Thirty-two players heard their names called at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Friday, June 28, in round one of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
Four of those players have London, Ont., connections.
London Knights defenceman Sam Dickinson went 11th overall to the San Jose Sharks. Dickinson had a tremendous season with the Knights and willed them back in the third period of the Memorial Cup final as he assisted on one goal and then scored to tie the game at the biggest time on the biggest stage that junior hockey can provide.
Mark Edwards of Hockeyprospect.com said that after Macklin Celebrini went first overall to San Jose, the top end of the draft became very unpredictable.
“When I’m talking with different team scouts and with our own crew and doing our own list you got a lot of the same names but in different orders.”
Edwards said that what Dickinson will bring is a complete package.
“Dickinson is an incredible skater and a really smart player but there has been a real improvement in his offensive game. He was playing against top players on other teams as a 16-year old in the OHL final. I can’t say enough good things. I don’t think there is an elite part about his game but everything is very good across the board.”
Dickinson recorded 70 points in 68 games for the Knights.
Londoner Jett Luchanko of the Guelph Storm was the next local connection to have his name called two picks later when he went 13th overall to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Luchanko had 20 goals and 74 points in 68 games with the Storm this season as he spent most of the year playing on their top line as a 17-year old.
Edwards described Luchanko as an incredible skater whose size is, “not huge but even that got better.”
“I think he showed a lot without having a great deal of high end talent around him,” said Edwards. “Flip him into the London lineup and what kind of numbers would he put up this year?”
The Chicago Blackhawks selected Marek Vanacker from Delhi, Ont., at number 27.
Vanacker rose in the draft rankings as his second season with the Brantford Bulldogs went along despite playing much of the year with an injured shoulder.
Vanacker proved that he could score early on but Edwards admits it was his ability to set up teammates that really had scouts talking.
“He scored some impressive goals but some of the creative plays really started to impress me as well.”
The Edmonton Oilers closed out the first round as they traded up to pick Knights forward Sam O’Reilly at 32.
O’Reilly kept rising on scouting lists all year after an excellent season in 2022-23 with the London Nationals and peaked at the Memorial Cup tournament.
He was the only rookie to record a point where he had a goal and three assists in four games and at times could be called one of the best players on the ice.
He brings skill, versatility and an edge to the ice every time he steps onto it and is exceptional at winning pucks along the boards.
A total of nine Ontario Hockey League players were selected in the first round of the draft.
Day two of the draft begins at 11:30 a.m., on Saturday, June 29, and will feature rounds two through seven.