Second day of 2024 NHL Draft adds 48 NCAA players or recruits to total selected

Michigan State defenseman Patrick Geary was the second of two players with NCAA experience selected on the second day of the 2024 NHL Draft on Saturday. Michigan Tech’s Chase Pietila went in the fourth round. (photo: MSU Athletic Communications).

Twenty-six NCAA schools had at least one player selected in the 2024 NHL Draft, which concluded Saturday in Las Vegas with 46 committed recruits and two college players selected in rounds two through seven.

With nine players or recruits picked in Friday’s first round, the total of selections was 57, down 12 from the 2023 total.

Michigan recruit Gabriel Eliasson was the first college-connected pick in Saturday’s seventh round. The defenseman went to Ottawa with the 39th overall selection.

The Wolverines had three recruits chosen in the two-day draft, two behind leader Boston University.

The Terriers, who also had 2024 Hobey Baker Award winner Macklin Celebrini selected No. 1 overall by San Jose on Friday, had four commits picked on Saturday. Defenseman Cole Hutson of the U.S. Under-18 Team was the first, at No. 43 overall in the second round.

Denver’s total of five players — defenseman Zeev Buium was picked 12th in the first round Friday by Minnesota — was second behind Boston University. The Pioneers had four recruits selected, all of them in rounds four through seven, led by forward Jake Fisher.

Michigan State had the most players with college experience selected. Defenseman Patrick Geary went to Buffalo in the sixth round after defenseman Artyom Levshunov was the No. 2 overall pick by Chicago. The Spartans also had two recruits, forwards Lucas Van Vliet (Vegas) and Austin Baker (Detroit) picked in the seventh round.

Minnesota and North Dakota also had four total picks, all recruits.

Michigan Tech defenseman Chase Pietila was the first player with NCAA experience picked Saturday. He went in the fourth round, No. 111 overall, to Pittsburgh.

The other NCAA teams that had recruits selected were:

• Boston College, Harvard, Providence and St. Cloud State with three apiece.

• Clarkson, Minnesota Duluth and Wisconsin with two each.

• Colorado College, Minnesota State, Niagara, Northeastern, Northern Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Omaha, Quinnipiac, St. Thomas, UMass and Western Michigan with one each.

See all the college-connected picks on this page.