Mock 2022 NHL Draft: Wright to Canadiens at No. 1; Devils take Slafkovsky

The Montreal Canadiens won the 2022 NHL Draft Lottery and the No. 1 pick of the 2022 NHL Draft on May 10.

NHL.com writers Adam Kimelman and Mike G. Morreale agree the Canadiens will use that pick on center Shane Wright from Kingston of the Ontario Hockey League.

Their opinions vary widely on what could happen after that.

The New Jersey Devils won the No. 2 pick, and the Arizona Coyotes will pick No. 3, followed by the Seattle Kraken and the Philadelphia Flyers.

The first round of the 2022 draft will be held at Bell Centre in Montreal on July 7. Rounds 2-7 will be July 8.

The 16 teams that missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs took part in the lottery drawing for the first two selections. The remaining teams were ordered based on the NHL standings. 

Picks 16-32 will be determined by the results of the playoffs.

1. Montreal Canadiens

Kimelman — Shane Wright, C, Kingston (OHL): Wright (6-foot, 191 pounds) not only is the most complete player in the 2022 draft, he fills a need at center for the Canadiens. General manager Kent Hughes said the goal is to find character players with skill, and it was Wright who said, “My mindset is not to win scoring titles, it’s not to win MVPs, it’s to win Stanley Cups. I believe that the way I play, my competitiveness and my drive to win is going to help do that.” Wright is an easy choice at No. 1.

Morreale — Shane Wright: The most complete two-way center of the 2022 draft class is a player the scouting community has been tracking for some time because of the attributes he can bring to any team, including smarts and leadership. He was eighth in the Ontario Hockey League with 94 points (32 goals, 62 assists) in 63 regular-season games.

Video: NHL Tonight talks about their reaction to the lottery

2. New Jersey Devils

Kimelman — Juraj Slafkovsky, LW, TPS (FIN): With Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer, the Devils are in good shape down the middle. As New Jersey looks to build its lineup, Slafkovsky brings elite offensive skills in a power forward body (6-4, 218). He’s already shown he can excel against older competition in Liiga and at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where was named the most valuable player. From a physical standpoint, he might be ready to play in the NHL next season.

Morreale — Juraj Slafkovsky: Uses his great size, reach and strength as an effective active checker in the offensive and defensive zone. Slafkovsky led all players at the 2022 Olympics with seven goals in seven games to help Slovakia win the bronze medal, its first men’s Olympic hockey medal.

3. Arizona Coyotes

Kimelman – Logan Cooley, C, USA U-18 (NTDP): Cooley (5-10, 174) is an elite skater with high-end offensive skills and a strong work ethic. He’ll likely play at least one season at the University of Minnesota, but he’ll bring an exciting boost of offense when he arrives in Arizona.

Morreale — Logan Cooley: His top-end speed is off the charts and his ability to quickly process and execute on plays make him a scoring threat every time he steps on the ice. He was second on the NTDP with 75 points (27 goals, 48 assists) in 51 games this season, including 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in six games to help the United States finish second at the 2022 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.

4. Seattle Kraken

Kimelman — Simon Nemec, D, Nitra (SVK): After selecting center Matty Beniers to anchor their forward group last year, the Kraken find a centerpiece for their group of defensemen with Nemec (6-0, 190), a right-shot with an outstanding two-way game. He skates extremely well, which allows him to add to the offensive attack while still being strong in the defensive zone.

Morreale — Simon Nemec: Plays big minutes in the top league in his native Slovakia and can use his excellent mobility, balance, puck-handling and skating to create openings for teammates. He scored 26 points (one goal, 25 assists) in 39 games in his third season with Nitra.

5. Philadelphia Flyers

Kimelman — Joakim Kemell, RW, JYP (FIN): The Flyers’ stated goal is to get more dynamic and increase their scoring ability from the wings, and Kemell (5-11, 171) has shown he’s capable of doing that. Playing most of the season as a 17-year-old (he turned 18 on April 27), he scored 15 goals in 39 games in the top league in Finland, and scored eight points (six goals, two assists) for Finland at the 2022 Under-18 Championship.

Morreale — David Jiricek, D, Plzen (CZE): A knee injury that required surgery in January limited Jiricek this season, but the right-hand shot (6-3, 189) plays a mature game and can make the transition from defense to offense quickly. He returned in March and scored 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 29 games in the top league in the Czech Republic.

6. Columbus Blue Jackets (from Chicago Blackhawks)

Kimelman — Cutter Gauthier, LW, USA U-18 (NTDP): His skating and shot are NHL-caliber already, and he’s got a power forward build (6-2, 189) that will be even better when he gets around an NHL strength coach.

Morreale — Cutter Gauthier: A good skater with a power forward-type game who can really shoot the puck. He scored 65 points (34 goals, 31 assists) in 54 games, including nine points (three goals, six assists) in six games for the United States at the World U-18s. He’s committed to play at Boston College next season.

7. Ottawa Senators

Kimelman — Pavel Mintyukov, D, Saginaw (OHL): Mintyukov (6-1, 197) is an outstanding skater with high-end offensive instincts. There’s a bit of risk/reward to his approach, but his skating allows him to make up for any mistakes. He has the chance to be the power-play quarterback the Senators haven’t had since trading Erik Karlsson to the San Jose Sharks on Sept. 13, 2018.

Morreale — Joakim Kemell: He missed a month with a shoulder injury but still led Liiga rookies in goals. Kemell is a very good skater with acceleration and speed and is considered a highly skilled playmaker who sees the ice very well.

8. Detroit Red Wings

Kimelman — Matt Savoie, C, Winnipeg (WHL): The Red Wings continue to add speedy, skilled young forwards with Savoie (5-9, 175), who might be the fastest skater in the 2022 draft class. He has an explosive offensive game and a high hockey IQ that allows him to be in the right place all the time.

Morreale — Jonathan Lekkerimaki, RW, Djurgarden (SWE): A pure sniper who plays a two-way game with good hands and explosiveness. Lekkerimaki (5-10, 165) led the World U-18s with 15 points and 10 assists for first-place Sweden. He scored nine points (seven goals, two assists) in 26 games for Djurgarden in the Swedish Hockey League.

9. Buffalo Sabres

Kimelman — David Jiricek: A knee injury sustained at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship slowed Jiricek this season, but he still has the look of a high-skill, top-pair defenseman. He’s got the size to win 1-on-1 battles in the defensive zone and a developing offensive game. Adding Jiricek to Owen Power, Mattias Samuelsson and Rasmus Dahlin gives the Sabres a fearsome top four at defenseman to look forward to.

Morreale — Matthew Savoie: One of the most dynamic skaters in this draft class, Savoie finished seventh in the Western Hockey League with 90 points (35 goals, 55 assists) in 65 games.

10. Anaheim Ducks

Kimelman — Danila Yurov, RW, Magnitogorsk (RUS): The Ducks take a chance to add another skilled forward in Yurov (6-1, 178), who played 21 games in the Kontinental Hockey League and scored 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists) in the MHL, Russia’s junior league. One scout compared his game to Hockey Hall of Famer Marian Hossa.

Morreale — Kevin Korchinski, D, Seattle (WHL): A high-end offensive-defenseman who can generate scoring chances in all situations. Korchinski (6-2, 185) scored 65 points (four goals, 61 assists) in 67 regular-season games. He’s the first WHL defenseman since Darryl Sydor with Kamloops in 1989-90 (66 assists) to have at least 60 assists in his first year of NHL draft eligibility.

11. San Jose Sharks

Kimelman — Jonathan Lekkerimaki: He is a very good skater with a high hockey IQ. His shot might be his best trait, whether it’s a one-timer or a wrist shot he can use to pick corners.

Morreale — Pavel Mintyukov: He can play physical and is strong on his skates, capable of creating a seamless transition from defense to offense and pushing the pace into the opposing end. Mintyukov led Saginaw with 62 points (17 goals, 45 assists) in 67 games.

12. Columbus Blue Jackets

Kimelman — Jimmy Snuggerud, RW, USA U-18 (NTDP): Snuggerud (6-1, 186) has one of the most impressive shots among players in this draft class. He’s capable of scoring from in close or shooting a wrist shot past a goalie from distance.

Morreale — Marco Kasper, C, Rogle (SWE): He possesses good hockey sense, a high compete level and great work ethic, is a leader and capable of playing center or on the wing. Kasper (6-1, 183) scored six points (two goals, four assists) in 12 games to help Rogle to its first Champions Hockey League title with a 2-1 win against Tappara of Liiga, the top professional league in Finland, on March 1.

13. New York Islanders

Kimelman — Frank Nazar, C, USA U-18 (NTDP): Nazar (5-10, 175) is highly competitive and a strong skater with the ability to win battles along the boards and make plays with the puck. He’s hard for opponents to handle below the dots in the offensive end, and his high hockey IQ helps him be in the right position defensively to break up plays and start the transition.

Morreale — Luca Del Bel Belluz, C, Mississauga (OHL): A responsible high-end center used in all situations with good speed and skating ability, excellent hands and puck skills. Del Bel Belluz (6-0, 175) was second on Mississauga with 76 points (30 goals, 46 assists) and 27 power-play points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 68 games.

14. Winnipeg Jets

Kimelman — Denton Mateychuk, D, Moose Jaw (WHL): The Jets have focused on offense the past two years in the first round, but now can look to add to their offense at defenseman with Mateychuk (5-11, 188), who has outstanding offensive instincts. He also defends well with his stick, skating and smarts.

Morreale — Conor Geekie, C, Winnipeg (WHL): Geekie (6-3, 196) is hard to contain with his high-end compete and deceptive speed, and he’s shifty in tight quarters. He scored 70 points (24 goals, 46 assists) in 63 regular-season games.

15. Vancouver Canucks

Kimelman — Isaac Howard, LW, USA U-18 (NTDP): Howard’s (5-10, 182) outstanding play for the United States at the World U-18s, where he scored 11 points (six goals, five assists) in six games, cemented a strong season that saw him lead the NTDP with 82 points (33 goals, 49 assists) in 60 games. His skating and strength down low in the offensive zone are key to his success.

Morreale — Denton Mateychuk: Finished third on Moose Jaw with 64 points (13 goals, 51 assists) in 65 regular-season games and scored eight points (one goal, seven assists) in eight Western Hockey League playoff games. He’s considered a strong skater who can lead or join the rush for scoring opportunities, creating chances with his ability to anticipate plays.

16. Buffalo Sabres (from Vegas Golden Knights)

Kimelman — Rutger McGroarty, RW, USA U-18 (NTDP): The captain of the NTDP, McGroarty (6-1, 200) skates well and excels in tight in the offensive zone. He’s strong and skilled enough to win battles along the boards and carry the puck to the net or create room for himself to use his strong shot. Has a style similar to Flyers forward James van Riemsdyk.

Morreale — Lian Bichsel, D, Leksand (SWE): The Switzerland-born defenseman (6-5, 216) moves well for his size, has a good first pass, and is aggressive in battles around the net. He scored three points (one goal, two assists) and averaged 11:48 of ice time in 29 games in his first season in the Swedish Hockey League, the top professional men’s league in Sweden.