NHL Draft Top 32 - 1-16
This draft class is an interesting one, with Juraj Slafkovsky now being favored over Shane Wright by the smallest of margins. Most importantly for fans and players alike is the depth of this draft. Yes, it does lack the guaranteed star outside of the top 3-5 selections, but the possibilities between picks 4-15, and then 16-40 are endless.
Our scouts broke down our top 16 skaters by talent and future projection, with no bias to the team selection order.
1) Juraj Slafkovský - LW - HC TPS (Liiga)
If ever a player has raised his stock from international play in his draft year, it’s Juraj Slafkovský. Not to say that he was an unknown by any means (he was highlighted in last year’s guide as a top player to watch), but a year ago no one expected him to make the 1st overall pick a competition. Slafkovský’s performance at the 2022 Olympics was spectacular, but it was his World Championship run that has really catapulted him to this spot. Against NHL players he became the most important forward for Slovakia, with 9 points in 8 games.
At 6’4, 220 pounds, Slafkovský is a player built for May and June. He’s a physical specimen with a combination of power and skill not seen by anyone else in this class, and he’s not afraid to use his unique physicality. Juraj’s puck protection and skill below the dots is head and shoulders above anyone else who will be selected in July. Defenders bounce off him and he does an excellent job of creating on the cycle. He can bully his way to the front of the net or make a creative pass to an open cutting linemate.
Juraj possesses a heavy, powerful shot that he will let go whenever he gets even the slightest bit of a space, but it’s just the beginning of his offensive game. He’s impressively slick for his size, and rather than relying on his strength exclusively, he beats defenders cleanly with his stick handling. He’s also surprisingly agile for his size, consistently finding ways to escape from situations where he’s seemingly been closed off by a defender before making a nice pass or just firing on net.
At the end of the day, Slafkovský’s tools and production at the senior level are just too intriguing to rate anyone above him. Ultimately though, what makes Juraj the right pick here is that he is continuously getting better. His growth over the last two seasons is too impressive to ignore, and the sky is the limit for his potential.
2) Shane Wright - C - Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
Shane Wright has been one of the most discussed and analyzed NHL draft prospects of the last decade. After putting up over 2 points per game playing up at U16 with Don Mills, Wright scored 39 goals in 58 games of his covid-shortened Exceptional Status season in the Ontario Hockey League. If the season wasn’t cut short he undoubtedly would have challenged John Tavares’ rookie scoring record of 45 goals.
Wright is going to score goals at the next level, plain and simple. He’s one of the best pure shooters in the class, but most impressive is the variety of goals he scores. He can set up around the faceoff circle and fire one-timers, snap a quick wrister, or pick up the dirty goals around the goal mouth. His hands in tight spaces are incredibly impressive and he knows how to use quick feints to get the goalie to bite early.
The thing that’s always separated Shane Wright from his peers is his attention to detail and how complete his game is. He’s defensively astute, great on faceoffs, hard to beat on the boards, and a vocal leader on the ice. Wright plays one of the best 200-ft games of any top-end prospect at this age. You can trust him in any situation to make any play.
So why has he gone from consensus #1 to a coin flip? At the end of the day, his draft season just did not live up to expectations. Wright had a very good offensive season, but not an elite one. One could even argue that his teammate Lucas Edmonds, an overager who failed to make an impact in the Allsvenskan last season, drove Kingston’s offense more than Wright did. Shane’s offensive game just did not look like it progressed in any meaningful way this season, and that lack of progression is scary when projecting what he’ll be in 5-6 years. Wright has always been mature for his age, both physically and mentally, but that’s not always a good thing when the rest of the group catches up.
Is Shane Wright a bonafide, sure-bet offensive dynamo in the NHL? It’s hard to say, but the evidence so far implies that he may not be. There’s no doubt he’ll score a lot of goals and put up numbers, but the chances are slim that he ever reaches the offensive heights of guys like McDavid, Matthews, or MacKinnon. Wright stays this high because of his all-around game, his being a natural center, and the intangibles he brings.
3) David Jiříček - RHD - HC Škoda Plzeň (Czech Extraliga)
Another player who at times felt worthy of the top spot in this draft was 2020-21 Extraliga Rookie of the Year, and the best defenseman in the draft, David Jiříček.
Jiříček is a big, mobile, two-way defenseman who will fit beautifully into the modern NHL. At 6’3 and 190 pounds, he’s got the build of a grown man and is one of the most physically gifted players in this class. The key to David’s game is his mobility, he flies around the ice and loves to get involved in the play wherever he can. On the offensive side of the puck he can carry end to end, join the rush, or carry pucks down low leaving defenders in his wake. He can run an NHL power play from the top of the umbrella. On the defensive side he’s active and aggressive, looking to quickly close gaps and take away time and space from forwards. He’ll read a pass before it’s made and jump to either intercept it or lay a big hit on the receiver.
The aggressive nature of his game means he’s often putting himself in high risk, high reward situations. He gets himself caught out of position a bit too often, particularly when he looks to step up in the neutral zone and break up a play. He does read the game well though, and knows exactly where to hustle to when he is caught out. When he makes a mistake, he’s rushing back to try and make up for it. In a lot of ways, his game is reminiscent of Rasmus Dahlin.
His physical game should also be mentioned as something that helps set him apart. Jiříček is not a traditional bruiser of a defenseman, but he’s no pushover either. He loves to step up and take the body and in a league of grown men he’s had no trouble asserting himself as a physically imposing defender. He’s also strong enough to fight his way through a tough forecheck, and as one of the youngest players in the league he had no issue handling himself physically. Though it might take some time for his game to fully flourish in the NHL, Jiříček should be able to step in right away in 2022.
4) Logan Cooley - C - USNTDP
(Univ. of Minnesota)
Logan Cooley will almost definitely be the first player off the USNTDP selected this year, and the Pittsburgh Penguins organization has showed him a lot of love throughout the season. He’s likely to be the highest drafted player ever from the Pittsburgh area, and the first truly elite prospect to come out of the Pittsburgh Pens Elite youth program.
The future Golden Gopher’s biggest strengths are his skating, hockey sense, versatility, and ability to play in all situations. Cooley’s the type of player who is always on the right side of the puck and anticipating where the next pass is going. He plays hard and makes the right decisions in all three zones, and he’s an incredibly responsible player. He plays a strong defensive game despite being on the smaller side, and he shows how valuable a good work ethic is as you move up the development ladder.
This is not to discount his offensive talents, which are also very good. He has excellent hands, excellent vision, can shoot the puck well, and has a bit of creativity and flair to him when he needs it. He can fly up and down the ice too, which definitely does not hurt. He’ll spend two periods playing a hard-working two-way game and then score a goal between his legs. Logan’s already proven he can score and play with NCAA talent, but as he gets stronger and faster he should be able to really take over at that level.
Cooley may lack a real superstar quality, but his overall game is so strong it’s very tough to imagine he isn’t one of the first players drafted this year.
As a bonus–Logan’s little cousin LJ Mooney is one of the elite 2007 born players in North America. Keep an eye out for him!
5) Joakim Kemell - RW - JYP Jyväskylä (Liiga)
Finland’s Joakim Kemell is a player that really exploded this season. After a decent showing as an underager at last year’s Under-18s, this year he dominated that tournament and found his way onto Finland’s World Junior team. He also joined JYP’s senior team on a full-time basis, finishing 3rd on the team with 15 goals in 39 games.
Kemell is a goal scorer, pure and simple. He’s outscored some previous high-profile draft-eligible Finns like Anton Lundell and Jesse Puljujarvi in their draft years, with only Patrik Laine’s 17 goals in 46 games topping him. Not only was Kemell leading his team in scoring for a good stretch of the season, he was also Liiga’s top scorer through parts of the first half of the season.
Joakim is the type of player who can beat you in a ton of different ways. He can go end to end from deep in his own zone, he can post up in Ovechkin’s office and fire one-timers, he can park himself in front of the net and get garbage goals, there isn’t much he can’t do. Kemell has quick hands and knows how to use slight feints to catch defenders out of position. His poise and swagger with the puck has helped him make some grown men look completely foolish in one of the best professional leagues in the world. Despite his elite puck skills, more often than you’d like he seems to have tunnel vision, and he’ll have to figure out how to utilize his linemates better in the NHL.
Off the puck he is an absolute dog. He is annoying as all hell on the forecheck, backchecks hard, and hounds loose pucks. He plays with an edge despite being one of the youngest players in his league, something many draft-eligible players in senior leagues tend to struggle with. He’s physical, strong, and isn’t afraid to take contact. He seems to take pride in his defending and work ethic off the puck as much as when it’s on his stick.
The biggest weakness in Kemell’s game is probably his skating. Though not a major concern, his stride is a bit choppy and he struggles to generate speed from a standstill. His edges are strong and he can make some quick cuts, but when moving in a straight line he at times looks erratic and like he’s really struggling to get moving. Whoever drafts Joakim will have to dedicate some time to his footwork, but with a bit of patience and development he has the potential to be a truly dynamic winger in the NHL.
6) Matthew Savoie - C - Winnipeg Ice (WHL)
Like Wright, Savoie is a player that’s been on the radar of the scouting community for a long time. From leading the 2018 World Selects Invitational in scoring as an underager (playing on a team with last year’s 9th overall pick Dylan Guenther, among other draft picks) to playing 22 games in the WHL at 15 despite not receiving exceptional status designation, he’s received a ton of attention and had his game scrutinized as heavily as anyone not named Shane Wright.
Matthew Savoie is possibly the most skilled player with the puck in the entire draft. His hands, his passing, and his creativity are all elite. Time and time again he’s made WHL defensemen and goaltenders look foolish, with a variety of moves and pinpoint-accurate passes. Savoie is as deceptive as he is skilled. This is a player who has all the tools to run a power play in the NHL for the next 15 years.
His skating is also among the best in the class. His first three strides are incredibly explosive, and his edges and agility make him hard to catch. His ability to blow by defenders will translate nicely to the NHL, but it will be his ability to avoid contact as he works to the middle of the ice that might be an issue as he moves up the ladder. Even though he’s quick and deceptive, as a smaller player he’s also susceptible to being hit hard, and it’s already happened quite a few times in the WHL.
The main thing Savoie will need to work on as he transitions to pro hockey is his decision making with the puck. He’s a high risk/high reward playmaker, and has a tendency to force a low-percentage pass rather than making the safe play. It’s bad enough in junior hockey, but every bad turnover in the NHL can lead to a potential scoring chance the other way. In this way he’s a lot like Mathew Barzal was in the WHL, and while Barzal’s been able to become a top NHL player, those bad turnovers are still an issue in his game. Savoie will need to find the right balance between risk and reward to reach those same heights.
7) Šimon Nemec - RHD - HK Nitra (Slovak Extraliga)
It’s not likely, but possible that Slovakia will have two prospects called up at the 2022 NHL draft before any other country, as Nemec is one of the best defenseman available in this draft. This season, his second full year in the top Slovakian league (he also played 12 games for Nitra in 2019-20), Nemec fully broke out as a star and posted just under a point per game in the Extraliga playoffs.
Šimon plays a two-way defensive game where his skating really stands out above his other qualities. On the big sheet in Europe he covers a ton of ground with ease, and is a master of stretching the ice with his feet and connecting long passes to create scoring chances for his teammates. His poise and vision are outstanding, and whenever he has the puck anywhere on the ice, Nemec’s opponents need to be on the lookout for long passes that spring his forwards.
Nemec loves to pinch and try to contribute offensively, in fact only seven defensemen in Slovakia had more points than him, and he missed time for international tournaments. Nemec has a booming shot from the point, great hands to beat defenders one on one, and creativity to make passes most forwards wouldn’t dream of.
Nemec’s defensive game has a long way to go at this point, which is why he isn’t higher on this list. There’s a lot of naivety and immaturity about the way he plays at times, which could be a product of the league he plays in. Nemec was invited to Slovakia’s Olympic team, but played a very limited role. Still, it shows how far along he is that he’d be considered for that roster. There’s no doubt that Šimon Nemec can be a very good NHL player, but there may be some growing pains along the way.
8) Brad Lambert - C - Pelicans (Liiga)
In a year full of polarizing prospects, it’s possible there isn’t a single one whose caused more arguments than Brad Lambert. A former consensus top pick, there are now some independent scouting groups that list him as high as 5th, and some that have dropped him out of their first round entirely.
On paper, there’s almost nothing negative to say about Lambert. He is an elite skater, (maybe the best in the class) has excellent puck skills, a great shot, works hard, and is a very smart player. His uncle Lane is the new Head Coach of the Islanders, and his father Ross was a skills coach for Pelicans before Brad joined the team. Hockey is in his blood. So where does the negativity come from?
Similarly to Wright, Lambert came into the season with huge expectations. He posted 15 points with JYP in Liiga last year, so people expected he would improve on that in a big way. Instead, he had a really slow start to his season, and after leaving JYP for a fresh start with Pelicans, it didn’t get much better. He finished the year with only 10 points in 49 games, split between two teams. He did score 5 points in the 2 World Junior games that were played, but they were against Austria and Germany and are hardly impressive in the grand scheme of things.
Despite all of this, he’s a player who catches your eye every time he’s on the ice. He can make every play at top speed and seemingly never makes a mistake. It’s hard to imagine a player with the skillset he has not being able to bounce back, and maybe a little bit of adversity is the best thing for him. Lambert’s hockey sense and overall skills are so elite, and the production has been there in previous years, it just seems impossible that teams won’t fall in love with the speed and total package and take a chance early.
9) Conor Geekie - C - Winnipeg Ice (WHL)
Conor Geekie has NHL written all over him. At 6’4, 205 pounds, the younger brother of Kraken forward Morgan Geekie is a dominant force in the WHL. Though he probably gets pigeonholed as a heavy power forward however, there’s much more to his game that makes him a special prospect.
Geekie has a unique combination of finesse and power in his game. He’s not a shoot-first power forward by any means, in fact he’s typically using the threat of his shot to draw defenders to him so he can zip accurate passes to the linemates he opens space for. His hands in tight spaces and creativity are really impressive, and he’ll be able to make these plays at the next level.
When all that fails though, he can use his size and strength to will himself to a scoring chance. Geekie’s strong and loves to battle, so he’ll fight through checks and shrug defenders off on his way to the net. His shot is heavy and accurate, and while he won’t be a top goal scorer like some of the other players on this list, he has more than enough in his locker to bury a decent amount each season.
The one aspect of Conor’s game that needs some work is his skating. He has sort of a short, choppy stride and it takes him a few steps to get moving. His top speed is impressive for a big man, but if he can figure out a way to improve his first few steps he can be even more dangerous. Geekie has the size and skill to play professional hockey in 2022, and while he may not take the Cole Sillinger route of going right to the NHL at 18 years old, it won’t be long before he’s called up.
10) Jonathan Lekkerimäki - RW - Djurgårdens IF (SHL)
Another player who raised his stock in international play this year, Lekkerimäki had an absolutely dominant World U18 tournament with 5 goals and 10 assists in 6 games including a 4 point night in the gold medal game where Sweden conquered the Americans. Prior to that tournament, he had dominated the Swedish U20 league and put up a respectable 9 points in 26 SHL games.
Jonathan Lekkerimäki scores goals, plain and simple. He has possibly the best shot in the class, and his entire game revolves around finding space for himself and ripping shots any opportunity he can. His one-timer is lethal, and as a right shot he will set up in Ovechkin’s office on the power play and fire away consistently. His wrist shot has a bit of a longer slingshot release, but is hard and accurate and already beating SHL goalies. One of his best qualities is his ability to just float around the zone as F3, find a soft spot where he loses the defense, and make himself available for a quick pass.
Even as a shoot-first player, Lekkerimäki is a solid passer and has very good puck skill. Though he typically lets his linemates do a lot of the heavy lifting, when the time calls for it he can zip passes around the ice and has good enough hands to beat guys 1 on 1. He’s on the smaller side, but can typically handle himself physically and is certainly not afraid to take contact to make a play. He’s also killed penalties at the U20 and U18 level, though it wasn’t really part of his responsibilities in the SHL.
Djurgårdens had a very young team and a terrible season, which ended in them being relegated to the Allsvenskan. Relegation in Sweden typically means massive roster changes, and 16 players have already been released by the club. That may be the best thing for Lekkerimäki’s development next year. He’ll be heavily relied upon to play a big role in their push for promotion in 2023.
11) Pavel Mintyukov - LHD - Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
There’s no question that Jiříček and Nemec are the jewels of the class on the backend, but Mintyukov is going to make an NHL team really happy with his skillset as well. A purely offensive defenseman, Pavel has all the tools necessary to be an elite point producer from the blue line.
The thing that’s helped Mintyukov stand out the most in the OHL has been his passing. He always skates with his head up, scanning the ice, and zipping accurate passes all over. He has a booming shot from the point, but is able to score goals in a variety of ways. He’s unpredictable and can beat a goaltender from anywhere in the offensive zone. Like most offensive defenseman, Mintyukov typically sacrifices his defensive responsibilities to try and drive play. He gets caught out of position more often than you’d like, and he can get caught puck watching a good bit. He likes to take risks with the puck, as you’d expect, but he still needs to learn to pick and choose his spots.
12) Cutter Gauthier - LW/C - USNTDP
(Boston College)
Gauthier is the premier prototypical power forward prospect from this class. At 6’3 and 200 lbs, Cutter has great straight-line speed and a huge shot. There isn’t a whole lot of flash to his game–he’d rather dip his shoulder and bulldoze his way through defenders than try and make a move–but he’s extremely effective. He’s a bit of a physical specimen and isn’t afraid to use his body to make things happen. Off the puck he will get to the dirty areas, throw his weight around, and pressure opposition to force mistakes.
Gauthier’s biggest issue going back to his days at Honeybaked has been his consistency. He will fade in and out of games and has always struggled to play his best over a full 60 minutes. If he can show a consistent effort at Boston College and continue to develop his skills, he has one of the highest ceilings of any player in this draft class.
13) Frank Nazar - C - USNTDP (Univ. of Michigan)
Nazar is another elite skater out of the USNTDP. His effortless stride and explosive speed make him a threat to go end to end and create a scoring chance out of nothing. His vision and passing are also outstanding, and it’s hard to imagine that Nazar wouldn’t have gotten a lot of the opportunities Cooley did if they weren’t on the same team.
Though he’s evolving into more of a pass-first player, he has excellent hands in tight and likes to put shots on net. He knows how to use slight hesitations and headfakes to sell a pass before cleanly beating goaltenders with deceptive shots. His effort off the puck and his occasional carelessness with it are areas of concern and the main parts of his game he will need to improve at the University of Michigan. He looks like a player that will be able to step in and contribute to an NHL power player sooner rather than later.
14) Marco Kasper - C/LW - Rögle BK (SHL)
Marco Kasper is a tenacious two-way forward who looks to be improving month after month. The Austrian loves to carry the puck and push the pace. He has a powerful stride and good edges so he can beat guys to the outside regularly, but is strong and gritty enough to get inside and go hard to the net. His skating is a little ugly, but it’s surprisingly effective.
While he will occasionally break out a creative pass, he’s a fairly direct player and is at his best when he keeps his game simple. Marco is strong and not afraid to take contact, so he’s able to get down low and make plays in the dirty areas. His puck skills are probably a bit underrated, and there likely is another level of offense he can unlock. As he gets bigger, stronger, and learns to use his talents more effectively, Kasper could be one of the top players in this class.
15) Danila Yurov - RW - Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL)
Yurov is one of the best all-around forwards in the draft class. He played limited minutes in 40 KHL games for Metallurg (where he debuted at age 16), who were the best team in the league this season. Danila plays like a professional–strong, fast, and hard. Every play he makes is a positive one, he’s rarely caught overhandling a puck or making a foolish pass into traffic, preferring to make the safe play more often than not. Just because he plays it safe doesn’t mean he can’t produce offense though–he’s always skating with his head up and his passing is excellent.
I would like to see him shoot the puck a bit more often, while his shot is not his best asset it’s not bad at all. He may never be a top point producer in the NHL, but Yurov’s skillset is really intriguing and at worst he can be a two-way guy that fills out a team’s middle six. The biggest question for Danila might be where he goes to continue his development. Metallurg will surely see him as a valuable player as they look to avenge their Gagarin Cup loss to CSKA, but if he isn’t getting top minutes he may need to move on for his own sake.
16) Owen Pickering - LHD - Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
This year’s unicorn defensive prospect, the 6’5 Bronco is a raw defenseman oozing with potential. Pickering has grown 10 inches since he was selected in the WHL draft, and he’s had to learn to play his game in his new body. He has unique offensive talents and hockey sense for a big defenseman, so much so that he’s often used down low as a backdoor option on Swift Current’s power play. He has a deadly shot from the point and as he gets stronger it should only get tougher to deal with. Defensively he can be a bit of an adventure at this point in his career. It seems like Owen doesn’t realize how big he is and how long his reach is, because he can be far too aggressive and overextend into checks. He’ll opt for a big hit or pokecheck rather than angle a forward to the wall. This is hopefully something that comes with maturity and development. He is far from the complete package at this stage in his career, but the upside is immense.
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