2024 NHL Draft: First-Round Prospects and Entry-Level Contracts

Exploring the NHL Hopes of the Future’s Stars

The 2024 NHL Entry Draft was a pivotal moment for 32 young hockey players, who were selected by NHL teams in the first round. These prospects represent the future of the NHL, and many have already begun their journey towards that goal by signing entry-level contracts.

Breaking Down the First-Round Selections

Let’s dive into the status of each player and their current affiliation:

Players with Signed Entry-Level Contracts:

Macklin Celebrini, C (San Jose Sharks)
Artyom Levshunov, D (Chicago Blackhawks)
Beckett Sennecke, RW (Anaheim Ducks)
Tij Iginla, C (Utah Hockey Club)
Carter Yakemchuk, D (Ottawa Senators)
Berkly Catton, C (Seattle Kraken)
Zayne Parekh, D (Calgary Flames)
Konsta Helenius, C (Buffalo Sabres)
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW (Detroit Red Wings)
Adam Jiricek, D (St. Louis Blues)
Terik Parascak, RW (Washington Capitals)
Stian Solberg, D (Anaheim Ducks)
Cole Beaudoin, C (Utah Hockey Club)
Liam Greentree, RW (Los Angeles Kings)
Marek Vanacker, LW (Chicago Blackhawks)
Matvei Gridin, RW (Calgary Flames)
Emil Hemming, RW (Dallas Stars)
Ben Danford, D (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Players Without Signed Contracts:

Cayden Lindstrom, C (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Ivan Demidov, RW (Montreal Canadiens)
Anton Silayev, D (New Jersey Devils)
Zeev Buium, D (Minnesota Wild)
Sacha Boisvert, C (Chicago Blackhawks)
Trevor Connelly, LW (Vegas Golden Knights)
Cole Eiserman, LW (New York Islanders)
Michael Hage, C (Montreal Canadiens)
Egor Surin, C (Nashville Predators)
Dean Letourneau, C (Boston Bruins)
EJ Emery, D (New York Rangers)
Sam O’Reilly, RW (Edmonton Oilers)

Prospects Playing Overseas

Several of the unsigned prospects have opted to continue their development in Europe:

Ivan Demidov (SKA St. Petersburg, KHL)
Anton Silayev (Nizhny Novgorod, KHL)
Egor Surin (Yaroslavl, KHL)

Collegiate Prospects

A number of first-round picks have chosen the NCAA route:

Zeev Buium (University of Denver)
Sacha Boisvert (University of North Dakota)
Trevor Connelly (Providence College)
Cole Eiserman (Boston University)
Michael Hage (University of Michigan)
Dean Letourneau (Boston College)
EJ Emery (University of North Dakota)

Junior Hockey Standouts

Many of the unsigned prospects are continuing their development in junior hockey:

Cayden Lindstrom (Medicine Hat, WHL)
Terik Parascak (Prince George, WHL)
Sam O’Reilly (London, OHL)

International Leaguers

Some first-rounders are playing in top professional leagues outside of North America:

Konsta Helenius (Tappara, Liiga)
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (Skelleftea, SHL)
Emil Hemming (TPS, Liiga)

Conclusion

The 2024 NHL Draft marked the beginning of a new chapter for these 32 talented prospects. As they progress through their careers, we can expect to see many of them make an impact in the NHL. Whether they’re playing in North America or overseas, these young stars represent the future of the sport.