The NHL Draft showcases the top talent from around the globe, but who is producing the top talent ?
Quick Hits
CHL leads the way , 36.4% of all selections
All 3 leagues in top 5 : OHL (35) WHL(28) QMJHL (19)
USNTDP, WHL each with 6 first round selections
OHL leads all leagues with 17 selections in rounds 1-3 Swedish Jr League (12), WHL (11), USNTDP (10)
37 selections (16.4%) from USHL (23) & USNTDP (14)
Selections by Position : Forward (132) Defense (73) Goaltender (20)
Top Producers : All Rounds
CHL
North Bay (OHL) and Swift Current (WHL) led all CHL teams with 5 total draft selections, followed by Guelph (OHL), Seattle (WHL) and Kamloops (WHL) with 4. Winnipeg and Seattle of the WHL produced the most top end selections, with 2 each in the first round, and 3 total in rounds 1-3.
The CHL produced 32% of the first round selections, with 6 from the WHL, and 2 each from the OHL and QMJHL. The OHL led all leagues with 17 selections in rounds 1-3, with the CHL accounting for 36% of all selections.
CHL Top 20
Top Producers : OHL
North Bay : 5
Guelph : 4
Owen Sound / London / Kingston : 3
Top Producers : QMJHL
Gatineau : 3
Sherbrooke / Quebec / Acadie-Bathurst / Halifax : 2
Top Producers : WHL
Swift Current : 5
Seattle / Kamloops : 4
Winnipeg : 3
Spokane / Moose Jaw / Prince George / Everett : 2
Canadian Jr A
Just 8 selections from Canadian Jr A leagues, 5 out of the BCHL. Reiger Lorenz, a University of Denver commit for next season, posted 38 goals 47 assists in 60 games in the AJHL + 11 points (2G 9A) in 14 playoff games.
USHL
The USHL didn’t have the round 1 selections like the 2021 draft, but ranked 5th amongst all leagues with 7 selections in the first 3 rounds, led by Green Bay’s Cam Lund to San Jose. The Northeastern commit has been a producer at the Prep, NCDC and USHL level, tallying 50 pts in 62 games last season in the USHL.
Northeastern commits accounted for 4 USHL selections, most of any school. Denver, UMass, Wisconsin and North Dakota all had 2 commits selected.
The USHL had 23 total selections (10.2%) in the draft, ranking 4th below the OHL, WHL and Sweden Jr league. In rounds 4-7, the USHL ranked 3rd with 16 total selections, including 7 in the 4th round alone.
9 of the first 10 USHL selections were forwards, with just 4 defenseman and 2 goaltenders selected in all rounds.
USHL Top 20
Top Producers : USHL
Dubuque / Lincoln / Muskegon : 3
Sioux Falls / Sioux City / Chicago / Green Bay : 2
USNTDP
The USNTDP accounted for 6.2% of all selections with 14, 10 coming in the first 3 rounds (4th most amongst all leagues), and 4 in the top 15. Logan Cooley was always considered a top prospect, but Isaac Howard to Tampa Bay, and New Jersey’s 2 selections of defenseman Seamus Casey and Charles Leddy could be the sleeper picks from this USNTDP class.
University of Michigan and University of Minnesota each had 3 commits selected out of the USNTDP, followed by Boston College, Boston University and Minnesota Duluth with 2 commits selected each.
16 selections (7.1%) were made out of US and Canadian high schools. Sam Rinzel was selected in the first round by Chicago, but played 21 regular season games + 6 playoff games for Waterloo in the USHL. The Minnesota commit will be playing his 2022-2023 season with Waterloo.
Northeast schools accounted for 8 of the 16 selections, led by St Mark’s Michael Fisher, selected 76th overall by San Jose. 6 selections came out of Minnesota, and Canadian school St Andrews College had 2 selections.
Position Analysis
Forwards
132 forwards selected
Top Producers : OHL (35) - WHL (28) - Sweden Jr (24) - USHL (23) - QMJHL (19)
Top Producers Rounds 1-3 : OHL (13) - WHL / USHL / USNTDP (7) - Sweden Jr (6)
23 first round selections, 6 from USNTDP
Defenseman
73 Defenseman selected
Top Producers : QMJHL (12) - OHL (11) - Sweden Jr (8) - WHL / Russia Jr (6) - USHL / USNTDP (4)
Top Producers Rounds 1-3 : Sweden Jr (6) - QMJHL / WHL / OHL (4) - USNTDP (3)
9 1st round selections, 3 from WHL
Goaltenders
20 goaltenders selected, 17 6’2” and above
18 selections in 4th round or later
Topias Leinonen ( JYP, Finland Jr) first goaltender selected 41st overall by Buffalo
Top Producers : WHL (4) Sweden Jr / Russian Jr (3) - Finland Jr / USHL (2)
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