NHL 2022 Draft

[electron58]

3 hours ago, campabee82 said:

What about Lambert? He was once considered to be one of the top 3 locks for the draft with his speed and skill. Has his stock fallen that much or have the others just risen more?

Brad Lambert

 Date of Birth    Dec 19, 2003
 Position           C/RW                                                                                                                                                                                                            Age                 17
 Height             6'0" / 183 cm                                                                                                                                                                                                 Weight       179 lbs / 81 kg                                                                                                                                                                                                   Place of Birth  Lahti, FIN
 Shoots            R

Ranked #8 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
Ranked #13 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
Ranked #3 by FCHOCKEY
Ranked #3 by TSN/BOB McKENZIE
Ranked #10 by MCKEEN'S HOCKEY
Ranked #17 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
Ranked #15 by SPORTSNET
Ranked #3 by RECRUIT SCOUTING
Ranked #5 by DOBBERPROSPECTS
Ranked #8 by DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY
Ranked #3 by SMAHT SCOUTING
Ranked #6 by THE PUCK AUTHORITY

He proved he could hang with the big boys by getting into 46 Liiga games during the pandemic. With a teammate under similar scrutiny, the expectations of raising his game to another level are real.

"He’s a dynamic offensive threat, combining high-end skating with excellent handling and dual-threat capabilities,"  EPRinkside.com 2021

"Dynamic offensive player with great speed, Very good offensive instincts, Dangerous when given time/space with the puck," ISSHockey.com 2019             "can skate and stickhandle so well that he can find his way around older opponents with regularity,"                                          Draftin Europe 2019

 

 

[campabee82]

6 hours ago, electron58 said:

Brad Lambert

 Date of Birth    Dec 19, 2003
 Position           C/RW                                                                                                                                                                                                            Age                 17
 Height             6'0" / 183 cm                                                                                                                                                                                                 Weight       179 lbs / 81 kg                                                                                                                                                                                                   Place of Birth  Lahti, FIN
 Shoots            R

Ranked #8 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
Ranked #13 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
Ranked #3 by FCHOCKEY
Ranked #3 by TSN/BOB McKENZIE
Ranked #10 by MCKEEN'S HOCKEY
Ranked #17 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
Ranked #15 by SPORTSNET
Ranked #3 by RECRUIT SCOUTING
Ranked #5 by DOBBERPROSPECTS
Ranked #8 by DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY
Ranked #3 by SMAHT SCOUTING
Ranked #6 by THE PUCK AUTHORITY

He proved he could hang with the big boys by getting into 46 Liiga games during the pandemic. With a teammate under similar scrutiny, the expectations of raising his game to another level are real.

"He’s a dynamic offensive threat, combining high-end skating with excellent handling and dual-threat capabilities,"  EPRinkside.com 2021

"Dynamic offensive player with great speed, Very good offensive instincts, Dangerous when given time/space with the puck," ISSHockey.com 2019             "can skate and stickhandle so well that he can find his way around older opponents with regularity,"                                          Draftin Europe 2019

 

 

Yeah I read up on him, I was looking for opinions by others who knew the draftees better than I do lol.

[claremont]

52 minutes ago, campabee82 said:

Yeah I read up on him, I was looking for opinions by others who knew the draftees better than I do lol.

https://thehockeywriters.com/2022-world-junior-championship-finland-preview/

Brad Lambert made the Finnish WJC roster - note the comments on Kemell "may be the most complete player in the draft" - I am not alone in my thoughts on him despite that he's not our much needed centre position but could be BAP after Wright. 

[campabee82]

11 minutes ago, claremont said:

https://thehockeywriters.com/2022-world-junior-championship-finland-preview/

Brad Lambert made the Finnish WJC roster - note the comments on Kemell "may be the most complete player in the draft" - I am not alone in my thoughts on him despite that he's not our much needed centre position but could be BAP after Wright. 

I like Kemell and wasn't saying he shouldn't be picked was just curious if Lambert wasn't a better option. We desperately need a high-end offensive center to compliment Suzuki's two-way play. From my understanding Lambert could be that guy, I have seen some comparisons to MacKinnon and while I do not know anything about Lambert or many of the other draftees, I would think that there has to be at least some truth to that. Maybe he isn't a MacKinnon but more of a Barkov or Aho type of player but one must admit that even that is better than what we have now.

[claremont]

43 minutes ago, campabee82 said:

I like Kemell and wasn't saying he shouldn't be picked was just curious if Lambert wasn't a better option. We desperately need a high-end offensive center to compliment Suzuki's two-way play. From my understanding Lambert could be that guy, I have seen some comparisons to MacKinnon and while I do not know anything about Lambert or many of the other draftees, I would think that there has to be at least some truth to that. Maybe he isn't a MacKinnon but more of a Barkov or Aho type of player but one must admit that even that is better than what we have now.

I totally understand - I certainly hope that the WJC showcase elevates Lambert into a higher ranking because that would fulfill some desperate need if we are unable to obtain a Bourgault or similar via our vets fire sale trade. I have not seen the USA roster yet (Cooley?), but Lambert may be the only undrafted 2022 centre as Savoie and Geekie did not make the Cdn. team. 

Lambert eh? Sounds Francophone....Are we going to choose another Finnish Centre based on need over Best Available Player?

[BigTed3]

13 hours ago, claremont said:

I’m a little worried about Savoie’s size at 5 ft 9 - he had better be pretty quick with good edges but the last thing we need is to be another Smurf Gomez-Gionta forward line. Wingers like Caufield Debrincat Gaudreau, Gallagher can get cut a little slack. 
Tyler Johnson, Jon Marchessault, Yanni Gourde are probably the best small centers I can think of and took a long time to make the jump, and maybe only JM is close to elite which is what I hope our 2022 pick can be. 
Kemell albeit not a Centre if he keeps up the pace and has a good WJC will rise up the board fast, and imo has more potential. 
Conor Geekie is big, a little younger but has playmaking ability with a decent shot, and average skating 

At this point my top 4 pre WJC are Wright, Kemell, Geekie, and Logan Cooley - keep in mind that the last 3 are on the young age side of this draft and 4-5 months of age difference are a consideration 

Nemec overlaps the skills of Guhle who may play our right side or the forgotten Mailloux (big IF). Nice to have RHD depth but I would hope to pick that up with our 2nd rounder or 3rd round picks - We need scoring and/or center first. 
 

I've seen Savoie listed as both 5'9" or 5'10". I think the best comparable for him is Brayden Point, who was also listed as 5'9" in his draft year and 5'10" now with the little NHL boost-up. Both highly-skilled players with great puck control and acceleration. We saw Point drop out of the 1st round because of his size and frankly, Savoie looks to be a better player at age 17 than Point was. Then you have other smaller guys that size like Marchand, Gaudreau, or Kaprizov who have had loads of success at the NHL level. Even Crosby is only 5'11" now and was listed at 5'10" in his draft year. William Eklund in last year's draft was 5'0". Bottom line, I'm not overly scared of Savoie's lack of size. You could always insulate him with a winger like Anderson, but ultimately I think he'll do well in the NHL and he'd be an instant boon to the PP, where his size will matter less.

I like Kemell as well. Great skater, great shot. He's essentially the winger version of Savoie to me. So between the two, I'll opt for the center over the winger, but I'd be fine with either one.

Geekie, I'm a little less sure about. I like guys who have size in general, but it's always harder to evaluate those players coming out of junior when they're physically dominant like Geekie. Is he having success because of his skill or is he having success because he's so much more physically mature than the players he's up against? So it's a bit tougher to figure out how that translates to the NHL. Still ultimately a top 10 pick but a guy I like a bit less than Wright or Savoie.

And my personal opinion, but C and D both largely more important than wing. Between the two, however, I don't have an issue choosing the D man if he looks more valuable than the center. I don't think Nemec is more valuable than Wright or Savoie, but I'm not downgrading Nemec because of position. I think a top D man like Makar, Heiskanen, Hedman, etc. can really take over a game and be as important as a top center like Crosby or Mackinnon.

 

[BigTed3]

13 hours ago, campabee82 said:

What about Lambert? He was once considered to be one of the top 3 locks for the draft with his speed and skill. Has his stock fallen that much or have the others just risen more?

Lambert definitely has the skill to be a top 3 pick. He's a brilliant puck carrier. His finishing needs some work, and frankly, if I was going to pick one guy he reminds me of, it might be Jonathan Drouin. Great skill, not always able to put it together. So do with that what you want. I think he'd be a nice guy to take a flier on if we had a mid-round 1st and he was still there. The upside there is enormous, but there are red flags that suggest you're also taking a risk he's a flop. I wouldn't spend a top 3-5 pick on him, but I wouldn't be against drafting him if we had that second choice later in the first round.

[campabee82]

4 minutes ago, BigTed3 said:

Lambert definitely has the skill to be a top 3 pick. He's a brilliant puck carrier. His finishing needs some work, and frankly, if I was going to pick one guy he reminds me of, it might be Jonathan Drouin. Great skill, not always able to put it together. So do with that what you want. I think he'd be a nice guy to take a flier on if we had a mid-round 1st and he was still there. The upside there is enormous, but there are red flags that suggest you're also taking a risk he's a flop. I wouldn't spend a top 3-5 pick on him, but I wouldn't be against drafting him if we had that second choice later in the first round.

Thanks Ted that was very insightful.

[campabee82]

24 minutes ago, BigTed3 said:

I've seen Savoie listed as both 5'9" or 5'10". I think the best comparable for him is Brayden Point, who was also listed as 5'9" in his draft year and 5'10" now with the little NHL boost-up. Both highly-skilled players with great puck control and acceleration. We saw Point drop out of the 1st round because of his size and frankly, Savoie looks to be a better player at age 17 than Point was. Then you have other smaller guys that size like Marchand, Gaudreau, or Kaprizov who have had loads of success at the NHL level. Even Crosby is only 5'11" now and was listed at 5'10" in his draft year. William Eklund in last year's draft was 5'0". Bottom line, I'm not overly scared of Savoie's lack of size. You could always insulate him with a winger like Anderson, but ultimately I think he'll do well in the NHL and he'd be an instant boon to the PP, where his size will matter less.

I like Kemell as well. Great skater, great shot. He's essentially the winger version of Savoie to me. So between the two, I'll opt for the center over the winger, but I'd be fine with either one.

Geekie, I'm a little less sure about. I like guys who have size in general, but it's always harder to evaluate those players coming out of junior when they're physically dominant like Geekie. Is he having success because of his skill or is he having success because he's so much more physically mature than the players he's up against? So it's a bit tougher to figure out how that translates to the NHL. Still ultimately a top 10 pick but a guy I like a bit less than Wright or Savoie.

And my personal opinion, but C and D both largely more important than wing. Between the two, however, I don't have an issue choosing the D man if he looks more valuable than the center. I don't think Nemec is more valuable than Wright or Savoie, but I'm not downgrading Nemec because of position. I think a top D man like Makar, Heiskanen, Hedman, etc. can really take over a game and be as important as a top center like Crosby or Mackinnon.

 

I agree on Geekie he worries me, he could very well become the next star center but he could just as easily become the next Michael McCarron. We chose McCarron in the 1st round for his size and skill coming out of JR, let's not do that again. I would much rather hedge my bet on your assessment of Lambert than betting on Geekie. Lambert has a higher floor than if Geekie misses IMO. Again my opinion is based Om comments I have read more than actually seeing the players on the ice but it is also pretty telling that Lambert made the WJC team this year and Geekie didn't. I guess time will tell which direction is the better route. Another Drouin is far more valuable in the lineup than another McCarron.

[electron58]

19 minutes ago, campabee82 said:

I agree on Geekie he worries me, he could very well become the next star center but he could just as easily become the next Michael McCarron. We chose McCarron in the 1st round for his size and skill coming out of JR, let's not do that again. I would much rather hedge my bet on your assessment of Lambert than betting on Geekie. Lambert has a higher floor than if Geekie misses IMO. Again my opinion is based On comments I have read more than actually seeing the players on the ice but it is also pretty telling that Lambert made the WJC team this year and Geekie didn't. I guess time will tell which direction is the better route. Another Drouin is far more valuable in the lineup than another McCarron.

Lambert,  also made the team in 2021, playing 7 games, with 1 goal and 3 assists for 4 points.

[BigTed3]

53 minutes ago, campabee82 said:

I agree on Geekie he worries me, he could very well become the next star center but he could just as easily become the next Michael McCarron. We chose McCarron in the 1st round for his size and skill coming out of JR, let's not do that again. I would much rather hedge my bet on your assessment of Lambert than betting on Geekie. Lambert has a higher floor than if Geekie misses IMO. Again my opinion is based Om comments I have read more than actually seeing the players on the ice but it is also pretty telling that Lambert made the WJC team this year and Geekie didn't. I guess time will tell which direction is the better route. Another Drouin is far more valuable in the lineup than another McCarron.

Geekie is a more skilled player and better skater than McCarron, which is why he's in the discussion to be a top 10 pick and McCarron wasn't. That said, he still worries me a bit as a prospect. He has good straight-line speed but as with many big men, his stride is a bit awkward and he doesn't have great acceleration from standing still. So I'm just not sure how well his game is going to adjust to the NHL, where he has less room to get going and where the opposition won't let his size be as much of a factor. He reminds me more of a Kevin Hayes or middle 6 center more than a top line guy, and I'm not sure I would spend a top 5 pick on him.

Again, my top 5 at this time point would include Wright, Savoie, Kemell, Nemec, and Cooley. Past that, I think we're looking at guys with bigger question marks. A few thoughts on the two Russians as well:

- Miroshnichenko is an interesting prospect. Great center of gravity, looks like a tank and has a wicked shot. But there are also questions about his visa status. He's been refused entry to North America several times and looks to have been left off the WJ team again this year. Not sure what the off-ice story is. And he falls into that grouping of players from Russia where you wonder are you getting an Ovechkin/Svechnikov or are you getting a Yakupov/Kovalenko? He has features of his game that remind me of each, but there are some question marks there that give you pause for a top 5 pick.

- The other Russian in the mix is Danila Yurov, who to me looks like a safer choice and more complete prospect. He'd be in that 6-10 pick range for me.

[claremont]

1 hour ago, campabee82 said:

I agree on Geekie he worries me, he could very well become the next star center but he could just as easily become the next Michael McCarron. We chose McCarron in the 1st round for his size and skill coming out of JR, let's not do that again. I would much rather hedge my bet on your assessment of Lambert than betting on Geekie. Lambert has a higher floor than if Geekie misses IMO. Again my opinion is based Om comments I have read more than actually seeing the players on the ice but it is also pretty telling that Lambert made the WJC team this year and Geekie didn't. I guess time will tell which direction is the better route. Another Drouin is far more valuable in the lineup than another McCarron.

Geekie is also playing on a rather loaded up Winnipeg Ice WHL team where his stats could be a little inflated. Savoie is on the same team. Geekie might be a bit of a reach in the pick 3-5 range at this point so if we missed on the top 2 picks, it is very tempting at this point to trade down if possible and select Geekie if that's one of our targets. Scouts seem to indicate his skating is going to get stronger

As far as Savoie or Geekie not making the Canadian WJC team, well there was a lot of competition at the centre spot from the older players, plus Bedard. I wouldn't read too much into that miss. I think we all want this year's pick to be a centre and have upside of being elite or close to it, should we be unable to pry a centre prospect from our vet sale.

We still have a lot of ways to go for players to move up or down

This report was very early in the season at their 15 game mark - https://www.tsn.ca/video/button-shares-his-scouting-report-for-top-prospects-geekie-savoie~2319283

If Button is right in his comparable, I'll take a Logan Couture type who in full seasons averages 25 goals, 60+ points and elevates his game in the playoffs.

[BigTed3]

5 hours ago, claremont said:

Geekie is also playing on a rather loaded up Winnipeg Ice WHL team where his stats could be a little inflated. Savoie is on the same team. Geekie might be a bit of a reach in the pick 3-5 range at this point so if we missed on the top 2 picks, it is very tempting at this point to trade down if possible and select Geekie if that's one of our targets. Scouts seem to indicate his skating is going to get stronger

As far as Savoie or Geekie not making the Canadian WJC team, well there was a lot of competition at the centre spot from the older players, plus Bedard. I wouldn't read too much into that miss. I think we all want this year's pick to be a centre and have upside of being elite or close to it, should we be unable to pry a centre prospect from our vet sale.

We still have a lot of ways to go for players to move up or down

This report was very early in the season at their 15 game mark - https://www.tsn.ca/video/button-shares-his-scouting-report-for-top-prospects-geekie-savoie~2319283

If Button is right in his comparable, I'll take a Logan Couture type who in full seasons averages 25 goals, 60+ points and elevates his game in the playoffs.

I'm not super interested in trading down. The draft isn't very deep, and I think we'd be better off holding onto a top 5 pick if we end up with one. At present, for me, the top 3 are certainly a cut above the rest and the next 2-3 are a bit above the rest of the peloton thereafter. It would need to be a heck of an offer to move down.

[Vladimer-Kholokov]

One guy to keep an eye on in this draft is David Jiricek right handed defenseman.  Good at defending and clearing guys in front of the net and can skate with the puck.    

[electron58]

5 hours ago, Vladimer-Kholokov said:

One guy to keep an eye on in this draft is David Jiricek right handed defenseman.  Good at defending and clearing guys in front of the net and can skate with the puck.    

Yeah, I know that it is still early and all, but we're probably going to pick top 5, and there are way too many forwards in the top 5, that are elite. Maybe if we pick up some extra #1 choices, we can look at him, if  Simon Nemac is unavailable. I'd like to get at least 2 more #1 picks.  Look at Ottawa!  They are loaded, and have many more in the pipeline.

[BigTed3]

11 hours ago, Vladimer-Kholokov said:

One guy to keep an eye on in this draft is David Jiricek right handed defenseman.  Good at defending and clearing guys in front of the net and can skate with the puck.    

 

6 hours ago, electron58 said:

Yeah, I know that it is still early and all, but we're probably going to pick top 5, and there are way too many forwards in the top 5, that are elite. Maybe if we pick up some extra #1 choices, we can look at him, if  Simon Nemac is unavailable. I'd like to get at least 2 more #1 picks.  Look at Ottawa!  They are loaded, and have many more in the pipeline.

Jiricek reminds me a bit of a guy like Kevin Bieksa. A solid #2-3 D man who can hit and add a bit of offence. At this point, he doesn't look like a true #1 or a guy who can run a PP. Guhle may end up being a similar player just on the left side. So while I wouldn't be opposed to having a guy like Jiricek, I think Nemec fits our needs and the current style of the NHL a bit better. Jiricek IMO will be gone in the top 10, so even if we pick up another late first from a playoff-bound team, I doubt he's available to us deeper down the first round. Other D-men like Casey, Luneau, or Solomonsson might be though, and if we could end up with one of Wright/Savoie/Kemell up top and then one of those 3 D men lower down the first, that would still be a big win for us IMO.

[electron58]

Who is Shane Wright?
David St. Louis, head scout at Elite Prospects, offers this scouting report on Wright:

"Wright is a quick and very smart playmaker, who passes and repositions between defenders to create scoring chances and finishes them with quick releases. He projects as an effective defensive centerman. As he already plays an NHL type of game in junior, his transition to the top league should be easier than for most top prospects."

He sees Wright as a different No. 1 overall pick that we've seen in either Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils or Alexis Lafrenière of the New York Rangers, in the sense that both were creative puck carriers while Wright's best play might be away from the puck.

"It's not that Wright lacks skills -- he has plenty," St. Louis said. "He projects as an above-average NHL skater and stick handler, but he prefers to make pacey give-and-goes and tic-tac-toes than to take defenders one-on-one. When Wright gets the puck, he moves it quickly and repositions instantly to get it back in more space. And then he does it again, and again, until he creates a great scoring chance."

His goal-scoring ability -- "with a unique, short-draw release that continues to surprise goalies," St. Louis said -- is his greatest offensive attribute. His passing should continue to improve over time, while his defensive game has many of the qualities that go along with being a shutdown NHL center.

But if there are questions about his game, it would be the lack of that inherent "flashiness" that we expect from a first overall pick.

"Even if we respect his style of play, his desire to connect with teammates and hunt space, we would still like to see more flash out of him, more 'special' plays. We would like him to be more assertive, to overwhelm the defense with his multiple skills, even if it's just occasionally. It would show us that he is capable of it," St. Louis said. "That, if he has to, he can pull off a great dangle to get out of trouble and create a scoring chance for a teammate or himself."

Wright may not be as flashy as other recent top picks, but plays a smart, two-way game reminiscent of future Hall of Famer Patrice Bergeron.
Among recent draft class first overall picks, St. Louis said he and Elite Prospects would have Wright ranked sixth as far as hype and effectiveness of play heading into their drafts, ahead of only Nico Hischier of the Devils (2017) but behind both Lafrenière and Hughes. But while both of those players haven't found sustained success at the next level St. Louis is bullish on Wright as an NHL-ready prospect.

"His play will scale up to the NHL more directly. It doesn't mean that he is a better prospect, just that he could adapt faster," he said.

That says nothing of his intangibles, which Button says helps set Wright apart.

"He's a killer. When it comes time to put it away, I'm telling you, he's a killer," Button said. "He's a great competitor."

Which is why the past year was hard on Wright, when he was unable to compete in the OHL.
Wright broke McDavid's points per game record in 2019-20 when the OHL ended its season on March 18, 2020, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He looked forward to his second season with the Frontenacs ... until the 2020-21 OHL season was entirely wiped away due to extended stay-at-home orders and increasing cases of COVID-19 in Ontario.  As a result, Wright didn't play a game in the OHL from March 8, 2020, until Oct. 8, 2021, when the current season began.

That missed season has been blamed by some for Wright's "slow" start to the 2021-22 campaign, a start that "has some pundits suggesting the Kingston star might fall in the draft," wrote Josh Brown of the Toronto Star.

"That suggestion is a pretty bold take that has stirred up social media. Wright simply falling to second overall would be major news," Brown wrote.  Wright has seen that speculation in the media and the criticism on social media about his output.  "If you see something on there, you can't really take it to heart. There are people out there saying things that have way too much time on their hands. It's someone saying it with nothing else better to do," said Wright, who now has 30 points in his 22 games in the OHL this season. "I can't control what people are going to say about me. Or post about me. Or the rankings. I try my best not to focus on that, but at the same time it's obviously something I'm aware of."  "To be back here, around my teammates and playing games again ... it's the greatest feeling," Wright said.  He's also aware of the NHL standings, as the prize of this season's draft lottery.

The " Pain For Shane " has seen every fan base from the Montreal Canadiens to the New York Islanders hoping their disastrous seasons result in a lottery ball bouncing their way."It's something in the back of my mind. But I try my best not to pay attention. Whoever finishes last is out of my control. And there's still lots of time before the draft," he said.Those fans will get a good glimpse of Wright at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship in Edmonton, where he'll play for Team Canada with 2021 first overall pick defenseman Owen Power of Michigan and 16-year-old forward Connor Bedard, the projected first overall pick in 2023.  Wright isn't expected to be the next Yzerman. Nor the next McDavid, nor the next Crosby.   He's Shane Wright. And from what Button has seen, that should be enough."Generational players don't come along very often. I don't see Shane as generational. We don't call Patrice Bergeron generational, either. Doesn't mean he's not a great player," he said."I've seen all the players in next year's draft. There's not a better player than Shane Wright."

[electron58]

Updated 2022 NHL Mock Draft Predictions       by    LYLE RICHARDSON

1.   Shane Wright
2.   Logan Cooley
3.   David Jiricek
4.   Simon Nemec
5.   Matthew Savoie
6.   Ivan Miroshnichenko
7.   Denton Mateychuk
8.   Isaac Howard
9.   Seamus Casey
10. Juraj Slafkovsky
11. Tristan Luneau
12. Brad Lambert
13. Ryan Chesley
14. Simon Forsmark
15. Danila Yurov
16. Joakim Kemell
17. Elias Salomonsson
18. Cutter Gauthier
19. Conor Geekie
20. Jonathan Lekkerimaki
21. Ty Nelson
22. Frank Nazar
23. Calle Odelius
24. Rutger McGroarty
25. Marco Kasper
26. Gleb Trikozov
27. Liam Ohgren
28. Nathan Gaucher
29. Jack Hughes
30. Danny Zhilkin

Be nice to scoop up a couple more first round picks.
 

[BornToBeAHab]

Trade the first round pick for Lafreniere

[maas_art]

9 hours ago, electron58 said:

Updated 2022 NHL Mock Draft Predictions       by    LYLE RICHARDSON

1.   Shane Wright
2.   Logan Cooley
3.   David Jiricek
4.   Simon Nemec
5.   Matthew Savoie
6.   Ivan Miroshnichenko
7.   Denton Mateychuk
8.   Isaac Howard
9.   Seamus Casey
10. Juraj Slafkovsky

1 month ago the draft rankings on Sportsnet were:
1. Shane Wright
2. Ivan Miroschnichenki
3. Joakim Kemell
4. Isaac Howard
5. Matthew Savoie
6. Logan Cooley
7. Danila Yurov
8. David Jiricek
9. Juraj Slafkovsky
10. Conor Geekie

This is going to be a very "all over the place" draft again i think.  

39 minutes ago, BornToBeAHab said:

Trade the first round pick for Lafreniere

I dont think we trade a top 3 pick for him (maybe if he was a centre) but I could see us dangling a different 1st if we acquire some before the TD. 

[jennifer_rocket]

1 hour ago, BornToBeAHab said:

Trade the first round pick for Lafreniere

I think we have to wait and see which pick we have. If we have the number one overall... then I am comfortable drafting Wright. Many people are saying he's not gonna be a superstar who owns the league, but if he's a competent top-six forward throughout his career, I am okay with drafting him. I keep seeing the Bergeron comparison. Which, I know, is a tired comparison. Everyone gets compared to him, but no one is him.

[ramcharger440]

31 minutes ago, jennifer_rocket said:

I think we have to wait and see which pick we have. If we have the number one overall... then I am comfortable drafting Wright. Many people are saying he's not gonna be a superstar who owns the league, but if he's a competent top-six forward throughout his career, I am okay with drafting him. I keep seeing the Bergeron comparison. Which, I know, is a tired comparison. Everyone gets compared to him, but no one is him.

Yeah I am kind of there too if we get first overall we kind of have to take Wright but second on down if we get the right player for it I am open to doing anything at this point. you never know what someone may throw out way.

[maas_art]

45 minutes ago, jennifer_rocket said:

I think we have to wait and see which pick we have. If we have the number one overall... then I am comfortable drafting Wright. Many people are saying he's not gonna be a superstar who owns the league, but if he's a competent top-six forward throughout his career, I am okay with drafting him. I keep seeing the Bergeron comparison. Which, I know, is a tired comparison. Everyone gets compared to him, but no one is him.

Id happily take a Bergeron/ROR type player with my 1st pick.   

Crosbys and McDavids come along very rarely. We already have a good supporting cast of Suzuki, Dvorak, Evans, Poehling etc.   We're set for #2-4c.  Add in a guy who is better than Suzuki - or even on par - and we're set down the middle for some time. 

[claremont]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/sportsnets-2022-nhl-draft-prospect-rankings-january-edition/sn-amp/
 

avlot getter than one of the Richardson mick I saw earlier 

take the BAP vs position - if that happens to be Kemell so be it, but inviting hope some centers close the gap 

[CaptWelly]

4 hours ago, maas_art said:

Id happily take a Bergeron/ROR type player with my 1st pick.   

Crosbys and McDavids come along very rarely. We already have a good supporting cast of Suzuki, Dvorak, Evans, Poehling etc.   We're set for #2-4c.  Add in a guy who is better than Suzuki - or even on par - and we're set down the middle for some time. 

I agree ROR , Bergeron, Toews all good 200 players all have cups because their games translate the same in playoff hockey