2024 NHL Draft player profile: Cayden Lindstrom, Medicine Hat Tigers

Cayden Lindstrom is on the ground in Vegas and ready to see his name beamed up in the lights of the Sphere and blasted across the Las Vegas strip.

The Medicine Hat Tigers forward is one of the most highly-touted prospects heading into the 2024 NHL Draft despite a 2023-24 campaign truncated by injury.

Mock drafts from hockey industry leaders posit Lindstrom as a potential top-10 selection in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft.

According to Tigers General Manager and Head Coach Willie Desjardins, the fanfare is well-earned.

“He earned the hype,” Desjardins said. “He put in a lot of time and effort to get to that level.”

Admittedly, the Tigers weren’t 100% sure what they had in the youngster when he showed up after being selected in the third round of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft.

But there were plenty of promising signs- raw power, a dynamic shot and determined attitude.

He boasts an imposing 6-foot-4, 215-pound frame but remains deceptively quick for his size.

After a quiet six-game showing in 2021-22, Lindstrom returned for his first full season on a mission, potting 19 goals and 23 assists for 42 points and a +11 rating in 61 games.

“He had a really good summer training and he was just a totally different player,” Desjardins added.

In his sophomore season, Lindstrom became comfortable with making his opponents uncomfortable while cranking up the point production.

Despite missing almost half the season with an upper-body injury, the Chetwynd, B.C. product still wracked up 27 goals and 19 assists for 46 points and a +12 rating in 32 games.

“He’s a power forward, really skilled, can really shoot the puck, really explosive. I think all those things translate (to the NHL level),” Desjardin said. “He’s big enough to play against big defencemen. He’s quick. The second year his confidence level just went up so much.”

The limited showing was enough for NHL Central Scouting to rank Lindstrom third among all North American skaters heading into the draft and help him snag an invitation to the 2024 NHL Scouting Combine.

“I’m feeling great,” Lindstrom, who prides himself on his playmaking ability, told reporters. “I’m working out five or six times a week, skating three, four times a week. Everything’s going well, healing up, healing up pretty quickly.”

The joy of hearing his name called at the Sphere is also sure to alleviate any lingering aches the power forward may still be contending with.

Round One of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft is set for Friday, June 28.