The 2024 NHL Draft is just under five months away, and while the winner of the lottery will have the chance to draft Macklin Celebrini, a generational prospect, there are plenty of players who can help the Blue Jackets in the future in this class. Specifically, defensemen.
According to TSN's Bob McKenzie's mid-season draft rankings, there are seven blueliners ranked in the top 14. In order of McKenzie's ranking, let's take a look at those six defensemen.
1. Anton Silayev, Left Shot, Torpedo Nizhny Novogard (KHL)
Silayev, the No. 2 overall player on McKenzie's list, stands at 6 feet 7 inches tall and has posted 3-8--11 in 55 KHL games this season. With elite size, he's not afraid to be physical, as shown in the clip below.
17-year-old Anton Silayev hits hard. pic.twitter.com/ts1y7j5tWC
— KHL (@khl_eng) January 13, 2024
2. Artyom Levshunov, Right Shot, Michigan State (NCAA-Big Ten)
Levshunov is the No. 3 overall player on the list, is a freshman at MSU and stands at 6 feet 2 inches tall. With 8-19--27 in 28 games for the Spartans, he's eighth among NCAA defensemen in points/game.
Artyom Levshunov gallops down the flank and finds a hole far side.
— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) December 9, 2023
Make it 5 goals and 17 points in 17 NCAA games.
As a freshman.
Right-shot defenseman.
Yeah, he's going early. pic.twitter.com/h6j0VTix5p
3. Sam Dickinson, Left Shot, London Knights (OHL)
Dickinson, the No. 7 overall player on the list, stands at 6 feet 3 inches and is fourth among OHL defensemen with 50 points (14 goals, 36 assists) in 50 games this season.
Sam Dickinson (2024) with a puuuurdy nice goal.
— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) October 6, 2023
We're looking at a 6-3, 200lbs defenseman here. Already up to 6 points in 4 games.
And he's going awfully early in the draft next June pic.twitter.com/FNLD8WFIHo
4. Zayne Parekh, Right Shot, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
Parekh, the No. 9 overall player on the list, stands at 6 feet tall and leads OHL defensemen in goals with 23 and points with 69 in 46 games.
ZAYNE PAREKH RECORD-BREAKER
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) February 4, 2024
The #NHLDraft prospect scores his 23rd goal of the campaign: the most by a defenceman in a single season in @SpiritHockey franchise history pic.twitter.com/e2uR4fmJMw
5. Carter Yakemchuk, Right Shot, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
Yakemchuk, the No. 12 overall player on McKenzie's list, stands at 6 feet three inches tall. He leads WHL defensemen in goals with 23 and is fourth among that group with 51 points in 46 games this season.
2024 #NHLDraft prospect Carter Yakemchuk and the @WHLHitmen take the fifth Battle of Alberta this season! pic.twitter.com/AEMA7l5dzU
— The WHL (@TheWHL) February 3, 2024
6. Zeev Buium, Left Shot, Denver (NCAA-NCHC)
Buium, the No. 13 overall player on the list, is a freshman at Denver and recently helped Team USA capture the gold medal at the 2024 World Juniors. He's 6 feet tall and has posted 7-27--34 in 26 games, putting him second in scoring among NCAA defensemen, behind only Lane Hutson from Boston University.
Notable point-per-game outputs by freshmen defensemen in NCAA history - all in their D+1 seasons:
— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) January 22, 2024
Brian Leetch 1.27
Lane Hutson 1.28
Adam Fox 1.14
Luke Hughes 0.95
Zeev Buium is pacing at 1.45 - the highest mark in 40 years...as a draft-eligible.
Zeev Buium with a HUGE goal to open the 3rd and restore Team USAs two-goal lead #WorldJuniors
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) January 5, 2024
(via @TSN_Sports) pic.twitter.com/X8WpXcdDQT
7. Adam Jiricek, HC Plzen (Czechia)
Adam is the younger brother of Blue Jackets prospect David Jiricek, and is the No. 14 overall player on this list. He's six feet three inches tall and has posted one assist in 19 games for HC Plzen this season. However, he's out for the season after suffering a knee injury at the 2024 World Juniors, according to The Athletic's Corey Pronman.
If the NHL season ended today and there was no lottery, the Blue Jackets would have the fourth overall pick and be in prime position to select any of these players to help bolster an already promising group of young defensemen that includes the aforementioned Jiricek, Denton Mateychuk, and Stanislav Svozil.
