StevenToddIves
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2022 Devils-Centric Final Mock Draft, Top 40 Picks
This is not a ranking, but a hypothetical scenario of how the draft might go. I study all the prospects and all 32 franchises, so I do my best to remain objective based on each organization’s needs and general draft tendencies.
This is not a ranking, but a hypothetical scenario of how the draft might go. I study all the prospects and all 32 franchises, so I do my best to remain objective based on each organization’s needs and general draft tendencies.
- Montreal: C Shane Wright, Kingston OHL the choice between Wright and Slafkovsky is unbelievably difficult, as they have separated themselves as the two best players in the 2022 draft. But ultimately, Montreal won’t pass on a high-end, franchise-caliber potential right-shot 1C. Wright is a high-IQ, elite-skilled two-way force up the middle, it’s that simple.
- NEW JERSEY DEVILS: LW Juraj Slafkovsky, TPS Finland for the second straight year, the Devils fall into an *easy* pick — the clear-cut best available player is also precisely what they need: a big, interior forward with the elite skills and high IQ to play alongside a dazzling young center tandem of Hughes and Hischier. Just a huge win for the New Jersey organization. If Montreal opts for Slafkovsky, which is possible, the most likely scenario here is that the Devils just go with Wright, but it does realistically open the possibility of a trade-down scenario. However, those options will be limited, as the Devils most likely targets would be Jiricek or Gauthier, both likely to be drafted top 6.
- Arizona: C/LW Cutter Gauthier, US-NTDP the Coyotes raise a few eyebrows by going with Gauthier, but it makes sense. The Arizona native is an increasingly rare Tkachuk-like physical force who also possesses an elite shot and excellent skates. The news that Gauthier is returning to his natural center position of center at Boston College exponentially increases his value to the center-starved Coyotes. This kid will score a ton of goals at the NHL level, both greasy and pretty.
- Seattle: RD Simon Nemec, HK Nitra Slovakia after drafting a franchise center last year in Beniers, Seattle finds a franchise defender in the sublime puck-mover and transition stud Nemec. The young Slovakian is also very good defensively and closer to NHL-readiness than any 2022-eligible defenseman.
- Philadelphia: C Logan Cooley, US-NTDP the Flyers are thin organizationally up the middle and Cooley gives them a high-end young center who plays with as much speed and pace as any forward in the 2022 class. Cooley is also extremely skilled and plays a good alba-round game, giving him an extremely high floor.
- Columbus: RD David Jiricek, HC Plzen, Czechia the Blue Jackets like to draft big, physical players and 6'3 Jiricek offers this plus shut-down defensive upside. Jiricek adds to a tantalizing package of outstanding puck skill and the hardest shot in the entire 2022 draft class… it’s an absolute howitzer from the point.
- Ottawa: C Conor Geekie, Winnipeg WHL the Senators have a loaded prospect pool, with only discernible needs at center and RD. They like big, North Americans and don’t pay much attention to the consensus, so they won’t care what the media has to say about them reaching for a bit for a 6’4 center with a litany of elite skills. Geekie has yet to play to close to his capabilities with any consistency, but the tool kit is certainly there.
- Detroit: C Marko Kasper, Rogle Sweden GM Steve Yzerman would love a long-term top-two center tandem with Dylan Larkin, and he loves high-IQ, high-compete players. Kasper fills this bill perfectly — and adds elite speed, physicality and two-way acumen to a package which includes an under appreciated offensive skill-set.
- Buffalo: C Matthew Savoie, Winnipeg WHL the Sabres have two areas of clear-cut need: at center and RD. Savoie may be small, but his ability to generate offense can contend with any player in the 2022 class. He’s a dynamic passer and scorer who creates excitement every time he touches the puck in the offensive zone.
- Anaheim: RW Joakim Kemell, JYP Finland though the Ducks normally draft for size and speed, there’s a new sheriff in town with GM Pat Verbeek, who seems to have a more diverse view of what it takes to win in the NHL. Kemell might be the best pure finisher in the 2022 class, and the idea of pairing him with the brilliant passing ability of Trevor Zegras is extremely tantalizing.
- San Jose: RW Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Djurgardens Sweden the Sharks also have big needs for the blueline, but here I have them opting for a lethal sniper to pair in the future with the sublime playmaker they took #7 overall last year in William Eklund.
- Columbus: LW Danila Yurov, Magnitogorsk KHL it’s very difficult to project where the Russians will go due to the political unrest in Ukraine. But the Blue Jackets have traditionally scouted the region very well, and they love high-compete, two-way power forwards like Yurov, who also adds top-6 caliber scoring skills.
- NY Islanders: LD Pavel Mintyukov, Saginaw OHL with a weak overall prospect pool, the Isles have needs virtually everywhere, but LD has to stand out as the thinnest organizational position. Already in North America, Mintyukov represents less risk than the Russians currently playing in their home country and his mix of size, speed and elite offensive skill makes him a good bet to go top 15.
- Winnipeg: RW/C Frank Nazar, US-NTDP the Jets love drafting from the US-NTDP and Nazar would be represent tremendous upside in the mid-1st round; he’s fast and smart and overflowing with elite skills, and despite his small stature he thrives in the interior. He might be the Brayden Point-iest player in the 2022 class.
- Vancouver: LD Kevin Korchinski, Seattle WHL the Canucks have clear needs on the blueline, so they swing for the fences with Korchinski, a defender with size and outstanding skating to combine with his elite playmaking. Korchinski is a riverboat gambler who creates chances for both teams whenever he’s on the ice, but if he can tone it down a bit the upside is simply tremendous.
- Buffalo: RD Ryan Chesley, US-NTDP the Sabres need high-end RD to pair with their elite LD combo of Power/Dahlin, and there’s no more perfect option than Chesley. The physical Minnesotan is the most accomplished shut-down D in the entire 2022 class and features very good skating and a cannon-blast for a shot.
- Nashville: RW Jimmy Snuggerud, US-NTDP here’s a case where a player fits a team’s drafting MO perfectly — Snuggerud is a 6’2 power forward who might be the best defensive wing in the draft and adds the requisite offensive skill to play with high-end, top 6 forwards.
- Dallas: LW/C Jiri Kulich, HC Karlovy Czechia no team has drafted smarter in the past two years than the Stars, and here I have them hitting another home run with the ultra-competitive, heady Czech with high-end skills across the board. Kulich absolutely dominated the U-18 tournament, dispelling any concerns about his so-so numbers in the Czech elite league — this kid is a stud.
- Minnesota: C/LW Rutger McGroarty, US-NTDP new Wild GM Billy Guerin likes skilled, physical players up front and McGroarty is quite possibly the most physical forward in the draft and was arguably the US-NTDP’s best all-around player this year. The native Nebraskan is the penultimate “everything high-end except skating” player, but has adapted his game to be an impact player regardless.
- Washington: LD Lian Bichsel, Leksands Sweden years of competing at the top of the standings has left the Caps with needs all over the prospect pool, but defense stands out. The young 6’5 Swiss native skates like the wind and features eye-popping puck skills for a player of his size.
- Pittsburgh: LW Liam Ohgren, Djurgardens SHL the Pens are on a perennial quest for scoring wings, and the big Swede combines a high-compete 200-foot game with elite-shooting ability and the potential to thrive in an NHL top 6.
- Anaheim: LD Owen Pickering, Swift Current WHL the Ducks have long coveted big, fast defenders and this 6’5 raw project can absolutely fly. Pickering also has intriguing capabilities on both sides of the puck, though he’s a long-term project and his drafting team will need to display patience. Still in the midst of a rebuild, Anaheim makes a lot of sense here.
- St. Louis: C/RW Nathan Gaucher, Quebec QMJHL the Blues love tough, physical players and Gaucher is as physical as any center in the draft; he’s also fast, competitive, two-ways, with a rocket of a shot. Nothing not to like here, just a perfect instance of a good player fitting the prototype for a good hockey organization.
- Minnesota: LW Ivan Miroshnichenko, Omskie VHL with two picks in the 1st round after the Fiala trade, the Wild can afford to roll the dice on a forward with light years more upside than Fiala. Miro combines the speed/size/skill of a top 5 overall pick, but a bout with Hodgkin’s Disease and Russian nationality drop him to a place where he’s a good bet for the steal of the 2022 draft.
- Toronto: C Noah Ostlund, Djurgardens J20, Sweden Jr. if there’s a Sebastian Aho in the 2022 class, it’s Ostlund — the young Swede combines elite skill, speed and playmaking to match Logan Cooley but size concerns will drop him lower than he probably deserves. Among the Leafs drafting strengths in recent years is they value upside over size, and Ostlund would make a shrewd swing for the fences late in the 1st round.
- Montreal: RD Tristan Luneau, Gatineau QMJHL after getting an elite center in Wright, the Habs can address an organizational dearth on D out of their own Quebec backyard. Luneau might lack a singular elite skill, but he’s literally very good in every single aspect of hockey, making him a high-floor prospect for the future middle pairing.
- Arizona: C/RW Brad Lambert, Pelicans Finland I have Lambert as the biggest faller in the draft, as the one-time consensus top 3 forward could fall precipitously due to concerns about his compete level, consistency and two-way play. However, with a ridiculous 7 picks in the top 50, Arizona can afford to take a chance on the very best skater in the draft — a kid who also features elite puck skills and playmaking potential.
- Buffalo: LW Isaac Howard, US-NTDP the Sabres are loaded in the future of the RW but can use some bolstering on the LW. The young Wisconsin native would be just what the doctor ordered — his high-end compete, shooting and playmaking resulted in his leading an ultra-talented 2022 US-NTDP in scoring this past year.
- Edmonton: RW Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw WHL the Oilers need scoring wingers to pair with the best center duo on earth, McDavid and Draisaitl. Firkus has hands as silky as anyone in the 2022 class and skill for miles, but needs to improve his core strength and 200-foot game.
- Winnipeg: RD Sam Rinzel, Waterloo USHL the Jets draft as well as any team, and there’s no denying the stratospheric upside of Rinzel. The native Minnesotan is 6’4, oozing skill and can skate with any D-man in the 2022 class. He’s a project for sure, but a potential top-pair RD is extremely difficult to find anywhere, much less this late in the draft.
- Tampa Bay: W Alexander Perevalov, Loko Yaroslavl MHL when you are a perennial cup contender, it’s difficult to give the system an influx of elite-level skill players. Therefore, I expect a smart Tampa organization to draft a lot out of Russia, where a terrific 2022 draft class seems destined to fall due to political pressures. Perevalov combines elite shooting, playmaking and puck-handling with high intelligence and compete; he’s the penultimate “everything but speed” winger.
- Arizona: LD Denton Mateychuk, Moose Jaw WHL the prototypical “if he were 6’3, he’d be a top 10 pick” defender, the 5’11 speedster is as offensively skilled as any defender in the 2022 class and adds a competitive and respectable game in his own zone. Controls the pace of play as well as any D-man in the 2022 class except perhaps Nemec, Mateychuk is just a great pick for the late 1st round.
- Montreal: C Jack Hughes, Northeastern University GM Kent Hughes drafts his son, making another great story for the 2022 draft. But it’s important to keep in mind that The Other Jack Hughes deserves to be taken here — he’s a quick and super-smart two-way center with high-end playmaking ability.
- Arizona: C/RW Gleb Trikozov, Omskie MHL man, it seems like Arizona goes up to the podium every other pick — there’s a good chance they’ll package a few picks to move up. Trikozov is an incredibly elusive and smart forward who has top-line scoring upside if he can compete with more consistency.
- Seattle: LW Reid Schaefer, Seattle WHL the Kraken reach into their own backyard to take perhaps the most physical forward in the draft. But Schaefer is not simply a banger, he’s a high-end defensive forward with a thunderous one-timer from the slot. Were he a faster skater, Schaefer would have a chance at the top 20.
- Arizona: RD Elias Salomonsson, Skelleftea J20, Sweden Jr. with seemingly a bajillion picks in the top 50, the Coyotes can afford to take a risk on the immensely talented but defensively challenged young Swede.
- NEW JERSEY DEVILS: RD Noah Warren, Gatineau QMJHL GM Tom Fitzgerald has cited a clear need to get tougher to play against, especially on the back end. The Devils are also organizationally bereft at RD. The 6’5 Warren is fast and as physical as any defender in the 2022 class and possesses very competent puck skills for a player of this ilk. Warren would make a picture-perfect future pairing with Devils uber-prospect Luke Hughes, as the punishing giant also displays a high hockey IQ and the ability to shut down the opposition through great gaps and positioning.
- Chicago: C Owen Beck, Mississauga OHL lacking a 1st round pick due to the Seth Jones trade, the Blackhawks find a 1st round-caliber gem in Beck, a speedy two-way center with an elite hockey IQ and a knack for clutch goals and big moments.
- Ottawa: RD Maveric Lamoureux, Drummondville QMJHL no player in the 2022 draft screams “Senators pick” more than this 6’7 behemoth. Lamoureux needs a lot of work on his overall game, but he’s a good skater and ferocious hitter who likes to rush the puck up ice himself; a rare skill-set, but a player you’ll need patience for. In the midst of a rebuild with a stacked prospect pool, Ottawa will find such a risk worth taking.
- Detroit: RW Filip Mesar, HK Poprad Slovakia I have Mesar ranked a good deal higher than this, as he’s extremely fast with high-end skills across the board. However, his lack of 6’0 size or a singular elite skill could drop him to a point in the second round where a shrewd front office like Detroit’s could pounce.