It’s that time of year again, folks! With the NHL Draft Lottery set to take place tonight, we’ll soon have some clarity on where the Flyers are set to pick, and this will kick off our season of deep diving into this year’s group of top prospects. So we’re here to introduce this year’s BSH Community Draft Board!
If you’ve been around the block with us before, you know the drill by now, but for anyone who’s new to this whole thing, here’s your rundown: Over the next month or so, we’ll be profiling one player per day, working our way through the whole of the first round, and what order are those players going in? Well, that’s up to you (yes, you!) to decide. We’re all coming together here to collaborate a bit and learn a whole lot about these top draft prospects, with the aim, of course, of becoming the smartest person at our draft party. What more could you want?
We’ll kick things off with our first overall pick on Thursday, and while we have an inkling of who that’s going to be, it’s still up for voting. Let’s meet our first options, shall we?
Macklin Celebrini
Celebrini was one of the best players in college hockey this season and a leader for a top team in the country. He checks every box you want in a top prospect, and is one of the few players I’ve scouted where it’s hard to see any noticeable weakness. He skates very well. He has a very powerful stride with a quick twitch in his first few steps and is able to get by a lot of defenders. He’s extremely skilled and creative with high-end offensive sense. Celebrini makes a ton of difficult plays with the puck on the move, in tight areas and from a standstill. He has a bullet shot and projects to run a first power play in the NHL. He’s average-sized, but Celebrini is highly competitive, wins a lot of battles and projects as a two-way center in the NHL. He has all the makings of a potential superstar.
Corey Pronman, The Athletic
Ivan Demidov
Demidov made his season debut in the KHL, showcasing his talents in Russia’s top league. The first word that comes to mind when watching him play is ‘slippery.’ Despite his smaller frame competing against much bigger KHL competition, they can’t seem to pin him down. His puck-handling abilities are among the best I’ve ever seen at this age. He pulls off some of the most complex moves against KHL veterans, both in open ice and along the boards, and makes it look simple.
FCHockey regional scout Ty Brooks
Artyom Levshunov
His physical maturity, strength and strong skating give him the tools to project as a high-end two-way defenceman. Scouts still aren’t sure what his offensive ceiling will be in the NHL, but he has put up some noteworthy numbers in each of the past two seasons.
He had 13 goals and 42 points with the USHL’s Green Bay in 2022-23. His seven goals and 26 points at Michigan State this season are gaudy totals for an 18-year-old freshman.
Bob McKenzie, TSN
Sam Dickinson
He’s a strong 6-foot-3/4 defenseman whose skating is a real strength (forward, backward, four-way mobility, the full package for a defender his size). He plays firm and with confidence in who he is and what makes his game so successful. He defends at a very high level for his age both man-to-man, down low and positionally in his own zone. He has skill and poise with the puck (which began to reveal itself more at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last summer and has stamped itself for the Knights this season) and has started to make better and more consistent reads under pressure (he’s showing real comfort and even deception past opposing forwards these days, and has shown some nice vision and touch as well). He’s not the most dynamic player with the puck, but he has all of the physical tools you look for, he can really shoot it (which I know he has worked on), he comfortably moves it, he has a high floor, and he could have a very high ceiling (at both ends) with continued development along the path he’s on.
Scott Wheeler, The Athletic
And there we have it! And all that’s left is for you to cast your vote. First overall pick, who’ve you got?
