The 2024 NHL Draft has concluded, and the offseason has officially kicked into high gear.

The past two days at Sphere in Las Vegas saw a flurry of activity. Players and picks were moved around throughout, causing the landscape of the NHL to change dramatically within the last 48 hours. Above all else, however, 225 young men got the chance to see their dreams become reality and their hard work be rewarded with a draft selection. Now, it’s time to give immediate reactions to all 32 draft classes.

Let’s start with the obvious: yes, these, and really any, immediate draft grades are an exercise in futility. Most of the prospects drafted won’t see the NHL for at least the next two or three years, and the true impact of the class won’t be made clear until the next five. So, what’s the point of doing something like this? The answer is mostly to analyze which scouting departments are doing their due diligence. General managers could get some great value on certain prospects, or filled certain needs in their organizational depth chart. While it’s impossible to say with certainty that a class will succeed or fail, these grades provide a look at what each class offers their respective organization.

Which NHL teams came out of Vegas with brighter futures? And whose gambles are looking shaky? Let’s find out.

1. San Jose Sharks (A+): Mike Grier’s tenure as Sharks GM has seen some lows, but this draft was a masterclass at first glance. Macklin Celebrini was the no-brainer first pick, but trading up and having arguably the best defenseman not named Levshunov in Sam Dickinson fall into their laps at 11? The Sharks could have stopped there and won the draft already, but they landed serious contributors with just about every pick. Igor Chernyshov and Leo Sahlin Wallenius were excellent values as second-round picks, Carson Wetsch projects as a fourth-line monster, and later picks like goalie Christian Kirsch and defensemen Colton Roberts and Nate Misskey have NHL tools at their disposal. If the Sharks find themselves back amongst the league’s elite in the next few years, this draft class will almost certainly serve as the catalyst.

2. Chicago Blackhawks (A): Artyom Levshunov effectively gives the Blackhawks their top defensive pair of the future alongside Kevin Korchinski, which should take the pressure off Connor Bedard. Moving up twice in the first round netted Chicago two strong forwards in Sacha Boisvert and Marek Vanacker, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if they serve as two-thirds of the Blackhawks’ future third line. Kyle Davidson then proceeded to emphasize speed in the third round, taking three of the class’s best skaters in John Mustard, A.J. Spellacy, and Jack Pridham; Spellacy, in particular, has the makings of an excellent fourth-liner in the NHL. Similar to San Jose, the Blackhawks got several potential contributors in a single class, and their rebuild is coming together nicely.

3. Montreal Canadiens (A-): The craziness in the early goings led Ivan Demidov to fall directly into Montreal’s laps, and his addition feels like a “final piece” to their top six. The dynamic Russian forward has game-breaking offensive ability, which the Canadiens have sorely needed for a while now. Michael Hage was an excellent value in the first round, and he will likely have a spot in the middle six within the next few years. Montreal’s Day 2 may not have had the projectable contributors of the classes above them, but there’s still excellent value to be found here. Aatos Koivu, son of longtime Canadiens captain Saku Koivu, is a legitimate prospect in his own right, and Logan Sawyer showed promise in the lower leagues this season. Even later picks like fourth-rounder Owen Protz and fifth-rounder Tyler Thorpe have some qualities that could get them some games. The Canadiens deserved a high grade on the back of an excellent first day alone, but give them some credit for continuing to stock the cupboards the right way.

4. Columbus Blue Jackets (A-): Thought the Columbus lineup was lacking snarl last year? New GM Don Waddell apparently agreed. Cayden Lindstrom has serious top-six potential, regardless of if his future position is center or wing. I somehow ended up liking the Charlie Elick pick in the second round more, though, due to his skillset. The Blue Jackets didn’t have anybody with Elick’s physicality in their defensive corps, and pairing him with a prospect like Denton Mateychuk could be devastating for teams to deal with. Evan Gardner had an excellent first year in the WHL, and the Blue Jackets must feel comfortable tabbing him as a potential goaltender of the future by slightly overpaying for him. Luca Marelli, Tanner Henricks, and Luke Ashton are all big defensemen with some good tools to go along with it. For the first time in a while, the Blue Jackets felt like they were trying to establish a clear identity with their moves, which is a victory in and of itself.

5. Calgary Flames (A-): The Flames drafted easily the smartest player in the class in Zayne Parekh, and he is a near-lock to quarterback Calgary’s power play in the next year or two. I’m not one hundred percent sure he would have been my first choice (Dickinson’s comparison to Noah Hanifin made me think he would go to Calgary), but that’s more nitpicking than an actual complaint. Matvei Gridin, Andrew Basha, and Jacob Battaglia are all talented wing players with NHL futures, but Calgary might not have room for them all with the players currently in their system. The same can be said for third-round defenseman Henry Mews, who will have to compete with prospects of similar styles. Keep tabs on centers Luke Misa (fifth round) and Hunter Laing (sixth round), who won over some draft pundits with their skillsets during the process. While I do question if the Flames got a bit redundant at times, it’s better than having to reach for needs, so an A- is a fair grade.

6. Anaheim Ducks (B+): It was no wonder why Beckett Sennecke had the best reaction of anyone who was drafted; his rise to third overall shocked just about everybody. The Ducks definitely needed a right wing of the future, so the fast-rising Sennecke slots in that role well. Stian Solberg is going to be a fan favorite in Anaheim with his physical, hard-hitting style. He can be safely penciled into a top-four role beside either Pavel Mintyukov or Olen Zellweger. After securing two high-end talents in the first, Anaheim focused on the worker-bee type of players in the next three rounds (Lucas Pettersson, Maxim Masse, Ethan Procyszyn, Alexandre Blais). Tarin Smith was also a nice third-round development option, and he has an opportunity to secure a third-pairing role if all turns out well. The Ducks left Vegas with a Trevor Zegras-sized question left to answer, but they’ve been building well enough to prepare for when the other shoe finally drops.

7. Minnesota Wild (B+): Trading up one pick with Philadelphia may have seemed a bit confusing at first, but Zeev Buium was the perfect player for them. Minnesota lacks dynamic players on the back end outside of Brock Faber, so why not draft an electric playmaker who just broke the NCAA scoring record for draft-eligible defensemen? What the Wild’s draft will ultimately hinge on, however, is their next two selections: second-rounder Ryder Ritchie and fourth-rounder Aron Kiviharju. Both have been on scouting radars for a while, and their ability to put points up in bunches was something Minnesota sorely needs. That said, both saw their draft years wrecked by injury, and red flags popped up in the times they were on the ice. Minnesota fans are already crossing their fingers that last year’s first round selection Charlie Stramel can get it together, and they now have two more instances of praying for luck. Buium alone should make the class a good one, but it has the potential to be great if at least one of Ritchie or Kiviharju cleans up their game.

8. Utah Hockey Club (B+): Arizona fans got an extra twist of the knife here, seeing the new Utah Hockey Club finally making moves to get them to competitive status. They had to give up some key assets to land Mikhail Sergachev from Tampa Bay, but he and John Marino from New Jersey instantly made Utah a more difficult team to play against. The first round saw them stay true to their identity of getting tougher and more competitive, with Tij Iginla and Cole Beaudoin being great selections. Will Skahan and Tomas Lavoie continue GM Bill Armstrong’s desire to get bigger on the back end, while Veeti Vaisanen’s well-rounded game can see him paired with just about anybody. The rest of their picks weren’t particularly fantastic, but fifth-rounder Owen Allard’s skating and compete level could net him a fourth-line spot down the line. Utah is willing to build off the excitement of the team they have, and they got better both next season and long-term in the two days of the draft.

9. New York Islanders (B+): I’ve raised some questions about Lou Lamoriello’s decisions as of late, but it’s hard to criticize what the Islanders did in the draft. Cole Eiserman was a surprise to see slip down to 20, but he’s a perfect fit for the Isles. His defensive game is definitely a work in progress, but a defensive-minded team in desperate need of goal-scoring just got arguably the best shot in the draft. Jesse Pulkkinen and Kamil Bednarik strike me as prospects in the Islanders’ mold: good at just about everything with some traits being better than average. Marcus Gidlof is a towering goalie with good traits to find in the fifth round, while sixth-round defenseman and Harvard commit Xavier Veilleux earned some love in the scouting community throughout the year. For a team that was in desperate need of new blood in the farm system, the Islanders came away with plenty of good prospects worth keeping an eye on.

10. Carolina Hurricanes (B): Even with Don Waddell now in Columbus, Eric Tulsky is keeping the Hurricanes’ drafting tradition of swinging for the fences alive. Dominik Badinka had first-round value on him, so the Hurricanes’ decision to trade down still landed them a quality prospect early in the second. Nikita Artamonov lacks the dynamic ability of some of his countrymen drafted before him, but he played well against grown men in the KHL this past year, and Carolina is arguably the team most undeterred by the Russian factor. Noel Fransen, Oskar Vuollet, Justin Poirier, and Timur Kol all had profiles that screamed Hurricanes prospects, and the team didn’t have to reach for any of them. Waddell has tried to build a sustainable contender throughout his time in Raleigh, and it’s good seeing Tulsky aiming to continue that work now.

11. Seattle Kraken (B): I disagreed a bit with the Kraken’s first pick; don’t get me wrong, Berkly Catton was a good choice at 8, but they had plenty of great defensemen like Dickinson, Parekh, and Buium all still on the board for a system that lacks an elite prospect on the back end. Julius Miettinen and Nathan Villenueve may have been slight reaches, but they play hard enough to comfortably slot in to Seattle’s bottom six in a few years. Alexis Bernier was my favorite pick the Kraken made this draft, due to his size-athleticism package and strong finish to the QMJHL campaign. I could see him landing a spot on Seattle’s third pairing within three years. Ollie Josephson, Clarke Caswell, and Jakub Fibigr were also worthy mid to late-round fliers with some NHL-level tools to their games. The Kraken could have gotten a little better value out of their selections, but it’s hard to knock them too much for sticking with their gameplan.

12. Washington Capitals (B): The Capitals are the classic case of a team where a confusing first day of the draft gave way to a more positive Day Two. 17 was too high for Terik Parascak for me. He was a strong two-way player in the WHL this past season, but his heavy skating and below-average foot speed would get exposed instantly at the NHL level. There’s plenty of hit potential, but there’s just as much of a chance Parascak doesn’t develop further. Cole Hutson was a bit more reasonable as a second-round choice due to his offensive skill level, but he’ll need to earn a coaching staff’s trust defensively if he wants to land a full-time role in the NHL. After that, however, I had no real issues with what Washington did. Leon Muggli held his own against grown men in Switzerland’s top league and could emerge as a solid third-pairing option. Ilya Protas and Eriks Mateiko also have skating issues, but they play the heavy game that Washington typically likes to play on the bottom-six, so the stylistic fit is there. Nicholas Kempf, Petr Sikora, and Miroslav Satan are all long-term projects, but the upside is there for them to get some games. Washington was also active in the trade department, getting the Hutson choice out of Buffalo for Beck Malenstyn and flipping a pair of third-rounders to Vegas for a potential starting goaltender in Logan Thompson. While maybe not to the same degree as Utah, it was good of Washington to not rest on their laurels and continue building for both the present and future.

13. Nashville Predators (B): Barry Trotz has traditionally loved two-way players who can make an impact on both ends of the ice, and his first two selections in Yegor Surin and Teddy Stiga exemplify that. Surin is a nice blend of skill and physicality, and Stiga would have likely been a surefire first-round selection if he was three inches taller. The Predators also added a pair of high-end skill players in the middle rounds with Miguel Marques and Hiroki Gojsic, the latter of whom quickly became a favorite of mine during the process. Jakub Milota will be the next to enter Nashville’s solid goaltending development program, while Erik Pahlsson transitioned nicely to the North American game after coming over from Sweden this past season. This draft class is similar to the Predators as a team: greater than the sum of its parts.

14. New Jersey Devils (B): In hindsight, the decision of the Devils to hang on to their top selection proved fruitful with Anton Silayev falling into their laps at 10. The Devils lacked a true shutdown defenseman to pair with more dynamic option like Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec, but Silayev is a monstrous presence who should slot in nicely beside either one. The John Marino trade to Utah gave New Jersey a potential goaltender of the future in Mikhail Yegorov. Yegorov’s stats certainly aren’t pretty, but he played on a bad team in the USHL and he earned a lot of starts, so the hope is that he’ll continue to improve and land on his feet at Boston University after next season. After securing their two top needs, the Devils emphasized size with the rest of their selections. Kasper Pikkarainen, Herman Traff, and Matyas Melosky, in particular, have plenty of skills that go beyond their large frames, so bottom six spots could be theirs to earn. The Devils made plenty of interesting moves to suggest that there’s a clear plan going forward, which is admirable. They even got Paul Cotter and a third next year out of Vegas…and overpaid massively for it.

15. New York Rangers (B-): The next two teams on this list didn’t have a lot of picks coming in to the draft, but they still came away with value. Starting with the Rangers, they selected a rearguard in EJ Emery with their first-round selection. Emery won’t light the world on fire offensively, but the Rangers have had success with athletic stay-at-home defenders like K’Andre Miller and Braden Schneider before. Emery feels like an ideal fit to keep the Rangers’ defensive identity intact. I also liked their fourth-round pick in Raoul Boilard, who put together a nice campaign in the QMJHL. I have questions on if the offense can translate to the higher levels, but he provides a safe floor as a bottom-six center. Nathan Aspinall’s size should give him a shot, but there will be some aspects to clean up for him to make it further. Emery and possibly Boilard look to have NHL futures, and that’s enough for a team with current Cup aspirations.

16. Vegas Golden Knights (B-): Vegas belongs firmly in the middle of the pack because their draft was arguably the biggest mixed bag of all. Trevor Connelly has all the makings of an excellent middle-six wing for Vegas, but the character issues that have followed him around could threaten to derail his NHL chances. Pavel Moysevich’s KHL contracts runs until 2027, but his continued development could give Vegas a top goalie in a few years. Even seventh-rounder Lucas Van Vliet has potential as a fourth-line center. Where Vegas won was in the trade department. Losing Logan Thompson to Washington stung a little, but swapping Paul Cotter and a third to New Jersey for former top-10 pick Alexander Holtz and 2023 playoff hero Akira Schmid was a massive win for Kelly McCrimmon at first blush. While Vegas hasn’t held on to a lot of young talent, moves like these lead me to believe that there could be a minor shift in that philosophy.

17, St. Louis Blues (B-): The Blues seem on the verge of a defensive turnover, as their top three picks were all defensemen. Adam Jiricek endured a lost draft year due to injury, but he is a prototypical NHL defenseman in terms of physical makeup and playstyle who already has pro experience in the Czech leagues. Colin Ralph is more of a work in progress at this point of his development, but he has the size and physicality necessary to be a shutdown presence in the NHL. Lukas Fischer rounds out the trio, and he combines Jiricek’s well-rounded play with Ralph’s size. All three could very well take spots in St. Louis’s defense in a few years. The rest of their draft was okay; Adam Jecho and Tomas Mrsic are both mid-round swings on tools, and even seventh-round Matvei Korotky had a nice run in the MHL playoffs in Russia. The defenders will be what this class is focused on, but any of the forwards emerging as solid contributors would be a nice bonus.

18. Boston Bruins (C+): The Bruins did relatively well with a limited number of picks, but they get a lower grade than the likes of the Rangers and Golden Knights due to the risk factor of their first rounder. Dean Letourneau offers a rare package of size, skating, and skill, but he also played at a lower level than most of the other early-round prospects. There’s risk that his domination was more a reflection of his competition than his own skillset, but the Bruins could have also landed an excellent middle-six component if all checks out. Elliot Groenewold wasn’t bad in the fourth round, but he lacks a given trait that jumps off the page. I preferred their selection of Jonathan Morello, whose speed and aggression are great traits to build off of. Similar to other contenders, Boston came out of this class with at least one possible contributor, even if it’s no guarantee who it ends up being.

19. Los Angeles Kings (C+): Similar to the Bruins, I have some questions about the Kings’ class. Liam Greentree possesses an intriguing size/skill combination, but there are times where that size could be used better. His skating is also below NHL-level, and he was not at noticeable at the World Junior Championships as some people would have liked him to be. There’s obvious things to like, but the risk potential may be a bit higher than initially expected. Carter George has had great success in the OHL and internationally for Canada, but 6-foot-1 is definitely on the smaller side for a modern NHL goaltender. I am intrigued by Jared Woolley, however, who came up from the lower leagues to join the powerhouse London Knights in the OHL this past season. His development curve is certainly on the ascent right now, and the Kings made a good bet on upside late. Similar to the Bruins, I have questions about the early picks, but a good late-round dart throw could make a difference.

20. Detroit Red Wings (C+): The Red Wings didn’t come out of this draft with a game-changing prospect, but they focused on building the middle and lower parts of their future lineup. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Max Plante, and Ondrej Becher are all players with middle-six potential going forward, with MBN and Becher being my personal favorites out of the group. Their other picks all have some question marks, though. Landon Miller has the size of an NHL goalie, but he was rough at time for the Soo Greyhounds this season. John Whipple and Austin Baker both come from the U.S. NTDP, but I question if both have the skill to make it beyond organizational depth. Even if just the top three picks emerge as NHL contributors, Steve Yzerman would be alright with that.

21. Winnipeg Jets (C+): The Jets spent their first pick on Alfons Freij, who may be the most polarizing prospect in the class. Depending on which scout you ask, they either believe Winnipeg got a good deal on a potential power-play quarterback, or swung too early on a defenseman who struggles in his own zone. Freij’s ceiling would be in a sheltered role until proven otherwise. I did like later selections of Kevin He in the fourth round and Kieron Walton in the sixth. He came alive in the second half of the season, showcasing a wicked shot to go with some great skating. He’s got a chance to emerge as a secondary scorer. Meanwhile, Walton has some great size to go with improved skating and deceptive puck handling ability. A bottom-six fixture in the sixth round would be a good deal. Freij’s variance as a prospect leaves some room for concern, but that can quickly be erased if He and/or Walton continue their trajectories.

22. Ottawa Senators (C+): I was fine with Carter Yakemchuk as a high first-round selection, but at 7? That was a little rich for my blood and, even if they coveted a right-shot defenseman, Parekh would have been my selection there. Their second round choice in Gabriel Eliasson has two outcomes: he either becomes a fan favorite for his all gas, no brakes approach and propensity to deliver bone-crushing hits, or his alarming lack of discipline makes him a constant source of frustration for coaches and fans alike. Lucas Ellinas only popped up on radars recently, but he has good speed and is still early on his development. Javon Moore and Blake Montgomery are also intriguing projects, with both having good size-speed combinations that Ottawa has seemed to covet recently. What worries me about Ottawa’s draft is that the floor is as low as the ceiling; Yakemchuk, Eliasson, and the trio of forwards all have good potential attached to them, but there’s the risk that Yakemchuk is outperformed by the defensemen taken below him and the others don’t take the next step up in their development. The epitome of a “wait-and-see” class.

23. Edmonton Oilers (C): The Oilers finally broke through to the Stanley Cup Final and are officially pushing their chips to the center of the table. They traded to get the final pick of Round 1 and used it on Sam O’Reilly, which might have been a bit of a reach to me. That said, O’Reilly’s a smart two-way forward developing with a top program in the London Knights, so it’s something I would be able to live with. Eemil Vinni was another slight reach, but he’s also one of the best European goalies in the class, and Edmonton was looking at a goalie run going on in the draft. Once again, context makes the pick look a lot better. Their later picks did little to move the needle, but I did like their pick of Dalyn Wakely in the sixth round. While he isn’t the most dynamic player, Wakely has the defensive capabilities and penalty-killing ability that could make him a fourth-line fixture if he makes it to the NHL. Edmonton likely didn’t land a star with their draft class, but two or three solid contributors should help the cause.

24. Colorado Avalanche (C): The Avalanche used their first selection on goaltender Ilya Nabokov, and it’s certainly an intriguing fit. Nabokov’s 6-foot-1 frame and advanced age (21 years old) were slight knocks, but his athleticism makes up for his lack of height. More importantly, he dominated the KHL and the postseason, winning the Gagarin Cup and being named MVP of the playoffs. Should that continue, Colorado may have a long-term option to answer their goaltending woes as early as next season. Will Zellers was arguably the top high school prospect in the class, and it’s not difficult to see why after watching him play. A North Dakota commit, Zellers plays with a good combination of skill, skating, and toughness. A few years in the college ranks will do Zellers good before he aims at a middle-six role. Jake Fisher, Maximilian Curran, and Christian Humphreys are an interesting trio of centers to keep tabs on, Louka Cloutier is an interesting development goalie option at Nebraska-Omaha, and defenseman Tory Pitner has the defensive chops to be a steal. Similar to Edmonton, I’m not one hundred percent sure if Colorado got a superstar, but they likely ended up with some solid contributors (don’t be surprised if Nabokov shoots this class much higher up, though).

25. Pittsburgh Penguins (C): The Penguins didn’t start their draft until the middle of the second round, but their two selections in that round in Harrison Brunicke and Tanner Howe are both at least somewhat interesting. Both prospects are more jack-of-all-trades players with high compete levels, so there’s NHL potential with both. Brunicke could slide into Pittsburgh’s third pairing, while Howe strikes me as a third-line option. Their later picks were a bit more questionable, but the C grade comes from Joona Vaisanen and Mac Swanson. Sixth-round pick Vaisanen was one of the best defenseman at the USHL level last season, while Swanson is a small forward whose skill set is reminiscent of Jonathan Marchessault. If their development continues positively, Pittsburgh may have found two steals late. The Penguins follow the pattern of teams this late in the ranking: not a stellar class, but they still came away with things to like.

26. Florida Panthers (C): The defending Stanley Cup champions didn’t have to light the world on fire during the draft, but they did alright with the limited capital they had. They traded up in the second round to grab Swedish center Linus Eriksson, who performed well in the second-tier Allsvenskan. A modern playmaking center, Eriksson emerged as a leader internationally for Sweden, which can help his chances of carving out a role. A third-line spot is certainly a possibility. Matvei Shuravin lacks a signature skill, but the defenseman also performed well against men this past season. He has prototypical NHL size and does well enough on both ends of the ice to warrant at least some NHL games. I could see him on a third pairing in a few years. Simon Zether is another big center with surprising puck skills, but his below-average skating might have exposed some issues in his game last season. It’s something that will have to improve, but his compete level and ability to get points could net him a bottom-six role if all breaks right. There’s definitely no game-breaking prospect here, but Florida’s barren farm system will gladly accept any NHL potential that it can be given right now.

27. Buffalo Sabres (C-): Similar to some other selections in the early-to-middle part of the first round, Buffalo’s first pick may not have been the best fit. Konsta Helenius is a good choice in a vacuum, but Buffalo’s system is loaded with young, smaller forwards already. Helenius’s defensive chops should ensure he’s fine, however, even if he’s looking at a third-line role. I preferred their next two selections of Adam Kleber in the second round and Brodie Ziemer in the third. Kleber is a huge presence that should bolster Buffalo’s third pairing behind a potentially elite top-four group, while Ziemer is a hard-nosed player whose skillset is tailor-made for an NHL bottom six. I wasn’t crazy about the rest of Buffalo’s draft, but they took some interesting fliers on Michigan State defenseman Patrick Geary and OHL goaltender Ryerson Leenders. At some point, things have to start turning around in Buffalo, but this class might not have anybody who helps push the timeline along.

28. Vancouver Canucks (C-): With a limited number of picks and not selecting until the end of the third round, the Canucks were always going to be up against it to come up with a good class. Their top three picks of Melvin Fernstrom, Riley Patterson, and Anthony Romani are the main choices with NHL potential, and all have roughly the same scouting reports attached to them. All three performed exceptionally this season in showcasing their offensive creativity, but all of them are also questionable skaters, at best. This lack of speed in their games draws some questions about how translatable their success at their current levels will be later on, and that has to be a concern. Odds are at least one of them gets a chance at a few NHL games, but there’s plenty of work to be done before that even becomes a consideration. Consider this the turning point of the classes, where the criticisms become a bit more apparent and the chances of meaningful contributions start to dwindle.

29. Dallas Stars (C-): With an NHL-low three selections, the Stars didn’t have much of a presence in this draft. Continuing with their tradition of Finnish players, the Stars used their first-round pick on Emil Hemming. Granted, that was a good selection for them, as Hemming’s offensive skillset suggests a future middle-six role as a secondary scorer. The only other two picks were nothing to write home about, although fifth-round Niilopekka Muhonen has some nice size and defensive chops that could make him worthwhile. Other than that, Dallas did nothing except hand Chris Tanev’s signing rights off to Toronto for table scraps. All in all, it was an expectedly dull period for Dallas. Speaking of Toronto…

30. Toronto Maple Leafs (D+): The Leafs are in a precarious position right now, and this draft did virtually nothing to quell those fears. Moving back in the first was fine, but Ben Danford may have been a reach at 31. He is a defensively stout player on the back end, though, and his offensive game showed positive development this past season. He should be a third pairing guy at some point. Outside of that, though, there was little from the Leafs class that really stood out. The one pick I did like was fifth-rounder Miroslav Holinka, who played well above his age level in the Czech leagues and has the potential at a bottom-six role. Getting Chris Tanev’s rights was fine, but there’s still a lot left to be answered for Toronto’s offseason; specifically, are they trading Mitch Marner, or do they plan to go the Last Dance route with the Core Four?

31. Philadelphia Flyers (D+): Flyers fans will be forced to question yet another rebuilding effort if they had Zeev Buium in their hands only to let him go elsewhere. Meanwhile, their own first-round pick in Jett Luchanko wasn’t a bad choice due to his rising stock, but the next selection in Konsta Helenius felt like the higher-upside play. Luchanko’s high compete level and playmaking ability should make him a favorite of John Tortorella, but he needs to get on the scoresheet more often to live up to his draft slot. A middle-six role is likely, but I can’t help but feel he’s more likely going to get pushed to the wing. Second-round picks Jack Berglund and Spencer Gill are both big bodies, but neither are great skaters. Berglund stands out as a bottom-six forward, while the defenseman Gill is a bit more confusing due to his wiry 6-foot-4 frame and contributing more offensively than at his own end. Heikki Ruohonen has some nice defensive chops, and Noah Powell looked great at the USHL at points (not to mention he’d be only the second deaf player in league history if he made it), but they both have long odds to reach the NHL level. Between leaving upside on the board and potentially not getting a lot out of their later choices, the Flyers run the risk of not getting much out of a draft class at a pivotal time. At least Matvei Michkov arriving earlier than expected can cushion a possible blow?

32. Tampa Bay Lightning (D): The Lightning didn’t start their draft until the fourth round, so it’s hard to criticize them too much for how things turned out. Still, trading away Sergachev to Utah and Tanner Jeannot to Los Angeles while also likely leading Steven Stamkos to the open market was not a good pretext. Jan Golicic is big, but his size really is the only thing I’ve seen most people point to to justify his selection. The better choice ended up being Hagen Burrows, who has some NHL traits to his game that could be amplified with better skating. After that, I have questions about just about everyone the Lightning drafted. Seventh-round choices in forward Joe Connor and goaltender Harrison Meneghin both enjoyed good seasons, but what are their ceilings exactly? The Lightning seem like a team bound to hit a wall sooner than later, and this class does little to change that opinion. At least they likely got Jake Guentzel?