What do some of the best prospect writers out there say the Canes will do at 27?
Despite the Stanley Cup being awarded just three days ago, the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas is now just one day away.
The compressed NHL scheduling has made the draft almost feel like an afterthought for many, but the experts that scout these players all year have been ready.
Here's a collection of mock drafts from some of the best prospect writers out there and what they say the Carolina Hurricanes might do at pick 27.
The Hockey News
Tony Ferrari - Jett Luchanko - C, 5-foot-11, 185lbs, OHL
New GM Eric Tulsky is known for being an analytical guy, and Luchanko would fit the mold the Hurricanes are known for. He brings a profile that projects to put up good underlying numbers, and he also brings some impressive two-way ability thanks to a non-stop motor and quick feet. Luchanko would be a great fit here.
Ryan Kennedy - Trevor Connelly - LW, 6-foot, 160lbs, USHL
YES, CONNELLY WAS one of the top scorers in the USHL this season, but his career has had a litany of off-ice incidents, including the time he posted a picture on social media of his friend posing with a swastika made out of children’s blocks.
“He’s uber talented,” said one scout. “He makes everyone else on the ice better. He’s very smart. He’s fast, has good skill and high IQ. He checks all the boxes. It’s going to be one of those deals where you have to kick it up the ladder, and your GM is going to have to make a decision. All we can do is vet the kid. He’s a top-10 talent.”
And therein lies the rub. In a vacuum, the Providence commit could go high, but teams are weary of how controversial additions impact NHL dressing rooms (e.g. the Bruins and another Tri-City product, Mitchell Miller). So, would a scout vouch for Connelly in the first round? “Probably not,” said another scout. “All I can do is tell them what he does on the ice and give them information about him off the ice. It’s a hard sell.”
The Athletic
Scott Wheeler - Yegor Surin - C, 6-foot-1, 190lbs, MHL
No team’s drafting has aligned more with my lists over the years than the Canes’ and my two best players available here are Emil Hemming and Parascak, so I’m going to put them in the conversation by default. If they go D, I could see them having some time for Sahlin Wallenius and Mews as well. They haven’t shied away from Russians either and both Surin and Nikita Artamonov are expected to enter the conversation in this type of range. I went Surin because he’s a center and they’ve drafted a lot of wingers of late (the two Swedish centers would make sense for the same reason).
Corey Pronman - Igor Chernyshov - LW, 6-foot-2, 190lbs, KHL
Chernyshov is a top-20 player in this draft, but I suspect he will slide a bit because he’s a non-dynamic Russian winger. At some point, a team will take a swing on a big guy who can skate and score though and Carolina has shown no hesitation to pick Russians.
TSN
Bob McKenzie - EJ Emery - D, 6-foot-3, 185lbs, USDP
Craig Button - Marek Vanacker - LW, 6-foot, 175lbs, OHL
Daily Faceoff
Steven Ellis - Cole Beaudoin - C, 6-foot-2, 210lbs, OHL
Beaudoin was excellent at the U-18 World Championship, looking great as a bottom-six threat that did just about everything He just missed out on a point per game with Barrie this year, but between the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, the U-18s and his strong play throughout the season, we’re looking at a multi-faceted scoring threat with size and a nice shot.
Elite Prospects
Harrison Brunicke - D, 6-foot-2, 185lbs, WHL
McKeen's Hockey
Dominik Badinka - D, 6-foot-3, 185lbs, SHL
