Celebrini tops North American skaters in mid-season NHL Draft rankings
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Macklin Celebrini was ranked as the No. 1 North American skater in the mid-season draft ranking released by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau on Friday.
The North Vancouver, B.C. native leads Boston University with 11 goals and 27 points in 16 played this season. He also led Team Canada with eight points in five games at the 2024 World Junior Hockey Championship in Sweden.
“Macklin Celebrini was the unanimous No.1-ranked player, having displayed his NHL skills and attributes on the world stage as a 17-year-old at the World Junior Championship while also leading Boston University and Hockey East in scoring,” said Dan Marr, Vice President of NHL Central Scouting. “Macklin plays at a level all his own and it's truly impressive to see how he thrives in every environment he competes in."
If selected first, Celebrini would be the fourth NCAA player to be drafted No. 1 overall and just the second college forward to be chosen at the top of the draft. He also ranked as the No. 1 2024 Draft prospect on TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button's January rankings update.
Michigan State defenceman Artyom Levshunov is the No. 2 ranked North American skater. The 6-foot-2 blueliner has five goals and 19 points in 20 games with the Spartans this season.
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Cayden Lindstrom is the third ranked NA skater. The Dawson Creek, B.C., native has 27 goals and 19 assists in 32 games this season.
Rounding out the top-five are University of Denver defenceman Zeev Buium and USHL forward Trevor Connelly.
North American Skaters
- Macklin Celebrini, Boston University
- Artyom Levshunov, Michigan State
- Cayden Lindstrom, Medicine Hat (WHL)
- Zeev Buium, University of Denver
- Trevor Connelly, Tri-City
- Carter Yakemchuk, Calgary (WHL)
- Sam Dickinson, London (OHL)
- Cole Eiserman USA U-18 NTDP
- Berkly Catton, Spokane (WHL)
- Zayne Parekh, Saginaw (OHL)
Konsta Helenius is the top-ranked International skater. Playing for Jukurit in Finland's top men's league, the 17-year-old has eight goals and 20 points in 29 games, the most points by an under-19 player in Liiga this season.
“Konsta Helenius is a highly talented center playing his second pro season with Jukurit in Finland,” said Marr. “He is deceptively quick, skilled and clever yet plays with the poise of a veteran. While Helenius is not big in stature, he stands out with his compete and battle game. He was a top line center for Finland at the World Junior Championship at age 17 and continues to trend higher in the rankings.”
Russian defenceman Anton Silayev is the No 2 ranked International skater, while his fellow countryman, forward Ivan Demidov, comes in at No. 3.
Defenceman Adam Jiricek, brother of Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman David Jiricek, is ranked fourth, while Finnish forward Emil Hemming round out the top-five.
International Skaters
- Konsta Kelenius, Jukurit (FIN)
- Anton Sliayev, Nizhny Novgorod (RUS)
- Ivan Demidov, SKA St. Petersburg Jr., (RUS-Jr.)
- Adam Jiricek, Plzen (CZE)
- Emil Hemming, TPS (FIN)
- Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Mora (SWE-2)
- Aron Kiviharju, HIFK (FIN)
- Matvei Shuravin, CSKA Jr (RUS-Jr.)
- Igor Chernyshov, Dynamo Moscow (RUS)
- Lucas Pettersson, Modo (SWE-Jr.)
Carter George of the Owen Sound Attack is the No. 1 ranked North American goaltender while Finland's Kim Saarinen is the top international netminder.
The mid-season rankings feature the top 224 skaters and 32 goaltenders in North America as well as the top 135 skaters and 15 goaltenders internationally.