Here are the top steals on the second day of the 2024 NHL Draft
Every year, the excitement for the 2024 NHL Draft is palpable.
And every year, at the conclusion of each draft, there are immediate reactions shared everywhere. Who won? Who was the biggest reach? Who was the biggest surprise?
And, of course, who was the biggest steal? We examine the top steals from the balance of the 2024 draft:
Igor Chernyshov, LW, Dynamo Moscow (KHL)
San Jose Sharks | Second round (No. 33)
The San Jose Sharks started the second day of the 2024 draft off with a bang, selecting Igor Chernyshov with the No. 33 selection. While he is the first pick of day two, and it’s hard to justify the “first pick” being a steal, he was expected to go on day one. Chernyshov was slotted No. 14 in FCHockey’s Final ranking for the 2024 draft. The Sharks, who came away with Macklin Celebrini and Sam Dickinson with their first two selections, got an excellent prospect here.
“Chernyshov is a physically imposing and athletic power forward,” FCHockey scout Jake Janso said. “He brings that all elusive yet entrancing combination of physical prowess and very good skating ability. He uses these tools to fly through zones with possession, often bouncing give-and-goes off of teammates in transition. Once in the zone, he dominates the boards or the front of the net and becomes difficult to move… As he matures, I fully expect Chernyshov to become a true powerhouse of a forward who’s capable of playing difficult minutes and producing.”
Nikita Artamonov, LW, Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
Carolina Hurricanes | Second round (No. 50)
The Carolina Hurricanes got great value in selecting Nikita Artamonov. Artamonov was listed inside FCHockey’s top-20 draft-eligibles at No. 19. The Hurricanes have made it a tradition to take swings on players who found success in pro leagues who had fallen on draft day for various reasons. They do it again with the 5-foot, 11-inch and 187-pound Artamonov. He scored 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 54 KHL games.
“Artamonov is a highly-energetic, speedy forward who has a really high offensive upside,” FCHockey crossover scout Samuel Tirpak said. “He is always involved offensively on a shift-to-shift basis and his game is an example of how you can be an effective player on a professional level even without that high of a hockey IQ… I love his high-energy approach to every shift as if it’s his last in a do-or-die game of a Stanley Cup Final… I think… that he is going to be an excellent choice for a future contending team adding a rock-solid offensive piece into their lineup that would play next to some higher-end wingers or centers.”
Maxim Masse, RW, Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL)
Anaheim Ducks | Third round (No. 66)
The Anaheim Ducks came away with Beckett Sennecke, Stian Solberg, and Lucas Pettersson with their first three selections — all of which had been ranked inside the first round at FCHockey. Maxim Masse, on the other hand, was placed 34th overall on the board. That’s a huge fall for one of the QMJHL’s top forwards, who finished the season with 75 points (36 goals, 39 assists) in 67 games and was the QMJHL’s 2023-24 recipient of the Michael Bossy Trophy as the top professional prospect in the league. This could prove to be a great pick. The 6-foot-2, 186-pound winger will look to make 31 other teams look foolish for passing on him.
“Masse showcased his sturdy physicality, two-way effort, and dominant net-front abilities,” FCHockey regional scout Joey Fortin Boulay said. “It was a real north-south display from him, applying a heavy presence deep on both ends to win battles or closely support battling teammates. He showed superb positional awareness and maintained an active stick and skating in defensive zone coverage… Overall, it was a power forward type of showing from him, winning positional battles and helping his team recover pucks. While this tournament showing hasn’t drastically elevated his rankings, it has certainly solidified his late first-round projection in the 2024 draft.”
Henry Mews, D, Ottawa 67s
Calgary Flames | Third round (No. 74)
The Calgary Flames came away with Henry Mews in the fourth round — who slotted No. 42 on FCHockey’s board. His selection came after scoring 61 points (15 goals, 46 assists) in 65 games with the Ottawa 67s in the Ontario Hockey League — the fourth-highest total among undrafted blueliners from the circuit. The 6-foot, 181-pound blueliner could have been a late first rounder coming into draft day. Instead, he fell all the way into the third round for the Flames taking.
“Mews is a great puck-moving, offensive-oriented defenseman,” FCHockey scout Arttu Myllymaki said. “He is very active supporting rushes and is often a fourth forward on them. Mews moves everywhere in the offensive zone and without strict position. He is easy pick for a blueliner on power play, moving well and giving nice passes to the wings… I think he has the potential to develop into a top-four defenseman with some second unit power-play time if everything goes well.”
Aron Kiviharju, D, HIFK (Liiga)
Minnesota Wild | Fourth round (No. 122)
The Minnesota Wild ended the shocking fall of Aron Kiviharju in the fourth round. Now, it was understood that the 5-foot-9, 170-pound defender would slide due to size, speed, and injury concerns. But this far? The Wild, who had taken Zeev Buium and Ryder Ritchie to that point, came away with yet another high-upside selection. Limited to just seven Liiga games this year, Kiviharju produced two points (one goal, one assist). He added five more games at the 2024 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, scoring three points — all assists. He was the 35th ranked prospect on FCHockey’s board.
“Kiviharju might be the best defenseman in his draft class to pass the puck to his forwards to start transition offense,” Myllymaki said. “He is always head up, calm, and calculating what is the best possible opening pass. After that, the pass goes without exception from tape-to-tape in rhythm when his forward has gained his full speed and goes flying over the blue line.”
Luke Misa, C, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
Calgary Flames | Fifth round (No. 150)
The Flames, making another appearance on the list, snagged forward Luke Misa at an incredible value. Misa, the older brother of projected top 2025 pick Michael Misa, was ranked 68th by FCHockey after he recorded 81 points (26 goals, 55 assists) in 66 games in the OHL. An incredible feat, and not someone that is typically available in the fifth round.
“Misa is an agile, quick-twitch forward who uses his elite skating to make positive plays on the puck in all three zones,” FCHockey scout Joseph Aleong said. “He is a high-end skater who can utilize his foot-speed and agility to create space for himself and make an impact in transition, setting up possession in the offensive end after a controlled zone entry… His scoring rate and individual skill doesn’t stand out in a big way, but Misa has the speed and awareness to make an impact on both special teams and could be a versatile middle-six forward in the NHL at his peak.”
Tory Pitner, D, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
Colorado Avalanche | Sixth round (No. 185)
The Colorado Avalanche took a well-calculated shot at Tory Pitner in the sixth round. Pitner, No. 98 on FCHockey’s board, was constantly mentioned as one of the most underrated prospects in the draft class. The 6-foot, 180-pound defender posted moderate stats, with 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists) in 50 USHL games. But offense has never been his calling card.
“Pitner is a throwback defender who prioritizes a defense-first style with physicality,” FCHockey scout Kyle Pereira said. “He’s adept at frustrating opposing forwards, particularly when battling for net-front leverage. While Pitner isn’t the most imposing figure, he effectively uses his understanding of leverage to shift players in battles… The distinction between being a call-up depth defenseman and a regular player may hinge on whether he can further develop the parts of his game that have shown potential throughout the season.”
Mac Swanson, LW, Fargo Force (USHL)
Pittsburgh Penguins | Seventh round (No. 207)
The Pittsburgh Penguins took a big swing on Mac Swanson, and it could pay off in a big way down the road. Swanson is a small forward at 5-foot-7 and just 157 pounds, but he scored 77 points (26 goals, 51 assists) in 55 games at the USHL level. He is committed to the University of North Dakota for next season, where his progression will be monitored.
“Swanson has the hockey IQ of an elite playmaker,” FCHockey crossover scout Greysen Goudy said. “He sees the play so well and makes accurate passes almost no matter the difficulty. He’s perfect to play on the sides of an umbrella power play, just spraying dangerous passes… there is certainly potential there as a late-round gem in the 2024 draft that eventually blossoms into a top-six playmaker.”