The Edmonton Oilers were defeated by the Florida Panthers in seven games to win the Stanley Cup. Even though the upcoming season is still months away, clubs will have the opportunity to improve this Friday and Saturday when the 2024 NHL Draft takes place in Las Vegas. The Boston University standout Macklin Celebrini is the obvious choice the San Jose Sharks will select with their first overall pick. You can’t legitimately wager on who the Sharks will draft at most bookmakers because it’s a given. But as we’ll discuss below, the second and third overall choices are a complete tie. Read on for the 2024 NHL Draft picks.
Before diving into the NHL picks, check out our Stanley Cup Odds and the NHL Draft odds.
| Player |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artyom Levshunov | -250 | -250 | -250 |
| Ivan Demidov | +170 | +170 | +170 |
| Cayden Lindstrom | +2500 | +2300 | +2500 |
| Anton Silayev | +3000 | +3000 | +3000 |
As you can see, the Chicago Blackhawks, who selected Connor Bedard first overall in the previous selection, have a strong advantage over Artyom Levshunov of Michigan State at No. 2 overall in the standings. The team is rebuilding, so bringing in a player like Levshunov might be wise. He allegedly had a meeting with the Hawks, who also took the defenseman out to dinner. His size and strength make him a good fit for Chicago, which is in need of blue-line assistance. He has great physical presence and is an amazing skater. Levshunov and Bedard may be key players for the Blackhawks for many years to come.
Ivan Demidov is up now. He’s also a compelling choice for the Blackhawks. As a 17-year-old in Russia’s AHL, the young kid is an electrifying talent on the wing, averaging two points per game. At sixteen, he also averaged more than a point per game. It would be ideal with Bedard because he is also left-handed. He possesses power, skill, and speed. Demidov is still quite young and weighs close to 200 pounds already. Levshunov vs. Demidov is a difficult choice for Chicago. Regardless if they play the season after this one or the one after that, both might quickly improve them.
| Player | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anton Silayev | +140 | +140 | +140 |
| Artyon Levshunov | +280 | +280 | +280 |
| Beckett Sennecke | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Ivan Demidov | +550 | +550 | +550 |
For a number of years now, the Anaheim Ducks have been a complete disaster. Even with players like Trevor Zegras and Troy Terry, they are unable to rise beyond the gutter. Though they still have a ways to go before Anaheim can contend once more, the player they select on Friday could be beneficial in the long run. Contrary to popular belief, Demidov or Levshunov are not the third favorite overall. Actually, it’s defenseman Anton Silayev.
With two young ones already maturing, the Ducks don’t really need one of those right now. With just 2.48 goals per night in 2023–24, Anaheim finished 30th in the NHL in terms of scoring. They require offense. Demidov thus becomes a compelling choice at +550. In the event that Chicago chooses to play defense and selects Levshunov, the Ducks would naturally turn their attention to Demidov, should he become available. He is the complete offensive package, as was already noted, and he would work well with Terry and Zegras.
Another interesting candidate is Beckett Sennecke, but he’s not Demidov. Nevertheless, Demidov might play one or two more seasons in Russia because he is such a young talent. Instead, in the midst of their difficulties, Anaheim might be searching for someone to step in right away.
However, one player won’t always have a significant impact right away. It would be wiser to allow Demidov to further mature in Russia and evolve into a more polished product before bringing him to the NHL, where he can truly shine.
In all honesty, it appears as though the Blackhawks are inclined to select Michigan State’s Artyom Levshunov in the first round. Right now, he’s definitely more NHL-ready than Demidov, so Chicago might want to take that into consideration. Just based on that, I’d lay -250 odds on the Hawks to choose the defenseman at second.
Regarding the Ducks’ third overall selection, I don’t think Anaheim will pass on Demidov if he’s available. He’s simply too skilled a player. Here is where they need to make the correct choice, and I believe they will.
See below the top Las Vegas betting sites where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
