Center Macklin Celebrini’s debut in the NHL with the San Jose Sharks will be eyed by new Madrid Royals GM Mikko Mantykoski with great interest. On his first day on the job, Mantykoski picked Celebrini with the first overall pick in the Season 17 EURO draft, after division realignment allowed Madrid to get into the running for the draft lottery despite the fact they made the playoffs last season. And Madrid jumped all the way to the top of the heap.
Celebrini’s NHL debut has already brought both high hopes and concerns. On one hand, he has an impressive 3 goals and 1 assist in 5 games playing on the Sharks’ top line. But on the other hand, he missed 12 games with an injury already. In Websim, where his first season will form the foundation of his attributes, that already erodes his numbers a little.
His start is reminiscent of Connor Bedard’s start a year earlier. The star center for the Blackhawks in the NHL, was the first pick of Prague and he also sustained an injury that affected his Websim numbers. Bedard ended up with a PO rating of 91.
In Spain, the talented center joins some other young forwards with potential. Wingers Matt Boldy, 23, and Nico Huuhtanen, 21, both have scoring ability and they could someday be linemates with Celebrini. Other under-23s with potential up front are centers Lewis Houston and Stanislav Vrhel and defensive winger Lukas Vashko.
Prague adds skilled winger
With pick #2, Prague added Russian RW Ivan Demidov, who scouts say has tremendous hands and vision. Czech fans will eventually get to see him with Connor Bedard wreaking havoc in opposing zones. Demidov is in the Montreal system in the NHL and Elite Prospects said this about him: “The most dynamic and creative player in the draft, and perhaps ever to play in the MHL.”
Demidov is on pace for 48 points in 68 games for SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL.
Liverpool nabs big wing Sennecke
Six-foot, four-inch Beckett Sennecke grew up in Toronto and was ready to learn a new language because he knew he would go high in the EURO League draft. As it turns out, he will only have to learn a classier-sounding English because Liverpool claimed him at No. 3.
Despite his size, Sennecke is nimble with the puck and his great balance allows him to deke defenders without much trouble. He is on pace to score about 30 points more with the Oshawa Generals in the OHL than he did last season. Liverpool (formerly Hanover) needs all the help it can get, although they have three good young forwards already on the roster in Tim Stutzle, Valentin Nussbaumer and Cole Sillinger. New GM Neil Taylor is hoping Anaheim doesn’t rush Sennecke into the league. If they do, Taylor hopes Sennecke has a great first year. After that, he won’t care about what the youngster does in the NHL.
First defenseman heads for Greece
Athens went with a big defenseman from western Canada in Carter Yakemchuk. Now property of the Ottawa Senators in the NHL, Yakemchuk has a great shot and good offensive tendancies. He scored 30 goals for the Calgary Hitmen in the NHL last season. Scouts say he will be a premier puck mover and have compared his game to that of Brent Burns and Evan Bouchard. Athens doesn’t have much in terms of young defensemen so this could be a crucial pick. Among the team’s defense corps, only Jackson Lacombe is seen as a player with a good future in the organization and Yakemchuk could push Lacombe down a rung on the depth chart.
First player with attributes taken by Ajax
Amsterdam GM Frank Petrucci wasn’t in a gambling mood when it came time for the 5th pick in the draft. The Ajax went with Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Alex Vlasic and his 83 PO rating. A decent skater, Vlasic is already an accomplished defensive defenseman. He becomes the third 22-year-old on the Amsterdam blueline who have long careers ahead of them. Expect Owen Power to lead the group in the future with either Vlasic or Kaiden Guhle to be his prime partner. Vlasic will definitely see a lot of penalty killing time.
Milan takes younger Iginla
The crowd reaction in Milan was really good when GM David Bell announced Tij Iginla would be the Guerriero’s pick in the first round. Many were probably remembering that dad Jarome scored between 25 and 30 goals and offered a lot of heart and leadership in his time with St. Petersburg and Helsinki. The teen Tij hasn’t shown the toughness his dad had but he might be a better goal scorer. This season, he is on pace to score 55 times for Kelowna in the WHL after scoring 47 for them last season. The left winger will behind Jason Robertson on the depth chart and he might look nice on a line sometime in the future with J.J. Peterka or Seth Jarvis on the other wing for Milan.
Gothenburg likes Catton’s production
Last year at this time, Gothenburg GM Jason Haupt hit a towering home run by gambling on Matvei Michkov. The spirited Philadelphia Flyer forward has 12 points in 14 games and looks like he will be a good one. Haupt is hoping for another homer – or at least a ground rule double – in Berkly Catton. The Saskatoon teen is one of the smaller players at the top part of the draft pool and he went 8th overall to Seattle in the NHL draft. Gothenburg grabbed the center at No. 7 in the EURO draft and they are hoping he can show some of the amazing production he’s shown in the WHL, where he’s captain of the Spokane Chiefs. Last season he finished 3rd in the league in goals with 54 and 4th in points with 116. Long-term, Gothenburg seems pretty well off on defense, but they will need Catton and other young forwards like Jack Hughes and Oliver Wahlstrom to complement Michkov on the top lines.
Offensive defenseman goes to Scotland
Edinburgh opted for an offensive-minded defenseman in Sam Dickinson. The 6-3 Toronto native is learning hockey in a great system with the London Knights of the OHL and he seems to be improving contsantly. In the NHL, he should be able to zoom up the depth chart in San Jose, which is one of the weakest teams in the NHL. In Edinburgh, Dickinson and Jamie Drysdale are the two bright stars shining on the blueline. In a few years, with those two skating the puck up ice, opposing defensemen will have to head back to their own zone quickly and Capitals forwards will like that a lot.
Defenseman Levshunov falls to Zurich
Some scouts think Artyom Levshunov could someday win the Norris Trophy in the NHL, so Zurich might have gotten a steal with pick #9 in the draft. In June’s NHL draft, Levshunov was taken second overall, so that tells you what people in that league think of him. But it all depends on how the Chicago Blackhawks use the Belarusian. He is supposedly smart and has all the physical tools needed to be a top powerplay quarterback type of blueliner.
A reach? Bratislava picks Russian goalie
Bratislava really rolled the dice with pick 10, reaching to Russia for a goalie who wasn’t even picked in the first round of the NHL draft in June. But Ilya Nabokov put up fantastic numbers in the KHL last season and was even named Playoff MVP. His season stats ranked him up there with names like Bobrovsky, Vasilevskiy, Sorokin, Georgiev and Shesterkin when they were a comparable age in the KHL. Nabokov was actually third-best in that impressive group. The Eagles are currently relying on young goalies Tanner Jaillet and Spencer Knight as they let Connor Hellebuyck go to free agency, but they would love for Nabokov to make a huge splash when he gets his chance with the Colorado Avalanche.
Big forward becomes Guinness Chugger
Elite Prospects has gone as far as saying “In a lot of drafts, you’d be happy to get such a player with the first overall pick. Instead, Cayden Lindstrom may be there for the taking around five. You can’t beat that.” In the NHL draft Columbus took him at pick four. And in the better EURO League, Dublin’s new GM Dennis Lee took him with the 11th pick. The Canadian Lindstrom is 6-4, 215 and he has drawn comparisons to Eric Lindros. He had 27 goals in 32 games last season in the WHL. In the Dublin system, he joins highly touted forwards Logan Stankoven, Matt Coronato, Ryan Leonard and others.
Offense from the blueline the focus in Lisbon
With the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL, Zayne Parekh’s point total went from 37 two seasons ago to 97 last year. And he plays defense. The fact he shoots righty will help him move up the Calgary Flames depth chart and scouts say any flaws in his game are defensive issues and correctable. That makes it two years in a row that Lisbon has drafted high-potential offensive defensemen. Last season, they picked Axel Sandin Pellikka, who is in the Detroit Red Wings organization.
Amsterdam trades to pick Letourneau
After going with a safe pick at #5 by taking a player with his attributes, Amsterdam GM Frank Petrucci seemed to be bitten by the gambling bug. He traded with Lisbon to get a shot at picking prospect Dean Letourneau. Amsterdam gave up their top pick next year and 24-year-old defenseman Joel Nystrom to get the player who was taken in the 2024 NHL draft by the Boston Bruins. He is a huge center who initially reminds you of Tage Thompson. But before he gets to Denmark and the EURO League, Letourneau has some playing to do with Boston College in the NCAA.
Athens drafts quick, crafty defenseman
The pick of Zeev Buium by new Aths GM Petr Barilla was sort of like a combination of the two picks just ahead of him. Like Zayne Parekh, Buium is a smooth skating offensive defenseman and like Dean Letourneau, Buium has some NCAA hockey to play before he gets his shot in the EURO League. Like his older brother Shai did before him, Buium enrolled at the University of Denver. They might play against each some day because Shai was drafted by Prague three years ago.
London adds towering defenseman Silayov
The New Jersey Devils seem to be doing something right recently in the NHL and London GM Roger Bowmoore will have to trust them to do more of the same with Anton Silayov. The Russian defenseman was taken 10th overall in June’s NHL draft and like Dean Letourneau, he is a 6-7 giant of a boy. Don’t expect Silayov to contribute a lot of offense, but you can expect him to cover a lot of defensive ice every shift and be almost unbeatable along the boards and in one-on-one situations.
Finn Helenius to bring two-way qualities to Munich
The Buffalo Sabres drafted forward Konsta Helenius at #14 in June for his two-way game and his hockey brain. Buffalo was stocked to the gills with flashy forwards and in fact they sent Matt Savoie packing in an eyebrow-raising trade at draft time. Helenius seemed to give them something they have been missing lately and he has gotten good reviews with his early play in the AHL with Rochester. Munich GM Eugene Wilkinson will hope Buffalo doesn’t rush him into their lineup before he has fully ripened.
Lisbon picks up high-potential goalie
With their second pick in the draft, Lisbon and GM Bryan Camara went with a known quality. Up until Lisbon’s pick of goalie Joel Hofer, 16 of 17 picks had been prospects. Hofer, who plays for the St. Louis Blues, is just 23 and his 78 Goalie Rating should develop into a 90-plus rating at the height of his career. He might gain some experience points immediately as a backup to 35-year-old Robin Lehner, unless Lisbon signs a free agent or acquires another goalie. Beneath Hofer on the team depth chart are three prospects: Jacob Fowler, Adam Gajan and Calle Clang.
Well-rounded prospect forward taken by Helsinki
Cole Eiserman’s name sounds like Steve Yzerman’s name, pointed out Helsinki GM Jukka Tuominen when he drafted him at number 18 in the draft. Tuominen is smart enough to know he gets no points for players who sound like hockey legends, so he must have selected Eiserman for what he has done as part of the USA National Development program. In short, Eiserman works hard, doesn’t mind getting physical and he can put up points. This winter, he is playing for Boston University, where is already tied for the team lead in scoring with 10 points in 10 games.
From Norway to Sweden for foward
What a nice neighbor Stockholm GM Delwin Y is. He could have picked anyone and he went with Michael Brandsegg-Nygard from the country next door, Norway. But Brandsegg-Nygard can do more than just sing the Norwegian national anthem and drink a ton of beer, scouts say. We will see if they are right someday when Detroit gets him into regular action. Scouts say he is a very physical forechecker and a sure bet for a spot on any team’s top two forward lines. Currently playing in Skelleftea in the Swedish League – and scoring points in roughly half his games, the transition to Stockholm someday should be easier.
Belfast drafts goalie Daccord
Joey Daccord has played well in the NHL for the Seattle Kraken. Belfast GM Svein Haugsmoen called Daccord’s name for the 20th pick of the draft and soon after, people started asking how soon the 27-year-old goalie will journey from the Pacific Northwest to Northern Ireland. The Giants already have two goalies under contract for this season and perhaps next season. One is potential Hall of Fame Alexander Salak, who just posted his 15th season with a save percentage of .900 or above. And Hayden Hawkey completed his eighth season as a backup and hit .900 for the first time. Daccord’s PO rating is the highest of the three goalies, but it’s unclear how he’s going to get games in Belfast. Salak could exercise his player option next year at this time when he’s 37 years old and Belfast would have his $5.8 million salary on the books.
Oslo follows with another goalie
Carl Choiniere didn’t seem very original when he drafted a goalie right after Svein Haugsmoen did. That won’t do anything to quell the “Carl is a Svein wannabe” talk that’s been going around the league. But it will give Oslo Cayden Primeau, a 24-year-old whose Goalie Rating should eventually reach the high 80s. Could they use a goalie? Ummm, yeah, considering the only one on the roster currently is stellar Matt Murray. He is in his prime and ready to go for season number 6 in a row with a save percentage of .900 or higher. Primeau could be the backup of the present and the goalie of the future in Norway.
Minsk drafts prospect forward Luchanko
The Hussars went with Jett Luchanko, an Ontario native and a speedy forward who scouts say is a puck hound first and playmaker second. The 18-year-old has already gotten into four NHL games with the Philadelphia Flyers, but he will spend this season with Guelph in the OHL and it looks like he will end up as the team’s leading scorer. Minsk doesn’t have a ton of prospects in their system. Luchanko joins Eduard Sale as the only ones taken in the last three drafts.
Smurfs get ever-improving forward from Quebec
Sacha Boisvert, who was drafted in the first round of the NHL draft by Chicago, is a sniper from Quebec who has shown the trajectory scouts love. But he has taken a weird route so far in his career. Instead of playing the QMJHL, Boisvert entered the USHL with Muskegon, scoring 17 goals in 57 games his first year. Then he shot up to 36 goals last season. That got the scouts’ attention. Today, he is playing in the NCAA with North Dakota, a team with 13 NHL draftees on its roster. Berlin’s prospect roster is even more crowded. Of the 17 players still waiting for their Websim attributes, Boisvert is one of nine listed as centremen.
Tridents go with RW from WHL
Copenhagen looked to the powerful Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and drafted scoring winger Tarik Parascak. The 6-foot tall Alberta native was third on the team in scoring and second in goals behind Zac Funk, who like Parascak is in the Washington Capitals’ system in the NHL. It makes sense that Copenhagen picked a forward to add to its prospect shelves because of the 15 players in the system, 10 are either goalies or defensemen. Elite Prospects was not that high on Parascek in their draft guide, but Copenhagen GM Martin Sayle has proven many so-called experts wrong in the past.
There will be no draft updates in the second or third rounds.
