Craig’s List: Iginla, Eiserman rise in final ranking

The rise of Kelowna Rockets star Tij Iginla this season has been remarkable in the eyes of TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button.

In the September edition of this year’s list, Button did not have Iginla in the top 32. By December, Button ranked the forward at No. 22.

He leapt into the top five in May at No. 4 and now lands at No. 3 in Button’s final ranking, behind only Boston University’s Macklin Celebrini and SKA’s Ivan Demidov.

Button was a part of the Dallas Stars front office that drafted Tij’s father, Jarome, 11th overall in 1995. While he believed Jarome was a very good player when the Stars drafted him, Button did not foresee him as a future Hall of Famer at that time.

“I’ve got the gnawing feeling that I’m underestimating Tij Iginla still,” said Button. “I go back, and I look at my notes on Jarome. They are different types of players. I don’t want to say they’re the same thing but [they possess] the same types of things –  [like] massive effectiveness, massive substance, [the ability to] makes things happen.

“We drafted Jarome, and we really liked him, but he was so much better than we thought, and we thought he’d be a really good player. And I’m kind of caught up in the same boat with Tij.”

Iginla had 47 goals and 84 points in 64 games with the Rockets this season, and added nine goals and 15 points in 11 playoff games.

The 17-year-old then wrapped up the campaign by helping Canada win gold at the U18s, where he scored six goals and 12 points in seven games.

Another forward making a final jump up the list is USNTDP winger Cole Eiserman, who pushes his way from No. 9 in May to No. 5.

Eiserman had a big year, scoring 58 goals in 57 games this season, and broke Cole Caufield’s USNTDP goals record with 127. At the U18s, he had nine goals in seven games as the Americans captured silver.

While some scouts have expressed concern about his defensive play, Button says the Newport, Mass., product is the best goal scorer in the draft.

“The draft’s most intriguing player,” said Button of Eiserman. “He has an elite skill. He’s a player that I’m just fascinated to watch.

“Cole is a hard-working player. I think you’re going to see a player that just settles in next year and doesn’t feel that pressure and is just going to play. You’re not getting him for defence, you’re getting him for offence. He knows how to open up, where to open up, he knows how to get the puck off his stick and find those openings.”

The 2024 draft has been hyped all season long for its defensive depth and Button agrees, ranking nine defenceman in his top 20, including four in the top 10.

Denver’s Zeev Buium is the top-ranked defenceman on Button’s list, coming in at No. 4.

Buium had a massive freshman season with the Pioneers, leading all defencemen in scoring with 11 goals and 50 points in 42 games as he helped Denver capture the NCAA championship.

As the only draft-eligible player on the USA roster at the World Juniors, he had three goals and five points in seven games as the Americans skated away with gold.

“I think Zeev’s got Scott Niedermayer-esque qualities,” said Button. “I think he’s an elite skater with an elite brain and can do it all.

“Scott Niedermayer never was a 100-point guy, he just controlled and ran the game. Doesn’t matter where you put him. And Zeev, like Scott, can play left side [and] right side.”

Rounding the first tier of defencemen on Button’s list are Saginaw’s Zayne Parekh at No. 7, followed by Artyom Levshunov at No. 8, London’s Sam Dickinson at No. 10 and Torpedo’s Anton Silayev at No. 12.

Button has Calgary’s Carter Yakemchuk at No. 15, USNTDP’s EJ Emery (No. 16), Plzen’s Adam Jiricek (No. 19) and Norway’s Stian Solberg (No. 20) as his second-ranked tier of defencemen in the draft.

“Yakemchuk brings really significant offensive ability,” said Button. “I think EJ Emery is elite defensively. His game is going to be predicated on being on the defending side and moving pucks. Adam Jiricek might be a blend of both of them.”