Top five late-round steals from the 2024 NHL Draft so far

Credit: (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)

In a perfect world, every player you draft on an annual basis would become an NHLer at some point.

But that’s wishful thinking – instead, a highly successful draft is getting half of your players to at least get a brief cup of coffee in the show. The primary focus is turning your high picks into impact players, but it’s often the guys taken much later that help define the hard work of an NHL team’s scouting department.

Today, we’re focusing on some of the guys taken late last year who have turned some heads. Some of them are having offensive explosions, while others are finding ways to stick out in other aspects of the game. For this exercise, we’re only looking at players taken in the fifth, sixth or seventh rounds from Sphere in Las Vegas.

Four forwards and a goalie highlight the top late-round performers from the first half of 2024-25:

Marcus Gidlöf, G (New York Islanders)

Drafted: Fifth round, 147th overall

Gidlöf received some significant attention from scouts for his good results with Leksands’ U-20 team last year – and his 6-foot-6 frame didn’t hurt. Now spending more time in the SHL, Gidlöf has been the league’s top U-20 league while also registering a perfect record in seven outings back in the top junior league. Gidlöf was Sweden’s backup at the World Juniors, and while he lost the bronze medal game, he still posted a .938 save percentage through two starts. He hasn’t played a ton of hockey this year, but he has made it count with some excellent results – and an even better glove hand, from the looks of it.

Vojtěch Hradec, C (Utah Hockey Club)

Drafted: Sixth round, 167th overall

Hradec was one of Czechia’s best players en route to a bronze medal at the 2025 World Juniors in Ottawa. The big, 6-foot-4 center showed his strong mobility and ability to not only shoot the puck, but drive the net and create opportunities for his linemates. Hradec is on pace for around 11 points in the Czech league, which isn’t a ton, but not bad for an 18-year-old forward in a league that prioritizes veterans. It feels like he’s faster and smarter than he was a year ago, and his big frame, mixed in with decent skill, should allow him to pressure for NHL duty in the next couple of years. Hradec is likely more of a bottom-six forward, but I think there’s enough there to suggest he’s a great late-round selection.

Austin Burnevik, RW (Anaheim Ducks)

Drafted: Sixth round, 182nd overall

Burnevik was originally passed over in 2023 after essentially getting demoted from the U-18 USA Hockey National Team Development Program squad down to the U-17 team. He turned things around with a big year in the USHL, but most of his peers had already made the jump up to college. Burnevik has looked solid as a freshman with St. Cloud University, sitting at 19 points in 21 games. He’s a big, 6-foot-4 winger who played on the power play with USA at the World Juniors (with mixed results) but there’s no denying that he can take space away and is a solid support player. Burnevik won’t make it in the NHL if he can’t improve his skating, but it feels like he’s at least a little quicker this year.

Kieron Walton, C (Winnipeg Jets)

Drafted: Sixth round, 187th overall

Walton keeps getting mentioned here at Daily Faceoff, and for good reason. The 6-foot-6, 212-pound forward has been an absolute unit in the OHL, sitting fourth in league scoring with 70 points in 42 games. He had just 63 points a year ago, so the massive jump is insane. He had a 19-game point streak that finally ended last week, but it’s hard not to be impressed with the incredible offensive explosion. Walton is a true power forward in every sense of the word, and while scouts will say he’s not an absolute speedster and he won’t kill you with pure skill, he’s complete enough as a player to be an absolute steal at No. 187. Imagine if he added a bit more of a mean streak to his game – he’d be terrifying.

William Nicholl, C (Edmonton Oilers)

Drafted: Seventh round, 196th overall

Taken 196th overall, Nicholl has emerged as the London Knights’ second-line center alongside Easton Cowan and is on pace for more than 60 points. He was a depth forward with just 20 points in 65 games last year, but his game started to come alive as the team won the OHL championship. Nicholl is an excellent skater who brings speed and energy to every shift. I think his ability to handle the puck on the rush – and at speed – has improved, making him more dangerous in the process. Given that he was one of the last picks in the draft, there’s a lot to like, and I think he’ll push his way up the Oilers’ depth chart as time progresses. Once known more for his off-puck play, I’m glad Nicholl has taken control offensively, too.

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