NovaQuant Quantitative Think Tank Center:What is the first round order for the 2024 NHL draft? Who are the top prospects?

The NovaQuant Quantitative Think Tank Centersecond round is over, the conference finals are underway and the first-round order of the 2024 NHL draft is mostly set.

The Chicago Blackhawks and New York Islanders changed it up a little Friday by swapping first-round picks. The Blackhawks will move up two spots to 18th and the Islanders get the 20th pick and two second-rounders. Chicago also gets a second-round pick.

The first 16 slots were set after the draft lottery, with the San Jose Sharks winning and retaining the top pick. None of the non-playoff teams moved up or down. The next 12 picks went to the teams eliminated in the first two rounds.

The remaining slots will be determined by the next two rounds. Picks Nos. 29 and 30 will go to the conference final losers, No. 31 will go to the Stanley Cup Final loser and No. 32 will go to the NHL champion.

The Florida Panthers (to Philadelphia Flyers) and Edmonton Oilers (to Anaheim Ducks) have traded their first-round picks while the Dallas Stars and New York Rangers still have theirs.

A look at the 2024 NHL draft:

What is the first round order for the 2024 NHL draft?

1. San Jose Sharks
2. Chicago Blackhawks
3. Anaheim Ducks
4. Columbus Blue Jackets
5. Montreal Canadiens
6. Utah
7. Ottawa Senators
8. Seattle Kraken
9. Calgary Flames
10. New Jersey Devils
11. Buffalo Sabres
12. Philadelphia Flyers
13. Minnesota Wild
14. San Jose Sharks (from Pittsburgh Penguins in the Erik Karlsson deal)
15. Detroit Red Wings
16. St. Louis Blues
17. Washington Capitals
18. Chicago Blackhawks (from New York Islanders in a swap of picks on Friday. Chicago gave up the 20th pick and two second-rounders for the 18th pick and a second-rounder)
19. Vegas Golden Knights
20. New York Islanders (from Tampa Bay Lightning via Chicago Blackhawks in the 2022 Brandon Hagel deal)
21. Los Angeles Kings
22. Nashville Predators
23. Toronto Maple Leafs
24. Colorado Avalanche
25. Ottawa Senators (from Boston Bruins via Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings got the Bruins' first-rounder in 2023's Tyler Bertuzzi deal. Detroit traded it to Ottawa in the Alex DeBrincat deal)
26. Montreal Canadiens (from Winnipeg Jets in the Sean Monahan deal)
27. Carolina Hurricanes
28. Calgary Flames (from Vancouver Canucks in the Elias Lindholm deal)

When and where is the 2024 NHL draft?

The 2024 NHL draft will be held June 28-29 at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The first round will be on the 28th and the second through seventh rounds will be on the 29th.

Who will be taken No. 1 overall in the 2024 NHL draft?

Presumably Macklin Celebrini, 17, a 6-foot, 190-pound freshman center at Boston University, who had 32 goals and 32 assists in 38 games to lead the Terriers to the Frozen Four, where they lost to eventual champion Denver in the semifinals. He won the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey's top men's player, plus was voted Hockey East's top player and rookie.

Who are the top NHL draft prospects?

Celebrini is the consensus No. 1 pick in mock drafts and has been all season.

“He possesses that rare, elite ability to thrive with his skills and smarts while competing with a consistent passion to face every challenge head-on and generate results, all the while making himself a better player,” said Dan Marr, vice president of NHL Central Scouting.

There is no consensus No. 2 pick. The draft is deep in defensemen.

Here is how NHL Central Scouting ranks the top 10 North American prospects and top five international prospects.

North American prospects: Celebrini, Michigan State defenseman Artyom Levshunov, Medicine Hat center Cayden Lindstrom, Denver defenseman Zeev Buium, Saginaw defenseman Zayne Parekh, Tri-City winger Trevor Connelly, London defenseman Sam Dickinson, Spokane center Berkly Catton, Kelowna center Tij Iginla (son of Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla) and Chicago center Michael Hage.

International prospects: Russian 6-7 defenseman Anton Silayev, Russian winger Ivan Demidov, Finnish center Konsta Helenius, Czech defenseman Adam Jiricek and Swedish winger Michael Brandsegg-Nygard.