The Florida Panthers' name has barely been etched onto the Stanley Cup, before the 2024 NHL Draft is already upon us.
It’s where teams begin to rebuild and restructure for the offseason ahead, so we’re here to make sure you’re locked into all that there is to know.
Like the popular NFL Draft, the NHL Draft spans multiple days in the US. It begins on Friday, 28th June, which will include solely the first round of picks. Then, rounds two through seven will take place the following day on 29th June. However, in the UK both the first round picks and the subsequent day of picks will start on Saturday, 29th June.
So, we know the days, but what time should we be tuning in? On the first day, the San Jose Sharks will officially be on the clock to take the #1 overall pick at 12am BST. As for the day two picks, they will begin later that same day at 4pm BST.
As the NHL grows more and more popular, so too do the events surrounding it. That’s why the 2024 NHL Draft will be at the famous Las Vegas Sphere, which has held some of the most exciting events since officially opening at the end of September 2023.
The format of the NHL Draft is extremely straightforward. There are seven rounds in which teams take turns taking their picks from collegiate and amateur players from a variety of leagues.
The more unique aspect is the Draft Lottery, which determines the draft order, providing lesser-performing teams with the higher percentage chances at the #1 overall pick.
The 2024 NHL Draft order for the first round is as below:
1. San Jose Sharks
2. Chicago Blackhawks
3. Anaheim Ducks
4. Columbus Blue Jackets
5. Montreal Canadiens
6. Utah Franchise (formerly Arizona Coyotes)
7. Ottawa Senators
8. Seattle Kraken
9. Calgary Flames
10. New Jersey Devils
11. Buffalo Sabres
12. Philadelphia Flyers
13. Minnesota Wild
14. San Jose Sharks
15. Detroit Red Wings
16. St. Louis Blues
17. Washington Capitals
18. Chicago Blackhawks
19. Vegas Golden Knights
20. New York Islanders
21. Los Angeles Kings
22. Nashville Predators
23. Toronto Maple Leafs
24. Colorado Avalanche
25. Ottawa Senators
26. Montreal Canadiens
27. Carolina Hurricanes
28. Calgary Flames
29. Dallas Stars
30. New York Rangers
31. Anaheim Ducks
32. Philadelphia Flyers
The 2023 NHL Draft was headlined by Connor Bedard, who was touted as the top prospect since Connor McDavid in 2015.
While the 2024 NHL Draft doesn’t have another Bedard atop the list, there is another forgone conclusion as the #1 overall pick is set to be Macklin Celebrini.
Things may get very interesting with the next two picks, as there has been plenty of debate between Ivan Demidov and Artyom Levshunov.
Perhaps the most unique aspect of the NHL Draft is the abundance of players selected from overseas and other leagues compared to other sports.
It’s been held since 1963, and one of the most significant changes was in 1974 when the required age went from 20 to 18 years old.
It’s also worth noting that Canada has had the most #1 overall picks, including each of the first 20, with Garry Monahan selected by the Montreal Canadiens as the first.
Connor Bedard, another Canadian, was the most recent first-round pick in 2023, joining the likes of elite superstars Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews who have all been lighting up the NHL as a No1 selection.