My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft - Part 1: 50-31

The first part of my rankings release for the 2024 NHL Draft. 

Just for clarification, for my top 50 ranking, I haven't included any players eligible for draft re-entry, such as Anthony Romani. This has been consistent all the way through my lists. Instead, I did a list of the top 10 draft re-entries, which can be found here.

Also for clarification, this list is MY list of the top 50 OHL prospects, as if I were drafting for my own team. In other words, this isn't a list of where I THINK or believe players will go, but a ranking of my own opinion on the top players eligible for this draft based on my viewings this season. If you want a draft projection and information about players outside the OHL, be sure to check out McKeens Hockey. As you may know (or not know) I am the scouting director for McKeen's and our draft guide will be released extremely soon (purchasing information is available on the linked site).

In five straight drafts (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023), only four players or under ranked in this range have been selected. While, I think this group is a bit better than previous years depth wise, I don't see that changing this year either. The reality is that NHL teams are using mid to late round picks on European and College bound players more often these days because they get a longer signing window in regards to their rights. Longer shot prospects take longer to develop because they have more to work on. That longer window allows them a few extra years to see how they progress before they have to hand out an ELC. Additionally, in the mid to later rounds, teams are using picks on second/third year eligible CHL players who have already shown positive growth.

Without further ado, here are the players ranked 31 through 50.

31. Landon Miller - Goaltender - Soo Greyhounds

I can totally see why NHL Central Scouting likes him so much (moving him ahead of Ryerson Leenders). It would be absolutely shocking to see him go unselected this year given his combination of size and athleticism. For lack of better terms, he "flashes pro tools." He's quick post to post. He's quick and agile in his crease in and out of the butterfly. He can challenge shooters and really cut down angles with his frame. It's all about consistency and exposure. The finer technical components need a lot of work. Rebound control can be erratic. He can give up some weak goals by being out of position. His play tracking needs some work, but that comes with further experience at the OHL level (given the pace increase). In a lot of ways, he's very much a blank canvas for an NHL team's development staff and that's going to be intriguing. 

32. Luca Testa - Wing - Brantford Bulldogs

The reality is that Testa just needs to stay healthy. I thought he was terrific in the first half of the year. Then all the injuries started to pile up and completely took him out of his rhythm. Then when he returned in the second half, he had a hard time fitting into the lineup and finding the high level of play he showed early on. I still really like the upside. I think he's a high level play creator. He's skilled with the puck. He's a high end finisher. He's worked hard to upgrade his speed and improve his off puck play. When everything is going, he's someone who can push pace and be a difference maker in transition. When it's not, as was often the case later in the year, he tends to fade to the background. I like the long term fit here as part of this young and talented Bulldogs team; he's going to develop into a very good OHL player. But, can all the components of his game come together to make him an NHL prospect? This is the type of guy you throw a late round dart on because the upside is that he can be a high end middle six type if he stays healthy and the consistency improves.

33. Braydon McCallum - Center/Wing - Peterborough Petes

The switch to center late in the year (after all the deadline moves) was amazing for McCallum. Being on the puck more, it allowed him to showcase his creativity and playmaking ability, which wasn't really shown before as more of a high energy, dump and chase F1. McCallum is a real bulldog on the ice. One of the hardest working forwards in this draft class from the OHL. And he has to be given his lack of size. There's a lot of Owen Van Steensel here, and we've seen his breakout this year in North Bay. Would I commit a draft pick to McCallum right now? I'm not sure. I might want to see him perform at a consistent level from the center position all year. Is there truly NHL upside beyond being a pesky fourth line type? But, you could certainly do way worse than McCallum. He's shown improvement in a lot of areas this year, while maintaining consistent effort away from the puck.

34. Chris Thibodeau - Wing - Kingston Frontenacs

Thibodeau is definitely a favourite of some members of the amateur scouting community. I've seen him in some top 100's. I can see why. I love the pace that he plays at. He has an attacking mentality despite being on the smaller size. He can keep the puck on a string at full speed and he manipulates traffic well to create time/space for himself. He also has a sneaky quick release that I believe makes him a quality goal scorer in this league at some point. But the reality is that Thibodeau is a late born 2005 who still hasn't found consistency as an offensive player, who also happens to be undersized. What kind of role does he play at the NHL level? His toolset seems to scream tweener. All that said, I DO like his game and I do think there is room for him to improve physically, which would improve his odds of becoming an NHL prospect. He consistently passes the eye test even if the production isn't consistent. Just not sure that he's an NHL pick at this current time.

35. Parker Von Richter - Defense - Mississauga Steelheads

A favourite of mine from last year and through this year, it pains me a bit to have PVR ranked this low. My heart wants him higher, but my head knows that his NHL upside is probably pretty limited. I just really like his defensive IQ. He consistently is in the right spot defensively. He has a great stick. He defends below the goal line well. As he gets stronger and more confident, he probably develops into one of the OHL's most physical defenders. This is a future defensive stalwart at the OHL level. Beyond that? I'm just not that confident anymore. I felt like his play with the puck plateaued throughout the year. The same errors with the puck were made at the start of the year and the end of the year, thanks to some skill limitations preventing him from cleanly exiting the zone. His first pass needs work and he needs to make quicker decisions under pressure of the forecheck. Additionally, PVR doesn't have the kind of length/mobility NHL teams are looking for these days in stay at home types. You either have to be big and mobile...or just really big. And PVR is kind of in the middle of that. Again though, I'm rooting for him and for an NHL team to see how well he thinks the game from a defensive perspective. 

36. Kaden Pitre - Center - Flint Firebirds

Unfortunately injuries really limited Kaden this year, keeping him out of action in the second half. In a lot of ways, Kaden is a similar player to his brother Coulson. He’s competitive. He’s an intelligent playmaker and someone who already plays a mature two-way game. It’s really interesting. We really hear nothing about Kaden, yet his production on a rebuilding Flint team was pretty solid when he did play. It’s just tough projecting him to a pro role without seeing improvement in the second half. He’s not a “toolsy” guy. The physical and athletic attributes won’t wow you, even if he's a better skater than his brother. So then what are you left with? I could see teams looking at Kaden with a late pick in hopes that he can develop into a Scott Laughton type. Or I could see them taking a wait and see approach to see how he rebounds post injury and to see how his skills advance further.

37. Ty Henry - Defense - Erie Otters

I actually like Henry more than Jared Woolley, who NHL Central Scouting seems to love. The son of a former CFL defensive back, it's obvious that Ty is a very athletic young man. He's long and strong. He's a very clear stay at home defensive prospect. Keeps things simple offensively. Chips out when he needs to. But, what I think makes Henry intriguing is that he's a very solid four way mover for the type of defender he is. I also felt like his game grew by leaps and bounds over the course of the year. Saw him really gain confidence physically. He became more assertive and his strong supporting play late in the year was one of the reasons Erie was able to secure 5th in the West. I'd be very shocked if Henry wasn't drafted.

38. Jared Woolley - Defense - London Knights

Had a few people text me/DM me after Woolley was ranked so aggressively by NHL Central Scouting. Firstly, Jared is not the son of former NHL defender Jason. However, he is a projectable stay at home defender at the next level. Over the course of the year, Jared’s first pass and ability to handle the forecheck did improve. He’s got size and the mobility isn’t terrible. He’s shown flashes of being physically dominant. At the end of the day, if you’re drafting Jared, you have a ton of belief in the Hunters and how they sculpt defenders. Are you hoping that he’s the next Marc Methot? For me, I don’t see a ton of upside. As such, he’s ranked lower. 

39. Jack Van Volsen - Wing - Mississauga Steelheads

Probably one of the more disappointing draft prospects from the OHL this year. I had pretty high expectations for him coming into the year, but there wasn’t a ton of growth from his 16/17 year old year. He’s still got a ton of upside as an offensive player at the OHL level. But a lack of dynamic skating ability, combined with a bland skill set away from the puck give him a weak projection at the next level at the current moment. Right now, he’s mostly an off puck support piece who has the skill to make plays along the wall and finish off plays in tight. But on a lot of shifts…he’s just there. Can he learn to take the bull by the horns more? Where is that dominant player down low that we saw at the GTHL level?

40. Mason Zebeski - Wing - Mississauga Steelheads

Zebeski is a player with a clear identity already. Partly it’s because he’s a late born 2005, so that extra level of experience helps. However, his North/South, high energy approach will make him a coaches favourite. His versatility is valuable. That’s why he placed in the OHL coaches poll as the most underrated in the East. He’s engaged in puck pursuit. He brings physicality in all three zones. He’s shown a soft touch near the net. He’s a more than adequate skater overall. At the end of the day, what sets him apart? Doesn’t every team in the CHL have a Zebeski? He’s the kind of guy that I’d wait to see how far his offensive game can grow before biting. He continues to show marked improvement? He’s an ELC candidate as an OA. 

41. Bode Stewart - Wing - Barrie Colts

Another guy who battled injuries this year. Seemed to disrupt his development a bit. However, you can clearly see the type of player Stewart will be by the time he’s 20. He plays that power game. He should be a PK anchor. He’s going to be the type that is physically overpowering as an OA and ends up a point per game guy. Right now though, the skating and offensive tools are probably too average for him to be an NHL selection. He’s effective and efficient in a lot of ways, but I’m just not sure if the on puck play ever gets to where it needs to. 

42. Nathan Aspinall - Wing - Flint Firebirds

Big, lanky winger with goal scoring upside. He’s got the shell of a budding power forward but not the power. Can the skating and explosiveness continue to improve? Can his physical game and off puck play become more consistent? He shows well North /South on the attack, surprising defenders with his ability to take the puck to the net, in combination with a deceptive release. There's a bit of Justin Brazeau/Justin Auger here and it's very possible that Aspinall takes a similar development path. But for every success story like those two, are other project type power wingers who never put it all together to become impact OHL'ers.

43. Sam McCue - Wing - Owen Sound Attack

The younger brother of London Knights forward, and recent NHL signee (by Columbus) Max McCue, Sam is cut from a similar cloth. A late born 2005, Sam McCue is also similar to Steelheads' winger Mason Zebeski. He knows what he is and how he can best help his team find success. Bring energy in puck pursuit. Crash the net. Work the wall. Bring physicality in all three zones. Sam isn't quite as good of a skater as Mason is though IMO. I could definitely see an NHL team taking Sam because he has some projectable qualities for a bottom six role. 

44. Charlie Paquette - Wing - Guelph Storm

Consistency remains the biggest barrier here. He came into the year as a bit of a personal favourite/sleeper. But as a late born 2005, I just didn't see enough improvement in his game. He flashes great upside as a scoring power forward. Yet, he's just not around the puck enough. I love Paquette's shot, but he's not finding those soft spots consistently enough, or creating his own scoring chances consistently enough. As such, he can be a low impact player, despite the fact that he has so much more upside than that. Wouldn't be shocked at all if he ends up as an eventual NHL prospect, maybe as an OA signing. Right now? He's a draft long shot.

45. Charlie Hilton - Wing - Ottawa 67's

Probably weird to see a guy who was a healthy scratch a lot of this year, listed as a potential NHL draft pick. Do I think Hilton will be drafted? No I do not. But, at this point of the rankings, I'm listing guys that I think have upside and Hilton is just that. It's clear that he has a lot to work on. Hilton is far from polished or consistent. But I saw enough flashes this season (when he did play) to suggest that he could be a quality power forward in the OHL. Firstly, he's the youngest player eligible this year, born on exactly September 15. Yet, he's already 6'5, 200lbs. Secondly, I don't think Hilton is a terrible skater for someone that size, still growing into their frame. I love the physical engagement. I think he does have some skill. What's Hilton going to look like two years from now?

46. Carson Woodall - Defense - Windsor Spitfires

Woodall is a jack of all trades type defender. He was a real bright spot for Windsor this year as an OHL rookie. He's going to be a solid long term piece of Windsor's blueline, likely playing into his OA year. I like the vision. I like how he starts the breakout. I like how he holds the offensive blueline. He has a good stick in the defensive zone. The vast majority of his attributes would be best described as average at the next level and therein lies the issue with his projection. Unfortunately, he just looks the part of one of those guys who ends up being a quality CHL player, but not more. 

47. Josef Eichler - Defense - Windsor Spitfires

A physical demon on the backend. Eichler was definitely one of the most physically assertive/aggressive defenders in the OHL this year. Penalties were an issue, but I'd like to see Windsor hang on to him to see how he learns to rein in his desire to play mean. Can he fit within a system and become better in defensive zone coverage? Can his offensive game improve to the point where he's not a liability in the face of a heavy forecheck? If Eichler were bigger and more mobile, I'd have him ranked higher. As a late born 2005, his runway to improve is a little smaller too. 

48. Noah Bender - Goaltender - Oshawa Generals

A great story. Bender was a 12th round selection who played in the PJCHL last year, winning a Championship with Wellesley. Not that often you see players graduate from that league. The last one I can truly recall? Brett Brochu. That turned out alright. Bender came in and won the backup job to Oster. That means he didn't play a ton behind the OHL's goaltender of the year, but when he did, he was solid. Big young man at 6'4. Obviously that frame gives him an advantage. Flashes athleticism. Flashes strong puck tracking ability. Fairly technically sound and quiet in the crease. Just needs to play more for me. Sample size is way too small. 

49. Matthew Virgilio - Defense - Soo Greyhounds

Once considered one of the top defenders in this age group for Ontario, Virgilio's development just hasn't gone according to plan. Overall just a completely stagnant development year for him as an OHL sophomore. We just haven't seen the puck skill or creativity that we thought that we'd see and as such, he's fallen down the lineup in the Soo. So why do I still have him ranked? Because he shows flashes of being that high end player that we thought he'd be. Can he find confidence in his puck carrying ability? Can he eventually become a powerplay quarterback? Can he continue to build up strength in the defensive end to win battles more consistently? Can he find another gear as a skater? So many questions, little answers currently. But, this late in these rankings, you'd be hard pressed to find someone with upside like Virgilio.

50. Justin Bottineau - Center/Wing - Kitchener Rangers

A favourite of mine in his OHL draft year, I still have belief that Bottineau can be a quality OHL player in the future once he gets more ice time. He was much better in the second half for Kitchener, developing confidence in his ability to lead the charge offensively. We saw some nice net drives and some nice finishing ability late in the year. I think he thinks the game well too and should become a good two-way player. The key is just adding strength. He's largely ineffective when pressured and can have difficulty playing through traffic. I want to see that physical intensity level become way more consistent. He gets the last spot in these rankings because I've liked him so much previously.