Cole Eiserman has a big opportunity to improve 2024 NHL Draft stock at U-18 World Championship

With the U-18 World Championships slated to kick off in Espoo and Vantaa Finland next week, prospect analyst Steven Ellis shines light on why 2024 draft prospect Cole Eiserman can use this tournament as a big way to improve his stock heading into the draft in June.

Colby Cohen: Who is one guy you are excited to watch the U-18 World Championships?

Steven Ellis: The one guy I am quite excited about watching and it’s a generic answer is Cole Eiserman. With Eiserman, a lot of attention on him recently, he was a highly-rated prospect at the beginning of the season we know he can score goals but can he do everything else? I am a big believer in him and I think he’s got more of a competitive level than what some people give him. You look at his numbers, 49 goals, 27 assists and even more lopsided in the USHL where he has scored a couple of hat tricks this year. He is a lot more than a guy who can score goals. This is the tournament where he can really prove that to scouts, there are no Macklin Celebrini, Ivan Demidov and key players who aren’t going to be here and he has a big opportunity to shine.

Steven Ellis: The Americans are one of the top teams in the tournament and whether he plays with James Hagens or Max Plante, it doesn’t matter he has these great players surrounding him and has opportunities to shine. This would be the tournament where he can put up double-digit points but also prove he can play the defensive side. When you look at him, the way the USDP is structured, he doesn’t have to play defense because his goal is to score goals. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts next year at the NCAA level when he will have to play more of a two-way game.