The 2024 NHL draft is right around the corner, set to take place on June 28 and June 29 in Las Vegas. Fans are eagerly anticipating the next big prospect to join their favorite teams, and this year’s draft class features several players with notable family connections in the NHL.
Leading the pack is Macklin Celebrini, a forward from Boston University who is the projected No. 1 pick. His brother, Aiden Celebrini, was a draft pick by the Vancouver Canucks in 2023, and their father is the vice president of player health and performance for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.
On the defensive side, Zeev Buium from the University of Denver has an older brother, Shai Buium, who was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in 2021. The two brothers also won the NCAA championship together in the 2023-24 season.
Adam Jiricek, a defenseman from HC Plzen, is expected to be a first-round pick, following in the footsteps of his older brother David Jiricek, who was a top-10 pick in 2022.
Berkly Catton, a forward from the Spokane Chiefs, has a connection to former NHL player Cory Sarich, who is his second cousin. Sarich had a successful career, playing over 900 NHL games and winning the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004.
Tij Iginla, a forward from the Kelowna Rockets, is the son of NHL Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, who had an illustrious 20-year career in the league.
Cole Eiserman from USNTDP is following in the footsteps of his older brother Shane, who was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in 2014.
Ryder Ritchie, a forward from the Prince Albert Raiders, is the son of former NHL player Byron Ritchie, who played over 300 games in the league.
Jacob Oster, a goalie from the Oshawa Generals, is related to NHL forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Brady Tkachuk, as they are his second cousins.
Aatos Koivu, a forward from TPS, has a hockey lineage with his father Saku Koivu and uncle Mikko Koivu, both of whom had successful NHL careers.
Max Plante from USNTDP is the son of former NHL player Derek Plante, who won the Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999.
Lukas Fischer from the Sarnia Sting has a famous last name in the NHL, as his father Jiri Fischer was a first-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings and won the Cup with them in 2002.
Carson Wetsch from the Calgary Hitmen is cousins with Edmonton Oilers player Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who is the longest-serving member of the team.
Miroslav Satan Jr. from HC Slovan Bratislava is following in the footsteps of his father, Miroslav Satan, who had a long NHL career with multiple teams.
Cole Hutson from USNTDP has a brother, Lane Hutson, who was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 2022 and made his NHL debut in the 2023-24 season.
William Samuelsson from Sodertalje is the son of Mikael Samuelsson, who played nearly 700 NHL games for various teams and is currently a development coach with the Vancouver Canucks.
Noah Lapointe from USNTDP comes from a hockey family, with his father Martin Lapointe having played over 900 career NHL games and now serving as a director for the Montreal Canadiens.
These family connections add an extra layer of intrigue to the upcoming NHL draft, as fans eagerly await to see where these prospects will land and if they can live up to the legacy of their NHL relatives.