The Hive Sports

by Alma Bean

Feature Image by Chris Gardner of Getty Images

Going into the 2024 NHL Draft, all eyes are on Utah and who they will take with their first pick in franchise history. Having the sixth pick, there are plenty of options for the Utah Hockey Club to choose from but who will they take? Here’s who I think Utah should consider with sixth pick:

Zeev Buium

Buium at this point is starting to seem like wishful thinking as some reports are now starting to say that he could go as early as the third pick. The freshman from Denver University would provide Utah with a lot of offensive upsides with his high-volume shooting mentality being at the forefront. Buium totaled 50 points in 42 games for Denver which exceeds the point totals of all the defensemen on Utah’s roster. Utah is currently in the market for a game changing defenseman and Buium would be able to fill that role sooner rather than later. Knowing that Buium’s talent is no secret, many teams will be seeking his services, but if he’s available when it’s time for Utah to make the call, there needs to be zero hesitation from Utah’s war room.

Sam Dickinson

Sticking with a position of need at defenseman, Dickinson will most likely be available with the sixth pick giving Utah a solid Plan B option. Dickinson was also a high scoring defense last season with the London Knights totaling 70 points in 68 games. With a high puck IQ on both ends of the ice, Dickinson will have the ability to prove that scouts may be looking over a one-of-a-kind talent in this year’s draft. If Utah does decide to use their pick on Dickinson, the biggest concern for him will be his tendency to take too much time to let a play come together and missing the window of opportunity to make a difference in the game.

Zayne Parekh

Parekh being the fifth best defenseman in this year’s draft according to ESPN’s Rachel Doerrie most recent mock draft, this doesn’t mean that there’s that large of a gap from third to fifth. Scoring 96 points in 66 games for the Saginaw Spirit, Utah will still pick a guy that can make an immediate impact on the ice. Parekh’s biggest concern is that for a defenseman, he lacks the urgency to get back into his defensive zone. This may be in part that he had to become the offensive force for Saginaw since they didn’t have a consistent scorer in comparison to Parekh’s production, but this might be a red flag that Utah will want to get rid of as soon as possible. Even with that glaring flaw, it seems like if the offensive load is taken off of Parekh’s shoulders, he’ll be able to focus on getting back in position no problem.

Ivan Demidov

If Utah decides to go in a direction other than a defenseman, they should jump at Demidov. The young forward is able to make passes effortlessly and totaling 60 points in 30 games in for SKA-1946 St. Petersburg, it felt as if the MHL was child’s play for Demidov. With these stats being produced in the MHL, the junior league for the KHL, scouts might see these stats as skewed. The demotion from KHL to MHL might have ignited a fire in Demidov to prove that he not only belongs back in the KHL, but that the KHL should be in his rearview mirror as he’s drafted into the NHL. The transition between leagues might be Demidov’s biggest knock on his draft stock, but if his performance is able to translate to the NHL, the league needs to be on watch.

Anticipation Builds

Utah will have plenty of options for their first pick in franchise history. Though there can be speculation and rumors for each pick but the only thing that is certain is that nothing is certain in the draft. We will see who the Utah Hockey Club will take with the sixth pick live from the Sphere in Las Vegas starting 5:00 p.m. MST on ESPN and ESPN+ for coverage of the first round. For locals, there will be a Draft Party at the Delta Center with photo opportunities on the ice, meet and greets with Josh Doan and Dylan Guenther and access to the first merch drop for the Utah Hockey Club. Doors will open at 4:00 p.m. MST giving fans plenty of time to get new merch before the first pick is made.