1 | | - | | Even though the Sabres get a solid young center in Filip Chytil in return in the Eichel deal and Beniers would be a better fit, I still think that Owen Power is the safest pick for Buffalo. In the 2022 NHL Draft, there are tons of centers available for Buffalo. More than likely the Sabres won’t be a contender next season, so I expect them to make a push for Shane Wright next season. Even in the 2023 NHL Draft, Connor Bedard is available. Power and Dahlin will create a great defensive foundation for the Sabres going forward. He has great size, mobility, and offensive capabilities. He’s arguably the only player in the draft that is 100% NHL ready as well. He showcased himself well during the World Championship for Team Canada. |
2 | | - | | I think the Kraken will go for the player with the highest upside in Luke Hughes. Because of his age, him being on the younger players in the draft, his upside is really big. He’s also bigger than brother Quinn (6’2’’ compared to 5’11’’). If the Sabres somehow end up drafting Matthew Beniers, then the Kraken have a no-brainer pick in Owen Power. Right now, it isn’t the case obviously. None of the less, a win for Seattle as Hughes as strong potential, he could become the best player in this draft. Also after the draft lottery, Ron Francis confirmed that he won’t be addressing a team need, he will just take the best player available, regardless of position. Also, Francis loves taking defenseman, so I think he will stick to his routes. |
3 | | - | | The Ducks have a couple of options here. First option is William Eklund. Even though size doesn’t matter anymore, Bob Murray doesn’t like drafting small hockey players like Eklund. So I think Bob Murray will likely pass on Eklund. Second option is Edvinsson, however he has been inconsistent this season, so I think he will be passed on as well. Third option, which I think is the safest option in this case is Dylan Guenther. Not many flaws in Guenther’s game, he is the type of player the Ducks need. A dynamic goal-scorer to play alongside Zegras on that top line. Guenther does have potential to go first overall, but I don’t think so. The Sabres already have a solid goal-scorer in Jack Quinn. Guenther plays a similar style of game as Quinn. |
4 | | - | | THIS IS THE SHARKS PICK!!!!! According to Friedman, the Devils are looking to trade the 4th overall pick and hope to get a high-potential defenseman in return. So they swap picks with the Sharks and get Ryan Merkley in the deal as well. The Sharks have Meloche, Vlasic, Karlsson, and Burns on defense so I personally think they can afford to trade one of their defensive prospects away. Middleton is also a solid prospect on defense. Now this pick belongs to the Sharks, and they draft Eklund. All year I’ve said that the Sharks go with Wallstedt, but after seeing Korenar and Melnichuk play their short stints in the NHL, that isn’t the case anymore. I now see Doug Wilson signing a goalie in free agency this offseason. Even if Eklund is still available at 7th overall, which he shouldn’t be, I still see the Sharks taking him. The Sharks have one of the worst bottom-sixes in the NHL, and Eklund could fill out their depth along with Weisblatt and Bordeleau. |
5 | | - | | I have this feeling that McTavish will be drafted by the Blue Jackets. I think he has everything the Blue Jackets need, which is goal-scoring and center depth. McTavish would provide more goal-scoring that Beniers will, given that Beniers is more of an all-around player and McTavish just screams offense. Also McTavish is No. 2 on NHL Central Scouting Rankings and Beniers is No. 6. Roslovic and McTavish as a 1-2 punch at center is awesome. I also think, given his performance in the U18’s as captain, McTavish could be a playoff performer for the Blue Jackets. I wouldn’t call this an off-the-board pick given that most scouts have him as a top 10 pick, but its an interesting one with guys like Clarke and Beniers still on the board. If Eklund is available at 5, I see the Blue Jackets 100% taking him. Eklund is a similar player to McTavish, except he’s a better skater. Just is undersized, but then again, SIZE DOESN’T MATTER ANYMORE. |
6 | | - | | I think the Red Wings have solid prospects in every position except goaltending. Few reasons why Yzerman takes Wallstedt over Beniers. One, and the main reason being is that Jonathan Bernier is under contract this season and the Red Wings may not be able to sign him. I’ve even heard rumors that they are looking to trade Bernier in order to sign multiple players, like Tyler Bertuzzi for example. Second reason being is that in my draft rankings I have Wallstedt as the second-best player in this draft. In my draft rankings, I have Wallstedt at No. 2, whereas Beniers is No. 5. Also, yes the Red Wings have Filip Larsson in the system, but he has way less potential than Wallstedt. Given the situation they are at with their goalies, if Wallstedt has a solid training camp this offseason, he could make the Red Wings lineup and be the backup behind Griess, who would also be under contract next season. However, I would not be shocked if Beniers was drafted at this spot. |
7 | | - | | THIS IS THE DEVILS PICK!!!!! With Merkley now on the team, the Devils depth at the right side of their defensive core is all set for the future. You have Damon Severson and Will Butcher who are still young and about to get into their prime, then in the system you have Merkley and Ryan Walsh. Left side, they still have Ty Smith who is primed for a breakout season, then Kevin Bahl and Shakir Mukhamadullin in the system. They draft Edvinsson because the Devils have stockplied on forwards during five of the past six drafts. Add on to the fact that both Bahl and Mukhamadullin have potential to become top-four defenseman. Meanwhile Edvinsson has potential to become a top-pairing defenseman if he regains his consistency. If he doesn’t he will become either a 2nd or 3rd pairing defenseman for the Devils. |
8 | | - | | THIS IS THE SENATORS PICK!!!! The latest reports have said that the Senators want Clarke, but if Beniers is still on the board, there is no way the Senators pass on him. I see Beniers as a faller because on NHL.com they reported that Beniers is likely to go back to Michigan for another season. I feel like the teams above Ottawa won’t be willing to wait on that. Norris and Beniers would be a great 1-2 punch down the middle. Beniers has the complete package, everything a GM wants. Could be the No. 1 center alongside Brady Tkachuk. If Beniers is already taken, I still see the Senators trading up to get Brandt Clarke. |
9 | | - | | I have Jim Benning taking the local, hometown kid in Kent Johnson. If he does this, I think Johnson would stay with the Canucks until retirement. Johnson has a lot of flare in his game, just a very entertaining player to watch. Good, probably the best creativity out of anyone in the draft and has the ability to score goals. However, there is some risk with this pick. I’ve heard there are concerns regarding his skating and from watching highlights, Johnson lacks defense. I’ve also heard rumors that Johnson won’t finish college hockey until the 2023-24 season. Scouts project him to be selected in the top 5, but I personally don’t see it with these risks in place. He’s more of a boom or bust player. |
10 | | - | | THIS IS THE KINGS PICK!!!! The Kings have a lot of solid prospects in their system, but not enough winger depth. I feel like Lucius is a nice complement to both Byfield and Turcotte. Lucius is probably the best goal-scorer in the draft, and it matches up well with Byfield and Turcotte’s high-end playmaking. I don’t think they take Brandt Clarke here, their defense is mostly young, their only veteran on there is Drew Doughty. A lot of versatility when drafting Lucius, right now he plays center. However, scouts project Lucius as a middle-six winger in the NHL. Once Lucius gets rid of his health problems and improves his skating, which won’t take long, he will be a lethal goal-scorer for the LA Kings. |
11 | | - | | Draft Pick Forfeited |
12 | | - | | THIS IS THE JETS PICK!!!!! We finally have Clarke getting drafted! For the second straight season, the Jets get the steal of the draft. After stealing Cole Perfetti last season, they steal Brandt Clarke. As a Jets fan, I really want Clarke to fall. Regarding the trade, I’ve heard that the Blackhawks want Coronato. I don’t see Coronato getting drafted in the top 15, so the Blackhawks trade down. The Blackhawks could take Clarke and get a steal, but with Boqvist and Vlasic being solid right-shot defensive prospects, I don’t think the Blackhawks will want another one. Clarke I feel fits the Jets system very well, he likes to play down low with the puck. Also the Jets need a right-shot defenseman and this is a no-brainer pick. If Clarke is unavailable to the Jets, I still see the Blackhawks trading down and have the Jets taking Lambos instead. If Clarke gets drafted by the Jets, I could see him making their lineup next season. Very offensive, skates well, and makes smart down-low plays in the offensive zone. |
13 | | - | | If Lucius was available, I would have Calgary taking him 100%. However, he isn’t on the board anymore, so instead I have the Flames taking Sillinger, who also has as much potential as Lucius does. In fact, I think Sillinger and Lucius are two similar plays, they play a similar style. Sillinger may not have the health problems that Lucius has, but he’s also a talented goal-scorer and has great hockey IQ. Like Lucius, Sillinger also needs to improve his skating. Sillinger would also be the perfect compliment to Connor Zary. Both are solid two-way, mostly offensive forwards. Sillinger also has great NHL bloodlines as his father played in the NHL. |
14 | | - | | With this pick, the Flyers address a team need. Currently they need left shot defenseman and a bottom-six center. On the right side of their defensive core the Flyers have Philippe Myers and Cam York. On the left side, not much. They have Svozil here, who has drawn comparisons to Ivan Provorov. So why not have Svozil be mentored under Provorov himself? |
15 | | - | | This would be the first off-the-board pick. Main reason being is that the Stars have his teammate in Mavrik Bourque as one of their top prospects in the system. While playing on a line with Mavrik Bourque, Bourgault put up insane point totals, over a point per game (40 points in 29 games played). Bourque put up 43 points in 28 games. I feel like their line chemistry could translate well into the NHL while playing in the Stars top-nine behind Seguin, Benn, and Robertsson. Ideally the Stars need scoring depth behind those three players and Bourgault can provide that. He has a great release on his shot and can be very creative with the puck. |
16 | | - | | With their second pick of the first round, the Sabres select a future defensive partner for Rasmus Dahlin. Ceulemans has potential to become a top-four defenseman, but given Buffalo’s depth of defense, Ceulemans will likely fit on the top pair, especially if Ristolainen gets traded. He has years to develop as I’ve heard rumors that he won’t finish college hockey for another 2 seasons, but it will be worth the wait. Ceulemans has great two-way ability, plays well in transition, and possesses great size. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Sabres took a forward, but with the trade, I feel like the Sabres have enough young forwards on their team (Cozens, Chytil, Quinn, Kakko, and Kravtsov). Even with Owen Power, the Sabres don’t have a whole lot on their defense. I don’t see them taking Cossa either as they have Lukkonen who is NHL-ready. |
17 | | - | | With all the trade rumors surrounding Tarasenko, the Blues should take a goal-scoring winger to replace him. Stankoven’s biggest attribute is his goal-scoring, so he will be the perfect replacement. Provides a lot of on-ice energy and possesses a great quick release on his shot. There are concerns regarding his skating. He is also very small, but once again, size doesn’t matter. I’ve also heard that scouts say that Stankoven plays bigger than his size, which I do agree with. While watching video highlights, I see that he is able to beat defenders on the rush and even skate in the dirty areas of the ice, which not a lot of undersized players can do. Stankoven may not have as high of a ceiling as Tarasenko, but he can definitely provide the same amount of goal-scoring that Tarasenko has. |
18 | | - | | THIS IS THE BLACKHAWKS PICK!!!!! The Blackhawks trade down and select the player they want in Coronato. While trading, they address their need of left-shot defenseman in Samberg. I feel like Samberg is very capable defensively, so he can help the Blackhawks keep the puck out of their own net, their main issue this season. They also need wingers, and they address that need here by taking Coronato. Also Craig Button compares Coronato to DeBrincat so why not have Coronato be mentored under DeBrincat himself? |
19 | | - | | The Predators take a player that has risen up my draft rankings since the month of April, and that is Samu Tuomaala. I wouldn’t call this off-the-board by any means, Tuomaala’s performance in the U18’s proved that he could be a top 20 pick. After trading Arvidsson, the Predators should draft a winger to replace him. Tuomaala plays a similar style, just a decent goal-scorer. |
20 | | - | | Honestly I see Lysell as a for-sure faller in this year’s draft. Even though the logical pick is Cossa, I feel like the Oilers should take Lysell instead. Two guys can’t carry a team in the playoffs. They need more forward depth behind McDavid and Draisaitl. Also Ken Holland doesn’t like taking goalies in round 1, so I think he will stick to his routes. |
21 | | - | | During the regular season, Don Sweeney said that his team is lacking goal-scoring. So I have the Bruins addressing this by taking a goal-scorer in Brennan Othmann. He currently has an NHL-ready shot, however there are concerns regarding his skating. I’ve seen comparisons to Gabriel Landeskog. |
22 | | - | | THIS IS THE AVALANCHE PICK!!!! Main reason the Avalanche make this trade is to clear up cap space. This trade will only happen if Edmonton passes on Cossa. With Makar needing a new contract and the chances of losing Landeskog, the Avalanche should trade one of the other players who also needs a contract. I have the Avalanche taking Cossa, mostly because they might lose Grubauer to free agency as well, so drafting a replacement would be a good idea. Cossa has potential to become a franchise goalie and within years could be one of the best in the NHL. Maybe even win a Vezina Trophy in the future. He has NHL-ready size, poise, good athleticism, and agility. I could even see Cossa being drafted way earlier than this, a few of Bob MacKenzie’s scouts had Cossa ranked higher than Wallstedt. |
23 | | | | The Red Wings take a guy that could be the steal of the draft. As everyone knows, Raty was the consensus No. 1 pick during last season. This year he’s been inconsistent, suffering his draft stock. If he gets his ceiling back, Raty can be a fantastic second-line center for Detroit. Raty is an elite playmaker, can win puck battles, and possesses a great wrist shot. I’ve seen comparisons to Jonathan Toews. I originally had Detroit taking Eklund at 6 and trading up with the Predators to draft Cossa. However, since they took Wallstedt at 6th overall, the trade won’t happen. |
24 | | - | | THIS IS THE WILD PICK!!!! The Wild trade up to grab a defenseman to replace Ryan Suter. I’ve also seen comparisons to Ryan Suter, so why not have Lambos be mentored by Suter? Once Suter comes of age and retires, Lambos can come in and be the new Suter. Main reason his draft stock dropped is because of an injury that ended his season in the WHL. |
25 | | | | I think the Blue Jackets should take a leader in replacement to their former captain Nick Foligno. I’d consider Chibrikov to be the best leader in the draft, he did well guiding Team Russia to a silver medal during the U18’s. Also the Columbus GM also likes drafting International players late in the draft, so I think he will stick to his normal route. Not only is Chibrikov a great leader, he also has great skating ability, possesses a great shot, and has good vision. A project pick, but it will be worth it when Chibrikov makes the NHL. Could potentially be the next Kirill Kaprizov. |
26 | | | | THIS IS THE PANTHERS PICK!!!! Defensive depth behind Ekblad is ice thin. The Panthers should go with the best defenseman available and they do so by taking Daniil Chayka. A player who was once a top 15 pick. If he gets his ceiling back, Chayka could be a reliable top-four defenseman in the NHL. Fans describe Chayka as a defensive defenseman which I agree he is one. His shot selection isn’t great, he plays more of a defensive game. That is the type of style the Panthers should aim for, they are mostly an offensive team. |
27 | | - | | Not much to say here, as the Hurricanes don’t really have a team need. They just take the best player available regardless of position. |
28 | | - | | THIS IS THE WILD PICK!!!! I feel like the Wild should grab a winger in case they are unable to resign Kaprizov. Before I have them drafting heavy with centers, but after seeing that they have Eriksson Ek resigned and Khovanov in their system, that isn’t the case anymore. I feel like Pastujov could provide the same amount of scoring that Kaprizov did. Even with Kaprizov in the lineup and Saad being a pending UFA or RFA, the Wild still lack scoring depth. |
29 | | | | Once again, not much to say here. The Devils pretty much have prospects in all positions. They take the best player available, regardless of position. |
30 | | - | | I think the Golden Knights are lacking center depth. Yes, they have Cody Glass, but he’s looking like a bust at this point and arguably trade bait. They draft Pinelli, who has everything a GM wants. |
31 | | - | | With this pick, the Canadiens add some depth to their forward core. They grab a player who plays in Quebec in Zachary Bolduc. Because of inconsistency, Bolduc went from being a guaranteed top 15 pick to a late first-rounder more than likely second rounder. Center depth is also very thin behind Kotkaniemi and Suzuki. |
32 | | | | With Seth Jones more than likely on the move, the Blue Jackets should snag a defenseman. Yes, Morrow has a higher ceiling, but with the fact that he plays in a low-competitive league, I see Morrow as a guaranteed faller. Instead the Blue Jackets grab Roman Schmidt, who has NHL-ready size. Could also provide a lot of offense for the Blue Jackets. |