on a bad Windsor team. He's 6-foot-3, skilled, and plays with power. Foot speed is an issue. But in the mid 20s, it's an excellent swing on potential.
George is among the top goaltenders in a weak class at the position.
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | F Macklin Celebrini | Boston University (NCAA) |
| 11 | D Sam Dickinson | London (OHL) |
| 33 | F Igor Chernyshov | Dynamo Moscow (Russia) |
| 53 | D Leo Sahlin Wallenius | Vaxjo (Sweden-Jr.) |
| 82 | F Carson Wetsch | Calgary (WHL) |
| 116 | G Christian Kirsch | Zug (Swiss-Jr.) |
| 131 | D Colton Roberts | Vancouver (WHL) |
| 143 | D Nate Misskey | Victoria (WHL) |
| 194 | G Yaroslav Korostelyov | SKA St. Petersburg (Russia-Jr.) |
Celebrini is a legitimate franchise-changing prospect. He's familiar with the Bay Area and is almost certainly a future Sharks captain.
The early trade up allowed the Sharks to add Dickinson, an athletic defenseman who projects as a minutes-muncher with top-pairing upside. San Jose then grabbed more first-round talent in Chernyshov and Sahlin Wallenius in Round 2. A home run couple of days for the organization.
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | F Berkly Catton | Spokane (WHL) |
| 40 | F Julius Miettinen | Everett (WHL) |
| 63 | F Nathan Villeneuve | Sudbury (OHL) |
| 73 | D Alexis Bernier | Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) |
| 88 | G Kim Saarinen | HPK (Finland-Jr.) |
| 105 | F Ollie Josephson | Red Deer (WHL) |
| 141 | F Clarke Caswell | Swift Current (WHL) |
| 202 | D Jakub Fibigr | Mississauga (OHL) |
The prevailing thought was that the Kraken would take a defenseman at No. 8. In retrospect, Catton is a superb fit. He plays in the state and is among the draft's top offensive prospects. With Matty Beniers and Shane Wright in the fold, there's no pressure for Catton to remain a center. He brings high-end offense to a team that's lacked a true top-of-the-lineup game-breaker in its brief history.
The rest of the class doesn't hit the same intrigue but rounds out the prospect pool with physical, two-way players.
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 93 | F Melvin Fernstrom | Orebro (Sweden-Jr.) |
| 125 | F Riley Patterson | Barrie (OHL) |
| 162 | F Anthony Romani | North Bay (OHL) |
| 189 | D Parker Alcos | Edmonton (WHL) |
| 221 | D Basile Sansonnens | Fribourg (Swiss-Jr.) |
It should be no surprise that the Canucks snagged a Swedish prospect with their first pick. Fernstrom had a huge season in Sweden's junior league but has yet to get a true run in the top pro league. He led Sweden in scoring at the Under-18 tournament with eight points.
Romani had a huge season in the OHL as an over-age player. Scouts question how much of that offense will translate to the next level, but a 58-goal-scorer this late is a nice pick.
| Pick | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | F Trevor Connelly | Tri-City (USHL) |
| 83 | G Pavel Moysevich | SKA St. Petersburg (Russia) |
| 180 | F Trent Swick | Kitchener (OHL) |
| 197 | F Lucas Van Vliet | U.S. NTDP |
Connelly has top-10 talent. There's also a reason he was on the board at No. 19. If the Golden Knights legitimately did due diligence on Connelly's character, and he's learned from his mistakes, it's an excellent pick. If not, and issues pop up, Vegas' management will deserve the criticism it receives.
Moysevich is a quality swing on a goaltender who was excellent in the KHL in a small sample.
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