It’s finally here! The 2024 NHL Draft is upon us and all eyes will be glued on where future stars will start their NHL careers. While this will not be the most intriguing draft for fans of the Edmonton Oilers, there is still a lot to watch for. Here’s everything you need to know:
When and where is the 2024 NHL Draft
The Draft will be held tonight, June 28, 2024, and will be held in the Sphere in Las Vegas. This is expected to be the last time that the draft will be held in person, with the expectation being that it will shift online in the coming years.
Where do the Oilers draft this year?
The Oilers will have six picks over the seven rounds in this year’s draft. Their first pick will be in the second round, then will have a break before they pick again in the fifth round. They then will have two picks in the sixth and two again in the seventh.
All of the picks are theirs except for the additional sixth and both of their seventh-round picks. Their second sixth rounder came from Nashville as part of the Mattias Ekholm trade. The two seventh rounders came from Anaheim and Boston respectively. The former was part of the Sam Carrick and Adam Henrique trade while the latter came as part of the Troy Stetcher deal.
What happened to the picks that the Oilers had in this draft?
The Oilers lost their first round pick to Anaheim as part of the aforementioned Carrick and Henrique trade.
Their third round pick was traded to Arizona alongside Zack Kassian in exchange for the 2022 first rounder that became Reid Schaefer. They also traded their first-round pick that year to Arizona, which became Maveric Lamoureux.
The fourth round pick is currently held by Tampa Bay. Edmonton sent it to Nashville as part of the Ekholm deal. Edmonton also sent a first rounder, Tyson Barrie, and the aforementioned Schaefer. That first rounder became Tanner Molendyk. Nashville then sent that pick to Tampa along with Ryan McDonagh for a second- and seventh-round pick.
The seventh-round pick was sent to Montreal alongside William Lagesson and a second-round pick in exchange for Brett Kulak.
Who could the Oilers draft with their second round pick?
The Oilers own the 64th overall pick this year, right at the tail end of the draft this year. Here are some names to keep an eye open for.
Maxim Masse is a large right winger out of the QMJHL. He had 75 points in 67 games this season and is known for his scoring. He does need to work on his two-way game, but he does have one of the best shots in the league.
Emil Vinni is probably the best goalie in the draft this year. Standing 6’2″, he’s one of the most well-rounded goalies while also being assertive in the net in jut the right way. Without an elite goalie prospect in the system currently, taking Vinni may not be a bad idea.
Luke Misa is a centre out of the OHL, who had 81 points in 66 games for the Mississauga Steelheads. He’s an impressive skater with great playmaking skills, and has the capacity to be a strong middle-six player in the coming years. He’s not a big hitter or overly physical, but that may come with time.
Finally, one defenceman who may still be available is Aron Kiviharju. An offensive defenceman with great hockey sense, Kiviharju was once seen as a top-10 pick, but injuries this season will likely see him drop into the second or third round. He’s outstanding at moving the puck both up the ice and in the offensive zone. The challenge is that he hasn’t seen the growth most players do over the past two seasons, and footspeed is still a question mark. However, if he does remain available when the Oilers draft, he may be worth the risk.
What to watch for around the league
While Macklin Celebrini is projected to go first overall, the order from there is anything but certain. There are so many question marks around who will even be in the top five that this on its own is worth watching for tonight.
While there likely won’t be much to watch for regarding the Oilers, but the draft in itself is always fun and well-worth watching.
