NEWSLETTER
The 2024 NHL Draft Lottery was held on Tuesday night, locking the order of the top 16 selections in the 2024 NHL Draft. Which means we’re now getting flooded with mock draft predictions for teams owning those selections — and some more.
I dropped my updated post-lottery, two-round 2024 NHL Mock Draft earlier today. Give it a read!
So who are people saying the Blackhawks will select with the No. 2 overall pick in June? Let’s take a quick lap around Mock Draft land to see what others are saying. It looks like, right now, it’s 50-50 between a scorer and a defenseman. (Note: the links embedded in the players’ names are to their EliteProspects profiles.)
The Athletic — Ivan Demidov, RW
“Demidov is the second-best forward in this draft. The Blackhawks are certainly interested in defenseman Artyom Levshunov, but if they can be guaranteed Demidov will come over to North America from Russia after next season, Demidov would make the most sense. A future combination of Connor Bedard and Demidov could be a ton of fun.” — Scott Powers
Daily Faceoff — Ivan Demidov, RW
“A lower-body injury ended Demidov’s incredible MHL playoff run, where he was averaging two points per game. The skilled playmaker would be a perfect fit alongside Connor Bedard, entering the draft as the forward with the purest skill of anyone. Compared to the same point last year, Demidov’s overall game has taken positive steps forward, especially from a work ethic perspective. I have no doubts whatsoever that he won’t become a game-changing winger in the NHL.” — Steven Ellis
FloHockey — Ivan Demidov, RW
“The Blackhawks really have two ways to go with this pick I think. They can nab the right-shot defenseman their system lacks in Artyom Levshunov, or they can continue to build up their forward group with another high-end scorer to complement Connor Bedard. This is a hugely important pick for this franchise, but I think the big swing here is to take Demidov and add another cornerstone piece to the rebuild. Demidov is under contract for one more season in the KHL and I would do everything in my power to make sure that is his last season in Russia.” — Chris Peters
TSN (Craig Button) — Artyom Levshunov, RHD
SportsNet — Artyom Levshunov, RHD
“This player provides a two-way game with some bite. He skates well, shoots it well and can handle PP responsibilities.” — Sam Cosentino
The Score — Artyom Levshunov, RHD
“After landing a generational prospect in Connor Bedard last summer, the Blackhawks snag the top defenseman in the 2024 class.
Levshunov leads an array of exciting blue-liners that will litter the top 10. The Belarusian was a beast at Michigan State as a freshman, registering 35 points in 38 games and leading the Big 10 champs with a plus-27 rating.
Chicago adds a future top-pairing rearguard whose two-way skill set will feature nicely alongside either Alex Vlasic or Kevin Korchinski.” — Kyle Cushman
Daily Faceoff — Beckett Sennecke, RW
“Has there been a more impressive draft prospect in the 2024 CHL playoffs? He has 22 points in 16 games, building off a second half that saw him finish as one of the best second-half players in the OHL. Sennecke benefited from having Cal Ritchie by his side, but it only helped amplify just how skilled of a player he was when he didn’t have to focus on driving a line by himself. Sennecke is a great puck handler with confidence and he would give the Blackhawks even more scoring depth down the line.” — Steven Ellis
The Score — Liam Greentree, RW
Greentree was one of the only bright spots on a poor Windsor team this season. He captained the Spitfires and led the team with 36 goals and 90 points. An underwhelming under-18s sees him fall to the end of the top 20.
