What’s the deal with Cole Eiserman’s fall down 2024 NHL Draft rankings?

Steven Ellis
Steven Ellis
What’s the deal with Cole Eiserman’s fall down 2024 NHL Draft rankings?
Credit: Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff

A year ago, the gap between Macklin Celebrini and Cole Eiserman was razor-thin.

Celebrini was the more polished, two-way forward putting up incredible numbers with the USHL’s Chicago Steel. Eiserman, meanwhile, had one of the best goal-scoring seasons in USA Hockey National Team Development Program history with 69, just four shy of breaking Cole Caufield’s record from 2018-19.

They both had 14 points in head-to-head USHL play last season, with Eiserman often showing why he was one of the best prospects in the game. This past September, Eiserman had 10 goals in just six games, putting a serious dent in breaking Caufield’s record very early on.

It wasn’t too long ago that Eiserman looked destined to go second overall behind his former prep school roommate. But now some scouts aren’t even sure he’s a top-10 prospect.

So what happened?

It’s easy to call him one-dimensional, and it’s hard to argue. There isn’t a player with a better release than Eiserman in this draft class, with his shot being described in the same ballpark as Auston Matthews’ and Alex Ovechkin’s. It’s accurate and deceptive – two things that make it difficult for any goalie to get a good read. Few prospects can release one-timers like Eiserman, and like any good goal-scorer, he can put himself in a spot to go largely undetected in open space.

But when he plays with top 2025 NHL Draft prospect James Hagens with the USNTDP, you start to see how Eiserman can sort of just turn on autopilot and just wait for the pass. Eiserman can be caught floating around out of position, especially in blowout games against international competition. Maybe it’s because Eiserman has always been a star and hasn’t always needed to commit defensively – and that’s not uncommon at this age – but it’s an issue.

Eiserman’s game reminds me a bit of Patrik Laine’s at the same age. His shot is incredible, and both now how to use their frame to win battles and generate their own chances. You need to be built like a tank to release the shots they do, and Eiserman is all muscle. But Laine also struggled in his own zone, and he’s less noticeable when he isn’t scoring – this season is a perfect example.

“The effort needs to be there more often, he needs to show he really wants to win – that killer instinct,” a scout said. “Teams need to know he always wants to win at all costs. Because he can make it happen, but it’s not always prevalent.”

According to SportContract – a data and video tracking service – Eiserman often plays fewer than 14 minutes a night. He’s not getting used when the score is out of hand, usually only gets a shift or two shorthanded a game at most and is being strategically deployed in the offensive zone. Eiserman’s ice time is being treated like he’s a bottom-six defensive forward, and that’s not him.

“When he wants to, his drive to chase pucks down, use the body and generate chances are high-level,” a junior scout said. “But do we see that consistently enough? I’m not convinced yet.”

Despite that, he’s still producing at a near-historic rate with the USNTDP. Eiserman currently has a 1.77 points-per-game average through 31 games, the eighth-best in a single season on the U-18 squad. With 34 goals in 31 games, he’s tracking to be the second 70-goal scorer in the program’s history.

“If he’s going to be a one-dimensional player, that dimension might as well be putting a (explicit) load of pucks in the net,” an NHL scout said. He’s the best at that, period.”

But like any pure offensive forwards, if Eiserman is going to thrive, he needs to be in the top six. So when that offense starts to fade, it can be a problem. But he’s a solid setup guy with good hockey IQ, and only really needs to be average defensively at the next level. Pair him with an excellent two-way center and Eiserman will be just fine.

“He’s got the flaws, he’s not a complete player,” another scout said. “But so few are at this age. Things can be tough, and I think Eiserman is capable of listening and adapting. He always plays to his strengths, and it keeps working. Maybe he just needs to be in a less comfortable situation where he has to develop the other aspects of his game.”

There are valid concerns here, for sure. NHL Central Scouting seems to agree, ranking him ninth on their most recent North American rankings. I feel it’s too low because I think the ceiling for him here is huge. You don’t get scorers like this every year.

This might come as a “well, duh,” but it feels like Eiserman’s draft position is more team-dependent than, say, Adam Fantilli’s or Leo Carlsson’s last year. Some teams might not pass up on the chance to land such a shooter like Eiserman. Others might be looking at one of the abundance of high-end defenders.

Either way, Eiserman has big-time star potential. And the team that takes him will be pleased they did. But managing his usage right will matter big time.

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