Prospect Info: 2022 NHL Draft Prospects

[StevenToddIves]

I’m really hoping for Slavkovskh or Jiricek . Not sure which oit of the two I’d take if both were still available with our pick

That's my top two as well, and it's a tough call. Right now I'm leaning a bit towards Slafkovsky, his potential is just rare and imagining him on a top line with Hughes and Bratt is just ridiculous -- he's exactly what those two need to create room down low and wreck havoc in the opposing crease, while his passing and puckhandling combination might ceiling at a higher level than even Bratt's.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LD Adrian Klein, Straubing DEL
The German league is better than most people realize and improving every year, but the 2022 draft will be a bit of a down year in terms of German-born prospects. Klein is likely the only defender with a legitimate shot to be drafted, as he is 6'3-205 and plays a physical and reliable defense-oriented game. He's an okay skater and lacks any discernible offensive instincts, but has late round potential as a steady, third-pairing defender at the NHL level.

Adrian Klein has the ABCs covered when it comes to defense, but he has not bothered working his way much further down the alphabet. He's excellent in one-on-one battles and has pretty good positioning and defensive awareness for a teenager playing in a men's league. He's physically a beast, willing and able to chuck around smaller forwards anywhere near the crease. Once he retrieves the puck, he always prefers a safe pass or chip up the boards.

As such, Klein rarely activates in the offensive zone and is usually simply the safety valve in transition. When he does handle the puck in the offensive zone, he's normally looking to shovel it towards the net, though he's a capable passer if he has a little time and space. There's nothing flashy here, Klein is just a meat-and-potatoes kind of player.

The size and physicality alone should see Klein's name called in the 5th-7th rounds. Draft analysts may be bored by players of Klein's tool set, but NHL front offices seem to covet them annually at the draft.

 

[Lou Bloom]

Spent a bit more time looking at this class, not as good as I initially thought but the top 7 or so players in this class (Wright, Slaf, Jiricek, Cooley, Savoie, Lambert, Nemec) are all very good prospects and that's probably where the Devils will be picking anyway.

Don't think Wright should be a lock for #1 anymore, I think there's arguments for all of Cooley, Jiricek, Slaf and Lambert to be picked ahead of him depending on team need and fit. Still really like Wright, good two way game and great on ice composure but he's not very dynamic in terms of playmaking ability for a #1 overall pick.

For the Devils specifically I think Jiricek and Slafkovsky are probably the best fits, Both players have enormous upsides with their physical two way play. Jiricek can be an all situations, minute eating #1 dman and Slafkovksy can be a perennial Selke candidate with top line offensive skills and production, still have some concerns about Slafkovsky's offensive game but there's no denying the overall upside and a team like the Devils that already have tons of offensive skill can certainly take that kind of risk on him.