Breaking down the 2022 1st rd prospects - pt.1 CENTERS

[Christoph53]

God I hope the teams drafting before us have a similarly crazy list so we could pick and choose between the best centers of the draft at #8

 

[Dotter]

Please share.

 

[jfrank21]

Not to mention, blue here is making asinine references to him playing in men leagues (like he belongs in a beer league somewhere) when in fact, the kid not only played in one of the top men's league in the world, he looked pretty good doing it. Anyone who "watched the tape" or maybe, you know, actually watched the games, could see that Kasper's game started excelling in the SHL playoffs. His coach trusted him enough, as a teenager, to be out there in late game situations (both when they needed to score and when they were trying to protect a lead). He grew into that player. And now, he is playing for team Austria against grown ass men in the World Championships (men who play in some of the top pro leagues around the world) and that coach is doing the same thing. Yeah, what a beer leaguer. Wish I had his oracle eye on things!

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Wright is the SIXTH best C prospect in THIS draft?!

 

[SoupNazi]

My ranking and thoughts

1. NHL "draft expert"-columnists have gotten to the point of not even being funny anymore. Collectively, it'd be hard to find a niche profession in worse shape.

-#1 Connor Geekie. He seems to pretty clearly be one of the top-3 centers in this draft. He's got great hand-eye. A great shot. A great passer. A great handler. A good brain. Great size. Solid skater. When he fills out--he's going to be a nightmare.

-#2 Noah Ostlund. Looks a little like Luke Raymond at center. No idea why he's been so overlooked. Great skill. Great shot. Great IQ. Great effort. Great skater.

-#3 Nathan Gaucher. Just a step below Geekie, IMO. Big center with a lot of skill who is going to fill out nicely.

-#4 Frank Nazar. My favorite of the small centers behind Ostlund. Tons of skill, speed, effort. Really like him.

-#5 Logan Cooley. Maybe I should have him ahead of Nazar. He's right there. Probably will be picked out of our range anyways.

-#6 Shane Wright. Don't really get it. He's a sniper and he'll do well on a PP. But I see him as a below average defender who is about average at the next level in every other regard. Will probably be an okay top-6 center for 7 or so yrs.

-#7 Matthew Savoie. He's interesting. I just don't really see him being able to do what he does against NHL talent and size though.

-#8 *Luca Del Bel Belluz. Asterisk because there's not much tape. Looks intriguing though. Another really big center with skill who will fill out nicely.

-#9 Owen Beck. He looks like a pretty solid NHL'er to me. Maybe a 3rd line guy. I wouldn't mind him as a 2nd rd pick, or 2nd 1st rd pick.

-#10 Filip Bystedt. Not much tape on him. Hard to see what's special.

-#11 Marco Kasper. Don't get him at all. He's just a poor man's Holmstrom in front of the net in all his footage.

-#12 Cutter Gauthier. Poor man's Rasmussen. Not joking. Don't get his hype one bit.

We're done here.

Going forward, use existing threads - you don't need to start a new one every time you have a thought about free agency, the draft, or trades.