Tuesday, June 25, 2024

NCAA Storylines for 2024 NHL Draft

Boston University’s Celebrini Projected as First Pick

NCAA Storylines for 2024 NHL Draft
Boston University’s Macklin Celebrini is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick (Photo: Rich Gagnon).

Boston University forward and 2024 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner Macklin Celebrini will be one of many college hockey players front and center Friday night at the NHL Draft in Las Vegas.

Celebrini, a Vancouver, British Columbia, native who racked up 32 goals and 64 points in 38 games as a freshman in 2023-24, is projected to be drafted first overall by the San Jose Sharks. San Jose’s general manager, Mike Grier, also played collegiate hockey at Boston University.

Celebrini is bidding to become the fifth NCAA player to be drafted first overall, an exclusive group that includes Michigan’s Owen Power (2021 by Buffalo), Minnesota’s Erik Johnson (2006 by St. Louis), BU’s Rick DiPietro (2000 by the New York Islanders) and Michigan State’s Joe Murphy (1986 by Detroit).

Celebrini is one of three active rising sophomores ranked among the top four North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting; Michigan State defenseman Artyom Levshunov is ranked No. 2 and Denver defenseman Zeev Buium is ranked No. 4.

In all, more than 100 current NCAA players and NCAA recruits were listed in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings, with 35 different schools having at least one player appear in the rankings.

Sixty-nine current or committed NCAA players were selected during the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville, including nine who were first-round picks.

The 2024 NHL Draft takes place June 28-29 at Sphere in Las Vegas, with the first round on Friday and rounds two through seven on Saturday.

For more NCAA-related storylines ahead of this year’s draft, including a complete list of current or committed college hockey players on NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings, visit College Hockey Inc.’s 2024 NCAA/NHL Draft Guide.