The "NHL Draft Class" podcast brings down the curtain on the 2024 NHL Draft and looks ahead to the 2025 NHL Draft with TSN director of scouting Craig Button.
Button joined co-hosts Adam Kimelman and Mike G. Morreale to discuss some of the biggest moments of two days at Sphere in Las Vegas, starting with what kind of impact Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 pick, will have as a rookie this season with the San Jose Sharks.
"Because he's so gifted in so many different areas of the game, he's going to go in and unquestionably have individual success, much like Connor Bedard did this past season in Chicago," Button said.
Button also discussed the surprising selection of forward Beckett Sennecke by the Anaheim Ducks with the No. 3 pick, how the New York Islanders were the right landing spot for forward Cole Eiserman at No. 20, and which players we might look back on five years from now and wonder how they slipped into the later rounds of the draft.
Button also lists some of his favorites to be early selections in 2025, starting with Boston College freshman center James Hagens. The 17-year-old led USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Under-18 team last season with 102 points (39 goals, 63 assists) in 58 games and set a tournament record with 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) in seven games for the United States at the 2024 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.
"James is an outstanding player," Button said. "All you have to consider is he broke Nikita Kucherov's record at the U-18 tournament (21 points in 2011) for most points in a single tournament. ... James is an elite competitor, he's got elite skill, he wants to affect the game. He can score, he can make plays."
