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Athletic Mock Draft
Corey Pronman
May 10, 2022
The lottery balls have fallen into place: The top of the NHL Draft order starts with the Montreal Canadiens at No. 1, the New Jersey Devils at No. 2 and the Arizona Coyotes at No. 3.
To give you a look at how things could play out, The Athletic’s NHL writers made picks for every lottery team (plus the Nashville Predators, freshly eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, who will pick at No. 17). A full first-round mock draft will follow next week.
Prospect writer Corey Pronman audited their selections. He also sought feedback from NHL scouts.
The 2022 NHL Entry Draft will take place in Montreal on July 7 and 8.
1. Montreal Canadiens: Shane Wright, C, Kingston (OHL)
OK, so Wright isn’t the exciting prospect you would expect to add with the top pick in the draft, but there’s no point wishing for a franchise player when there isn’t one available. I see Wright as a bit like Nico Hischier in his draft year, although there might not be Cale Makars and Elias Petterssons after him like there was behind Hischier in 2017.
While Wright’s decent season in Kingston raises questions about his true offensive upside, the Habs also need to look at what his floor is. Wright is highly likely to become a very good NHL player and a first-line centerman, and a good enough player to help the Habs build a one-two punch at center that could one day resemble the Patrice Bergeron-David Krejci years in Boston (although, let’s be clear, Shane Wright is not Patrice Bergeron).
A more electrifying prospect may hint to higher potential or pizzazz, but would he have as good a chance of reaching his ceiling as Wright? Montreal simply doesn’t have the luxury of making a mistake with this pick and Wright can be a great building block for them. —MA Godin
2. New Jersey Devils: Juraj Slafkovsky, LW, Tps (FINLAND)
The Devils have their top-six center depth thanks to two previous No. 1 overall picks in Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes. With the second overall pick, New Jersey has options. There’s quite a few skilled defenders to choose from — or maybe they’re enticed by Slafkovsky, the best winger in the draft. That would give them the opportunity to address a legitimate area of need while holding onto the draft pick that Tom Fitzgerald hasn’t ruled out moving … for a high impact forward. Having this good fortune in the draft lottery could change his tune since it gives the Devils the chance to bring in a power forward who could emerge into a core player alongside either of their cornerstone centers. —Shayna Goldman
3. Arizona Coyotes: Logan Cooley, C, USA U-18 (NTDP)
I suspect the Coyotes, given the makeup of their team and prospect pool, are among the teams drafting at the top who are most likely to select one of the top two defensemen, Simon Nemec and David Jiricek. But if Cooley is on the board, they’ll have an even tougher time passing on the potential center of the future — and a player who would, stylistically, complement wingers like Clayton Keller and top prospect Dylan Guenther beautifully. Cooley, who will play at the University of Minnesota next year, is a potential one-and-done player who plays the game with speed and creativity in the guts of the ice. —Scott Wheeler
4. Seattle Kraken: David Jiricek, RHD, Plzen (CZREP)
Look throughout the organization. The Kraken only have one right-handed shooting prospect defenseman, and that is last year’s fourth-round pick Ville Ottavainen. Drafting David Jiricek would give them another right-handed shot with a 6-foot-3 frame. He’s spent the last two seasons playing against older, more physically mature competition in the Extraliga, the highest division of Czech hockey. The 18-year-old finished the regular season with five goals and 11 points in 29 games after scoring nine points in 34 contests a year earlier. Jiricek is considered to be the No. 1 defensive prospect in the draft, according to The Athletic’s Corey Pronman. Knowing the Kraken might add him to a young core that already features Matty Beniers, Ryker Evans, Ryan Winterton and Ottavainen potentially offers more promise. Of course, the Kraken could go in any number of directions. They could go with another right-handed shooting defenseman in Simon Nemec or a forward. Especially if Logan Cooley is available at No. 4 when the draft arrives. —Ryan S. Clark
5. Philadelphia Flyers: Simon Nemec, RHD, Nitra (SLOVAKIA)
While the Flyers could certainly use a dynamic, top-of-the-lineup forward, Nemec strikes me as the best combination of talent plus need available to them at No. 5. Nemec absolutely has top-pair potential, given his well-rounded skillset and the fact that he’s already thriving against men in Slovakia. Philadelphia scouts likely will be impressed by his hockey IQ (always something they prioritize in their evaluations), and his scoring explosion in the Slovakian Elite League playoffs (17 points in 19 games) speaks to his offensive upside. The fact that he’s a right-handed defenseman is just a bonus, but it’s an important bonus given the dearth of them in the NHL and within the Flyers’ system, especially given the legitimate concerns surrounding Ryan Ellis’ health. Nemec would serve as a potential high-end solution to a roster issue they’ve been trying to solve for years. —Charlie O’Connor
6. Columbus Blue Jackets: Matthew Savoie, C, Winnipeg (WHL)
The Blue Jackets have been underskilled and unsettled at center ice for most of their existence, but the 2021 and ’22 draft may finally change that.
Savoie (5-10) does not have classic No. 1 center size, but he has a game-changer’s speed and skill set along with an NHL shot. He plays with a chip on his shoulder, too, and general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has a soft spot for those guys.
There was no chance the Blue Jackets could get up on the board for Shane Wright or Logan Cooley, so they took the third-ranked center on most scouts’ lists. Cooley projects as a top-six player.
The Blue Jackets drafted Kent Johnson at No. 5 and Cole Sillinger at No. 12 in last year’s draft. Sillinger played center in Columbus as an 18-year-old this season and sure looks like a budding top-six talent. He had 16-15-31 and was surprisingly consistent defensively. Johnson played exclusively on the wing at the end of this season, but coaches and management insist he’ll get a look in the middle eventually. He is a playmaker extraordinaire but needs to bulk up considerably to play in the middle. The drafting of Savoie makes it increasingly likely that Johnson could remain on the wing. He could eventually push Boone Jenner back to left wing, too, after the captain played in the middle out of necessity. —Aaron Portzline
7. Ottawa Senators: Joakim Kemell, RW, Jyp (FINLAND)
The Senators have never picked in the No. 7 slot before, and I do think there is a chance they could trade this pick for some immediate help before the draft. In the past, the name that would have jumped out to me would have been Frank Nazar, because he seems to check a lot of boxes of what the Sens have drafted in recent years.
But I do think this organization is going to need some high-end talent up front, so as I look at our mock draft up to this point, I’m inclined to lean towards Joakim Kemell in this spot. Kemell exploded out of the gates with his club team in Finland in October, becoming the youngest player in Liiga history to earn the league’s player of the month award. He was leading the entire league in goals (12) and points (16) when a shoulder injury sidelined him in November. From there, he wasn’t able to rediscover his early season magic, but many scouts believe he has the speed and skill that will allow him to be a productive top-six winger in the NHL.
Again, as we move closer to the draft, I think we should expect to hear more chatter about the Sens being open to trading this pick. But for now, let’s plug in Kemell to Ottawa here. —Ian Mendes
8. Detroit Red Wings: Cutter Gauthier, C/LW, USA U-18 (NTDP)
The Red Wings really could have used one of the potential top-line centers at the top of this class, as that position remains one of the weakest spots in their organization behind Dylan Larkin. There are “purer” center options available here in Marco Kasper, Frank Nazar and Conor Geekie, but Gauthier played some center earlier this season and has at least a chance to play there at the next level. Whether he sticks down the middle or ends up on the wing, though, his tool kit is impressive, as a swift skating 6-foot-2 sniper. —Max Bultman
9. Buffalo Sabres: Jonathan Lekkerimaki, RW, Djurgarden (SWEDEN)
All things equal, the Sabres would likely want a center with their selection (given what they already have coming on the flanks in Jack Quinn and J.J. Peterka, and potentially even Isak Rosen, last year’s second first rounder). I thought about Frank Nazar and Conor Geekie here. But Lekkerimaki, one of the more dynamic players in this draft class irrespective of position, is widely viewed as the better prospect. I think the Sabres will likely get the best value going after a winger with their first pick (at least if center Matthew Savoie, who may be there, is gone) and a center or defenseman with their second, even if they’d want to target the latter positions more aggressively. —Scott Wheeler
10. Anaheim Ducks: Marco Kasper, C, Rogle (SWEDEN)
Cutter Gauthier was a target if he fell, but the big winger with speed and a huge shot was snapped up, so the Ducks could go in different directions given the need for higher-end talent up front and on the blue line in the system.
First-year GM Pat Verbeek wants more size on his club, but he also really wants players who will covet the puck with the kind of tenacity he did throughout his stellar career. Kasper, 17, already has a solid 6-foot-1, 187-pound frame and is a very good skater who does not lack in compete. He has a nose for the net and has shown with Rögle of the SHL that he’s got a deft touch when it comes to tipping point shots.
Now it’s possible that Verbeek could shop this pick and seek more immediate help for his roster or move down a few spots to pick up some additional assets. Speedy center Frank Nazar or offensive-minded defenseman Pavel Mintyukov could still be lying around at a lower position, and Anaheim could get one and have an extra high-round pick to dangle in a trade package. But even with the center position theoretically set in Anaheim, Kasper would be a fine pick to present options toward either having him on the wing or moving either Trevor Zegras or Mason McTavish there down the line to strengthen overall groupings.
11. San Jose Sharks: Brad Lambert, C, Pelicans (FINLAND)
Whether or not the Sharks have a new GM by the draft remains to be seen. There were a few interesting prospects available at No. 11, including a pair of guys who were ranked higher early on during the process for this draft class – Lambert and Ivan Miroshnichenko. Two of San Jose’s recent first-round picks – Ryan Merkley and William Eklund – were also players who were ranked higher than they were drafted (for different reasons). The Sharks could tab Lambert here with the hope that his high-end skating ability gets him to the NHL soon, and the club’s development staff can help ease some of the issues that led to his slide from once being considered a potential top-3 selection in this class. —Corey Masisak
12. Columbus Blue Jackets: Conor Geekie, C, Winnipeg (WHL)
The Blue Jackets gave serious consideration to drafting Conor Geekie with the No. 6 overall pick but instead went with the speedy, skilled Savoie. Geekie is a center, too, but a totally different player.
Geekie is the kind of big (6-4, 205 pounds) skilled center that NHL clubs usually covet, which is why it was a pleasant surprise to see him still on the board at No. 12. When he’s done growing he’s expected to hit 6-5, 225 pounds. Imagine him on a line with Patrik Laine.
The Blue Jackets, as noted above, are desperate to fix their center ice position. But they also need some size, some muscle, some snarl in their lineup after getting abused at times this season. Geekie can bring that element, too.
The one complaint about Geekie is his skating. But the tools are there for him to be an impact player. —Aaron Portzline
13. New York Islanders: Danila Yurov, RW, Magnitogorsk (RUSSIA)
There’s probably just as good of a chance that the Islanders use this pick as trade bait for an established NHL veteran, as general manager Lou Lamoriello has said on multiple occasions that he’ll be pursuing trades in the offseason, likely for a left-shot defenseman to pair with Noah Dobson and a scoring winger.
But if they keep it, considering their prospect pool is pretty barren at the moment, they should probably just simply target the best forward or defenseman available at this stage of the first round. They could use more depth in the system at every position. So, the pick here is winger Danila Yurov, a playmaking winger who spent last year in Russia. He would arguably be the Islanders’ best prospect upon his arrival, depending on what you think of center Aatu Raty, who could conceivably challenge for an NHL roster spot next season but is still far from a sure thing. —Kevin Kurz
14. Winnipeg Jets: Frank Nazar, C, USA U-18 (NTDP)
The board has broken just right to give Winnipeg a tough decision. Dominion City, Manitoba-born defenseman Denton Mateychuk is still available after a standout season for Moose Jaw. The five-foot-11 Mateychuk played big minutes and scored at a point per game, excelling in transition and adding a dynamic layer to the Warriors’ offence. Drafting Mateychuk could make sense for the Jets beyond his local roots — it could allow Winnipeg to package similarly skilled and undersized defenseman Ville Heinola for more immediate help.
Other highly ranked defensemen on the board include smooth skating six-foot-two Pavel Mintyukov and six-foot-two Seattle Thunderbird Kevin Korchinski, but Winnipeg chooses the speediest center available: 5-foot-10 Frank Nazar from the US National Development Team Program.
Nazar is a top-10 rated talent known for his blazing speed, willingness to attack from the middle of the ice, and the 70 points he put up for the U.S. under-18 team this season. Nazar is committed to the University of Michigan next season — a top NCAA program — where he will look to produce offence with his combination of high-end competitiveness and top-flight speed. —Murat Ates
15. Vancouver Canucks: Nathan Gaucher, C, Quebec (QMJHL)
The Vancouver Canucks need basically everything in their relatively barren prospect system.
Even with sub-6-foot defenders like Quinn Hughes and Jack Rathbone in the system, the club can’t overlook the likes of Kevin Korchinski and Denton Mateychuk if they’re the best players available.
Centermen like Jiri Kulich and Nathan Gaucher will hold significant appeal too, as would more rugged scoring wingers like Jimmy Snuggerud and Rutger McGroarty.
There’s likely a couple of more dynamic pieces that went ahead of 15th in this mock that the Canucks would have their eye on, but the organization feels that there’s not a ton of separation between the fifth-overall selection and the fifteenth in this particular draft class. I think they’ll seriously consider trading down too, as a means of adding additional picks in an effort to address the significant gap in their prospect pipeline.
I’ve decided to mock them selecting Gaucher for now. Gaucher is a 6-foot-3 defensive-oriented centerman out of the QMJHL with good feet for his size and decent hands. Gaucher is the pick partly because I’ve heard that the organization quite admires the player (although 15th overall might be a bit rich for him), and partly because it’s a high upside pick in the middle of the first round. —Thomas Drance
16. Buffalo Sabres: Denton Mateychuk, LHD, Moose Jaw (WHL)
I think the NTDP’s Isaac Howard is the best prospect available here, but there’s no way the Sabres take two wingers, there isn’t a worthy center left (they’d probably think about Noah Ostlund, if anything), defensemen always get passed over when we do this exercise, and there’s no way one (or two) of Denton Mateychuk, Pavel Mintyukov, and Kevin Korchinski aren’t selected in the lottery range. I like Mateychuk, who is having a stellar playoff run with the Moose Jaw Warriors at the moment, for the Sabres. —Scott Wheeler
17. Nashville Predators: Kevin Korchinski, LHD, Seattle (WHL)
Korchinski is a high-scoring defenseman who can handle the puck, so he would fit right in with the Predators. Nashville’s left side is anchored by Roman Josi and Mattias Ekholm, both of whom are 31. Korchinski would provide young depth. —Adam Vingan |
