- What: 2024 NHL Draft
- When: June 28-29
- Where: The Las Vegas Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada
- How to Watch: ESPN and WatchESPN
The 2024 Stanley Cup Finals just wrapped up and people are still talking about the Florida Panthers winning the title this year. Everyone in South Florida is going to be celebrating this for a while, but others are more focused on the upcoming draft. That's right, the draft is coming later this month and the Sharks will be on the clock first. With that said, Macklin Celebrini is the favorite to go No. 1 to San Jose in the NHL Draft. Is this a lock?
At this point, it feels like it would be a pretty big shock if Celebrini doesn't hear his name called first. A standout for Boston University, the 18-year-old forward has all the potential in the world to be a superstar for the Sharks moving forward. Celebrini was debating whether or not to enter the draft or return to Boston for another season, but the opportunity to go No. 1 was too much for him to pass up on.
| NHL Draft No. 1 pick odds |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macklin Celebrini | -150 | -150 | -150 |
| Artyom Levshunov | +450 | +450 | +450 |
| Cayden Lindstrom | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Zeev Buium | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
“The interview was good, it went really well,” Celebrini said after he met with the San Jose front office at the Combine leading up to the NHL Draft. “It was great to kind of meet everyone. It was a great experience. I’ve heard a lot about (Sharks) general manager Mike Grier while at Boston University, so it was good to finally meet him.”
According to the best sports betting sites, which includes the reliable Bovada sportsbook review, Celebrini holds -150 NHL betting odds to go No. 1 overall. Celebrini is the real deal and he has people in San Jose excited about him potentially being the selection at the top. Let's be real here, it would be a stunner if this doesn't happen. With all of that said, we're no doubt going with Celebrini as our pick to be taken No. 1 overall.
Grier and Warsofsky on how they will approach Macklin Celebrini's development ... if he's the No. 1 overall selection 😅 pic.twitter.com/O0XjjHz2LW
— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) June 17, 2024
Who will the Chicago Blackhawks take with the No. 2 pick?
Once San Jose makes its call, who will the Chicago Blackhawks take with the No. 2 pick? Things are a little bit tougher for Chicago, as they're reportedly focusing on two different playmakers. That'd be Artyom Levshunov and Cayden Lindstrom. Both players are loaded with potential and would be a great fit for what Chicago is trying to do moving forward. The Blackhawks are in a rebuild.
Things haven't gone according to plan for the Blackhawks in recent years, which is why there's a ton of pressure on the front office to get this pick right. Blackhawks fans are sick and tired of this team picking high in the NHL Draft and not going on a deep run in the postseason. One player isn't going to change everything for Chicago, but Levshunov and Lindstrom can be the kind of difference-makers to help get things going in the right direction.
Artyom Levshunov said the only team that took him out to dinner this week was Chicago.
He joked that they had a couple beers together. Great sense of humor 😂 #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/k48A6RHu6Y
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) June 8, 2024
"He is the most complete package for a defenseman," Central Scouting VP Alex Marr said of Levshunov at the Combine. "He's just a beast physically. He's got the right kind of confidence. He's not cocky, he's just really motivated. I spent a lot of time with Artyom early in the year and every game now at Michigan State, you're talking 50-plus NHL personnel. The game I was there, I walked around, did a head count and it was 56 and that included two general managers. He's got a lot of people talking."
Per the top NHL betting sites, Levshunov has +150 NHL betting odds to be taken No. 2 overall, which we think will be the case. Levshunov is also a teenager and he's going to be ready to make a splash next season. Levshunov is a tremendous defenseman and he's going to pose a lot of problems for forwards moving forward. Because of this, he's our pick to be taken No. 2 overall in the draft and then make his way to Chicago.
Cayden Lindstrom would be a great addition for the Anaheim Ducks
Should Levshunov indeed go No. 2, then Cayden Lindstrom would be a great addition for the Anaheim Ducks with the No. 3 overall pick. The Ducks have been in a rough spot in recent seasons as well, which has been a major disappointment. The Ducks used to be a powerhouse in the Western Conference, but that's no longer the case. Because of that, it's time for the front office to do whatever is needed to try and get this team back to a top spot. Someone like Lindstrom would be a positive start.
Just like San Jose and Chicago, the Ducks are in the middle of a rebuild and fans are starting to lose patience. It wasn't that long ago that Anaheim was making noise in the postseason and giving people all over California hope that they could push for a title. They need to revamp the roster to bring that same kind of hope back. There are +250 odds that Lindstrom will be taken at No. 3. It's a pick we'd love for the Ducks. It'll be interesting to see if that happens or not.
