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| ROUND 1 | TEAM | ORIGINAL | PLAYER | DETAILS |
|---|
| 1 |  | - | The worst-kept secret in the draft is that Shane Wright is the no-brainer for 1st overall. Even though the gap between him and Cooley is getting closer, Wright is still a lock. There are no big flaws that I've seen in his game, apart from his bad performance in the WJC and not making the Olympics. I swear if Wright had played during the 2020-21 season, his ceiling would be much higher. However, he does possess a solid offensive toolkit and decent skating ability. Any team that needs a player that you can build around would love Wright. | |
| 2 |  | - | Like last year, whoever goes 2nd overall is very controversial. Its either Logan Cooley, Matthew Savoie, or Joakim Kemell. Slafkovsky could be a good candidate, but the chances are very slim. I picked Savoie because of his point production and versatility compared to the other two. Not only can Savoie play center, but he could also play on the wing. I'm a huge fan of his point production as he's leading all 2022 WHL draft-eligible players in points with 64 (23G, 41A). He may be small at 5'10'', though EliteProspects says he's 5'9''. Either way, SIZE DOESN'T MATTER. Any team who needs a playmaker should draft Savoie considering his biggest strength is the playmaking. He can also win 1-on-1 battles in all three zones by using his creative mindset. Last year he was more of a goal-scorer, this year he's a playmaker. The potential on Savoie is amazing, he can definitely be a 1st line player for any team that drafts him. | |
| 3 |  | - | Like said before, there are many options of who could go second overall. The next best option would be Cooley, his ceiling is much higher compared to the other three (Slafkovsky, Nemec, and Kemell). Cooley may be less versatile than Savoie, but he's the same height at 5'10'' and is better in the faceoff circle. Also plays a better 200-ft game. Cooley also has excellent edgework and blazing speed while skating. Can score from anywhere on the ice, including sharp angles. Whoever needs a true No. 1 center would love what Cooley brings to the table. | |
| 4 |  | - | This is a player that slid up in the rankings by a LARGE amount. Yes, its a small sample size, but its the Olympics. 7 goals in 7 games against former NHL players and other men is outstanding for a guy who is 17 years old. Include the fact that he won the MVP of the Olympics after that. Slafkovsky brings everything of what a GM wants from a power forward. The size he has is great at 6'4'' and over 200 lbs. His shot is exceptional, most of the goals he scores are in the dirty areas of the ice. Though his production in the Liiga has been inconsistent, the MVP performance at the Olympics makes him a top 5 pick in this draft. He isn't the fastest skater and can be a liability on the backcheck, and he isn't all that physical compared to other true power forwards. But none of the less, an excellent player whom people doubted. But after the Olympics, you shouldn't doubt him anymore. | |
| 5 |  | - | Finally he have Nemec. Like Slafkovsky, his performance during the Olympics was impressive, but not enough to match Slafkovsky's. That's why I have Slafkovsky getting the edge over Nemec. Also most of Nemec's goals come from the same area on the ice: below the faceoff circle. His level of physicality is low compared to Slafkovsky's because I've noticed that he doesn't really go for shot blocking. His ceiling is still very high, he could be a future top 10 defenseman in the NHL within a few years. Nemec's edgework while in the offensive zone is exceptional, and he plays with a lot of smarts with and without the puck. Apart from the lack of physicality and ability to score anywhere on the ice, this is a very solid player and the team who drafts Nemec would be very happy. | |
| 6 |  | - | Before the WJC started, I had Kemell in my top 2. But an injury that kept him out for at least a month made me slide him down. After recovery, he never found the same stride he had in terms of point production. However, he is the best sniper in the draft and possesses exceptional creativity with the puck. The skating and edgework Kemell has is also decent, although he's unreliable in the defensive aspects of the game. Could be NHL ready next year if the defense does improve. Can also score from long distance and is solid while close to the goalie. Any team who lacks the ability to score goals could use Kemell on the roster, he's a game-changer. | |
| 7 |  | - | For this ranking, its a no-brainer. Yurov is the best player available out of anyone. Though I do see him as one guy who could fall in the draft, given the fact he's Russian. As we all know, Russian players take a while to develop and make the NHL. Most teams in the top 10 would want to pass up on those types of players. Also add on to the fact that he has zero points in the KHL this season, but decent production in the MHL. But Yurov here will be worth the wait, despite the long development. His ceiling is as high as the players drafted before him, a true first line winger. At the beginning of the season Yurov was a sniper. Since the WJC championship, he's played like a power forward however. He is working on getting bigger, but his shot is exceptional. He is amazing at going hard to the net, going through the defenders and scoring up close. He's definitely a project pick, but once again, he will be worth the wait. | |
| 8 |  |  | This spot is more controversal than anything. Its between Lambert and Jiricek. Ultimately I went with Lambert, as my pick beforehand was Jiricek, but an injury stunted his draft ranking. Meanwhile Lambert had a slow start to the season but found his stride during the WJC championship. Could have been higher if he made the Olympics, but he didn't. What Lambert is known for is the playmaking. Its outstanding, but what stands out is how agile he is near defenders. Solid awareness with the puck, but isn't solid in the defensive areas of the game. Near the season, his ceiling was super close to Wright's, a franchise forward. But after slowing down, Lambert's ceiling is slightly lower but closer to the players selected between Wright and him. His play style will mesh well with a sniper. | |
| 9 |  | - | This is where Jiricek fits. He would much closer to the top 5, but once again like mentioned in the Lambert explanation, an injury affected his draft rankings, making him slip. But he's still the second best defenseman in the draft behind Nemec. If he improves the health issues, he could be NHL ready next season. He already has NHL-ready size at 6'3''. He can also pass the puck through small seams of the ice, in other words, through defenders and set up breakaways. Also unlike Nemec, he isn't afraid to skate up close to the net. However, he's less offensive than Nemec but can still score plenty of goals, just less. Any team who is lacking depth on defense could use Jiricek, he will provide additional depth as his ceiling is high to the extreme. Could someday become a top defenseman in the NHL, just like Nemec. | |
| 10 |  | - | Most people have Geekie outside the top 10, but for me he barely makes it in that range. It's mostly because of the size as he's very big at 6'3'' and over 200 pounds. Though I don't like his skating, in more elaborate terms, the explosiveness and acceleration, he loves to score goals and is able to use his size to go on partial breakaways. He also makes smart decisions with the puck and is able to steal the puck off the opposition's stick. He needs at least a year to improve the skating, but once he makes his NHL debut, he will be a decent top 6 center. Keep in mind he has decent bloodlines too, as brother Morgan Geekie plays for Seattle. | |
| 11 |  | - | At this point, its out in the open of who will go here. Also outside the top 10 is where the ceiling and upside for most players change. Anyone between the 10-25 mark have the potential to become a top 6 forward or a top 4 defenseman. Right now I think the best player available is Nazar. He is very versatile as he plays center and wing. Currently in the USDP, Nazar does play center, but I think once he starts in the NHL, he should play on the wing. Reason being is that he is too small to be a centerman in the NHL. And that is his only major flaw that Nazar has. Also to keep in note is that Nazar's creativity is arguably the best in the draft compared to other players already taken and still available. A minor flaw that Nazar also has is that he always has a defender pressuring him while he has puck possession during a shot on goal. Nazar's shot is lethal and his playmaking ability is exceptional. Not really a defensively-minded forward but his vision with the puck is outstanding. Any team that is lacking a highlight-reel player should draft Nazar, I have seen a lot of Mitch Marner comparisons. | |
| 12 | | - | The next best player available is Issac Howard. This may be higher than some expect, but I see zero major flaws in Howard's game. Most players that are around his ceiling do have major flaws. I would say the one thing that Howard needs to work on that he's inconsistent with his physicality. Like Nazar, Howard is small but is less versatile as he only plays on the wing. His saucer passes are filthy and his shot power is exceptional. Add onto the fact that Howard has a decent backhand shot that he can score on during breakaways. His ceiling is above average, in the future Howard could be a solid top 6 playmaker. Also fun fact, but between him and Nazar, Howard is the same height but ONE pound bigger. | |
| 13 |  | - | Like Yurov, this is another project pick. Once again, its given the fact that Miroshnichenko is Russian, and those players take a while to develop. He is below Yurov because of the consistency. The major flaw in his game is the level of consistency, I'm not a fan of it. Before this season started, you could make a case that Miroshnichenko could be selected in the top 5, maybe even top 3. With the level of consistency Miroshnichenko has put up, I think he will be selected between 10-15. Other than the inconsistency, I don't see any other flaws in Miroshnichenko's game. I love his smarts with the puck and the way he uses his size. He normally uses his size to go hard to the net and score up close. Like most snipers selected above him, Miroshnichenko can score goals in all areas of the offensive zone. His explosiveness with and without the puck is exceptional as well. Any team looking for physicality and goal-scoring could use Miroshnichenko, he will slide perfectly into a top 6 unit. | |
| 14 |  | - | This could be lower than some expect, but like Miroshnichenko, this is a player who also is inconsistent. In terms of ceiling and ranking, it would be a tie between McGroarty and Miroshnichenko. Reason I had Miroshnichenko above McGroarty is mostly because of the size. Miroshnichenko is 6'1'' and McGroarty is 6'0''. But despite being smaller, McGroarty's 200-ft game is exceptional. His defensive upside may not be top 15 worthy, but the offensive toolkit is solid. McGroarty is able to use his size effectively as he's uses it to get around defenders. His edgework is also very solid in all three zones. He may not have the hardest shot, but McGroarty can score from multiple areas of the offensive zone. His passing is also exceptional, he could even nail some through small seams and a series of skates. Any team who is looking for a player to build a franchise around of can use McGroarty. He may not have franchise potential, but he's a solid offensive two-way forward. | |
| 15 |  | - | The fourth-best power forward in the draft is Gauthier. This is also a player that has slid up the draft rankings by a lot. If he keeps up the way he's playing, I could see Gauthier make a case for being selected in the top 10. He may not use his size as much unlike any power forward out there, but his shot is powerful and lethal. The only instance where Gauthier would use his size is when he is trying to generate a scoring opportunity. Doesn't use it as much while getting around the defense but I kind of think its just a natural thing. I think he doesn't use his size much because his acceleration and explosiveness are top-notch, I see Gauthier use it while getting around the defender(s). He also has exceptional playmaking ability as he's able to pull off a pass through a bunch of skates or in other words, seams. The potential is getting better, before the season started Gauthier was projected as an NHL middle 6 winger but now with the way he's playing, I see him as a high-end top 6 player. Any team looking for offensive firepower and a big net-front presence could use this player. | |
| 16 |  | - | This may be slightly too high, but with the big size that he has, I see teams gaining interest in Bichsel, the best Swiss-born player in the draft. He's one of the bigger A-graded defenseman in the class at 6'5'' and over 200 pounds. I feel like this is a player that teams would be willing to reach on because of the size. I would also say that his defensive abilities are on par with Jiricek's but his offensive ability is below average. His shot may be accurate, but it definitely isn't all that powerful. Most of this goals aren't scored near the crossbar, but his backwards skating is decent. Most scouts say that Bichsel's a two-way defender, but I wanna disagree with that. Normally two-way defenseman are solid offensively but Bichsel's offensive toolkit is like I said, below average. Normally defensive defenseman tend to possess lackluster offensive upside, and I do think that Bichsel's offensive upside is lacking. So in my eyes, he's a defensive defenseman. Despite the lack of offense that Bichsel presents, he's still a good asset for a team that is in need of size and shutdown ability on the back end. | |
| 17 |  | - | This is without a doubt the fourth-best defenseman in the draft. Some have Nelson drafted higher, but I'm not a fan of his size at all. Yes, its been proven in the past that size does not matter anymore, but for a defenseman, its not good enough to be put in the top 15. However, after that there are zero major flaws that I see in his game. His smarts are outstanding and he makes the right moves with and without the puck. I do see that he is trying to get better with his size as while watching video highlights I often see Nelson making use of his body to knock the puck off the oppositions stick, giving his team a chance to make excellent plays. To sum it all up, Nelson is the definition of a true two-way defenseman. He would need at least 1-2 years to make the NHL, but the team that drafts Nelson could build a foundation of prospects around him, he's a solid all-around player like said before. | |
| 18 | |  | This is another undersized player, just like Nelson. Add on the fact that Lekkerimaki is another player whose draft rankings have slid up by a large margin. While he isn't the most reliable defensive player, he makes up for it in the offensive aspects of the game. His toolkit is amazing, what stands out to me that Lekkerimaki has compared to the players ranked above him is simply the vision. More specifically his vision with the puck is probably the best in the draft compared to any other player ranked above. Lekkerimaki also possesses a decent shot and his edgework and mobility with and without the puck is exceptional. He's also receiving solid mentorship from top Sharks prospect William Eklund. I feel like whoever drafts Lekkerimaki will receive additional offense and leadership in their top or middle 6. | |
| 19 |  | - | This is an interesting prospect. Mateychuk is a very stay-at-home defenseman. In other words, he's a defenseman who has way less offensive upside then defensive. I would have Mateychuk in the top 15, but the offensive production isn't top 15 worthy. While the offense may not be there, Mateychuk can make the right plays without and even with the puck. His mobility is very exceptional as he's able to pull off 180 and 360 degree rotations with his feet. Despite the small frame, Mateychuk can still use his size to knock the puck off defenders. While Mateychuk is in the NHL, he will be very solid in the top 4 unit of a defensive core and continue to get bigger. | |
| 20 |  | - | This might be a shock to some people, but I feel like this is a player that GM's would want to take a reach on. I'm a massive fan of his size at 6'6'' and 236 pounds. Usually players with that type of size are hard to find. A very intriguing prospect, this is definitely a project, but I see Dolzhenkov as the next Kaprizov. Basically a late-round pick that takes a while to develop, but once he comes into the NHL, he should be a superstar player. Dolzhenkov already has NHL-ready size, and he can easily use it to skate up close to the net. Normally big and heavy hockey players don't have great hockey sense and puck handling ability in the offensive zone, but Dolzhenkov's are actually pretty decent. He is also solid at generating rebound opportunities and his shot is exceptional. He can even nail a nifty backhander to the back of the net whenever there is open space. What Dolzhenkov needs to improve most is the skating. I'm not exactly sold on his explosiveness and three-zone acceleration. He also needs to stay out of the penalty box more often. However, the least Dolzhenkov can become is a top 6 winger, but like said before, there's a high chance that he could also become the next Kaprizov, giving him potential to become the steal of the draft. Any team that is lacking big and heavy players can use this guy. | |
| 21 |  | - | I'm not sure if you realized this, but there's a big list of players whose draft rankings have slid by a large, significant amount. Yet we have another one here is Forsmark. May be higher than some expect, but I don't see much flaws in his game compared to other defenseman still available. Forsmark's potential basically screams a top 4 two-way defenseman. He excels in both ends of the ice and I love his smarts with and without the puck. His bigger in terms of height compared to some defenseman ranked above him like Nemec and Nelson at 6'2'' (Nemec is 6'0'' and Nelson is 5'11''). His shot is lethal and he can score from anywhere in the offensive zone. I've watched highlights where he sometimes skates along the boards and score inside the faceoff circle, which not many defenseman in the NHL do. The overall skating is solid, but the puck handlings is mostly below average or at the very most, just average. That's probably the biggest flaw I see in Forsmark's game. But like said before, he will be a very solid top 4 defender and provide stability on the back end. | |
| 22 |  | - | This is a player that I had a lot of trouble finding a realistic and perfect ranking for. Ostlund's draft stock is wide open, I see him going between the 15th to 32nd range. His weight compared to players ranked him and even some that are ranked below him is what brings him outside the top 20. It's not first-round worthy but what makes Ostlund a legit first-round pick is the creativity, and most players below him have a worse creative mindset. Despite the size, Ostlund does play a solid 200-ft game but the physical aspects of the game are not visible. Ostlund can also score in any area of the ice despite being a playmaking forward. His one-timer is also exceptional and he can also bury the perfect rebound off a shot from the blue line or outside the faceoff dot. Do not underestimate Ostlund, he will provide stability down the middle. Any team lacking offensive firepower could use this guy. | |
| 23 |  | - | Lucas Edmonds | This is one of the best overaged draft players that I've seen in quite some time. I would say that Edmonds and Robertson are interchangeable in terms of rankings. They are very equal, I just did a coin flip. Heads was Robertson and tails was Edmonds. It was tails so Edmonds gets the edge. But its obvious that he's the better point producer because it is clear that Edmonds will reach 100+ points and Robertson won't. Edmonds and Robertson would have been a clear-cut first and second overall picks in the draft. During games, Edmonds plays with a lot of flare, some of the goals he scores wanna make your jaw drop. He's also receiving solid leadership playing with Shane Wright. If Wright were to play without Edmonds, I guarantee you Wright would be producing points at a better level as Edmonds has a much higher chance of reaching 100 points first. Edmonds makes all the smart plays with the puck, however he tends to score from the same areas of the ice. I barely see Edmonds score goals between the outside of the faceoff circle and the blue line. Overall, his potential screams top 6 forward and he will continue to grow more in the NHL. Yes he's a fourth year draft eligible player, but the way he plays is first round worthy. Like said before, the goals he scores are highlight-reel worthy. If he is drafted late second-round, I would not be surprised. |
| 24 | |  | Like said before, Edmonds and Robertson are both interchangeable in terms of rankings. There's no secret that Robertson is NHL-ready right now, I see no flaws in his game that make me wanna say, "he's not ready for the NHL". If only Robertson played his OHL season last year just like Edmonds, there would have been debate of him and Edmonds going top 2 overall. I haven't seen much highlights where Robertson makes solid and smart defensive plays, his game is mostly about offense. I love the plays he makes in all areas in the offensive zone, mostly behind the net. He can score on breakaways, however he does have to use his size as most of the time he's pressured by an opposing defender. He’s not the highlight-reel-type player that Edmonds is. Robertson’s plays are more simple with not much flare. However, this is a player that could make the NHL right away and slowly grow his potential to being a top 6 worthy player. Very versatile as well, Robertson can play both center and wing. | |
| 25 |  | - | Kasper is clearly the best available player here. However, he does have one major flaw that makes him a very intriguing prospect and also sets him apart from players ranking above and below him. Its simply the plays he makes without the puck. I think I've barely seen Kasper around the ice while his team is defending the puck. Whenever Kasper does have to defend, he ends up giving the puck away. Apart from that, there are no major flaws that I see in Kasper's game. I love how he sometimes uses his size to get up to the close and deflect pucks. His shot is also decent and the skating is average. Reason why I say only average and not exceptional is mostly because Kasper isn't all that speedy and explosive with his feet. It may take Kasper a few seasons to make the NHL, but he will be a solid top 6 forward in the future for the team that selects him. | |
| 26 |  | - | This is yet again, another player who is risen up the draft board as of late, by a large and significant amount. Mintyukov is a very intriguing prospect, while he is a Russian, is time in the OHL would make him less of a risk. If he had played in Russia, I wouldn't see him as a first-round pick. Mintyukov ideally plays a solid all-around game unlike half the defenseman taken above him. He's also roughly the same size as guys like Nemec and Mintyukov puts his size to great use. He mostly uses it to put pressure on opposing forward while in the defensive zone. His skating is above average, I love how he sometimes is able to go deep into the offensive zone and create scoring opportunities for his teammates down low. While watching highlights, I can see that he's adjusting to the CHL rinks well. While he may not score a lot of goals, he's still a great all-around player like said before. While developing, his potential and/or ceiling will continue to grow and get better, I see Mintyukov as a low-end top 4 defenseman at the moment. | |
| 27 |  | - | This ranking is severely controversial, pretty much its a debate between Chelsey and Casey. Both are inconsistent, but I picked Casey because he has the higher ceiling. Though both players have the same ceiling. I see Casey as a solid offensive defenseman. While Casey may be a liability defensively and his talent is raw, his offensive toolkit is exceptional. Casey possesses an elite, blistering shot and has great hands with the puck. Unlike any other defenseman ranked above him, Casey also has the ability to cut around defenders and score on the backhand. If he just works on being consistent on a daily basis and improving his size at 5'10'', his time in college will be short and sweet. | |
| 28 |  | - | Like said before, its a controversy of who should be ranked higher. Chelsey or Casey? Now that Casey has been picked, its Chelsey's turn. Apart from being very inconsistent, his game pretty much screams defense. Unlike Casey, Chelsey's offensive toolkit is very poor, but the defensive aspects of the game are solid. Whenever Chelsey does shoot the puck, he doesn't shoot to score a goal. Most of the time he shoots low to get a deflection in front of the net. Chelsey's size is better then Casey's at 6'0'' and near 200 pounds. I could see Chelsey as a quarterback on the penalty kill whenever he does make the NHL as he is able to pull off a dump in. Like Casey, Chelsey just needs to be more consistent on a daily basis. | |
| 29 |  | - | This is an interesting player. I feel like this is the type of player that a GM could build a foundation of prospects around him. Gustafson's play style is pretty much well-rounded, I don't see much flaws in his game that make me want to drop him out of the first round. His size could improve as I see him getting pressured by the opposition multiple times per game. However, some scouts and fans say that Gustafson does play bigger than his size. His potential keeps growing, once Gustafson does make the NHL, I see him as a high-end middle size player. Very versatile as well, he can play both center and wing. However I do see him as a winger as he's too underweight to play center. | |
| 30 | |  | This is another player that is somewhat higher than some expect, but I had to include Snuggerud. While watching highlights solely based on players besides him, I see Snuggerud making a big offensive presence. His end-to-end effort is amazing, every time he goes end-to-end he scores a goal off a blistering shot from anywhere in the offensive zone. His size is relatively decent and he puts it to great use offensively. I've watched plays where Snuggerud can score off a rebound while being pressured by multiple guys, which not many NHL players can accomplish. He's already starting to play on a line with players like Nazar, Gauthier, and Howard and excelling while playing with those players. If he continues to play the way he's playing, I see him as a solid top 6 forward in the NHL and a candidate for a top 20 selection. | |
| 31 | |  | You could make the argument that this guy can go higher, but with so many other players rising, he is ranked at this spot unfortunately. Persson is very solid offensively, the playmaking and shot is exceptional. Haven't scouted Persson a lot unlike the other players, but what I have seen his solid shooting and playmaking. | |
| 32 | |  | Like Persson, haven't scouted Mesar a lot either. Though while reading scouting reports I've seen that his strengths are his versatility (he can play center and wing) and his main strengths are his playmaking and overall skating ability. Isn't really the biggest hockey player, but still has increasing potential. |
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