Photo Credit: Robert Lefebvre/OHL Images
Check out our Mock 2022 NHL Draft. Josh Tessler, Sebastian Jackson, Austin Garrett, Matthew Somma, Paul Zuk, Jordan Malette and Alex Appleyard drafted three rounds for each NHL team.
Scouting reports are hyperlinked.
Please Note: The draft order might be slightly different today towards the back end of the draft. That is because used the draft order as of May 24, 2022 for this mock. We didn’t have a time limit per pick since we are all working full time. For instance, the Edmonton Oilers are now drafting at #30th (as of June 5, 2022).
For Reference: Our Final Rankings can be found here.
First Round
#1 – Montréal Canadiens – Shane Wright (Center, Kingston) – Drafted By Josh Tessler
“A reasonable projection for Wright would be in the range of a low-end 1st line to a high-end 2nd line center, which to some may sound pessimistic in the context of 1st overall. Still, it is an essential piece to have on a successful team and is not easy to acquire. In addition, Shane will likely benefit from being paired with skilled wingers, who can allow Shane to focus on pushing play up ice to the offensive zone where his linemates can flourish. Finally, with his shot, he will surely be a continual threat on the powerplay, where he has consistently shown he can score from many angles and distances.” – Jordan Malette
#2 – New Jersey Devils – Logan Cooley (Center, USNTDP) – Drafted By Josh Tessler
“Cooley’s overall hockey IQ is ridiculously impressive, as he reads the game so well in all three zones of the ice, and can anticipate where the play is currently at, as well as where it’s headed with little to no difficulty. That trait proves to be invaluable when it comes to his playmaking ability, as he’s able to deliver passes where most of the other players on the ice cannot.” – Paul Zuk
#3 – Arizona Coyotes – Juraj Slafkovsky (Forward, TPS) – Drafted By Austin Garrett
“Slafkovsky can be a menace at the NHL level. His stick-handling reach and his play on the cycle makes him a threat down low. If he can broaden his game by working on his long range shot, that allows him to become a dual threat. But, even if he doesn’t become that dual threat offensively, he has the physicality and the reach to net pucks in puck battles and set up teammates in the slot. With that said, I can envision him being a top six contributor at the NHL level.” – Josh Tessler
#4 – Seattle Kraken – Matthew Savoie (Center, Winnipeg) – Drafted By Sebastian Jackson
“Savoie will be able to keep pace on any line and slow down or speed up his game to adjust to the play style of his linemates. His timing on passes and positioning makes him one of the stronger offensive players in this draft class and a potent scorer and playmaker whenever he’s on the ice.” – Matthew Somma
#5 – Philadelphia Flyers – David Jiříček (Right Handed Defense, HC Plzeñ) – Drafted By Alexander Appleyard
“He can be very aggressive and shove attackers down to the ice at net-front. Loves to play a physical game and deliver booming hits. He is well-rounded with his physicality. You will see him be physical at open ice, the half-wall and the corners. He won’t sit and wait till the perimeter. Instead, he will opt to play bumper car hockey near the blue line.” – Josh Tessler
#6 – Columbus Blue Jackets (via Chicago) – Šimon Nemec (Right Handed Defense, HK Nitra) – Drafted By Alexander Appleyard
“When you watch Nemec, you notice just how dominant he is on the offensive blue-line. Nemec does a good job of toeing the line on the power play. He completes soft swift passes when distributing the puck at 5v5 or on the power play. Nemec uses deception to his advantage when distributing the puck. He likes to be deceptive and use body language. You will notice him raise his stick like he’s appearing to try a one-timer at the blue-line, but instead he distributes a pass and fools the attack. When looking to pass to the slot from the point, he’ll try to be deceptive and make the attackers believe he is looking to complete a wrist shot instead. He will sell it by using a wrist shot wind up.” – Josh Tessler
#7 – Ottawa Senators – Brad Lambert (Center, Lahti) – Drafted By Jordan Malette
“When it comes to puck movement, Lambert thinks two moves ahead. He will complete behind the back passes as he cuts to centered ice and a teammate comes rushing up the left half-wall. If he collects the puck off of a pass when he’s near the corner facing the blue line, he’ll skate towards the blue line, button hook, and throw a pass back to the corner. That brings the defender with him and opens up ice down low in the corner. Lambert is aware that with his excellent puck skills that he can lure defenders to him and open up lanes for his teammates.” – Josh Tessler
#8 – Detroit Red Wings – Cutter Gauthier (Left Wing, USNTDP) – Drafted By Paul Zuk
“If you’re an NHL Scout or Front Office member and you’re looking for players who play a complete 200-foot game and be extremely effective regardless of where they slot into the lineup, look no further than NTDP forward Cutter Gauthier.” – Paul Zuk
#9 – Buffalo Sabres – Frank Nazar (Right Wing, USNTDP) – Drafted By Austin Garrett
“Nazar is very creative with the puck on his stick, regardless of which zone the play is in. Defensively, he’s able to elude opponents by chipping the puck into open ice and working around the attacker to retrieve it. Alternatively, he’s quite good at utilizing bank passes to himself to keep the puck out of danger when under pressure. Offensively, Nazar can seemingly make something out of nothing with the puck on his stick. It’s not uncommon for him to have the puck with a man on him and dole out an accurate pass to a teammate cross-ice for a shot on goal.” – Paul Zuk
#10 – Anaheim Ducks – Joakim Kemell (Right Wing, JYP) – Drafted By Austin Garrett
“Kemell’s shot is his calling card and he seems to find the most success when shooting one-timers. He’s had quite a few highlight reel one-timer goals to start the season. His one-timer can be electric from both distance and from up close. Kemell can generate height on his one-timer from up close and will look to bend his knee and have the other knee lying down on the ice to provide enough power to generate one-timer top shelf goals in medium danger.” – Josh Tessler
#11 – San Jose Sharks – Jonathan Lekkerimäki (Right Wing, Djurgården) – Drafted By Josh Tessler
“He can be slippery and deceptive with his puck control when facing pressure. When he encounters traffic, he can be deceptive and quick by identifying teammates that are coming from behind him and then completing a quick drop pass. The goal is to get the puck into the hands of a teammate who is open and skating in his lane so the change in possession is seamless.” – Josh Tessler
#12 – Columbus Blue Jackets – Danila Yurov (Right Wing, Magnitogorsk) – Drafted By Alex Appleyard
“Yurov will skate up the slot and looks to create openings for passing opportunities. He will present his stick blade out to indicate that he has identified a quality passing lane and that he is ready to receive possession of the puck. For the most part, Yurov loves to skate into the slot as he looks to key up scoring chances. When a forward takes his spot on the right side, he’ll skate up centered ice and crash the net looking for rebounds.” – Josh Tessler
#13 – New York Islanders – Noah Östlund (Center, Djurgården) – Drafted By Sebastian Jackson
“There is a lot to like about Östlund. His speed, playmaking and mobility makes him dangerous. Even when he doesn’t have the speed to get around attackers when defending, he has still found ways to cause plenty of disruption and kill rush attempts. But, the one area that I love is how deceptive he can be with his playmaking ability and his ability to make use of extremely tight passing lanes. He has a hunger for the puck and knows that he needs to get the puck to high danger areas to win. I’m confident that he will be a top six forward at the NHL level and the path to get there isn’t a very long one for Östlund given his skill-set.” – Josh Tessler
#14 – Winnipeg Jets – Conor Geekie (Center, Winnipeg) – Drafted By Alex Appleyard
“Give Geekie space and he’ll make you pay. Take away a shooting lane and he’ll find a way to get the puck to his teammates for a goal. Geekie doesn’t always carry the puck in transition, nor is he the primary shooting option for Winnipeg. He has carved out a nice role for himself on the Ice that sees him receiving the puck upon entering the zone and making a play happen shortly afterwards.” – Matthew Somma
#15 – Vancouver Canucks – Kevin Korchinski (Left Handed Defense, Seattle) – Drafted By Matthew Somma
“Korchinski’s puck carrying is one of his biggest strengths. He’s one of two high end offensive defensemen in the WHL that are eligible for the draft, with the other being Denton Mateychuk. Whereas Mateychuk is an all out offensive defenseman that has to make the offense flow through him, Korchinski is more grounded and stable. He’s not going to be a fourth forward, but he’s a player that can help keep the offense going and open up space for both himself and his teammates. He’s a general when he’s on the ice. Korchinski will dictate the pace of play and assess every opportunity, choosing the best one. He’ll keep the cycle going and walk the blue line with a Joni Pitkanen level of smoothness. Over the course of the year, Korchinski’s puck playing has developed and has made him one of the best defensemen in the league in the offensive zone. He’s a gifted skater, and when you combine that with his puck skills, you get a defender that can consistently create space and offense.” – Matthew Somma
#16 – Buffalo Sabres (via Vegas) – Filip Mešár (RW, Poprad) – Drafted By Austin Garrett
“His puck manipulation skills allows him to rather deceptive as well. Mešár has many deceptive tactics in his tool box. He will manipulate you by playing the puck out in front of you, the attacker decides to attempt to extend his stick blade out and secure the puck, Mešár knows that he is looking for the puck in that spot, so he moves the puck towards him and slows down the attack. His puck manipulation allows him to net open ice and pass.” – Josh Tessler
#17 – Nashville Predators – Gleb Trikozov (Center/Right Wing, Omsk) – Drafted By Jordan Malette
“When I watch Trikozov, I come away entertained after each and every game. He reminds me so much of San Jose Sharks prospect Daniil Gushchin. Will he blow you away with his defensive play? There are times, but it’s not consistent. But, where he does shine is in the neutral and offensive zones. His stick-handling ability will improve and he will be a pain in the rear for attackers who struggle to defend against flashy stick-handling. Trikozov can carry his own line and has proven at the MHL level that he is slightly under matched. There are games where he doesn’t exert aggression and play tight to the vest hockey on the forecheck, but has shown that he has the speed and the capability to do so at the VHL level. ” – Josh Tessler
#18 – Dallas Stars – Denton Mateychuk (Left Handed Defense, Moose Jaw) – Drafted By Paul Zuk
“The hallmarks of Mateychuk’s offensive game are his hyper aggressive nature, passing vision and creativity, and ability to work himself off-the-puck into dangerous areas of the ice. He is able to identify his forwards quickly and then jump into the play to make himself an option to receive a pass for a controlled entry. Oftentimes he’s continuing to push play into the dangerous areas of the ice himself to generate a wrist shot or passing lane to find a teammate for a scoring chance.” – Austin Garrett
#19 – Los Angeles Kings – Issac Howard (Left Wing, USNTDP) – Drafted By Sebastian Jackson
“Howard has a lot of the fundamentals that I love and cherish. His speed is excellent and he can play a high-tempo competitive game, especially behind the red line and the corners. In addition, he does a great job of finding open ice in the slot and keeps himself well aligned with puck movement.” – Josh Tessler
#20 – Washington Capitals – Calle Odelius (Left Handed Defense, Djurgården) – Drafted By Matthew Somma
“In my opinion, Odelius’ floor is a second pairing defenseman at the NHL level. With his tool-set, he has proven that he can be a challenge in every zone with his vision and scanning abilities. As mentioned earlier, he reads puck movement well and knows just how many stride extensions it will take to get himself in position to defend. He can dictate what attackers do with the puck with his active stick. He can rely on his puck manipulation to garner enough space for him to escape pressure and net himself enough open ice to key up a quality passing lane leading to scoring opportunities. There is just so much in his game that will make him an asset at the next level.” – Josh Tessler
#21 – Pittsburgh Penguins – Ivan Miroshnichenko (Left Wing, Omsk) – Drafted By Alex Appleyard
“From the perimeter, he will score top shelf wrist shot goals and will look to go blocker side. Since he is normally skating up the left side of the ice, he will look to go blocker side on most goaltenders (assuming that he is a facing a left handed goaltender or a right handed goaltender who gloves with his left hand). If he is looking to complete a one-timer, he will look to establish ice near net-front and go down on one knee to generate power for his shot.” – Josh Tessler
#22 – Edmonton Oilers – Rutger McGroarty (Center, USNTDP) – Drafted By Matthew Somma
“The true definition of a power forward, McGroarty can utilize his large, powerful frame to muscle defenders off the puck, while at the same time regain possession and dish the puck off to a teammate. He is quite talented at making defenders commit turnovers in their own zone and has the skill and knowledge to make them pay the price for it.” – Paul Zuk
#23 – Anaheim Ducks (via Boston) – Liam Öhgren (Left Wing, Djurgården) – Drafted By Austin Garrett
“In terms of projection, Öhgren’s tool-kit will allow him to be impactful no matter what line he is on. He is a Swiss Army Knife. You can plug him on the top lines and use him to hunt pucks down low on the forecheck. He will get those pucks and wire passes to the slot to drive production. In certain situations, you could plug him in a third line checking role, but I do believe that will slow down his offensive production as the forwards that he is with more than likely won’t be capitalizing at the same rate as the forwards on the top two lines.” – Josh Tessler
#24 – St. Louis Blues – Jiří Kulich (Center, Karlovy Vary) – Drafted By Matthew Somma
“Honestly, the sky is the limit with Kulich. If he can become a far stronger skater and acquire a power stride, he can be even more dangerous. But, his ability to create ice for himself in all three zones makes him a true intriguing prospect at the draft. I could see second line upside as a center in the NHL or he could be deployed as a winger with an excellent playmaker on the top line. It just depends on how his development goes.” – Josh Tessler
#25 – New York Rangers – Marco Kasper (Center, Rögle) – Drafted By Paul Zuk
“He has everything that you want in a power forward. The grit, the decision making and the speed. Kasper has the potential to be a top six forward in the NHL and his grit will intrigue plenty of teams. If a NHL team is looking to obtain a well-rounded power forward who can be annoying in high danger situations with his reach, Kasper is the guy.” – Josh Tessler
#26 – Minnesota Wild – Pavel Mintyukov (Left Handed Defense, Saginaw) – Drafted By Paul Zuk
“With Pavel Mintyukov’s size, raw tools (including puck skill and passing ability), four-way agility, and deceptive maneuvering around the blue line: it’s hard not to see a lottery selection on that assessment alone. There are not many players in this draft class that have the ability to operate in the offensive zone from the backend like Mintyukov can. Add in his ability to suffocate space and his mobility to keep a tight gap: he’s an attractive asset in the 2022 draft.” – Austin Garrett
#27 – Toronto Maple Leafs – Seamus Casey (Right Handed Defense, USNTDP) – Drafted By Sebastian Jackson
“There’s so much to work with from his skill, intelligence, and ability to use lateral and deceptive motions to create space and get by defenders. With Casey going to Michigan in 2022 and the graduation of Blankenburg and the exodus of Owen Power it’s going to open up a PP2 role behind Luke Hughes. Given Mel Pearson’s history of leaning into the strengths of is defenders and Casey getting 2-3 years of developing in a system that will adhere to his strengths: Casey is poised to flourish.” – Austin Garrett
#28 – Buffalo Sabres (via Florida) – Jagger Firkus (Center, Moose Jaw) – Drafted By Austin Garrett
“Firkus can be an effective top six forward in the NHL and will be a valued asset on special teams. With his shot release and range, he can score goals will ease and snag top shelf snipes. He does a great job of creating dangerous chances in the slot. With that said, you are getting quality production from him. His play in the defensive zone is not as robust as it is in the offensive zone, but if you pair him with the right defensive-minded forwards, he can be rather effective at the next level.” – Josh Tessler
#29 – Tampa Bay Lightning – Vladimir Grudinin (Left Handed Defense, CSKA Moscow) – Drafted By Matthew Somma
“Vladimir Grudinin is a reliable two-way defender, who will need to continue to build up upper body muscle to contend against tougher opponents in the VHL and KHL. He will also need to work on being more assertive and quicker to pucks, but he has shown at the KHL level that he can be a pain to get around. Grudinin will also need to work on developing a stronger inside game, but that might only come when he comes to North America. Even though there are areas which need continued development, I think there is a really good defensive prospect here in Grudinin. There is a smart (sorry… “Smaht”) defenseman in Grudinin who can use excellent skating and mobility to get open ice to facilitate puck movement and key up scoring chances. If things go right with his development, he should be a solid second pairing defenseman at the NHL level.” – Josh Tessler
#30 – Montréal Canadiens – Mattias Hävelid (Right Handed Defense, Linköping) – Drafted by Josh Tessler
“Mattias Hävelid’s offensive tool-kit and his shiftiness is an excellent combination. Hävelid is a great cycle facilitator and will look to pinch up with the puck to work the half-wall boards and see if he can net a seam pass to a teammate. His shot is solid and has had success with it from the point. But, it’s his mobility and shiftiness that make him very intriguing. He can shift and activate quickly to buy open ice in danger areas.” – Josh Tessler
#31 – Arizona Coyotes (via Carolina) – Sam Rinzel (Right Handed Defense, Chaska) – Drafted by Austin Garrett
“Sam Rinzel’s frame and wingspan allows him to be rather aggressive with his reach. He can utilize his reach to take away a lot of space and thus he can trap attackers with ease. When he has control of the puck, he will use his reach to push the puck up the ice at quality speed. He does need more refinement on his mobility to become slightly more shifty with his puck movement, but he can move well especially for his size.” – Josh Tessler
#32 – Arizona Coyotes (via Colorado) – Jimmy Snuggerud (Right Wing, USNTDP – Drafted by Austin Garrett
“Jimmy Snuggerud may not necessarily be talked about among the cream of the crop for NTDP forewards, but don’t let that fool you. Snuggerud is the son of former Sabres and Sharks forward Dave Snuggerud, and possesses one incredibly quick shot release. He has the ability to shoot from various ranges with lethal quickness and accuracy. He’s developed his two-way game immensely this season and it’s paying dividends. Snuggerud’s offensive abilities coupled with his steadily improving defensive and transitional play will make him a popular guy when the draft rolls around in July.” – Paul Zuk
Second & Third Round
| 33 | Montreal | Josh | Alexander Suzdalev | HV71 | LW | Sweden |
| 34 | Arizona | Austin | Luca Del Bel Belluz | Mississauga | C | Canada |
| 35 | Seattle | Sebastian | Jack Hughes | Northeastern University | F | USA |
| 36 | Arizona (via Philadelphia) | Austin | Owen Pickering | Swift Current | LHD | Canada |
| 37 | New Jersey | Josh | David Goyette | Sudbury | C | Canada |
| 38 | Chicago | Jordan | Ty Nelson | North Bay | RHD | Canada |
| 39 | Ottawa | Jordan | Paul Ludwinski | Kingston | C | Canada |
| 40 | Detroit | Paul | Filip Bystedt | Linköping | C | Sweden |
| 41 | Buffalo | Austin | Elias Salomonsson | Skellefteå | RHD | Sweden |
| 42 | Anaheim | Austin | Owen Beck | Mississauga | C | Canada |
| 43 | Arizona (via San Jose) | Austin | Nathan Gaucher | Quebec | C | Canada |
| 44 | Columbus | Alex | Adam Sykora | Nitra | RW/LW | Slovakia |
| 45 | Arizona (via New York Islanders) | Austin | Devin Kaplan | USNTDP | F | USA |
| 46 | Washington (via Winnipeg) | Matt | Matyas Sapovaliv | Saginaw | F | Czech Republic |
| 47 | Minnesota (via Vancouver) | Paul | Lane Hutson | USNTDP | LHD | USA |
| 48 | Vegas | Jordan | Danny Zhilkin | Guelph | C | Canada |
| 49 | Seattle (via Nashville) | Sebastian | Jack Devine | University of Denver | F | USA |
| 50 | Dallas | Paul | Cole Knuble | Fargo | RW | USA |
| 51 | Los Angeles | Sebastian | Ilya Kvochko | Magnitogorsk | C | Russia |
| 52 | Detroit (via Washington) | Paul | Joel Jonsson | Mora | RW | Sweden |
| 53 | Anaheim (via Pittsburgh) | Austin | Ryan Chesley | USNTDP | RHD | USA |
| 54 | Montreal (via Edmonton) | Josh | Alexander Pelevin | Novgorod | LHD | Russia |
| 55 | Boston | Sebastian | Reid Schaefer | Seattle | LW | Canada |
| 56 | Winnipeg (via St. Louis) | Alex | Julian Lutz | München | F | Germany |
| 57 | Winnipeg (via New York Rangers) | Alex | Alexander Perevalov | Yaroslavl | F | Russia |
| 58 | Chicago (via Minnesota) | Jordan | Christian Kyrou | Erie | RHD | Canada |
| 59 | Seattle (via Toronto) | Sebastian | Simon Forsmark | Örebro | LHD | Sweden |
| 60 | Seattle (via Florida) | Sebastian | Jordan Gustafson | Seattle | F | Canada |
| 61 | Ottawa (via Tampa Bay) | Jordan | Isaiah George | London | LHD | Canada |
| 62 | Calgary | Paul | Adam Ingram | Youngstown | C | Canada |
| 63 | Carolina | Matt | Lian Bichsel | Leksands | LHD | Switzerland |
| 64 | New York Islanders (via Colorado) | Sebastian | Mikey Milne | Winnipeg | LW | Canada |
| 65 | Montreal | Josh | Mats Lindgren | Kamloops | LHD | Canada |
| 66 | Arizona | Austin | Tyler Brennan | Prince George | G | Canada |
| 67 | Seattle | Sebastian | Matthew Poitras | Guelph | C | Canada |
| 68 | Philadelphia | Alex | Jani Nyman | Ilves | LW | Finland |
| 69 | New Jersey | Josh | Beau Jelsma | Barrie | C | Canada |
| 70 | Carolina (via Chicago) | Matt | Rieger Lorenz | Okotoks (AJHL) | C | Canada |
| 71 | Ottawa | Jordan | Tristan Luneau | Gatineau | RHD | Canada |
| 72 | Detroit | Paul | Brennan Ali | Avon Old Farms (USHS-CT) | C | USA |
| 73 | Buffalo | Austin | Dylan James | Sioux City | LW | Canada |
| 74 | Montreal (via Anaheim) | Josh | Alexis Gendron | Blainville-Boisbriand | C | Canada |
| 75 | San Jose | Josh | Jere Lassila | JYP | C | Finland |
| 76 | Winnipeg (via Columbus) | Alex | Ludwig Persson | Frölunda | C/LW | Sweden |
| 77 | New York Islanders | Sebastian | Hunter Haight | Barrie | C | Canada |
| 78 | Toronto (via Winnipeg) | Sebastian | Noah Warren | Gatineau | RHD | Canada |
| 79 | Vancouver | Matt | Matthew Seminoff | Kamloops | RW | Canada |
| 80 | Chicago (via Vegas) | Jordan | Marcus Nguyen | Portland | RW | Canada |
| 81 | Nashville | Jordan | Jordan Dumais | Halifax | RW | Canada |
| 82 | Dallas | Paul | Hudson Thornton | Prince George | LHD | Canada |
| 83 | Nashville (via Los Angeles) | Jordan | Michael Fisher | St. Mark’s (USHS-MA) | RHD | USA |
| 84 | Washington | Matt | Topi Rönni | Tappara | C | Finland |
| 85 | Los Angeles (via Pittsburgh) | Sebastian | Jace Weir | Red Deer | RHD | Canada |
| 86 | Chicago (via Edmonton) | Jordan | Jakob Norén | MODO | LHD | Sweden |
| 87 | Ottawa (via Boston) | Jordan | Spencer Sova | Erie | LHD | Canada |
| 88 | St. Louis | Matt | Ben Hemmerling | Everett | RW | Canada |
| 89 | Vegas (via New York Rangers) | Jordan | Kocha Delic | Sudbury | C | Canada |
| 90 | Minnesota | Paul | Mitchell Martin | Kitchener | LW | Canada |
| 91 | Chicago (via Toronto) | Jordan | Tyler Duke | USNTDP | LHD | USA |
| 92 | Florida | Matt | Quinn Finley | Madison | F | USA |
| 93 | Columbus (via Tampa) | Alex | Michael Buchinger | Guelph | LHD | Canada |
| 94 | Boston (via Calgary) | Sebastian | Tyson Jugnauth | West Kelowna (BCHL) | LHD | Canada |
| 95 | Montreal (via Carolina) | Josh | Kasper Kulonummi | Jokerit | RHD | Finland |
| 96 | Colorado | Austin | Marek Hejduk | USNTDP | F | USA |