The Seattle Kraken drafted Canadian forward Berkly Catton with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday.

Berkly Catton

Following up his strong rookie campaign in the WHL with a stellar sophomore season, Catton finished with the third-most goals in the league and the fourth-most points with 116 in 2023-24. He teed up the performance with a dominant showing at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August, where he paced the tournament with eight goals and tied for the lead with 10 points in five games to lift Canada to a gold medal.

Despite his lack of size, the 18-year-old has been praised for his abilities as a well-rounded center and talented skater. Catton won 53.4% of his faceoffs for the Spokane Chiefs this past season and dazzled as a key cog on their penalty kill, leading the league with seven shorthanded goals.

Catton moved up one spot on NHL Central Scouting's final rankings after placing ninth on the midterm list.

What they're saying

Catton makes a ton of difficult plays on the move and has a lot of pace in his game," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote in May. "He's not overly physical, but he competes. He wins pucks, gets to the net, and can kill penalties. He projects as an excellent top-six center with a chance to be a No. 1 center."

Pronman also likened him to Utah youngster Logan Cooley. "On the rush, Catton can slice through opponents with ease while handling the puck as well as anyone, so he likes to beat his competition with pace. ... Catton's ability to weave through traffic makes him so difficult to contain," Daily Faceoff's Steven Ellis wrote in June.

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The Calgary Flames drafted defenseman Zayne Parekh with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday.

Zayne Parekh

Parekh just completed one of the best offensive seasons ever by a draft-eligible OHL defenseman.

His 33 goals and 96 points are the most by any OHL rearguard since 1990. Ryan Ellis is the only blue-liner to come close in that span, as he tallied 22 goals and 89 points in 56 contests in 2008-09.

Parekh earned CHL Defenseman of the Year honors and finished the season by winning the Memorial Cup with the hosting Saginaw Spirit.

The Nobleton, Ontario, native can look lackadaisical at times, but that's partially due to his style. He's become a bit of a pest, adding a chippy element to his game over the campaign.

Parekh's defensive limitations may frustrate future coaches, but his immense offensive potential could more than make up for that.

What they're saying

"If he can defend at a reasonable level in the NHL ... he's got star power offensively. He won't be for every team, but I'd pick him early without much hesitation and bet on the rare skill," The Athletic's Scott Wheeler wrote.

"There aren't many defensemen in the game that can score goals like Parekh has shown, which makes him an especially exciting prospect and at least gives him a chance to challenge for a top-pairing role at his peak," wrote FloHockey's Chris Peters.

"The big issue with Parekh is his play away from the puck. He gives half-efforts at times defensively and doesn't engage physically. I've seen worse defenders, though," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote.

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The Montreal Canadiens drafted Russian winger Ivan Demidov with the fifth overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday.

Ivan Demidov

Iconic Quebec-born singer and Vegas resident Celine Dion made the selection.

Demidov is a highly skilled winger with arguably the best hands in the draft. He's a dangerous threat as both a passer and a shooter.

He didn't make much of an impact during his four-game stint in the KHL this season, but he dominated Russia's junior league, finishing four back of the league lead in points despite skating in 24 fewer games.

There's always some level of concern about a player who has a modest frame and an unorthodox skating stride like Demidov, but his skill is so far off the charts that he's bound be a high-end point producer in the NHL who can run a power play from the flank.

Still, Demidov needs at least one more year of seasoning - maybe even two - before playing in the NHL. He's signed for one more year in Russia, so expect him to spend the 2024-25 campaign in the KHL. Ideally, he could come to North America afterward to hone his craft with an NHL player development staff. He could begin 2025-26 in the AHL while pushing for a job with the big club that season or the year after.

Demidov said Friday that he doesn't have a Canadian visa so he won't be able to attend Montreal's development camp, according to The Athletic's Arpon Basu.

What they're saying

"He is the most purely skilled player in the draft and is extremely creative in making plays with the puck," wrote The Athletic's Corey Pronman, who ranked Demidov No. 8 on his board and compared him to Detroit Red Wings phenom Lucas Raymond. "He has an excellent motor, attacks the net consistently, and competes hard to win pucks. Demidov created scoring chances seemingly every shift this season."

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The Ottawa Senators drafted defenseman Carter Yakemchuk with the seventh overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday.

Carter Yakemchuk

Yakemchuk dazzled with the Calgary Hitmen this season. He was a human highlight reel, often showcasing his immense skill and making opposing defenders look silly.

With 30 goals, 71 points, and 120 penalty minutes, Yakemchuk's campaign resembled that of a power forward, not a rearguard. He's the first draft-eligible defenseman to hit the 30-goal mark since Ian White in 2002.

Yakemchuk is on the older side of the class with a September 2005 birthday. He's an incredibly exciting talent with quality skating, a bomb of a shot, and legitimate high-end puck skills. Questions remain about how much one-on-one play he can get away with at the next level. He'll also need to improve defensively and cut down significantly on the amount of penalties he takes.

What they're saying

"Yakemchuk has star potential and projects to be a major minutes player in the NHL with a lot of offensive upside," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote.

"The dynamic elements of his game, especially in a player of his size, make him a little bit of a rarer commodity, and with a bit more development, I think the rest of his game smooths out enough for him to challenge for a top-four role," wrote FloHockey's Chris Peters.

"While his game in the WHL does come with some give and take, he's got pro size, a pro shot ... and an attack mentality that is complemented by an active disposition to eagerly jump off the line or into the rush," The Athletic's Scott Wheeler wrote.

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The Utah Hockey Club drafted forward Tij Iginla with the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday, the first selection in team history.

Tij Iginla

Once projected to go outside the first round, Iginla's stock has been steadily rising over the past year. He wasn't an everyday player for the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds in 2022-23, mustering 18 points in 48 regular-season outings while appearing in just three playoff games during their run to the Memorial Cup final.

The soon-to-be-18-year-old broke out in a big way this past campaign for the Kelowna Rockets, though. Iginla ranked seventh in the WHL in goals and second on his team with 84 points before adding nine tallies and 15 points in 11 playoff games. He also enjoyed a standout performance at this spring's World U18 Championship, where he helped Canada win gold. He jumped up two spots between NHL Central Scouting's midterm and final rankings.

Tij is the son of Hall of Fame winger Jarome Iginla.

"I don't think it's any one thing," Tij said when asked about the biggest lesson he's learned from his dad. "It's hard to just put one thing, so many life lessons, things like that, over the years. I guess a big one would be effort. You can make mistakes, but effort's got to be there."

The youngster outscored his father's production in his draft year, with Jarome putting up 33 goals and 71 points in 72 games for the WHL's Kamloops Blazers before being selected 11th overall by the Dallas Stars in 1995.

After being drafted higher than Jarome, Tij conceded that "it's nice" to have some family bragging rights.

"He had a pretty good career," he quipped, per The Canadian Press' Joshua Clipperton. "I'll have to start trying to build my resume."

What they're saying

"Tij is a very talented offensive player," wrote The Athletic's Corey Pronman in May. "His stick-handling displays stand out constantly. He beats defenders one-on-one at a high rate and improvises very well with the puck. ... He gets to the inside to score as well and displays a strong effort away from the puck. ... He projects as a strong top-six wing who will score a lot of goals."

Pronman also likened him to veteran forward Viktor Arvidsson and previously compared Iginla to talented Buffalo Sabres youngster JJ Peterka in his April rankings.

"Score, score, and score some more. That's what (Iginla) does best," Daily Faceoff's Steven Ellis wrote in April. "Iginla is a solid distributor ... but with the puck on his stick, he's a dangerous generator. He plays with good pace, and while he isn't big, he's physically strong."

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The Anaheim Ducks drafted Canadian forward Beckett Sennecke with the third overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday.

Beckett Sennecke

Sennecke was clearly stunned to hear his name called so early.

"I was just super shocked. I think, obviously, my face kinda said that all," he said. "That was definitely an unexpected moment."

"I had a couple of meetings yesterday and today, and Anaheim wasn't one of them," he added, per ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.

Propelled by a dominant second half to his season, Sennecke clambered up draft boards everywhere, rising two spots between NHL Central Scouting's midterm and final rankings. He registered 17 goals and 42 points over his last 31 regular-season games with the Oshawa Generals and carried that momentum into the playoffs, where he chipped in with 22 points in 16 contests.

Though he got hurt in the Eastern Conference Finals, Sennecke said he believes his strong postseason showing was behind his stunning rise.

"I think it was definitely my playoff performance," he said. "I kinda peaked at the right time there."

Sennecke has been lauded for his strong skating ability, which is uncharacteristic for his large stature, and he's also known for his creativity as a puck-handler.

What they're saying

"He sees the ice well and is creative as a passer, although not to the level of his (one-on-one) abilities," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote in May. "There have been times when I've questioned his compete and consistency, but he answered those questions as the season continued. ... He looks like a player who can be a difference-maker at the next level."

Pronman also compared him to Winnipeg Jets sniper Kyle Connor.

"(Sennecke) offers good size, strength, and skills with his hockey sense in generating quality scoring opportunities. ... Sennecke is an all-around 200-foot player with a positive work ethic at both ends of the ice," NHL.com's Mike G. Morreale wrote in June.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets selected center Cayden Lindstrom with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Cayden Lindstrom

Lindstrom battled injuries in the latter half of the season, but he showed enough promise at the start of the campaign to still finish third on Central Scouting's North American skaters list. He offers an NHL-ready frame, along with impressive puck skills and speed for a player of his size. Lindstrom has all the tools needed to be an impact player once he enters the league.

Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said Lindstrom was the organization's top-ranked player after first overall pick Macklin Celebrini, per The Athletic's Aaron Portzline. The executive added that they had a fallback trade in place if Lindstrom wasn't available at No. 4.

What they're saying

"He has the quick twitch feet of a smaller forward and can get by opposing defenders," wrote The Athletic's Corey Pronman, who ranked Lindstrom 11th among this year's prospects. "He's a big, powerful center with a ton of physicality in his game. Lindstrom has good offensive skills and can score goals. His playmaking is something I've questioned at times, although he's shown good instances this season."

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