Final 2022 NHL draft predictions
Today is draft day and may players dreams will come true tonight. Many teams will get better and some teams will swing and miss. It happens every draft, but we don’t know that for a few seasons. Pretty solid draft class and some teams are looking t move up or add a first round pick tonight. I’m sure there will a be a trade, info a few where teams move around, but I’m basing it off of right now.
1) Montréal Canadians: Juraj Slafkovsky, LW, TPS
Shock pick off the rip! Wright was the #1 guy for the longest, but not anymore! There’s a new sheriff in town!
2) New Jersey Devils: Simon Nemec, D, HK Nitra
Wright is the 2nd best player in the draft, but the Devils don’t need a center here.
3) Arizona Coyotes: Shane Wright, C, Kingston Frontenacs
Wright slides down to #3. If you’re Arizona, this is a no-brainer here.
4) Seattle Kraken: Logan Cooley, C, USNTDP
Seattle gets their #1 center for their future. Guthier is an option here as well, but I believe Cooley doesn’t go farther than 4th here.
5) Philadelphia Flyers: Cutter Gauthier, C/LW, USNTDP
Some people believe this is a surprise pick, but it could pay off. The Boston College commit is a solid player and has solid size for a forward at 6-3. Torts loves size and this should be the pick.
6) Columbus Blue Jackets(via Chicago): David Jiricek, D, HC Plzen
Jiricek is another big d-man off the boards and even has the potential to go higher than this. The team could go forward here, but I believe they will add to their blue line.
7) Chicago Blackhawks(via Ottawa): Joakim Kemell, RW, JYP
BIG trade here. The Blackhawks traded Alex Debrincat to the Senators in exchange for the 7th overall, 39th overall and an additional third round pick in 2024. What swing here by Ottawa. Chicago looks to be going into full rebuild mode by giving up a 24 year-old scoring machine. Trading away a winger and drafting his replacement in the same day. Kemell could be a superstar from this draft.
8) Detroit Red Wings: Marco Kasper, C/LW, Rögle BK
Detroit could go d-man here, but it sounds like Yzerman want Kasper here.
9) Buffalo Sabres: Jonathan Lekkerimaki, RW, Djurgardens IF
Buffalo could go different spots here, but they could go wing here taking Lekkerimaki.
10) Anaheim Ducks: Kevin Korchinski, D, Seattle
Adding to the blue line here is the pick for the ducks. Korchinski is a great offensive d-man and teams are looking for the next Cale Makar.
11) San Jose Sharks: Matthew Savoie, C, Winnipeg
Savoie is too good to pass up here and they will be shocked if he slides this far. D-man could be the pick here as well.
12) Columbus Blue Jackets: Connor Geekie, C, Winnipeg
Back-to-back Winnipeg boys here. Columbus addressed the D-man earlier in the draft, so look for them go after a center here. Geekie is a big 6-4 center.
13) New York Islanders: Jimmy Snuggerbud, C, USNTDP
This could be a shocker pick here. Some scouts are not that high on him, when others are. Won’t surprise me if they go after players like Yurov or Howard or even take a d-man. This is pretty high for Snuggerbud, but let shake some things up here.
14) Winnipeg Jets: Pavel Mintyukov, D, Saginaw Spirit
Winnipeg looks to be in a somewhat rebuild and potential of some of their old vets could be leaving. Pavel is solid d-man they will be their #1 d-man for years to come
15) Vancouver Canucks: Noah Ostlund, C, Djurgarden
He has been going up on the boards the last few months. One of, if not the most electrifying players in this years draft.
16) Buffalo Sabres(via Vegas): Danila Yurov, LW/RW, Metallburg Magnitogorsk
He could go higher, but this is a solid pick for the Sabres. Young skilled player who dominated the KHL’s minor league system, could do the same over here in the states.
17) Nashville Predators: Ryan Chesley, D, USNTDP
Nashville have drafted some great d-man over the years. Ryan Suter, Shea Weber, Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis, the list goes on and I believe they will draft d-man here. I believe its between Chesley and Pickering, but I think the Predators go with Chesley here.
18) Dallas Stars: Liam Bichsel, D, Leksand
Dallas needs to add some youth to their blue line and they do that here getting Bichsel here.
19) Minnesota Wild(via Kings): Frank Nazar III, C,USNTDP
Nazar III has gone up most boards over the last few months and falls into a solid spot here in Minnesota.
20) Washington Capitals: Owen Pickering, D, Swift Current Broncos
Washington could go anywhere here, but I don’t think they will get a center here and look to add youth to their blue line.
21) Pittsburgh Penguins: Ivan Miroshnichenko, LW, Omskie Krylia
Great scoring winger here and I believe this is a great landing spot for him in Pittsburgh.
22) Anaheim Ducks(via Boston): Isaac Howard, LW, USNTDP
Anaheim went d-man with the pick earlier and now they add their wing player to help out Zegras later down the road.
23) St Louis Blues: Nathan Gaucher, C, Quebec Remparts
This was a tough pick because I have a weird feeling they could draft a d-man here, but I think they stick with their gut here and draft a young center in Gaucher.
24) Minnesota Wild: Matyas Sapovaliv, C/LW, Saginaw Spirit
Minnesota grabbed a center with their first picked are now going after a winger after letting go of Kevin Fail. He may not replace him, but they need to add something back.
25) Toronto Maple Leafs: Brad Lambert, C, Pelicans
This will shock people, but believe it or not, Lambert would have been lock for top 10 if he didn’t get injured and miss a lot of games. The Leafs swing for the fences here and hope he still has that potential. Great skater and great hands, could be the steal of the draft if he returns to his form.
26) Montréal Canadians(via Calgary): Liam Ohgren, LW, Djurgardens IF
Since the Canadians chose Wright, they will get their left wing player in the 26th spot. Mature payer and should be solid player for them.
27) Arizona Coyotes(via Carolina): Filip Mesar, LW/RW, HK Poprad
Just like the Canadians, Arizona got their d-man earlier, now they get a wing. Filip came out and said Arizona has been eyeing him a lot and look for it to come true.
28) Buffalo Sabres(via Florida): Sam Rinzel, D, Chaska High
Buffalo got LD Power last year and now they get their RD in Rinzel. He might slide out the first, but I believe Buffalo snags him here.
29) Edmonton Oilers: Mattias Havelid, D, Linkoping Jr
Havelid is a small guy coming in at 5-9, but is a pretty solid player. Obiously there is risk here, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the drafted another d-man instead.
30) Winnipeg Jets(via New York Rangers): Jiri Kulich, C, HC Karlovy
Winnipeg got their d-man earlier in the draft, now they add youth up the middle with this pick.
31) Tampa Bay Lightning: Luca Del Bel Belluz, C, Mississauga Steelheads
Tampa Bay has a first round pick? Crazy right? In all seriousness, Belluz is a solid player and Tampa Bay likely gets him here. D-man could be on the radar as well.
32) Arizona Coyotes(via Colorado): Rutger Mcgroarty, C, USNTDP
Rutger fits this system well. He is a solid playmaker with a lot of room to go.
-Ryan Veal(@TheVealMobile on Twitter)
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