New Jersey Devils Post 2024 NHL Draft Lottery Mock Draft

The lottery balls didn’t fall the way of the New Jersey Devils like they had in 2017, 2019, and 2022. However, the silver lining to a disappointing and disheartening 2023-24 season sees the Devils selecting 10th in June’s NHL Draft.

This will be the seventh time in the past decade that the Devils will select within the top 10 and the first time since taking Simon Nemec second overall in 2022. Whether or not Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald decides to stick and pick or trade the pick (perhaps revisiting that Jacob Markstrom deal) will be a talking point from now until draft night. In the meantime, the Devils are situated in a great spot to add a high-end prospect to their system.

Outside of the top pick, there isn’t much of a consensus. The Devils will have options. They could easily find a player they have in their top five fall to them at 10. As for the rest of the league, we currently have the first 23 picks locked in, with San Jose at the top spot.

2024 Post Draft Lottery Mock NHL Draft

No 1. San Jose Sharks: Macklin Celebrini, C, Boston University

This is a no-doubter, slam-dunk pick for a Sharks team that desperately needs it. Celebrini is as complete of a player as you’ll find coming out of the draft, and he’ll have the chance to spearhead the youth movement in San Jose. A franchise-altering player.

No 2. Chicago Blackhawks: Ivan Demidov, RW, SKA St. Petersburg

While there’s no consensus after number one, most believe the next two picks will be the skilled Russian winger Demidov, or Belarusian and Michigan State standout defenseman Artyom Levshunov. Chicago selects Demidov to be Bedard’s running mate for the next 10+ years. He’s a highly skilled puck handler and playmaker who will feed off Bedard to form a formidable duo in the league.

No 3. Anaheim Ducks: Artyom Levshunov, D, Michigan State

After swapping Jamie Drysdale for Cutter Gauthier earlier this season, the Ducks find themselves with a hole on the right side of their defense. Enter Levshunov. The most polished defenseman in the draft, Levshunov joins a young Ducks blue line that includes Pavel Mintyukov, Olen Zellweger, and Jackson LaCombe.

No 4. Columbus Blue Jackets: Cayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat Tigers

The Devils division rival form their own 1-2 punch down the middle by selecting Lindstrom. The 6’4″ center out of Medicine Hat in the WHL adds a ton of size and speed to a Blue Jackets team starved for offense. He and 2023 second-overall pick Adam Fantilli have the potential to set that cannon off quite a bit.

No 5. Montreal Canadiens: Berkly Catton, C, Spokane Chiefs

The Canadiens have an embarrassment of riches in their pipeline on the backend. David Reinbacher, Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle, and Logan Mailloux lead the way defensively. What they lack is a center behind Nick Suzuki, and Catton is high-octane offense, shown by his 116 points in 68 WHL games.

No 6. Utah Hockey Club: Zayne Parekh, D, Saginaw Spirit

Utah, formerly the Arizona Coyotes, will have the chance to add to an already young blue line. What more to get the people out of their seats like an elite offensive defenseman like Parekh? He put up a ridiculous 33 goals and 96 points in 66 OHL games.

No 7. Ottawa Senators: Sam Dickinson, D, London Knights

One of the first big decisions former Devils interim head coach and newly appointed Ottawa Senators head coach Travis Green will get to be a part of. They opt for the smooth-skating Dickinson who registered 70 points in the OHL this season. Also, a possible replacement for soon-to-be free agent Jakob Chychrun.

No 8. Seattle Kraken: Zeev Buium, D, Denver University

Buium is coming off a season that saw him win a National Championship and a Gold Medal at the World Junior Championship. In addition, the Kraken have used all of their first-round picks on forwards. It’s time they add a young stud on the backend.

No 9. Calgary Flames: Anton Silayev, D, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod

This may be the only mock draft that doesn’t have the Flames taking Tij Iginla. He would be the pick if it weren’t for Silayev still being on the board. A knee injury and a Russian passport may see him drop a bit on draft night, but experts love his high ceiling, and so should a retooling Flames team.

No 10. New Jersey Devils: Konsta Helenius, C, Jukurit

The Devils find themselves in a great spot not needing to force a pick. Luckily, Helenius is still on the board and they can fill their organizational need at center. Helenius just put up one of the most productive U-18 seasons in Liiga history, scoring 36 points in 51 games. He featured at both the U18 and U20 tournaments for Finland and will be a part of Finland’s World Championship team this month.

Helenius is widely regarded as one of the best 200-foot players in this draft. Also, he greatly improved in the face-off dot, is an aggressive forechecker, and his defensive play is a major strength in his game. His coach this year, former NHLer Olli Jokinen, has said he could even play in the NHL next year.

The Devils need a long-term answer at 3C behind Nico Hishier and Jack Hughes, and Helenius could be it. Championship teams are built down the middle, and adding a two-way player who will give you offense would go a long way to winning a Stanley Cup. Also, the Devils would get to use the nickname ‘Triple-H’.

Ooooh baby, check out the drag and release by Konsta Helenius (2024) this morning.

He's up to 5 goals and 8 points in 15 Finnish Liiga games – tops among U19 skaters.

We like him. pic.twitter.com/UMj067dGnY

— Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) October 27, 2023

No 11. Buffalo Sabres: Cole Eiserman, LW, U.S. NTDP

Eiserman was once a legit challenger for the top pick over Celebrini. However, questions about his overall game have come to light this year. What isn’t being questioned though is his ability to score. Eiserman broke the USNTDP scoring record with 127 goals in 119 games. Buffalo adds a high-risk, high-reward player to a fun, young core.

No 12. Philadelphia Flyers: Carter Yakemchuk, D, Calgary Hitmen

The Flyers bring in another young defenseman to help build upon the core of Cam York, Jamie Drysdale, Oliver Bonk, and Emil Andrae. Yakemchuk is a big, attack-minded defenseman who could use a year or two in the John Tortorella school of defending.

No 13. Minnesota Wild: Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW, Mora IK

The Wild have used a ton of draft capital on forwards in recent years, but a run on defense leaves them empty-handed. However, they opt to take Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, a well-rounded players who’s built his game on his work ethic and drive. He has pro-ready size and a motor that should see him in the NHL sooner rather than later.

No 14. San Jose Sharks via Pittsburgh Penguins: Tij Iginla, C/LW, Kelowna Rockets

Son of Calgary Flames legend Jerome, Tij took his game to another level this year after being traded in the offseason. Iginla put up impressive numbers in the WHL, as well as with Team Canada at the U18s. He’s a heady hockey player with a heavy wrister and solid size, which he uses effectively. A Celebrini-Iginla first round would be a dream come true for the Sharks.

No 15. Detroit Red Wings: Beckett Senneck, RW, Oshawa Generals

Senneck has been rising up draft boards and for good reason. He boasts the perfect blend of high-end skill, size that teams will covet, as well as creativity with the puck. Detroit could use an injection of skill into their lineup, and after flashing in the playoffs, Senneck could be their guy.

No 16. St. Louis Blues: Adam Jiricek, D, HC Plzen

A season-ending knee injury has put Jiricek in an awkward spot in the draft. However, the Blues need to inject blue chips on the backend. Had it not been for the injury this would be a reasonable spot for him. Nevertheless, the Blues add a player who instantly becomes their best defensive prospect.

No 17. Washington Capitals: Igor Chernyshov, LW, Dynamo Moskva

The conveyor belt of Russian players continues in Washington. They add a strong, power-forward player in Chernyshov who has a touch of skill and speed in transition to put up points in the NHL. Also, they add another offensive-minded forward to join last year’s first-rounder, Ryan Leonard.

No 18. New York Islanders: Michael Hage, C, Chicago Steel

A very Lou Lamoriello pick in that Hage won’t flash with any one thing but plays a well-rounded game. Hage is a threat as both a shooter and a playmaker, is an above-average skater, and plays a solid two-way game. A University of Michigan commit, Hage should put up good numbers in the NCAA before turning pro rather quickly.

No 19. Vegas Golden Knights: Trevor Connelly, LW, Tri-City Storm

Somehow Vegas has a first-round pick after all the trades they’ve made. And of course one of the most purely talented players in the draft falls to them. Connelly has had some ups and downs (particularly off the ice), but he is an electric skater and a highly skilled winger. Also, if Vegas decides to not trade him, they’re getting someone who could put up big numbers someday.

No 20. Chicago Blackhawks via Tampa Bay Lightning: E.J. Emery, D, U.S. NTDP

After taking Demidov second overall, the Blackhawks add a defense-first defenseman in Emery. The Blackhawks can allow the University of North Dakota commit to hone his craft in the NCAA for a few years before joining the big club.

No 21. Los Angeles Kings: Sasha Boisvert, C, Muskegon Lumberjacks

The Kings prospect pool, like the Devils, has become thin in recent years. Boisvert put up 36 goals in 61 USHL games this season, good for fifth in the league. Furthermore, he’ll be joining E.J. Emery at the University of North Dakota next year.

No 22. Nashville Predators: Henry Mews, D, Ottawa 67’s

Nashville has drafted a fair amount of forwards in recent years. With Mews, they get a near-point-per-game defenseman who had an up-and-down year but is capable of driving play from the backend. He is considered a bit of a project, however, he has the pedigree (seventh overall pick in the OHL draft) and played a big role on one of the best teams in the OHL.

No 23. Toronto Maple Leafs: Liam Greentree, RW, Windsor Spitfire

Toronto needs an injection of life into their prospect pool. Greentree is big, strong, and constantly in and around the play. The captain of the Spitfire, Greentree may not project to be a star player but has the toolkit to be an everyday NHLer.

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