The Chicago Blackhawks will most likely depend on Ivan Demidov or Artem Levshunov for the second overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, so the only real prospect we’d expect to see fall at No. 2 is Macklin Celebrini, something that would surprise the entire pro sports universe. But since Celebrini will be wearing a teal sweater on draft day and the Blackhawks will pick second, let’s focus on a player we’d like to see available at No. 18.
Now, the key phrase is “I would like,” because the likelihood of this particular prospect falling into your hands is slim to none. But we can all agree that on Friday, June 28, we will see at least one prospect fall down draft boards, as there is always one in free fall.
No draft prospect wants to be that player, but organizations looking to add a host of prospects to their ranks, like the Blackhawks, wouldn’t care. And neither the organization nor its fans would care to see the projected top-10 pick. Zayne Parekh fall to them in 18th place.
Zayne Parekh should finish 10th overall at the latest, but if he freely drops to 18th, it will make general manager Kyle Davidson’s decision a lot easier. Parekh’s ability to find open forwards was more than demonstrated this season as he finished the year with 72 assists (counting playoffs), but he also scored 35 goals in 79 combined regular season and postseason games.
Yes, imagine a situation where Parekh is playing at the back for the Windy City with players like Connor Bedard and Philipp Kurashev ahead of him as a striker, and perhaps Lukas Reichel if he is successful. It would be a sight to behold in a couple of seasons if Parekh goes down, but that’s not the only reason I chose him for this exercise.
His defensive game also has the potential to be elite, and if Parekh can just stop trying to do too much When your team doesn’t have the puck and doesn’t clean up its play defensively, you will become a sure-fire three-zone player at the next level. It’s hard to say he’s there right now, but with a complete offensive game and room for his defensive game to match, Blackhawks fans should celebrate if he somehow falls to 18th overall.
(Stats powered by Elite Prospects)