How is the 2024 NHL Draft Shaping Up with the Season Almost Over (Lottery Mock)?

It is now just 79 days until the picks are made inside the Sphere (Las Vegas). Moreover it is within a month (rumored to be May 6th or 7th) that the league will find out the order of the teams picking. The bottom 4 teams though look nearly locked into place (odds wise) as the Sharks, Blackhawks, Ducks, and Blue Jackets finish their 23-24 campaigns.

Venturing over to Tankathon (www.tankathon.com) we did a 1 time lottery simulation to determine order. While it would be nice just to hit the button until the Hawks' pick 1st overall, it didn't go Chicago's way (this time):

Here is a quick look at how a potential draft (in just the lottery) could play out.

1. Senators - C Macklin Celebrini (They would jump up 6 spots in the simulator and keep the talented center in Canada to pair with Tim Stutzle for a long time)

2. Ducks - RD Artyom Levshunov (Anaheim would leap over San Jose in the second drawing and would likely select the talented right shot D from Michigan St.)

3. Sharks - C Cayden Lindstrom (The worst case scenario would still net the San Jose fanbase a legit franchise talent in Lindstrom. Having Smith and Lindstrom as the two cornerstones isn't a bad way to restart at all.)

4. Blackhawks - LD Sam Dickinson (Another team that moved down the maximum amount of spots, Chicago would likely pick from a group that includes Ivan Demidov, Berkly Catton, Anton Silayev, and Sam Dickinson if picking fourth. As eluded to earlier this week (link below), at least some scouts believe the Hawks' interest in Dickinson is quite high.

5. Blue Jackets - LW Ivan Demidov (While Demidov has likely the 2nd best star potential in this draft, it will take a team with the confidence to bring him to North America and make him seamlessly integrated into their system. Columbus is one of the teams that could and should take a risk on a talent such as Demidov.

6. Coyotes - RD Carter Yakemchuk (While Sean Durzi has now established himself as a legit top 4 defender on the right side, Yakemchuk is too tantalizing here. A big, mobile, and offensively gifted right shot blue liner, Yakemchuk is primed to hear his name called earlier than some anticipate.

7. Canadiens - LW Berkly Catton (Yes they need size, yes they need some two way defenseman... However, Catton is too good to pass on here and Montreal would be wise to add in yet another skilled forward.)

8. Flames - LD Anton Silayev (Out goes one big Russian defender, in comes another one. Silayev is still a raw prospect with alot to learn, but if he pans out then this could be a potential top pairing staple for any team that drafts the 6'7 player. )

Picks 9-16 on next page