Draft takeaways: Ducks clash, D-men shuffle, Day 2 intrigue players

LAS VEGAS — Beckett Sennecke was as stunned as everyone else inside Sphere Friday night and as countless fans watching the NHL draft on television.

“The technology is pretty advanced here,” joked Sennecke, the newest member of the Anaheim Ducks, and apparently also an amateur architecture critic. “It cost about $2.5 billion to build, so they better have good technology.”

The Ducks ensured some early fireworks by using the No. 3 pick on Sennecke. The game-changing 6-foot-2 winger with elite hands called it “definitely shocking,” in part because Anaheim hasn’t expressed any particular interest in the first-round draft. Sennecke’s immediate reaction – which included an F-bomb or two and quickly went viral – certainly confirms these words.

“I kind of passed out, I guess,” he said while wearing Anaheim’s new orange jersey, a smile that rarely left his face during a long scrimmage.

Let the Ducks steal the show. They did the same thing last year when they dumped Adam Fantilli with the second pick to Nashville, ultimately selecting Leo Carlsson (a decision that is entirely justifiable in hindsight). Sennecke was a late bloomer but extraordinary in the 2024 class. He grew a few inches midseason, then scored 22 points in 16 playoff games.

Years from now, we’ll remember this as the Macklin Celebrini draft, and perhaps the precise moment the Sharks laid the foundation for San Jose’s return to prominence. We’ll also remember it for the collection of defensemen at the top of the class, starting with second-round pick Artyom Levshunov, the Belarusian who now joins Calder Trophy winner Connor Bedard in Chicago.

“Each of those top five or six defensemen plays a different style,” NHL Central Scouting Bureau chief Dan Marr recently told theScore. “They all bring something different. It’s very unique.”

Levshunov is considered the most complete defenseman in the class, the most likely to become a Norris Trophy-caliber player. Carter Yakemchuk, who joined Ottawa at No. 7, offers a fantastic shot and good physicality. Zayne Parekh, taken ninth to Calgary, is an offensive genius. Anton Silayev, taken 10th to New Jersey, is a big guy who can stop attacks and can make the shots on offense. Sam Dickinson, taken 11th to San Jose, is a big, athletic, competitive kid with wheels. Zeev Buium, taken 12th to Minnesota, is a smart, dynamic defenseman who tore up the NCAA last season.

My take: Buium is the best pick in the entire first round. At worst, he outshines that 12th spot. At best, he’s a long-time All-Star. (Check back this weekend for a profile of Buium that we’ll post on Saturday.)

Player selection is an inexact science. Even the smartest scouts in the business make guesses to some extent, and we’ll find out in a few years what’s in store for these young defensemen. Maybe Dickinson will develop better than expected and have the bigger career. Maybe Silayev will never return from Russia after his KHL contract expires and the Devils will regret their choice. Or maybe he’s a prospect.

This year’s first round was entertaining in the moment and holds immense entertainment value for the future. I look forward to the inevitable “2024 remake” articles in 2034, with an eye on where Levshunov and his peers will land.

Islands bet on maligned sniper 🎯

Even though Sennecke’s stock rose like no one else’s, it’s safe to say that none fell like Cole Eiserman’s. Considered a top-five pick before the season, the American winger ended up going 20th to the Islanders.

Eiserman is widely considered the best pure scorer in the class. He has a wicked one-timer and is praised for constantly finding open ice, meaning he can score from distance and in tight areas. His 127 goals over two years set a U.S. National Team Development Program record.

There are a lot of questions about him, though: Is his hockey sense good enough? What about his compete level? Can he improve his skating? Will he become a reliable 40-goal scorer or will he be a passenger in the top six?

“They picked me for me, so I’m really excited,” Eiserman said of the Islanders.

Alexander Holtz, Arthur Kaliyev and Oliver Wahlstrom are three scoring attackers who represent the bad result for Eiserman. Cole Caufield and Owen Tippett represent the right result. In other words: The Islanders are either going to look super smart or shrug their shoulders by hitting hard and missing from 20 yards out.

Here are the Norwegians 🇳🇴

They are partying in Oslo.

Heading into draft weekend, the highest-ranked Norwegian ever selected was Marius Holtet, a second-round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2002. On Friday, the Red Wings took Michael Brandsegg-Nygard at 15, and the Ducks selected Stian Solberg eight picks later after acquiring the 23rd pick from Toronto.

Brandsegg-Nygard is a powerful winger with a scoring touch. He played in Sweden’s second-top professional league in 2023-24 and is headed for full-time action in the SHL this fall. Solberg, a two-way defenseman with a mean streak, is also destined for the SHL after spending his draft year competing in the Norwegian pro loop.

Nine Norwegians have played in the NHL. The Wild’s Mats Zuccarello is by far the best known. Brandsegg-Nygard and Solberg, close friends for years, have just taken their first step toward succeeding Zuccarello.

Player to watch: Aatos Koivu

The Canadiens have two third-round picks, a fourth-rounder and two fifths; the Ducks have a trio of thirds and a fourth. That’s nine chances for Koivu to hear his name called by one of his father’s former NHL clubs.

Aatos, the son of longtime Montreal captain and Anaheim fan favorite Saku Koivu, is expected to come off the board in the middle rounds. The 6-foot, 170-pound center was ranked 27th in the NHL Central Scouting Bureau’s international skater rankings and 64th in FloHockey’s overall rankings.

Aatos split the 2023-24 season between three teams in TPS, the Liiga team based in Turku, Finland. He had nine goals and 22 points in 20 under-18 games, 16 goals and 31 points in 28 under-20 games and zero points in four professional games.

Koivu is a raw prospect who has progressed steadily over the year and has good offensive instincts. He is more of a shooter than a passer and can really take a corner with a quick and reliable release. The right-hander loves to launch one-timers on the power play from the “Ovi spot” inside the left faceoff circle.

Scouts are particularly impressed with Koivu’s motor and work ethic. He’s a versatile player with a strong skate who made a strong impression during fitness tests and team interviews at Buffalo’s combine in early June. That said, Koivu can be frustrating to watch at times, rarely attacking the inside of the offensive zone, often settling for shots from distance.

Koivu — who was born in Finland during the 2006 offseason, spent his early years in Quebec and first learned to play in California — doesn’t have clear memories of his father’s career. He said in media interviews that he could usually be found having fun with other kids during his father’s games.

Player to watch: Mikhail Yegorov

Yegorov, who is expected to be one of the first goaltenders selected, counts chess among his various non-hockey hobbies. He became enamored with the game after binge-watching “The Queen’s Gambit” on Netflix in 2020.

“It’s mostly my hobby, but I think it helps my brain work faster and be sharper,” the Russian said of his daily sessions on Chess.com. “It helps me analyze information and make decisions. In chess, I have to analyze the whole board. In hockey, I have to analyze the whole area, where each player is.”

Yegorov did a lot of analysis this past season. He was under pressure between the pipes for a terrible Omaha Lancers team that won just 16 of 62 USHL games. The Boston University student finished with an .892 save percentage in 43 appearances – solid considering the circumstances.

Yegorov has the potential to be an NHL starter, although backup is a more realistic projection. He is a strong, athletic skater, positionally solid and imposing at 1.95 m.

Player to watch: Aron Kiviharju

Once considered the next big thing in Finland, Kiviharju is one of the biggest mysteries in the class. Teams just don’t know what to make of him.

The left-handed defenseman, who moves the puck brilliantly, is incredibly intelligent. He is elusive. He is a clever passer. There are no personality or work ethic issues.

However, Kiviharju – who was born in Denmark but represents Finland internationally – is 5-foot-10 and 184 pounds. He is regularly bullied by opponents and has only appeared in seven Liiga games all year due to injury.

When evaluating smaller defensemen, scouts often ask themselves what kind of impact the player can have without the puck on his stick. The smaller player often has to be exceptional offensively to get a full-time NHL job.

The jury is still out on Kiviharju. He will likely be selected in the second round, but the industry, concerned about his trajectory, has started to soften towards him.

John Matisz is the NHL Editor for theScore. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him by email ([email protected]).