Team: 2021-22 Pittsburgh Penguins

Initial Creation Date: May 17, 2022

Published: May 17, 2022

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

I've been going through the 1st round and looking at guys that I would want in the draft. I have a full essay below about all of them but I hope the pens trade up. There is some talent from picks 13-20 and if the pens can trade up that would be great.

#1- Pavel Mintyukov:
Defenseman, 6'2'', shoots left, 18 years old, born in Russia.

Mintyuukov is projected to go 16th overall (PIT has 22nd as of now) and likely to drop a little in the draft. The rangy left-handed defender has good size and the physical build for professional hockey. His offensive style of play is something we have gotten used to in this new era of two-way defencemen. His skating, offensive instincts, and powerplay game are areas of strength for him, as he constantly jumps up into the rush and helps his team in creating offense. He plays a disciplined game and is physical when he has to be but doesn’t take himself out of the play to make big hits. While his defensive game has plenty of room for improvement, he possesses the physical tools and smarts to build and develop a better two-way game in the future. While his game is fairly raw at the moment, he is a player to keep an eye on for the future. He will likely be considered worthy of a first or second-round selection in the 2022 draft, but his second-half performance will be crucial for his draft stock. He currently has 62 points in 67 games with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL.

#2- Ivan Miroshnichenko:
Left winger, 6'1'', shoots right, 18 years old, born in Russia

Miroshnichenko is projected to go bottom 5 and could be a nice jump for the pens at pick 22. Miroshnichenko is loaded with offensive talent and poses a significant threat to the opposition when he has the puck. His shot is probably his most dangerous weapon as he can unload the puck quickly and powerfully. Other than his shot, Miroshnichenko has a strong top speed which allows him to blow by defenders. His skating form could use some work as it seems jumpy and could be smoothed out to maximize his skating advantage. His hands are another area of strength, often inviting defenders in close before using his vision to find teammates with the ice opened up. The biggest knock on Miroshnichenko’s game would be his consistency and effort level, especially in the defensive end. There are times when he looks invisible on the ice or he is taking a shift off. When he is on his game, he has the talent to take over and put his team in a favorable position. There is a lot of upside in his game, given his superb offensive abilities, but the concerns about his compete level and skating form need to be improved upon before taking his game to the next level. He has 9 points in 5 games with the Russia U18 "C" of the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

#3- Seamus Casey:
Defenseman, 5'11'', shoots right, 18 years old, born in the US

Casey is projected to go 29th Overall and again could be a good jump for the pens at pick #22. Casey is a very talented defenseman who brings a solid two-way game to the table and is capable of quarterbacking a powerplay. The first thing that you will notice about Casey when you watch him is his excellent skating ability. With his speed, quick first step, and very sharp edgework, Casey is undoubtedly one of the best skaters in this draft – possibly the best. His ability to stop on a dime and immediately generate speed in another direction is a big part of his game and he uses that to his advantage to shake off forecheckers in his own end to effectively exit the defensive zone and transition up the ice. He is a skilled puck handler and his agility allows him to navigate the neutral zone with ease as he keeps his head up to examine his passing options. Casey’s playmaking ability is high level. He squeezes crisp passes into tight windows and his ability to quickly and effectively move the puck is a trait that will have teams salivating. He is patient on the puck, his decision-making is mature and he will buy himself some time if he does not like what he sees initially. While he occasionally gets caught up ice from being a little overzealous offensively, his speed does afford him the opportunity to track back and make a play. Aside from his offensive capability, Casey is also an effective defender in his own end. Despite being listed at only 5-10 and 161 pounds, he is capable of playing a hard-nosed defensive game and forces players into puck battles along the boards, using his low center of gravity to wrestle pucks away from them. He shows an ability to read the developing play well and uses his quick first step to jump in to intercept the puck or use his stick to disrupt the attacking move. His ability to defend and break up plays while skating backwards towards his own zone is good and it prevents players from getting in behind him. He defends well in front of the net and reacts quickly to loose pucks to clear them from the goalmouth. There is a lot to like about what Casey brings to the table and while he is not the largest defenseman, there should be plenty of teams queuing up to select the right-handed rearguard on draft night.He currently has 13 points in 17 games with the USNTDP Juniors of the USHL.

#4- Luca Del Bel Belluz:
Center, 6'1'', shoots left, 18 years old, born in Canada.

Del Bel Belluz is projected to go 27th overall and again could be a good player to make a jump for.
Although his offensive tools and his toolkit are already refined, the center’s skating mechanics hold him back from blowing past players wide, though he can still pick up some speed with enough space ahead of him. Changes of direction and lateral mobility don’t come naturally to Del Bel Belluz due to sub-par ankle flexion and a tendency to flare his legs out in an A shape when carrying the puck, which can occasionally make him lose his balance. He can also lose puck battles against players his size or smaller, due to a lack of upper-body strength. All in all, most of the improvements in this prospect’s game need to come in areas that aren’t the most difficult to rectify. Skating can be tweaked, muscle can be built (especially on a projectable 6-foot-1 frame), but the mental elements of Del Bel Belluz’s game are above-average at worst. He understands the game very well, and it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if he’s off the board near the end of the first round. Hadi Kalakeche. He currently has 74 points in 67 games with the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL.

#5- Jagger Firkus:
LW/C/RW, 6'1'', shoots right, 17 years old, born in Canada

Firkus is projected to go 25th overall and he looks like he would be a great prospect for PIT mainly because of his versatility. Jagger Firkus has excellent presence in the slot. He has proven throughout his draft year season in Moose Jaw that he can tally up points in the slot and from range. In the slot, he has manufactured deflection back door goals on the power play, rebound goals at the red line and will record backhand short side goals with ease. Firkus does have a habit of trying short side even if the goaltender is blocking the short side extremely well. I’d like to see him work on manipulating goaltenders by appearing to take a backhand top shelf goal, cradling back and then going forehand around the goaltender on the long side. Given his affinity for going backhand, I think he can use that to his advantage to frustrate goaltenders by calling an audible on the fly. In the defensive zone, Firkus positions himself at center ice in the slot when there is a puck battle on the other side of the ice. Firkus provides a passing lane and body in the slot and close to the perimeter should the attackers gain control of the puck and skate towards centered ice. He currently has 79 points in 65 games with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL.

#6- Isaac Howard:
Left winger, 5'10'', shoots left, 18 years old, born in the US.

Howard is projected to go 22nd overall which is where the penguins pick is. Isaac Howard is another American player in this draft that will be looking to prove himself worthy of being a top-10 selection in the 2022 NHL draft. After a successful first year with the program, Howard will be looking to take another step forward this season and there is no reason why he shouldn’t be able to. Howard is a very offensively gifted winger and offers a well-rounded skillset that makes him supremely dangerous. He is a strong skater with a great first step, displays good agility, and loves to drive at the opposition. He offers great playmaking skills and poses a scoring threat each time he has the puck. Howard does well to use his puck skills to open up shooting lanes or change the angle of the shooting lane which makes him difficult to get a read on. He has a shoot-first mentality but is not selfish and uses his vision and passing skills to find open teammates. He has a good motor and is aggressive on the forecheck, and though he sometimes lacks intensity in his own end, he does show good instincts and capabilities on defense. His puck skills are high-end and he is not afraid to try creative dekes at full speed during the course of play. His transitional play is impressive as he uses his speed and ability to read the ice, attacking weak areas to receive the puck or to allow other players to drift into the space he opened up. Howard is a dynamic offensive player with great speed and puck skills who has the potential to blossom into a productive first line winger in the NHL. He currently has 37 points in 27 games with the USNTDP Juniors of the USHL.

#7- Kevin Korchinski:
Defenseman, 6'2'', shoots left, 17 years old, born in Canada

Korchinski is projected to go 18th overall and if he falls a bit to #22, he could be a nice pickup. Kevin Korchinski is another one of the prototypical mobile defencemen that have taken over the preferred style of defensive play in the NHL. Starting off with mobility, Korchinski’s straight-line speed is his best tool and he complements it with strong crossovers as well as slick puck skills. In addition to his great mobility, Korchinski also has above-average vision and passing ability, which is evidenced by his 32 assists in 40 games. When Korchinski has the puck, he isn’t always eager to get rid of it. He usually shows good patience with the puck, waiting to identify open passing lanes in order to advance the play. This has come in handy in the transition game. Korchinski uses his skating and passing to exploit the open area of the ice and transition the puck out of danger into an offensive possession. When in the offensive end, Korchinski is not afraid to be aggressive and join the attack. He is used on Seattle’s top powerplay as their quarterback, where he uses his mobility and vision to facilitate the puck into high danger areas. One thing Korchinski does not lack is confidence, whether the puck is on his stick or not, Korchinski exudes confidence. This either leads to a risky and impressive play or looking boneheaded and costing his team in the long run. At times Korchinski’s confidence gets the best of him. When defending the rush, Korchinski is often over-aggressive and commits to pressuring the puck carrier. He sometimes looks like a genius for breaking up the play and creating an odd-man rush. However, most of the time he gets beat and it creates a massive advantage for the opposition. This likely suggests that Korchinski could use some work improving his decision-making and hockey IQ. If Korchinski can learn the appropriate times to be aggressive and when to hold back, he will project as a top-four defenseman for whichever team takes a flyer on him. He currently has 64 points in 65 games with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL.

#8- Conor Geekie
Center, 6'4", shoots left, 18 years old, born in Canada

Geekie is projected to fall into the 15-20 range. If the pens can trade up and snag him that would be epic. Geekie is a supremely gifted offensive player who is blessed with great physical tools, standing at 6-4 and weighing 205 pounds. His strength and wingspan often allow him to simply overmatch opponents at the junior level and he has plenty of skill to make good on his opportunities. The towering forward has elite hands – especially for his size – and can make opposing defenders look silly in one-on-one situations. Geekie has a powerful wrist shot that he can release off of curl and drag dekes but can also get it off of his stick quickly in tight. He uses his puck skills to manipulate passing lanes, changing angles and completing area passes. Opponents have to respect Geekie’s puck skills and he has the awareness to draw defenders to him in order to create more space for his teammates in scoring areas. His strength and reach are useful in contested puck situations along the boards where he is often able to keep opponents on his back to come away with possession. Geekie shows good competitiveness as well, throwing his weight around on the forecheck and battling in the tough areas of the ice. He can, however, be knocked off the puck a bit too often as he is still growing into his body and needs to improve his balance. The one thing that is holding Geekie back is his clunky skating stride. He has poor extension and an inefficient stride recovery, and though he is able to power around defenders in junior, he will need to improve his explosiveness and agility to take full advantage of his offensive skillset as he progresses. All in all, there is a lot to like about Geekie’s game and his size/skill combination will draw plenty of interest early in the 2022 NHL Draft. He currently has 70 points in 63 games with the Winnipeg Ice of the WHL.

Geekie is my favorite out of all of them and has the most potential. Not sure why he's projected to drop but according to https://www.tankathon.com/nhl/mock_draft he is projected to go 17th OVR. Tell me in the comments what we should do in the upcoming draft whether it's trading up or trading the pick completely or keeping it where it is. Also let me know who you guys want in this upcoming draft.

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