The Calgary Flames have not drafted a defender in the first round since 2017. Juuso Valimaki, a Finnish defender drafted from the WHL, was claimed off waivers by the Coyotes in 2022. He struggled to find his footing with the Flames and stay healthy.
This draft has an unprecedented number of strong draftees at the blue line. The top ten mock drafts have been littered with talented defensemen. With Calgary picking ninth this year, it begs whether they will look to add depth on the backend.
Here is a quick look at three of the defensemen prospects for the 2024 Draft.
Artyom Levshunov / Michigan State University
Artyom Levshunov, the Belarusian NCAA athlete, is quick. He makes decisions fast, which, combined with his on-ice speed, makes him an explosive defender. A two-way defender, Levshunov finished the season plus 27, posting 9 goals and 26 assists in 38 games.
While this season was unexpected for Levshunov. He was slotted to play in the CHL before they banned Belarussian and Russian players. This brought Levshunov to Michigan State, where he played a crucial role in their season. The team won the Big Ten title for the first time ever and made it to the NCAA tournament for the first time in over a decade.
Anton Silayev / Torpedo
Anton Silayev is tall. The KHL defenseman stands at 6 foot 7 inches. Other than his lengthy stature, Silayev also possesses the highest-scoring output by a U-18 skater in KHL history. There is some caveat to this due to the number of games played versus the previous record holder, Vladimir Tarasenko, but that said, it is still an impressive record to hold. Silayev also had 74 blocked shots, leading Torpedo with 98 hits in 63 games.
Silayev, a strong skater, has been praised for his long and smooth stride. Between his skating skills and physicality, Silayev is projected to become a reliable shutdown defender.
Zeev Buium / University of Denver
The freshman defender has had an impressive season with prolific point production. In 42 games, Buium hit the 50-point milestone, 11 of which were goals. This makes the San Diego defenseman the second NCAA U-19 defenseman to reach 50 points.
He wrapped up the season being named the NCAA’s top-scoring defenseman and National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Rookie of the Year.
Overall, Buium is a strong defender with good judgment and vision. He can make decisions quickly and move the puck with poise at both ends of the ice. Unlike the aforementioned defenders, Buium does struggle with physicality. He does not have the toughness and aggressive style of play that Levshunov possesses or the sheer size of Silayev.