NHL Central Scouting compares top prospect to Hall of Famer

Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

NHL Central Scouting compares top 2024 draft prospect to Hall of Famer

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated May 22, 2024 6:13 PM ET

Cayden Lindstrom likely won’t have to wait long to hear his name called in the 2024 NHL Draft.

The 18-year-old forward is the No. 3-ranked North American skater and No. 2-ranked center in North America in the 2024 class, per NHL Central Scouting, and he’s considered a top-10 lock by most scouting services.

In fact, Lindstrom is thought of so highly that NHL Central Scouting’s John Williams recently compared him to hockey Hall of Famer and seven-time All-Star Eric Lindros on the latest episode of the “NHL Draft Class” podcast.

“I saw Eric Lindros play when he was 15, 16 years old, and that's the name that comes to mind for me [when watching Lindstrom],” Johnson said. “Just that big, strong, can-do-everything player.”

Cayden Lindstrom is such a force of nature. It's rare to see a player who can leave such an impact with both his skill and his physical play

Watch how he totally obliterates an opponent, takes the puck, and drives it from the DZ all the way to the NZ (#28 black)@mckeenshockey pic.twitter.com/oKXJ1OAf8u
— Derek Neumeier (@Derek_N_NHL) November 12, 2023

Lindros played 13 NHL seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers (1992-2000), New York Rangers (2001-04), Toronto Maple Leafs (2005) and Dallas Stars (2006).

He totaled 290 goals and 659 points while winning the Hart Memorial Trophy, given to the league MVP, and Ted Lindsay Award, given to the NHL’s most outstanding regular-season player, in 1995.

Although injuries limited Lindstrom to just 32 games this season, he still scored 27 goals and 46 points for Medicine Hat in the Western Hockey League, outperforming his 2022 season in which he logged 19 goals and 42 points in 61 WHL games.

“[Lindstrom] can make plays, he can score, and he's got that little bit of a mean streak so he's not afraid to get involved physically or take charge physically,” Williams added. “…He ticks all the boxes that you would want as an NHL team.”

At 6-foot-4 and 216 pounds, Lindstrom has the size and grit to develop into a hard-nosed playmaker in the NHL. Many scouts project him as a top-six forward with goal-scoring potential.

Michael Gallagher

Michael Gallagher is a longtime sports journalist based out of Nashville with a decade of experience covering college football, mixed martial arts and prep sports plus the NFL and NHL — specifically the Tennessee Titans and Nashville Predators. He’s covered several notable sporting events including an AFC Championship game, a Stanley Cup Final, an NHL All-Star Game and an NHL Stadium Series. Some of his past bylines can be found at the Nashville Scene, SB Nation, The Hockey News and Fox Sports Knoxville

More must-reads: