5 best defensemen in 2024 NHL draft ranked by scouts and GMs ft. Artyom Levshunov

By Ankit Kumar

Modified Jun 17, 2024 19:58 GMT

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The NHL 2024 draft is only 10 days away. This year's draft will follow last year's pattern and will be conducted on two separate days. Round one of the NHL draft will take place on June 28 at 7 p.m. ET. On the other hand, rounds two to seven take place on June 29.

The NHL draft venue will be Las Vegas Sphere in Paradise, Nevada. The San Jose Sharks hold the first overall pick this year. Then we have the Chicago Blackhawks on second followed by the Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Montreal Canadiens.

A recent discussion among NHL scouts and general managers per the NY Times' The Athletic led to this list, which is mentioned below. So, let's take a look at the top five defenseman prospects in the 2024 NHL draft.

Top five players in the 2024 NHL draft

#1. Artyom Levshunov

• Height - 6 feet 2 inches
• Weight - 198 lb

Artyom Levshunov is a defenseman for the Michigan State Spartans. He played in the USHL before transitioning to college hockey. Levshunov was part of the Belarus team that won gold in 2022 and contributed two assists and 4 PIM.

Here are Levshunov's NCAA stats:

Regular season

• Games Played - 38,
• Goals scored - 9,
• Provided Assists - 26,
• Points scored - 35,
• Penalty Minutes - 44.

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#2. Zeev Buium

• Height - 6 ft 0 in
• Weight - 183 lb

Zeev Buium, playing for the University of Denver, has displayed his defensive acumen. Leading his team in points as a freshman, Buium's puck-handling skills make him a valuable asset. His international success with Team USA includes two gold in 2023 and 2024. He has scored four goals and seven points in those tournaments combined.

Here are Buium's NCAA stats:

Regular season

• Games Played - 42
• Goals scored - 11
• Provided Assists - 39
• Points scored - 50
• Penalty Minutes - 20

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#3. Zayne Parekh

• Height - 6 feet
• Weight - 181 lb

Zayne Parekh of the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL is a prolific scorer with a record-breaking rookie season (96 points in 2023-24). His strong skating, shot and puck-handling abilities draw comparisons to elite NHL defensemen. Parekh is associated with partial South Korean and Indian heritage.

Here are Parekh's OHL stats:

Regular season

• Games Played - 116
• Goals scored - 54
• Provided Assists - 79
• Points scored - 133
• Penalty Minutes - 96

During OHL Playoffs

• Games Played - 24
• Goals scored - 8
• Provided Assists - 12
• Points scored - 20
• Penalty Minutes - 26

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#4. Sam Dickinson

• Height - 6 feet 3 inches
• Weight- 194 lb

Sam Dickinson of the London Knights is a versatile defenseman known for his leadership and two-way play. He was part of Team Canada Black in the 2022 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, ranking fourth. Later he was also part of the Canada team that won the Gold at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He had three assists and 10 PIM in the tournament.

Here are Dickinson's OHL stats:

Regular season

• Games Played - 180
• Goals scored - 27
• Provided Assists - 66
• Points scored - 93
• Penalty Minutes - 42

During OHL Playoffs

• Games Played - 39
• Goals scored - 8
• Provided Assists - 13
• Points scored - 21
• Penalty Minutes - 12

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#5. Anton Silayev

• Height - 6 feet 7 inches
• Weight - 207 lb

Anton Silayev, a professional with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in the KHL, is an experienced defenseman and has played against top-tier competition. His defensive play, combined with his offense, makes him a good prospect in the upcoming NHL draft.

Take a look at his overall KHL records:

Regular season

• Games Played - 63
• Goals scored - 3
• Provided Assists - 8
• Points scored - 11
• Penalty Minutes - 10

During KHL Playoffs

• Games Played - 5
• Goals scored - 0
• Provided Assists - 2
• Points scored - 2
• Penalty Minutes - 4