Top 10 sleeper picks for the 2024 NHL Draft

Credit: Steve Hiscock / Saskatoon Blades

Everyone likes an underdog, and that’s especially true in the NHL Draft.

Teams are always searching for value at all rounds, hoping to get the most with a latter-round pick and find some hidden gems other teams passed up on. But what makes a sleeper? We’re talking about someone with high-end skills, but they’re not rounded or seasoned enough to feel confident about going higher. Basically, boom-or-bust players that just aren’t fully there yet.

Just looking at the fabric of history, Pavel Datsyuk is considered to be the gold standard of getting taken late and becoming a superstar. He was drafted 171st overall in 1998 and went on to become one of the NHL’s most electric stars. Henrik Lundqvist (205th in 2000), Henrik Zetterberg (210th in 1999), Joe Pavelski (205th in 2003) and Pekka Rinne (258th in 2004) are some examples of players taken late who became stars, Olympians and Stanley Cup champions.

So, will we see any of those players this year? Here’s a look at 10 who could be solid late-round additions for teams seeking late-round magic:

Evan Gardner, Saskatoon (WHL)

Gardner played AAA U-18 hockey with the RINK Hockey Academy in Kelowna a year ago. This year, he finished with a WHL-leading .927 save percentage in 30 games with the Blades as a rookie. He shared the net with veteran Austin Elliott but Gardner was the better of the two goalies, going 21-5-0. He has decent size at 6-foot-2 while maintaining a calm presence in the crease. His rebound control has always been an issue but he moves well enough to at least help compensate for it. Gardner is one of the more positionally sound goaltenders I’ve seen in this class and tracks pucks well, too. The biggest question – was Gardner’s success fueled by having a great team in front of him, or is he the real deal?

Javon Moore, LW (Minnetonka, Minn-HS)

Moore didn’t get a ton of eyes on him given he played high school hockey, but scouts liked what they saw. At 6-foot-3, he’s got the size teams crave and his skating is high-end. There’s a ton of power in his game, and I think he’s one of the more athletic kids you’ll find. But the University of Minnesota commit can struggle with consistency and his hockey sense is lacking compared to others around this point in the list. It’s always hard to judge high school players because the competition isn’t great, but the raw talent is noticeable, at least. His time in the NCAA will be crucial to round him out because the raw talent is excellent.

Kevin He, LW (Niagara, OHL)

He is one of the fastest players in this draft, someone who I even considered putting in my top 120 list. Few players move like he does, burning past opponents with high-end speed and agility. But beyond that, I wonder what else he brings to the table. He put up 31 goals this year, so he can clearly score, but he struggles as a playmaker and his game can be a bit too simple. If he’s not scoring, he’s just a bullet looking for a target. If he can round his game out and be a more effective setup man, I think he might be make something out of himself in a bottom-six role.

Felix Lacerte, RW (Shawinigan, QMJHL)

One of the first players to miss my top 120 prospect list, Lacerte is a fascinating prospect. He’s got excellent vision and a great shot release, making himself Shawinigan’s primary offensive driver. He had to do so much on a team that didn’t give him much scoring love, and if he had even slightly better linemates, I think he could have crushed the 75-point mark. But his skating leaves a lot to be desired, and if he’s not scoring, he’s not overly useful in an NHL setting. He needs to round out his game to avoid being just another junior goal-scorer who can’t produce at the next level.

Joona Saarelainen, C (KalPa, Finland U-20)

Saarelainen was one of my favorite Finnish prospects this year. He worked so hard to win battles, which he had to do often as a 5-foot-9 winger. Saarelainen didn’t put up explosive numbers at the U-18s, but he rarely had an off period and was the one that most often brought the energy on the top line. He’ll be a mid-round pick, but I can see him being one of the smaller guys that carves a role in the NHL.

Gian Meier, RHD (GCK Lions, Switzerland U-20)

Meier was one of my favorite defensemen at the recent U-18 World Championship, no doubt about it. He didn’t do much offensively heading into the tournament, but he scored a handful of goals in the round-robin to help get the Swiss where they ended up. He’s so strong defensively and it felt like he put up a good effort again in a game where Switzerland spent significant time chasing guys around. I think his shutdown game is good, too, and he really understands the fundamentals of being a reliable defenseman with maybe a bit of budding offensive upside. His move to Frolunda’s junior team in Sweden next year could be big for his development.

Hiroki Gojsic, RW (Kelowna, WHL)

When zeroing in on Tij Iginla, I noticed Gosjic doing his thing with Kelowna. He struggled early on after transitioning from the BCHL but he finished with 21 goals and 50 points in 68 games, with his best play coming in the second half. At 6-foot-3 and 198 pounds, he got better at using his frame to generate chances and overpower opponents, and it made him a more dangerous threat on a consistent basis. He’s not a good skater and it seems like his hockey sense is below average at best, but there’s been enough development in his overall game since last October to feel some hope in him becoming a steal.

Beau Jelsma, LW (Barrie, OHL)

Jelsma was a popular figure in the public scouting sphere last year, but he wasn’t taken as an overager. The 219th-ranked North American-based prospect, he has fourth-line energy forward written all over him. He’s always moving, always attacking at both ends of the ice and his work ethic is as good as it gets. But, he’s 5-foot-10, doesn’t have very high-end scoring and scouts are concerned about the lack of true upside. His production output was solid this year, and he looked great in limited competition with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. We’ll see if a team likes his competitiveness, and he definitely deserves to get picked.

Benjamin Rautiainen, C (Tappara, Finland U-20)

Rautiainen took part in Toronto’s development camp last year, and I felt like his puckhandling and vision stood out. He’s not big or physically strong, but he can beat you with quick moves and a nice shot release. He had 62 points in 36 games in the Finnish U-20 league and even saw some men’s action with Tappara in the Liiga. Rautiainen is set to turn pro full-time next year, where he’ll look to drive plays as a playmaker and hopefully get a bit more confident shooting the puck.

Vladislav Bryzgalov, G (Alberni Valley, BCHL)

So, this one is interesting. I never saw him as a guy that I realistically expected to get drafted, but some scouts think it’s possible. The son of former NHLer Ilya Bryzgalov, Vladislav had a good season split between the NCDC’s Ogden Mustangs and the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs. He’s not big at 6-foot-1, but he’s got all the stylistic fundamentals covered. He’s tremendously athletic, like, maybe one of the best in the draft at that. He struggles to track pucks, though, and can get caught overcommitting to plays. Maybe Bryzgalov settles down and controls a game a bit better but I could see a team taking a chance on his bloodlines in the seventh round to see if he pans out because there’s legit potential. He’s not committed to an NCAA school, but was taken in the 13th round of the USHL Draft by Sioux City. So it’ll be interesting to see where his career takes him, if anywhere notable.

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