The NHL draft poses significant challenges for NHL organization’s amateur scouts evaluating high school, prep school and midget players, primarily due to the physical and mental maturity required to compete at a professional level and judging the length of time it will take for the player to reach the professional level. High school players often lack the exposure and competitive experience that those in junior leagues, college programs, or European junior teams possess. This disparity makes it difficult for scouts to evaluate and draft high school talent. However, it remains crucial to track these players’ progress through junior hockey and in most cases into college. Players develop physically at different rates, and their skills can improve over time. These later developing players have a chance to become free agent signings, bringing new talent and potential impact to professional organizations, highlighting the importance of continual scouting beyond just their first year of draft eligibility.
A handful of the players listed below will hear their names called during the 2024 draft, but the vast majority of them will not. There is no doubt that some of these players you will never hear from again, nonetheless after watching these athletes throughout the past few seasons Neutral Zone feels these players should continue to be tracked.
Please click on a player to read that player’s past reports and his comparable players;
Dean Letourneau (C, R, 6’6″, 209, St. Andrew’s College, 02/21/2006, Boston College) Maybe the best hands in the draft class.
Hagen Burrows (C, R, 6’2″, 174, Sioux City Musketeers, 10/13/2005, Denver) He split his senior season between MInnetonka High School and the Sioux City Musketeers where he put up 22 points in 25 games.
Javon Moore (LW, L, 6’3″, 190, Sioux Falls Stampede, 12/07/2005, Minnesota) True power forward potential
Colin Ralph (D, L, 6’4″, 216, Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep, 10/04/2005, St. Cloud) The late 2005 is 6’4″ and produced 73 assists in 71 games for Shattuck’s 18U Prep team.
Giovanni Digiulian (C, R, 6’1″, 166, Kent School, 09/25/2005, Cornell) Big strong center with an NHL frame.
Jackson Smithknecht (D, L, 6’5″, 182, Rogers HS, 07/30/2006, Colorado College) He’s a 6’5 defender who gets better with each viewing.
Will Zellers (LW, L, 5’10”, 164, Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep, 04/04/2006, North Dakota) Offense puts people in the seats and Zellers has always produced.
Ben Merrill (C, R, 6’4″, 190, St. Sebastian’s, 11/04/2005, Harvard) He’s 6’4″, maybe taller, and he can see it. IT’s going to take him some time but he could really be worth the wait.
Ryan Lund (D, L, 6’4″, 190, Warroad HS, 02/26/2006) He’s 6’4″ and will spend a few seasons developing with Fargo
Caeden Herrington (D, R, 6’2″, 189, Green Bay Gamblers, 01/26/2006, Vermont) Played games in the USHL after his prep season and played well.
Carson Pilgrim (C, R, 5’11”, 163, Warroad HS, 02/20/2006, North Dakota) Undersized forward who put up 70 points in 31 games for Warroad High School. He’s also committed to North Dakota.
Aidan Park (C, R, 6’1″, 184, Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep, 01/06/2006, Michigan) Plays 200′ and still produces
Dylan Hunt (D, L, 6’2″, 188, Milton Academy, 02/09/2006, Yale) He’s a 6’2″ athletic defender who enjoys doing the grimy stuff.
John Stout (D, L, 6’1″, 187, Minnetonka HS, 04/20/2006, Minnesota Duluth) Big strong lefty who can defend and be very difficult to play against.
Cooper Cleaves (D, R, 6’4″, 200, Brunswick School, 01/05/2006, Dartmouth) He’s 6’4″ and can rip it.
Luken Huff (D, R, 6’2″, 192, Wayzata HS, 01/30/2006, St. Cloud) He’s a 6’3″ righty who already plays a mature game.
Marko Bilic (G, L, 6’3″, 179, Cushing Academy, 03/03/2006, Arizona State) Very athletic goalie who dominated prep hockey during his draft season.
Louis Wehmann (C, L, 6’1″, 209, Providence Academy, 04/12/2006) He’s a 2006 with an NHL frame.
Jack Sadowski (LW, L, 6’0″, 179, West Kelowna Warriors, 07/29/2006, New Hampshire) He’s as smart as they come. Legit hockey sense.
Jimmy Dodig (D, L, 6’5″, 191, Cretin-Derham Hall HS, 06/07/2006, Merrimack) He’s 6’5″ and has received high end coaching.
Jack Harney (D, R, 6’8″, 225, St. Sebastian’s, 11/22/2005) The 6’9″ late 2005 is still growing into himself but he understands what he is and can transition the puck quickly.
Connor Arsenault (C, L, 6’2″, 209, St. Andrew’s College, 03/01/2006) The captain at St. Andrew’s scored 32 goals in 53 games.
Daniel Shlaine (C, L, 6’1″, 183, Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep, 10/30/2005, Minnesota Duluth) He produced 90 points in 71 games for Shattuck’s 18U Prep team.
Austin Moline (D, R, 6’4″, 193, Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep, 11/21/2005) The 6’4″ righty is going to Brooks for the 2024/25 season and they seem to do a nice job developing defenseman.