2024 NHL Draft: Top 10 overage prospects

Credit: Steve Dunsmoor/WHL

Not getting drafted doesn’t mean the end of the world.

Martin St. Louis, Curtis Joseph, Ed Belfour, and Adam Oates are among the legendary late bloomers who became hockey superstars. With so much pressure on 17- and 18-year-old kids to produce, it’s no surprise so many take a little longer to shine through.

And that’s been significantly amplified since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone had their season cut short in 2019-20, and many players didn’t play at all the following year as a result. It’s made getting a good read on these players so difficult, but it’s also why teams have spent more time looking at older prospects, too. An extra year of development can do wonders for a player, especially while they’re still developing physically and mentally in their teenage years.

Today, we’re going to look at 10 prospects worth a second (or, in some cases, a third) look at the NHL Draft this year in Vegas. Some of these young men had to come back from injuries, while others just needed improved visibility.

Let’s get started:

Jesse Pulkkinen, LHD, 19 (Finland)

Pulkkinen was one of my favorite European prospects at the 2024 world juniors. He played heavy minutes and had two points to show for it, but his rushes and play reads were among the best on the Finns. He left for the WJC on a good little run with JYP’s Liiga team after recently making his debut, and I’ve really liked what I’ve seen ever since. This is a 19-year-old who only seems to keep getting better the more I watch him, and at 6-foot-6 and 216 pounds, I wouldn’t be surprised if he snuck into the first round.

Austin Burnevik, RW, 19 (Madison, USHL)

Burnevik was part of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program last year but was left off the U-18 World Championship roster and was ultimately undrafted. But he has bounced back as a more well-rounded 19-year-old with the Capitols, playing at a 70-point pace. While the offense wasn’t there last year, scouts liked his 6-foot-3. 190-pound frame – but he’s added an inch and another 10 pounds over the past year. He knows how to use his frame to win battles and has great hockey sense and solid hands for his size. Burnevik’s skating is still a work in progress, but I doubt he will go undrafted this time around.

*Anthony Romani (Natalie Shaver/OHL Images)*

Anthony Romani, RW, 18 (North Bay, OHL)

Romani has been challenging for the scoring lead from the get-go this season while earning some top-100 draft consideration. The Battalion forward is a great transitional player with solid hockey sense and a good shot, something he has put on display often this year. Thanks to many multi-point efforts, he should demolish the 50-goal, 100-point barrier this season. The biggest concerns are his play away from the puck and his skating – two things that could doom his NHL opportunities. But as a finisher, few re-entry options are as good as Romani.

Nate Misskey, RHD, 19 (Victoria, WHL)

Misskey has missed a month due to injury, but there’s a lot to like here. He’s a mobile 6-foot-3 defenseman with great reach, a solid shot and a bit of a mean streak. He loves to shoot the puck, and his offensive awareness has taken some nice steps forward with more responsibility in his second year of major junior. Misskey isn’t flashy, often displaying a level of calmness that allows him to make smart, heads-up plays. That gets him into trouble though because he sometimes can get caught being too reserved with the puck, but that’s fixable.

Matyas Melovsky, C, 19 (Baie-Comeau, QMJHL)

The playmaker Melovsky had a monster performance at the world juniors, registering 10 assists and 11 points en route to a bronze medal. It helped highlight an otherwise great season for the second-year QMJHL forward, who’s inching towards a 50-helper season. Few overage guys can move the puck and find his teammates in open space like Melovsky – especially on the man advantage. I don’t love him at 5-on-5 all the time because I feel like he can be caught floating a bit too much, but I think a team will pick him up.

Lukas Matecha, G, 18 (Tri-City, WHL)

It was just one game, but Matecha’s performance at the CHL Top Prospects Game helped his stock. He’s currently in his first year in North America, and his numbers have been good despite often getting shelled with Tri-City. He’s no stranger to 40-shot contests and often plays some of his best hockey when busy. At 6-foot-3, Matcha has the size teams crave – he just needed an opportunity to show what he can in the spotlight.

Ilya Nabokov, G, 20 (Magnitogorsk, KHL)

Yeah, he plays for the same Magnitogorsk team as Evgeni Nabokov. No, they’re apparently not related. Set to be 21 come draft day, Nabokov is one of the oldest players available this year, after putting up tremendous numbers as a KHL rookie. He has outplayed former Calgary Flames keeper Artyom Zagidulin and, with 41 games played, has been the most active U-21 goalie in the KHL this season. Nabokov isn’t big at six-foot, but he’s so athletic, and the numbers have been excellent. We’ll see if a team takes a chance on him later in the draft.

*Owen Allard (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

Owen Allard, LW, 19 (Soo, OHL)

Allard was a surprising choice to make Canada’s world junior team, and he performed well in a depth role – even seeing some power-play time. He’s a hard-working player who overcame injuries last year to play at a near point-per-game mark in his third OHL season. But that’s Allard’s bread and butter – he’s a speedy defensive forward who works his tail off to make things happen. He’s the type of player all teams can use, and while some of the hype has died down in recent months, I think he’s still worth a late-round pick as a late-bloomer who brings grinder energy.

Ondrej Becher, C, 20 (Prince George, WHL)

Becher might not be a high-end talent, but he does a lot of things well. He’s a quick skater who loves to handle the puck with deception. Becher isn’t afraid to block shots and get into lanes, and he’s always looking to make a pass. He’s producing really well for the Cougars, too, which is nice. After turning heads at the World Juniors, I think a team should take a chance on him later in the draft as a potential all-situations forward.

Tanner Adams, RW, 18 (Providence College, NCAA)

Adams is having a solid year at Providence, working well as a versatile forward. He has experience at both the wing and down the middle, but it’s how hard he works to pressure opponents that makes him so good. Adams isn’t a big guy, but he plays a solid physical game with good energy. He has cooled off a bit after starting strong as a freshman, but there’s some late-bloomer, bottom-six potential here.

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