The 2022 NHL Draft has come and gone. It was a very entertaining first round in Montreal. The unknown of who the first selection by Montreal would be, some surprise selections, and big trades on the floor made the night one to remember.
We loved the ‘I’m going to make your team pay on the ice’ vibe Wright was throwing at the Canadiens table when Seattle finally selected the top ranked prospect at fourth overall. Some teams made some great pick, others left us scratching our heads while ultimately we will not know if those were the right selections for a few more seasons.
And who does Chicago think they are fooling with the obvious ‘Cave for Connor’, or if you prefer ‘Bust for Bedard’, tank job in full swing?
For the below review we are strictly looking at each NHL teams draft selections weighing in draft position and talent harvested, not trades for NHL talent or moving out of bad contracts.
Bolded name predicts a potential top of the lineup prospect. Meaning that prospect that has the potential to be a top line forward, top pairing defender, or starting NHL goaltender as projected today.
NHL TEAM DRAFT GRADES
DRAFTPRO’S NEXT BEST
Below is a list of who we had ranked as next best available when the final 2022 NHL Draft selection was made by Colorado when they took QMJHL goaltender Ivan Zhigalov at pick 225 overall. Those who were ranked but went unselected in the 2022 NHL Draft.
So that is a wrap for us at DraftPro on the 2022 NHL Draft. It has been a pleasure watching these kids over the past 2-3 years develop and get to this point in their journey.
Now on to the 2023 NHL Draft…
Keep your eyes peeled for our ‘2022 Ivan Hlinka Review’ series to hit the website in August as well as our ‘Introduction to the 2023 Draft Class’ series to hit the website in September. And be sure to get your hands on the 2023 Draft Preview Magazine to be released in both digital and print later this fall.
A few of our scouts from this season have been asked to give us what they think are some ‘hot takes’ on the 2022 NHL draft as we are just hours away from the first round. ‘Hot Takes’ are draft thoughts or even opinions that might be a bit of a shock to the public consensus but what they believe could or will happen. Thoughts from our evaluators after two years watching these prospects develop and seeing the NHL talent hounds following their every move. We know many of these will not happen but this is a fun little exercise that will hopefully give our readers some entertainment, even discussion points, as you wait for the first pick to be announced in mere hours.
Joseph Peters, DraftPro Regional Scout.
After already selecting Shane Wright with the first overall pick, the host city of the draft will ignite a frenzy in the building and the Montreal fanbase around the hockey world, as the Canadiens find a way to acquire another top pick, resulting in the organization walking away with two talents in the top seven of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. Montreal sends forward Josh Anderson, the 26th overall pick, and a second-round pick in 2023 to Ottawa, in exchange for the 7th overall draft pick. With the 7th overall pick, Montreal selects defenseman David Jiricek, essentially adding two top-of-the-lineup talents in Wright and Jiricek to bolster the rebuild.
Nick Malmstrom, DraftPro Regional Scout.
Brad Lambert falls. Lambert was projected as a consensus top five pick by many before the start of the season. However his play this season has seen him fall to the mid-to-late teens or even lower on many rankings. Unfortunately for the dual Finnish Canadian citizen Lambert falls even further than that. The amount of red flags Lambert has shown will deter GM’s to stay away from him with their first-round selections, leaving a team to take a high risk/high reward chance on Lambert somewhere on day two of the draft.
Andrew LeBlanc, DraftPro Regional Scout.
NTDP forward Rutger McGroarty will fall out of the first round and teams will regret it. All signs point to the fact that he’s a great teammate and leader. Combine this with his ability to score goals while also playing a solid 200-foot power game and you would think you would have a sure fire top-10 pick. But there have been concerns to whether he can keep up with the speed of the NHL game. As skating has become the most crucial skill in many scout’s eyes, and because so McGroarty will fall out of the first round. However, if he can keep up with the speed of the NHL game, he will be a top 10 pick when the “redrafts” come out 10 years later.
Jared Brown, DraftPro Head Scout.
With everything going on with Russia and Ukraine and the huge uncertainty on if Russian players will be able to report overseas, I predict we will see zero Russians get drafted in the first round on Thursday. Danila Yurov and Ivan Miroshnichenko, both regarded as the two top Russian prospects for the draft I think will be selected Friday in the second round. But I think they will be the only two Russians to be drafted in that round, with Yurov going in the 33-44 range and Miroschnichenko in the 44-64 range. Other players like Gleb Trikozov, Alexander Perevalov, and Vladimir Grudinin will have to wait until the third or fourth round to hear their names get called.
Kai Farenholtz, DraftPro Regional Scout.
Habs go off the boards and select a defender with the 1st overall pick in the draft. Looking to 2023 you don’t see any defenders as of now that project the way guys like Nemec and Jiricek, or even Korchinski, Mateychuk, and Mintyukov do. 2023 is very forward heavy, and since the Habs still wont be anywhere near competing for a playoff run next season, they can select a foundational forward with a top-5 pick with guys like Bedard, Fantilli, Michkov, Yager, Sale, and more all projecting to be available. The Habs ultimately select a defender at No.1 in 2022, then take a stab at a forward in 2023.
Alex Taxman, DraftPro Regional Scout.
2022 prospect Jack Devine goes much earlier than the consensus rankings suggest. His performance at the NCAA Frozen Four was likely enough to convince an NHL team to jump him up their board and snag him near the end of the first round despite being ranked as a second or third rounder much of the season. The single youngest player in the entire NCAA was one of the best playmakers, puck protectors, and forecheckers on the national championship winning University of Denver team.
Dan Stewart, DraftPro Editor and Director of Scouting.
NTDP defenseman Lane Hutson, all five-foot-eight and a hundred and fifty-eight pounds of him, is slated to go anywhere in the late first through the second round by most sources, with a first round selection seen as very risky due to his lack of ideal size and dynamic skating, but to the surprise of everyone he hears his name called in Montreal when the Anaheim Ducks step up to the podium and take a home run swing at 10th overall on the offensive dynamo. Looking back on the draft ten years from now, Hutson becomes a top five NHLer from this draft class.
What hot takes do you have? Post yours on twitter using the hashtag #2022NHLDraftHotTakes for a chance to win a free 2022 DraftPro Yearbook.
Pick up your 25% off 2022 DraftPro Guide ($9.79) or Yearbook ($14.99) today!
WHO ARE THE ANALYTIC DARLINGS OF THE 2022 NHL DRAFT?
In our humble opinion, advanced stats or analytics, whatever you want to call them, are not and can never become a substitute for actually getting to the rink and watching how a player performs on the ice, being able to see a season or more worth of development and progression. The art of scouting, picking the right prospect for your team and one that will excel at the NHL level, has too many variables to chalk it up to just a numbers crunch. But that is not to say that some of this data will not help. Quite the contrary, and NHL teams have openly accepted them as an add-on to actual scouting and evaluating.
The one statistic that stands out to us as a pretty good indicator of NHL success for draft prospects is the P1/E60 tracker which calculates the total primary points per estimated sixty minutes of ice time during their season. Primary points are important as it is proven that your primary point total indicates a play driving component to ones play more so than someone who builds point total through secondary assists, especially where forwards are concerned.
Also, by analyzing what prospects do on a somewhat even playing field, as in everyone getting the same time on ice, sixty minutes or one whole game, this eliminates the argument that one prospect might see more ice time than another when comparing them. Being able to look at recent comparables and how they performed in the same league also aids to tighten down the projection. As the top end baseline comparable, back in his draft year NHL Superstar Connor McDavid had the highest recorded P1/E60 since the statistic started to be tracked in 2008, a ridiculous 6.08 primary points per sixty minutes of play.
He had 94 primary points in his draft year while playing 47 total games for Erie of the OHL and accumulating 26 more secondary points for a total of 120 points. It blows your mind just how good McDavid was during his draft year.
When we look at the 2022 crop, and set a minimum time on ice (15 min) and game filter (21) to knock out any overinflated data, the top dog is Djurgårdens IF J20 winger Liam Ohgren (4.91).
Ohgren, Petr Hause (4.44), Frank Nazar III (4.33), and Logan Cooley (4.02) are also all above four primary points per 60 minutes a game with Matthew Savoie just on the outside of that (3.98). Those are pretty good stats when you consider current NHL stars who in their draft year (DY) produced at similar P1/E60 rates such as Taylor Hall at 5.01, Steven Stamkos at 4.94, Mitch Marner at 4.71, Leon Draisaitl at 4.71, John Tavares at 4.39, Andrei Svechnikov at 4.26, Nathan Mackinnon at 4.01 and Tyler Seguin at 4.01.
When you compare Ohgren’s numbers with the 2021 NHL Entry Draft leader from a year ago, the Coyotes ninth overall pick Dylan Guenther (5.91), you see a large drop off. However, the next best last year tend to all level things out with Devils draft pick Samu Salminen (4.43), Avalanche draft pick Oskar Olausson (4.31), and Flames draft pick William Stromgren (4.27) posting similar numbers to this years crop.
In 2020, the second overall pick, Quinton Byfield (4.48) of Los Angeles, led the pack with Carolina first round pick, Seth Jarvis, (4.40) coming in second. Emil Heineman (4.19), a second rounder of Calgary, came in third, Marco Rossi of Minnesota (4.18) fourth, Cole Perfetti of Winnipeg (4.11) fifth, and 2020 NHL Draft headliner Alexis Lafreniere of the New York Rangers (4.01) sixth.
Sure there are some who did not live up to the expected NHL upside comparable to their P1/E60 rating such as Portland forward Nic Petan who had a 4.36 in his draft year or Scott Glennie of Brandon who came in at 4.23 during his draft year, but those cases are not the norm.
On defense Ryan Ellis of the Nashville Predators holds the top P1/E60 since it was tracked in 2008 at 2.88 with the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL. Anything over a two is excellent for blueliners.
Toronto’s Morgan Rielly had a DY P1/E60 of 1.88, Colorado defender Bowen Byram was 1.79 and Aaron Ekblad at 1.59, Tyson Barrie at 1.58, Seth Jones at 1.56, Drew Doughty at 1.52 and Alex Pietrangelo at 1.46 all give you an idea where the NHL stars sat in their draft years.
The 2022 draft eligible leading the group is US NTDP U18 slick defender Lane Hutson at 1.92 even strength primary points per 60 minutes of play. The next nine on the list consist of a who’s who of puck movers from the backend. Denton Mateychuk (1.78), Artyom Duda (1.68), Jeremy Langlois (1.63), Mattias Havelid (1.56), and Kevin Korchinski (1.55) all sit over a primary point and a half per complete game from their various leagues.
Leading the 2021 class was Canucks draft pick Hugo Gabrielsson at 2.17. Ducks pick Olen Zellweger (1.78) and Devils pick Luke Hughes (1.69) finished top three and accumulated a fair amount of offensive production on the powerplay which this stat does not track. 2021 top pick of the Buffalo Sabres Owen Power (1.49) finished sixth on the list.
Lastly, as a little tease of what is to come for the 2023 NHL Draft here is a graph using the same criteria as above showing some of the top DY-1 performers to watch.
Again, what this numbers analysis cannot tell us is if the prospect has a hitch in his skating stride that may keep him from producing at higher levels when things move faster, or determining the work ethic and desire to succeed each prospect possesses, or if there is a reoccurring injury that might reduce his effectiveness as he progresses. It does not weight the pros and cons of physical abilities or size, if a prospect is too small to make the same impact against larger opponents, or even the value of a powerplay specialist, it only showing what data has been produced on the ice in an even playing field. That is why combining the eyeball test with these analytics is so important.
So, what does this all mean?
Where analytics are concerned, the comparable data suggest Liam Ohgren and Lane Hutson lead the pack for the 2022 NHL Draft.
Powered by www.pick224.com
For more on the 2022 draft class and beyond be sure to pick up one of our 2022 NHL Draft publications.
The 2022 CHL Import Draft featured a new challenge surrounding the selection of some European skaters. With Russian and Belarusian players deemed in-eligible due to the on-going violence in Ukraine, a major source of players that would usually supply this draft have simply been taken out of the equation. Although, on the bright side, this offers an opportunity for many players who would not normally be in a situation where there’s interest from a CHL team. Players reigning from the lands of Slovakia, Switzerland, Czechia, and more have a much higher chance of being selected this time around. And following what I believed to be a pretty potent draft, I’d like to chip in some additional info on some high-end players that were selected at the 2022 CHL Import Draft.
Adam Sykora – 1st Overall – Medicine Hat Tigers (46GP: 10G 7A 17P) Slovak ExtraLiga
It was no secret that Sykora was a high-end option for the import draft, having been left without signing an extension with HK Nitra in the Slovak ExtraLiga. Sykora’s feisty, energetic approach to the sport will add even more ferocity to Medicine Hat’s roster. After coming off a franchise-low 11-win season, the Tigers are in need of anything to get them going on the right track. Sykora will provide that aforementioned motor, but an underrated offensive game lies within him. Sykora is great in close quarters and can be a difficult player to stop while maintaining possession. He shows glimpses of stickhandling acumen and has a nose for the net. It’s highly likely that we’ll see Sykora in a Tigers sweater this fall, most likely among the top-6.
It’s hard to find a positive from Cape Breton’s 2021/22 season… 2nd last in the QMJHL for goals for and the worst goal differential in the league by a country mile (-152). It may be more of a push for a bulky sniper like Kulich to swing on by to the QMJHL, but the addition of such a player would provide immediate relief to every sanction. Kulich’s automatic scoring abilities will be a luxury on the powerplay, while his solid two-way approach will assist in his own end a fair amount. Kulich has so far committed to playing in Czechia for his DY+1 season, but if he wants to make the jump to the CHL, he’d be a valuable asset to a struggling team with some promising players on the horizon, such as Cam Squires.
The Erie Otters are a franchise known for their ability to produce outstanding offensive players regardless of position, and Molnar could easily slide into this program and fit like a glove with his blazing speed and keen offensive awareness. Molnar has played across every level in Slovakia and has proven he’s far beyond his peers at the U18 and U20 levels with those previously mentioned traits. He splits the neutral zone like a hot knife through butter and most often is able to connect with trailers upon arriving in the offensive end. Has already signed a contract with HK Nitra, but was a player highly theorized to head to the CHL for a majority of the 2021/22 season before this extension.
Jakub Chromiak – 8th Overall – Sudbury Wolves (25GP: 2G 3A 5P) – Slovak ExtraLiga Tier II
The Slovaks just keep coming… and Chromiak may be one of those players with one of the higher ceilings from this import draft, being a late 05’ birthday which makes him eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft. Jakub is the younger brother to Los Angeles Kings prospect, Martin, who also chose to take the CHL route with Kingston. Unlike his brother, Jakub is a defenceman, and has already garnered experience at the professional level with Trencin. Chromiak is a puck carrying defender and has proven to be a two-way threat in Slovakia’s Jr. leagues. He’s still a very raw prospect with so much development ahead of him. You’ll probably see his name at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, carrying on Slovakia’s Cinderella run that occurred last year.
Oh boy, I’ve been waiting for this for over a year now. De Luca was eligible for last year’s import draft, but wasn’t able to sort things out prior to the draft in order to be selected, which left him playing another season in Switzerland. De Luca didn’t blow up the league, but obvious improvement across his entire game was imminent. De Luca helped Ambri-Piotta’s U20 team clinch a playoff spot after an abysmal 2020/21 season, leading the team in scoring and placing second in U18 league scoring. De Luca’s offensive toolkit is what separates him from the rest of the pack in the U20-Elit. He possesses a quick snapshot off the rush, smooth stickhandling, and delicate edgework that allows him to slide past opposition in tight areas. The sky’s the limit for De Luca. A lot of eyes will be watching him as he’s set to be one of the best Italian-born prospects we’ve seen in a considerable amount of time. I can already see the De Luca – Catton – Bertholet connection blooming.
I am not shocked one bit that the 67s took yet another Austrian. Kasper now follows in the footsteps of Minnesota Wild prospect, Marco Rossi, and highly praised winger, Vinzenz Rohrer. Although, seeing Kasper in a 67s jersey may be more of a fantasy than we presume. Unlike the previously mentioned two, Kasper has been playing professional hockey in Sweden for the last two-seasons with Rogle. A definite middle-6 to top-6 role is most likely guaranteed for the Austrian power forward if he decides to stay in the Rogle program that has provided endless support for him. Kasper in the OHL would look great on his stat sheet, as he’d automatically become a looming offensive threat with his hard-nosed game around the net and his impressive speed. Perhaps he keeps the tradition going in Ottawa, but I highly doubt it.
Luca Auer – 25th Overall – Regina Pats (35GP: 20G 28A 48P) – AlpsHL
Unlike Kasper… here’s an Austrian that’s got nothing to lose if he decides to take the CHL route. The numbers don’t lie, Auer was one of the top scorers in the AlpsHL… in fact, he put up the best U18 season in the league’s history. His game mainly revolves around his adept hockey IQ which was presently seen at the World Juniors for a short stint. His skating could use some work as he’s not the most explosive guy on the planet. But his stickhandling is clean and is useful from a standstill and he looks to be a lethal threat on special teams. Auer so far is committed to another season in Austria, but after being selected to play overseas with the chance to play next to a generational talent?.. it’s a hard opportunity to pass up.
Braillard can be a wildcard for the 2023 NHL Draft. He’s demonstrated he’s able to be a lethal scoring threat across Switzerland’s Jr. programs, performing at a goal per game at the U17 level, and over a point per game at the U20 stage. He’s a slighter framed winger, but he packs a dynamic punch with his ability to hop on loose pucks and put away the grimy ones. His shot isn’t too bad, but it’s his motor and sense around goal that makes him an overall pest in the offensive end. Would comfortably fit in the QMJHL. If he’s got the off-ice work ethic to become stronger and faster, he could easily be a depth scorer for the Cataractes.
Alex Sotek – 58th Overall – Hamilton Bulldogs (32GP: 2G 0A 2P) – Slovak ExtraLiga
I wonder if NHL interest will increase for Sotek after being selected by the Bulldogs. He’s got all the tools to be a dynamic all-around player. His skating shows moments of excellence and shades of Antonio Stranges with the way he’s able to engage his hips, but with a lack of playing time at the professional level in Slovakia, we rarely got to see what Sotek is actually capable of. Sotek’s skating makes him a viable piece to Hamilton, production wise he could be a wildcard. He has extended his contract with Bratislava after coming off a national championship, but the ice-time and North American experience could be very enticing for the shifty Slovak winger.
Jonathan Lekkerimaki – 70th Overall – Vancouver Giants (26GP: 7G 2A 9P) – SHL
Everyone thought it was a reach when the Giants took Fabian Lysell in the 2020 CHL Import Draft… but look how that paid off. Lekkerimaki could be another one of those situations, although with more experience and success at the professional level with Djurgarden, I’d say it’s a reach, but not impossible, to see Lekkerimaki in a Giants sweater. The Giants are entering a rebuild and will see plenty of new faces for the 2022/23 season, but following a bantam draft where Vancouver selected three players in the first round… I can see a universe in which Lekkerimaki plays his DY+2 alongside a fresh young crop of promising players from Western Canada.
Rohrer and Kasper were fun pieces to watch from Austria at the World Juniors… but David Reinbacher was one player that caught my attention each shift. Sarnia knew what they were doing with this pick, and if he comes to the OHL, they will look like utter geniuses. Reinbacher plays an extremely polished, ironed-out game without many holes. He’s a confident defender with and without the puck and doesn’t stress to bring it up on occasion by himself. Was Austria’s best defender as a DY-1 at the WJs, creating turnovers, manning breakouts, and most importantly… maintaining possession. There wasn’t an ounce of doubt in his game. Could be a strong piece to Sarnia’s backend if he decides to take the CHL route, but as of now he is committed to playing in the NL with Kloten, as he was a main factor in getting that team promoted back into the big leagues.
The CHL Import Draft is always an interesting event with all of its uncertainties and current decisions, but it will always hold a stake in the league. So many players that may not have the stage to showcase their talent are provided an opportunity of a lifetime to come play their sport in the country of which it was born in front of thousands of passionate fans and hundreds of NHL scouts looking for that next breakthrough star that went against all odds. So keep an eye on not only these listed players, but everyone taken at the draft. Because one of the most beautiful things with the import draft, is its nature of unpredictability.
“His Personality is Unbelievable”: Easy-Going Matthew Savoie Performing Under the Spotlight and Relishing Every Moment.
Last year was a difficult one for prospects playing in the WHL. The league’s outlook was bleak with the COVID-19 situation in Canada, and it was looking like the entire season would have to be cancelled. For Matthew Savoie, a top prospect for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, this would not suffice. With the draft fast approaching, the young player knew he had to chase open ice, wherever he could find it.
“With the unknown of the WHL’s start because of COVID and that whole situation, I was just trying to find ice wherever I could play,” Savoie told DraftPro. “I started just outside my hometown in Sherwood Park of the AJHL and played a few games there. Unfortunately, that league got shut down as well, so I had to look at other options.”
After getting into 22 games as a rookie for the WHL’s Winnipeg Ice in 2019-2020, Savoie began playing for the Sherwood Park Crusaders of the AJHL to begin the 2020-2021 season. However, after just four games, that league was forced to shut down due to Canada’s strict COVID-19 protocols. Fortunately, Savoie was able to change plans and join his brother Carter with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints.
“The USHL was an option that we looked at previously when I was considering the NCAA route. Dubuque drafted my brother a couple of years ago, so we had a relationship with the management and coaching staff there. They reached out and, luckily enough, wanted to bring me down and have me join the team. I was really grateful to get that opportunity to go play down there. With the guaranteed number of games I was going to get into, and knowing that the league wasn’t going to get shut down, I was confident that it was a good decision for my development.”
However, while it was unlikely that the USHL would shut down, numerous NCAA conferences cancelled their seasons due to the pandemic, meaning the USHL became ripe with older, stronger players. Nonetheless, Savoie had a strong season in Dubuque, racking up 21 goals and 17 assists in 34 games.
“They’re pretty similar leagues [the WHL and USHL],” Savoie remarked. “With COVID last year, there were a lot of NCAA players playing in the USHL, so last year it was definitely an older league and a bit more physical. I wouldn’t say there’s too many differences between the two leagues. There both highly skilled, top-tier junior leagues, so it was a lot of fun playing in both of them.”
As luck would have it, the WHL wound up playing a shortened season towards the end of the year, in a bubbled setting. While James Patrick, head coach of the Ice, regrets that Savoie couldn’t be there for that bonding experience, the top prospect had as smooth a return to his old club as could be hoped for; it was almost like he never left.
“We had him as a 15-year-old two years ago and last year he went to the USHL when it looked like we were going to have no hockey here,” Patrick said. “We had a really good experience in the bubble [last year] and it was great for bonding. We wished that Matt could have been part of the team for that because of how close the players became, but he fit right in as soon as he was back. One of his best friends is Owen Pederson and they [still] do a lot of things together, but as far as fitting in with the team after being away for a year, it was [a] seamless [transition].”
Patrick could not speak more highly of Savoie’s character, and his adoration for the young player was evident in the tone of his voice. Savoie is revered by teammates, management, and coaching staff alike, and his unrelenting work ethic, coachability, and well-mannered nature plays a large role in that.
“Matt’s very popular and well-liked,” said Patrick. “He’s a very unassuming, modest, soft-spoken kid. Our two young players, [Conor] Geekie and Savoie, have quite different personalities but they’re also very close and get along great. Matt Savoie is a quieter kid. The guys love him. For a coach, his personality is unbelievable. There’s never an issue. He works, he never complains, and he’s respectful and thankful when he’s in meetings or watching video. That’s how I see him as a coach. On the ice with his play when there are corrections that are needed and things you want him to do better, he’s super receptive to that. He’s just so easy to get along with.”
The Ice have two premier 2022 draft prospects in Savoie and Geekie, but their glut of talent doesn’t end there. They also have four NHL-affiliated prospects on their roster: goaltender Gage Alexander, selected by Anaheim in 2021; right winger Connor McClennon, chosen by Philadelphia in 2020; centre Jack Finley, drafted to Tampa Bay in 2020; and defenseman Carson Lambos, who went to Minnesota with the 26th overall pick in 2021. This collection of veteran OHLers has significantly eased the leadership burden on the two 2022 draft eligible players, and that is by design.
“[Savoie] leads by example,” said Patrick. “Both him and [Geekie] are part of the leadership group. We have three 20-year-olds and a lot of 19-year olds — guys who have been leaders. We added Jack Finley this year, who was a captain in Spokane. [We also have] Carson Lambos, Jakin Smallwood, [and] Conor McClennon. We’ve talked to [the older guys] about taking the bull by the horns. I’m encouraging those guys to be more vocal.
“With Matt and Conor, I just want them to go out and play and enjoy the year. Saying that, as far as his leadership and competitiveness goes, Matt’s a guy who leads by example and has a phenomenal work ethic. He comes to work and practices with pace. I think a big strength in his game is the pace he plays at. He is an explosive skater.”
For Savoie, his older teammates have had big impact on him this season, and he’s been able to take advantage of their experiences having already gone through the draft process.
“Having veteran guys like [McClennon, Finley, and Lambos] in our dressing room that have gone through the draft process is really helpful,” Savoie said. “As well, having Conor Geekie going through the process with me this year has been really good for the both of us.”
Hockey has been a been a lifelong dream for Savoie. He fell in love with the game once his brother began playing and, like most kids who lace up the skates, always aspired to make it to the best league in the world.
“I started playing hockey when I was super young,” said the talented youngster. “I think I was three years old. My brother got into it a couple years ahead of me. Being at the rink and watching him just made me really fall in love with the game. Growing up, it was always a dream of mine to make it to the NHL, just like it is for a lot of kids in Canada. I’ve always tried to work my hardest and keep improving to hopefully make that dream a reality one day.
“In my draft year [to the WHL], you start getting into talks with some Western league teams and you get some notice from some NHL teams. At that point, when you’re 14 or 15 years old, just entering that stage of junior hockey, [you realize that you have a shot at making it].”
Savoie is projected among the top tier of skaters in the NHL Draft, a virtual lock for the top-five, but that is nothing new to him. He entered the WHL in a similar fashion, having been selected first overall by the Ice in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft.
“Going into the draft I was super excited,” said Savoie. “I wasn’t sure what to expect, and when I heard my name called by Winnipeg, I was just really excited. It was a big opportunity that presented itself. With the staff and the players that they had in the organization, the new facility, and the relocation to Winnipeg, I was just really excited to come and be a part of that journey.”
For some, handling the pressure of being a top-ranked prospect may a daunting task. However, Patrick has striven to ensure that both Savoie and Geekie enjoy the experience.
“For the most part, I’m trying to keep [the pressure] to the outside,” said Savoie. “[I’m] just staying focused on the task at hand — playing games and going to the rink every day. Enjoying it and, like [Patrick] said, taking the experience for what it is. You don’t get to go through your draft year twice, so you have to take it all in and have fun with it.”
“Every time I’ve talked to him and Conor [Geekie] it’s about enjoying this time,” Patrick added. “There’s no better time in your life than when you play junior. We all understand that they’re being watched every game and they get so heavily scrutinized now, but I want them to have fun, be themselves, keep trying to get better, and compete. If they do those things, then the draft and where they get picked will take care of itself. Where you’re drafted will not make you a better player. It gives you a real big window of opportunity, but eventually you’ve got to [perform].”
It’s lessons like these which have made Patrick’s years of experience both playing and coaching in the NHL invaluable to the Ice.
“Having a guy like James [Patrick] around is definitely a big advantage,” Savoie remarked. “He’s a true pro. Having the experiences that he had playing in the NHL, and with the guys that he played with, he brings that aspect to our dressing room and passes it on to us players. The message he brings is that he always wants us to get better and keep improving. I’ve really taken that to heart. The dedication away from the rink as well — how much he talks about nutrition, how much sleep you need — just taking care of your body and paying attention to the little things like that has really helped.”
Savoie has had a strong draft year in Winnipeg, scoring 90 points in 65 games and adding another 12 points in 10 playoff games before a shoulder injury knocked him out. The skilled forward ranks third on DraftPro’s final rankings, behind only Shane Wright and Logan Cooley, our scouts cannot rave about him enough.
“Matthew Savoie is an elite-level skater,” remarked Joseph Peters. “Arguably the best skater in his draft class, he has burning speed and is highly dynamic and agile due to his incredible edgework. Savoie is an offensive weapon that every team wants. His blend of speed and skill, followed up with the ability to produce points, scoring incredible goals, is what makes him a candidate to challenge for the top-5 of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.”
“Savoie’s a player who possesses incredibly strong skating abilities and uses his adjustments to his speed to keep defenders guessing his next move,” added Matt Hnatiuk. Couple that with his puck control, shooting and passing ability and he is a total offensive threat. He has elite (or near-elite) IQ and both thinks and plays the game at a high pace. [He] is a dual threat playmaker or scorer. He could easily develop into a top-six player and is well on his way to being just that.”
According to Murray Caldwell, it’s Savoie’s hockey IQ that stands out most. “This guy can play with anyone,” he said. “Last year in the USHL he had different teammates and was still stellar. He can score no matter who his teammates are.”
In speaking with both the player and his coach himself, both feel that Savoie’s most important attribute is the quick pace at which he plays.
“[His best skills] are his first five steps and his quick hands,” Patrick asserted. “He’s quick out of the gate and has fast-twitch fibres all the way through. For 30-seconds, he can just go. He can play at a high pace, push the defense back with his speed, and get a puck and get a shot off really quickly.”
“I like to think I play at a high speed and with a quick pace,” said Savoie. “I like to possess the puck and I’m a pretty dangerous player in the offensive zone setting up my teammates, being deceptive with the puck, and finding lanes to shoot and get pucks through.”
For Patrick, who most recently was an assistant coach for the Dallas Stars from 2013-2017, Savoie’s skillset reminds him of a certain player who’s no slouch with the puck on his stick, either.
“I coached [Tyler] Seguin in Dallas, and Seguin has a phenomenal shot and super quick hands. They’re different players, but as far as his shot and his quick release, Matt [Savoie] is a little bit similar. He’s still got a long way to go because Seguin’s had a really good NHL career as a star player, but if I’m talking about Matt’s strengths, he comes late on the powerplay on entries and he comes with speed to back the defensemen off, and on the flank he can really shoot the puck.”
However, despite his stellar offensive game, Savoie has lots of room for improvement on the other side of the puck.
“Right now, I’ve been working on the defensive side of my game and my positioning in the defensive zone, [looking at] where I can be to be a better outlet for the defensemen and support the puck better,” said Savoie. “I’ve been going over video and lots of reps in practice, and it’s been really helping.”
“I think a big thing for him to play at the next level is his stamina,” added Patrick. “He’s conditioned and his fitness levels are good, but like I said, he’s fast twitch. I love his shift lengths when they’re 30-40 seconds, but if gets stuck out on the ice, his stamina is something that needs to get better. I’ve talked to him a lot about playing with his head up and not rushing. There are plays to be made and sometimes he forces them when they’re not there. There are games when he’s in on a lot of scoring chances, but I think he can even be better on the offensive side. There are games where he’s close — just almost connecting on a play. I just think that having his head up and making eye-to-eye contact with his teammates and putting his passes on the tape, he can get twice as many points if some of those plays connect. I think those are the two areas that, when they get better, it’ll be very noticeable.”
When he’s not busy working on his own game, Savoie likes to watch highlights of Brayden Point and Mat Barzal and wants to play a game similar to theirs.
“They’re really fun players to watch and they play the game the right way,” said Savoie. “Both of them are highly-skilled players and are hard-working guys who like to make their teammates better.”
Patrick certainly had more difficulty answering that question than his star centreman but offered a few comparable players of his own.
“I find it hard [to come up with a player comparison]. I’ve heard so many names. I’ve heard someone say [Brad Marchand] because Matt has a physical side; he will finish, he’s real thick —they’re about the same size — and he has real big legs and ass. I think that would be someone great to aspire to, but he’s still a ways away. I think at times with [Alex] DeBrincat in Chigago, Cole Caufield in Montreal, I see a bit of those players in him. Sometimes [Mat] Barzal with his skating and entries — gaining the line and making something happen. Those guys are all right-handers like [Savoie] as well — they skate well with a low centre of gravity.
With the draft fast approaching and Savoie becoming ever closer to realizing his childhood dreams, it can be quite a nerve-wracking experience. But armed with Patrick’s lessons, Savoie has played to the best of his abilities this year.
“Playing with confidence and being more comfortable with the puck and the pace of play has been huge for me,” said Savoie. “Just seeing things go your way and building your confidence is one of the biggest things.” Well, what better way to build more confidence than seeing a team call your name in the top-five of the NHL Entry Draft? While Savoie has made the most of his draft year and thoroughly enjoyed the experience, he will soon have another challenge to relish and another league in which to keep filling the nets. Here at DraftPro, we can’t wait to see him rise to the challenge, wherever he ends up.
Looking for more 2022 NHL Draft content? Look no further than the Draft Prospects Hockey 2022 Draft Guide or 2022 Yearbook, both available in digital download (pdf). The 2022 Draft Guide is also available in print edition (Amazon).
Here we are, at the end of a long but fun hockey season. One where things are starting to feel a little more normal after two seasons of interrupted schedules and many other roadblocks faced by the hockey world during a historical global pandemic. It was good to once again get into those cold rinks and watch skilled prospects compete on the ice live.
After thousands of reports generated and months of observing each prospects development path, we as a group have come up with our final rankings on who we believe will be the best prospect selected at the position we have them slotted.
So, without further ado, here is Draft Prospect Hockey’s Final Top 100 ranking assessment as compiled by our evaluators for the 2022 season.
For in-depth analysis of these, and many more prospects, pick up a copy of our comprehensive 2022 Draft Guide chalk full of content including our final top 240 rankings, 224 2022 NHL Draft eligible profiles plus much more in the 297 pages (available in both digital and print editions), and if you are looking for even more pick up our 2022 Yearbook (only in digital) featuring many of our actual game reports in the 537 pages.
The last major scouting event on the scouts calendar is the IIHF U18 World Championships that typically consists of the major hockey playing countries top U18 prospects in a best on best format with one caveat, the Canadian entry that is limited to bringing those prospects whose CHL or club teams have missed various league playoffs.
Last year in Texas we were spoiled with a Canadian entry that brought the best national U18 talent as many leagues were postponed or never got a season in due to the pandemic. This year it was almost back to normal with Canada fielding a lesser stacked roster than the one that dominated last spring, with the exception of the Russian invasion of Ukraine causing both the Russia and Belarus’ entries being banned from participating this year.
The 2022 event ran from April 23 to May 1 with a plucky Swedish entry surprising defeat of the strong USA NTDP squad in the gold medal game. The skilled Finns beat a solid Czech team for Bronze.
Draft Prospects Hockey had multiple sets of eyes on the event and offer this review of who impressed our evaluators before our group digs into our final ranking meetings this week.
Jonathan Lekkerimaki – F – Sweden (Djurgardens IF) – 2022 Eligible
The tournament leading scorer and one of the top performers for the goal medal winning Swedes, Lekkerimaki was not as consistently effective as some other prospects in Germany but when he flashed his abilities it was usually recorded on the scoresheet. His quick, deadly shot release, shifty elusiveness to get into scoring position and ability to control the puck while navigating the offensive zone is impressive and will potentially drive his draft status as a top 10 pick form July.
Liam Ohgren – F – Sweden (Djurgardens IF) – 2022 Eligible
Another of Djurgarden’s young forward talent’s, he is also the biggest and most physical of the three. He also has a very heavy shot that is dangerous. It was not until the final against the American’s however that he really showed how he can take over a game with his two-goal effort. He is a guy that some NHL team’s might really be falling in love with and could head his name much higher than the public rankings show.
Noah Ostlund – F – Sweden (Djurgardens IF) – 2022 Eligible
The running mate of both Lekkerimaki and Ohgren in Djurgarden also displayed his solid two-way play as well as silky offensive game putting up ten points in six game. His ability to carry pucks on zone entries, setting up plays was phenomenal and his vision to make a pass or sense the space to take the puck to the net made him extremely dangerous.
Calle Odelius – D – Sweden (Djurgardens IF) – 2022 Eligible
A well-built two-way defender, that has been somewhat overshadowed by the three-headed skilled forward group in Djurgarden this season, has become a riser up draft boards the past few months due to his rapidly developing game. His passing ability, especially his first pass, and even a handful of multi-zone stretch passes he dished throughout the tournament to streaking forwards, was eye catching and had scouts excited, discussing how they see he could spark quick strike offense at the NHL level.
Mattias Havelid – D – Sweden (Linkoping HC) – 2022 Eligible
Havelid was the teams top blueliner and trusted to eat minutes as well as contribute on the scoresheet. Finishing second in event scoring with twelve points did nothing but help his draft stock. One scout had this to say regarding the blueliner, “Mattias Havelid, he really impressed me this tournament, didn’t know that his shot was this good and dangerous.” Another scout added, “The only thing really holding me back on him to push him even higher would be his inconsistency on the breakout with his passing. I like a creative mind… but holy, sometimes it was too much to bear.”
Hugo Havelid – G – Sweden (Linkoping HC) – 2022 Eligible
The trusted stopper for the Swedes was Mattias’ twin brother Hugo. He is not seen as having NHL size but he is a solid positional goaltender who is just reliable. As one of our scouts commented, “Hugo was just so composed… seeing a goalie do what he did in back-to-back performances like that…legendary stuff. He’s so poised.”
Isaac Howard – F – USA (NTDP U18) – 2022 Eligible
Started the tournament off with a bang by putting up a four-goal outing against Canada. He quested off after that but was still buzzing on route to fourth in overall scoring at the event and eleven points in six games. His ability to sneak into prime areas and get quick, dangerous shots off as well as creative give and go passing plays were very impressive.
Logan Cooley – F – USA (NTDP U18) – 2022 Eligible
The top 2022 eligible at the event did not disappoint as he was dangerous each and every time he jumped the boards using his speed, slick puck skills and creativity to force defenders to back on their heels and provide him space. His “Michigan” goal was the epitome of high-end offensive skills and his overall performance likely solidified his top three rank for most NHL teams.
Rutger McGroarty – F – USA (NTDP U18) – 2022 Eligible
Rutger has been seen as a late first rounder in many rankings this season, mostly due to his lack of footspeed while skating, but what you saw in Germany is likely what his game will look like at the NHL level. So, if you are looking for a guy who skates like the wind or will deke and dangle around defenders, he is not likely your best option. But if you want an effort guys who will play physical and go to the net looking to bang in a puck while also flashing some offensive skill to make a creative pass you will not be disappointed with this prospect.
Cutter Gauthier – F – USA (NTDP U18) – 2022 Eligible
Much of what can be said of Gauthier was just said of McGroarty above with one major difference, Gauther is a very powerful and smooth skater. His shot is dangerous and he reads the developing play well, even when paired with high-end skill like Cooley, and gets to the right spots for an opportunity. We like Gauthier a lot and feel that he could be just scratching the surface of his offensive ability.
Ryan Leonard – F – USA (NTDP U18) – 2023 Eligible
Leonard’s gritty style and ability to contribute in a support role was evident as he made his opportunities count and showed off that hard shot as well as his big hit ability on the forecheck. Look for him to be a high-end power forward option for next summers draft.
Gavin Brindley – F – USA (TRI-CITY) – 2023 Eligible
Brindley was an add on to the U18 team from Tri-City of the USHL and he showed very well combining skill to distribute pucks as well as doing the majority of the heavy lifting or grunt work along the wall to win pucks on his line that features top end talents Isaac Howard and Frank Nazar.
Ryan Chesley – D – USA (NTDP U18) – 2022 Eligible
Chesley was a name that some in our group have been critical of this season after his highly impressive DY-1 showing, but at this tournament he might have won some of those critics over with his smooth skating, strong shut-down defensive play and puck rushing flashes. He sure reminds us of Ryan McDonagh when Montreal drafted him out of Cretin-Derham Hall.
Lane Hutson – D – USA (NTDP U18) – 2022 Eligible
Just a dynamic puck transporter and two-way workhorse. His shiftiness and quick thinking opens up so much ice for not only him but also his linemates. Generated tons of chances for his teammates and came away with eight assists, most of which were the highlight reel variety. If he were six-foot-two we would be challenging for the No. 1 overall pick, he is that dynamic. His processor, quick hands and feet combined with some of the best vision in the draft class are 100% worth a gamble on the tiny defender early in the draft.
Jiri Kulich – F – Czechia (HC Energie Karlovy Vary) – 2022 Eligible
The biggest riser from this tournament was the skilled Czech who was a load to handle for all the opponents he faced. He was engaged all over the ice playing a sound two-way game, but on the powerplay he was dangerous. “That one-timer of Kulich’s may be a nominee for one of the more potent shots in the 2022 NHL Draft… one of my favourite things about it too is how he can lay it off from just about anywhere, even on his weak side. He’s honestly a fearless shooter, there’s no wonder why he ranks among the top.” said a scout.
Eduard Sale – F – Czechia (HC Kometa Brno) – 2023 Eligible
A big riser for the 2023 draft after this showing as one scout put it. “Sale is a guy that is going to turn a lot of heads for the 2023 NHL Draft with his complex collection of offensive tools and slick skating. His array of skills generally blends down into his dynamic vision and soft hands. He finds creative routes with his edgework and playmaking, constantly changing his angles.” We might have been looking at a top-10 talent for 2023 here.
Adam Bares – F – Czechia (Pelicans) – 2022 Eligible
Creates his offense through competitiveness and effort. “It’s hard to ignore Bares when he steps on to the ice with the energy he injects into every shift. I wouldn’t label him as someone who’s able to control the pace of play or someone who creates chances at will, but he’s a guy you can’t give space since he’s going to be exploiting those smallest voids in the ice to pursue or carry the puck deep. Competes hard on the forecheck and isn’t afraid to assert himself despite his smaller size, flying into opponents with a good head of steam.” said a scout when asked about the wingers game. Could end up a solid bottom six NHL winger.
Tomas Hamara – D – Czechia (Tappara) – 2022 Eligible
Just played a consistent, no panic, puck-moving game while also showing strong defensive awareness in his own zone. One scout put it this way, “Just like Svozil in last year’s draft, I hope this Czech defender doesn’t slide. He’s a high IQ, two-way defender that’s engaged in all areas of the play. Not a physical brute but stands his [ground]. Nothing at the moment makes Hamara a dynamic puck mover or an offensive juggernaut, he’s just extremely solid in every zone. With his polished skating and hockey IQ, I don’t see why Hamara couldn’t make an impact as an NHL defenceman.”
Ales Cech – D – Czechia (Karpat) – 2022 Eligible
Performed better here than when we have seen him in the past. Nothing overly high-end but his strong defensive game is worth noting as a potential bottom pairing, PK guy at the next level. Fearless shot blocker, a tight gap and his constant involvement were impressive. Could be a guy teams look at to fill their defensive cupboard later in the draft.
Joakim Kemell – F – Finland (JYP) – 2022 Eligible
Scored six goals in five game despite missing a game after getting the flu. So naturally his energy was up and down in Germany. But he is a true finisher, his shot is dangerous with a deceptive release and quickness rather than blowing it by you. Slick hands and tricky puck skills. He is a threat to embarrass defenders or goalies as well with his sleek hands. He is a top talent in this class.
Aron Kiviharju – D – Finland (TPS) – 2024 Eligible
Highly impressive for such a young prospect to play big minutes on the top pairing for the Finnish team. Composed, competitive and creative all in one. Excellent skater and puck mover as well as playing sound defense as well using his stick and positioning. A potential superstar. He could develop into a bonafied No.1 NHL defenseman prospect at the top of the 2024 class.
Seven goals scored for the Germans and Lutz was in on four of them. Love the heavy shot and ability to get himself open to unleash the one-timer. It is hard to showcase your skill-set when you play on a weaker squad with far less skilled teammates but Lutz showed flashes of what we hoped to see. With his size, mobility and shot he is an early day two pick for our group.
Connor Bedard – F – Canada (Regina) – 2023 Eligible
Bedard is so dynamic, so smart and always a step or two ahead of everyone else on the ice. He consistently looked dangerous offensively, creating space and chances like he does as well as getting dangerous shots off himself to the tune of six goal in four games. But there was a bit of an undisciplined side that showed up as well. Maybe it was a byproduct of being on an underperforming team, not sure. While the scouts at DraftPro are in 100% agreement he is the top pick available for 2023, and maybe a generational NHL player down the road, this was not as impressive of a showing as he had in Texas at the U18’s last spring.
Adam Fantilli – F – Canada (Chicago) – 2023 Eligible
Fantilli was a little snake bit in Germany. He had numerous chances to score that just did not go in for him. He was a dangerous tandem to Bedard often creating high-end offensive chances due to his speed, physicality, and creativity. He hit hard and made one of the best set-up plays with a fanned on shot that quickly turned into a behind the back pass to an open Bedard that really showcased his quick thinking and adaptability. It has become a debate in some scouting circles for who goes No. 2 in 2023 between this power forward and the goal scorer from Russia, Matvei Michkov.
Michael Mastrodomenico – D – Canada (Lincoln) – 2022 Eligible
Loved the game Mastrodomenico brought to a somewhat pedestrian Canadian defense. He carried the puck up ice, made solid first passes, brought a physical edge stepping up on opponents, consistently skated up with the play and injected himself at both ends all tournament long. While he doesn’t look to have top pairing NHL upside, we do like him projected as a second pair two-way guy and were very impressed with his play here in Germany.
The Latvians were over matched offensively but still managed to scrape out a win. Because they were playing a move defensive game some of the offensive talented players were not able to show their skill-sets as much as they might against less talented opponents. Still Vilmanis was able to show off his impressive shot and quick hands in flashes and ended the event with three points in four games. He is a very good mid-round option that could really pop in a couple years developing in Sweden.
Gregory Weber – F – Switzerland (Bern) – 2022 Eligible
Impressed our scouts on a poor roster that could hardly compete by scoring three of the teams eight total goals in their four games. He has some impressive feet and offensive skills but it is the effort that stood out the most as one scout noted, “He has impressed me big time with his efforts in this tournament so far, especially his game performances against bigger nations like Finland and Sweden.”
Photos courtesy of IIHF.com
For actual game reports from the IIHF U18 tournament as well as many other tournaments and league games throughout the past two seasons be sure to pick up your digital copy of the 500+ page DraftPro 2022 NHL Yearbook.
A few weeks removed from the conclusion of the prep school playoffs, we look back at one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory. There was no organized prep school league last year, so it was always going to be interesting to see which teams took a leap forward, and which ones fell behind. Although there were a few cancellations, give credit to the coaches who made sure this season could go on as close to normal as possible for these kids. It was great to see trophies up for grabs again. While most of these players were able to get games in last year, there was no collective goal, or end game. This season, players laid it all out on the line to win tournaments. Playing prep hockey provides an opportunity you do not get in most leagues: the ability to play in front of your friends and classmates. The small rinks allow there to be an electric atmosphere. This culminated in the playoffs, where fans were packed shoulder-to-shoulder, and the noise was deafening.
Given the nature of the short season, you need to be sharp for every game. It is similar to college football in the sense that you cannot afford to go on a losing streak, or you will lose your shot at the championship. To win consistently in prep, you need depth and veteran leadership. In this review, we will focus on the schools that impressed most this season, spotlighting the NHL draft eligible prospects for the next few seasons.
Salisbury
Coming off the New England Prep Championship in 2020, it was always going to be difficult to repeat. Other teams were sure to get up for their games against Salisbury. This was evident in their early season struggles. However, Salisbury pulled it together, going 16-1 down the stretch to earn the 5-seed in the Elite 8 playoffs. However, they were faced with the tall task of taking down three top teams, all on the road. After defeating Dexter Southfield and Kimball Union, Salisbury capped off their great run with a 4-1 victory over Belmont Hill to recapture the New England Prep Championship.
Dylan Hryckowian
Elite 8 Tournament MVP, Dylan Hryckowian, was the driving force behind this team all season. The 2022 draft eligible prospect was the best player on the ice almost every shift. He has great speed, skill, and vision that make him a point producing machine. He does not get attention like others in the region because of his size, but his production speaks for itself. Hryckowian is joined by 2023 draft eligible prospect, Ben Poitras. His great hockey mind combined with his excellent puck skill make him a dangerous threat on the offensive end. He is no slouch on the defensive end either. Poitras is always getting his stick in passing lanes and plays big minutes on the penalty kill for his team. Finally, you do not win a Prep Championship without a solid netminder between the pipes. Austin McNicholas, a 2022 draft eligible prospect, stepped up in a big way for his team down the stretch. He finished the season with a 1.78 GAA and a .926 Save %. When he was on, he was as good as any goaltender in prep; highlighted in his playoff run where he gave up only three goals in three games.
Belmont Hill
Elite 8 Tournament runners-up, Belmont Hill, were led by first year head coach, Brian Phinney. He did a great job turning this program from an under .500 team in the last few seasons, to a 21-3-3 team this season. He changed the culture of this team, bringing structure and consistency. While they could score as well as any team in prep, they prided their selves on being disciplined defensively. They defended the middle of the ice better than any team and rarely gave up more than two goals.
James Fisher
Belmont Hill did not have the depth in scoring that other top teams had, but for what they lack in depth, they made up for in top line production. When they played together, the line of Ronan O’Donnell, James Fisher, and Teddy Stiga was arguably the best line in prep hockey. Ronan O’Donnell, 2022 draft eligible, led the team in points, putting together a nice tally of 12 goals and 20 assists. James Fisher is one of the most sought-after prospects in prep hockey. The 2022 draft eligible is a power forward that can shoots from everywhere and has a knack for scoring. He plays physically and goes hard to the net; difficult for defenders to contain. Teddy Stiga is a true freshman who came in and dominated prep from day one. The 2024 draft eligible is a dynamic playmaker who drives the play for his team. He just received an invite to the NTDP Evaluation Camp and is almost a shoo-in for the team. Belmont Hill’s defense is an experienced group with size and athleticism. In goal, they are led by the best goaltending prospect in prep hockey, Sam Scopa. The 2023 draft eligible has the best rebound control in prep hockey. He is not the biggest goaltender, but he stays square to shooters and eats pucks. The most impressive thing with Scopa is his levelheadedness. He had some bad games, like any goalie, but he always stayed focused and has a “get the next one” mentality.
Kimball Union
Perennial powerhouse, Kimball Union, came into this season with high expectations. They finished the regular season with a record of 27-3-1, which was enough to claim the top-seed in the Elite 8 playoffs. This is a testament to their excellent depth. They did not play as difficult of a schedule as some that qualified for the Elite 8 tournament, but they stayed focused all season and beat who was put in front of them. Kimball Union eventually fell in overtime in the playoffs to Salisbury, after giving the champions all they could handle.
The Wildcats had an experienced blue line and got scoring throughout the lineup. They had five players that averaged over a point-per-game. Tyler Wishart was the top point producer in prep hockey this season with 53 points. The 2022 draft eligible has an excellent hockey mind and sets his teammates up all over the ice. He was accompanied by prep hockey’s leading scorer, Jaiden Moriello. Moriello was first draft eligible in 2021, but after missing most of his sophomore season with injury and most of his junior season because of the pandemic, he was passed up. The UMASS-Lowell commit is not the best skater, but what he lacks in speed, he makes up for with effort and intelligence. He has a great sense of where the puck will be and gets to the right spot to score goals. Wishart and Moriello are the guys you want out there in crucial times if you need a goal. A key contributor on the back end was Duncan Ramsay. The 2022 draft eligible is built like a monster. He can shut down the other team’s top line and pinches down to contribute to the offense.
Avon Old Farms
John Gardner is a top tier coach who always gets the most out of his team. This season, Gardner had the privilege of coaching an older, more experienced team. They were arguably the deepest team in prep with an explosive offense. There was not just one player or line that did the scoring, they got production from up and down the lineup. There always seemed to be a different guy stepping up to help the team. The veteran leadership was not enough to fend off Belmont Hill, though, as they fell out of the Elite 8 playoffs in the semifinal.
As seen in many of their fellow Elite 8 teams, Avon had solid play between the pipes. Post-grad, Conor Callaghan, who was first eligible for the draft in 2021, had a tremendous year and was the most consistent goaltender all season. He finished the year with a 1.27 GAA and a .948 Save %. Accompanying Callaghan was arguably the best defensive pairing in prep, 2022 draft eligibles, Sam Court and Jordin Palmer. They complemented each other well. Court is more of an offensive defenseman that likes to push the pace while Palmer is more solid defensively, who is a good skater and brings it physically. Up front, their most notable prospect is Brennan Ali. The 2022 draft eligible struggled to produce as much as expected early in the season but turned it on at the end. He is heavy on pucks and plays physically in all three zones. Joining Ali up front are a pair of 2022 draft eligibles, Charlie Gollob, and Matthew DiMarsico. Both guys will not blow you away with their speed, but they get the most out of their ability by giving 100% effort all the time. In a team of mostly ‘02s, ‘03s, and ‘04s, there is one ’05 who lighted the lamp regularly. Joe Connor, 2023 draft eligible, is a speedy forward who was the leading scorer on this team for most of the season. He went quiet in the last couple weeks, but still finished as an over point-per-game scorer.
Dexter Southfield
This is a different look Dexter team this season. Generally, they rely on their top guys to carry them to success. However, this year they had to rely on their depth more than any team who qualified for the Elite 8 playoffs. Between injuries and COVID, they were never able to field a full team. Goaltending became an issue this season, as they had to play their third string goalie multiple times this season in a pinch. Dexter heated up towards the end of the regular season, winning their last five to qualify for the Elite 8 playoffs. They just ran into an even hotter Salisbury team and got bumped in the quarterfinals.
Grayson Badger
Dexter’s high-powered offense was carried by a trio of 2022 draft eligible players. Grayson Badger outworks everyone on the ice regularly. He has amazing athleticism and plays physically. His skating stride is a little awkward, but he is another one of those guys that gets the most out of his ability. Will Hughes does everything for this team. He was not only the leading scorer with 16 goals; he was also always out there taking important faceoffs for Dexter. One of those guys who could play up or down the lineup at the next level. Bobby Landry sees the ice well and has a good hockey IQ. The production was not always there for him this season, but a lot of his work does not show up on the score sheet. The most exciting prospect out of Dexter is defenseman, Sean Keohane. He is rounding into the best 2023 draft eligible prospect in prep hockey. He has always been a good skater and solid defensively, but this season, he started to develop more confidence in his offensive game. Look for him to come out next year and blow people away with his two-way game.
St. Sebastian’s
St. Sebastian’s struggled with consistency all season. They were one of the most prolific offenses in prep but could not keep the puck out of their net at times. St. Sebastian’s had good balance in their roster. They have experienced veterans with a sprinkle of young talent. After going down 3-0 in the third period to their rivals, Belmont Hill, they battled back only to come up one goal short in the Elite 8 quarterfinals.
If the Belmont Hill top line was not the best in prep hockey, this one was. Brendan Gorman, Jayden Grier, and Michael Callow were nothing short of dominant. Brendan Gorman, first eligible for draft in 2021, has put together a great senior season. He has flown under the radar all year, despite putting up nearly two points-per-game. Jayden Grier, 2022 draft eligible, does a lot of underappreciated dirty work. He is always digging pucks out of corners and plays a solid two-way game. Michael Callow, 2022 draft eligible, is the top prospect out of the three. He is an effortless skater with a lethal shot. What holds him back is consistency. If he can be a threat to score every shift, he will be a great power forward at the next level. St. Sebastian’s also had a high-scoring freshman. Teddy Mutryn, 2025 draft eligible, averaged nearly a point-per-game playing against people up to five years older than him. It took him a little while to get comfortable with the league, but once he settled in, not many teams could stop him. St. Sebastian’s also got offensive production from their blue line. Nolan Joyce, 2022 draft eligible, led all prep hockey defensemen in goals with 14. He also chipped in with an assist per game to bring his point tally to 38 on the season.
Michael Callow
Cushing
Cushing developed the identity of a team that is difficult to play against. They were not the most skilled team in prep hockey this season, but if you were going to beat them, you were going to have to grind the game out. The Penguins did not have the most impressive record this season, finishing 17-7-3. However, they had some huge wins against Kimball Union and Dexter Southfield. They were always going to be underdogs coming up against Avon Old Farms in the quarterfinals of the Elite 8 playoffs, and, unfortunately for them, their season ended in a 6-0 defeat.
This team was led by good goaltending all season. Jackson Irving, 2022 draft eligible, posted an impressive 2.03 GAA and a .926 Save %. While these stats are good, what makes him special is the ability to stand on his head and win his team games by himself. In front of him, the defense is led by 2022 draft eligible, Owen Paskowski. He is a defensive defenseman who specializes in slowing down the rush of the opposition and clearing his own zone with sharp breakout passes. Up front, the Penguins have a few young guns that were point-per-game players. Ethan Gardula plays the right way. The 2023 draft eligible is a power forward that drives hard to the net and gives you all he has. Linus Dedinas, 2023 draft eligible, is a two-way forward that has a good stick. Finally, Landan Resendes is the most sought-after prospect on this team. The 2024 draft eligible is highly skilled and has a good motor.
Holderness
Alan Thompson did wonders with Holderness this season. Since being named head coach in 2015, Thompson has had just under a .500 win percentage. Holderness turned it around this season and earned their first ever birth into the Elite 8 playoffs. They relied on team defense and goaltending to win games this season. Holderness finished the season with a 20-4-3 record with three of their losses coming against Kimball Union, including one in the Elite 8 quarterfinals.
Holderness was led on the backend by 2022 draft eligible, Dave Brandes. He logs a ton of minutes for this team and is called upon in every situation. He is solid defensively and likes to pinch up and join the offense as well. Offensively, Holderness is led by 2022 draft eligible, Nick Messina. He is a quick forward who delivers in all three zones. Alan Thompson does an excellent job of getting these guys to play for each other and give 100% each night.
Kent
The schools that finish outside of the Elite 8 playoffs are broken up into large school and small school divisions. The top eight teams in each division battle it out for the Large School and Small School Championships. While not as prestigious as the Elite 8 playoffs, these tournaments always produce hard fought battles.
Kent had the most interesting season in prep hockey. They had two huge victories against eventual champions, Salisbury. At the same time, they had some inexplicable losses against lower-level competition. This is due to their lack of experience on the backend. Kent had three underclassmen manning the blue line night in and night out. They struggled down the stretch, finishing 2-2 in their last 4 games, holding them out of the Elite 8 playoffs. However, they turned it on in the playoffs, winning three straight games to capture the Large School Championship.
Kent gets most of its scoring from their experienced forwards. Their top seven scorers are all ’03 birth years. However, Kent has some nice young prospects on the blue line. Alexander Bales is a 2024 draft eligible that plays a ton of minutes for this team. As with any young defenseman in this league, he struggled at times, but overall, he was solid defensively. Jacob Ingstrup, 2025 draft eligible, had a great first year in prep. Despite playing against guys who are up to five years more physically mature than him, Ingstrup was able to hold his own. Next year, look for him to develop more confidence and start contributing offensively.
Brunswick
This Brunswick roster was the youngest out of any of the playoff teams. They were a fast, skilled team that liked to push the pace of games. Not many teams this season could deal with their depth and offensive firepower. They could consider themselves a bit unlucky to have missed out on the Elite 8 playoffs, but they did enough to earn a 1-seed in the Large School Tournament. This high upside, young roster got to the final before losing to Kent 4-2.
If you look back at this roster in ten years, there might be a few NHL players. Son of Marty, Lucas St. Louis averaged over a point-per-game on the defensive end. The 2023 draft eligible is a puck moving defenseman that is incredibly poised on the puck. Up front, Brunswick was led by their star, 2022 draft eligible, Hank Cleaves. He grew a lot over the past year and plays with much more explosiveness. He was complemented with 2024 draft eligible, and recent NTDP Evaluation Camp invitee, Andrew DellaSalla. He is probably on the outside looking in to get a spot on the NTDP roster, but getting an invite is such an accomplishment in itself. If Brunswick can keep most of this team together, they will be one of the favorites to win the Prep School Championship next season.
Pomfret
In contrast, Pomfret was the oldest team that qualified for the playoffs this season. They were led by a stout group of seniors all over their lineup. Pomfret was not the most skilled team, but they knew how to grind out games. They struggled against the top teams all season but did a good job avoiding bad losses. This was enough to earn them the 4-seed in the Small School Tournament. Their experience lifted them to the Small School Championship.
Down the stretch, Pomfret was led by senior captain, Nils Forselius. The 2022 draft eligible was huge for Pomfret all season, but really turned it on in the playoffs. In the championship game, he netted two goals, including the game winner, to propel Pomfret to the 4-2 victory over Gunnery. Forselius was joined by Kellen Beauton, who was first draft eligible in 2021. He posted a 2.03 GAA and a .942 Save % this season. He also turned it on in the back half of the season to lift Pomfret to the championship.
St. Mark’s
This team could score goals, averaging just shy of 5 goals per game. Carl Corazinni had his team turning defense into offense. They were one of the most prolific teams on the counterattack. St. Mark’s did not have the depth that other teams did, but their top-end talent propelled them to the 1-seed in the Small School Tournament. They battled hard but lost to a more experienced team in Pomfret in the semifinals.
St. Mark’s were led by arguably the best player in prep, Michael Fisher. The 2022 eligible has great size and is an excellent skater. He has always been a top tier defender, but this year, he took on a bigger role and produced at nearly a two point-per-game rate. He led all of prep hockey defensemen with 50 points. Up front, St. Mark’s had a lot of young talent. Most notable is Richard Gallant, who is a 2025 draft eligible. He also scored at nearly a two point-per-game clip, but he did it as a freshman. He is skilled, he skates well, and does not back down from anything. He gets knocked down often but always gets back up, and he gives it back. Watch out for this guy. If he is driving the play for his team this early in his career, you never know what he will come out and do in the next couple years. Gallant was joined up front by Andrew Gibbons. The 2023 draft eligible knows how to score goals. He may not be the fastest skater or most skilled, but he is another one of those guys who outperforms his skill level. Jim Lyver is another 2023 draft eligible that produced for this team. He is an intelligent player that gets to the dirty areas to finish off plays and score goals. Lyver also plays a solid two-way game and was heavily relied on in defensive situations.
Other Prospects
Ben MacDonald
This review would not be complete without looking at all notable prospects in the region. Center, Ben MacDonald from Noble & Greenough, is the most sought-after player in the region for the 2022 draft. When others took a year off to relax during the COVID break, MacDonald took the time to get stronger and improve his skill. He is a dynamic two-way forward that thinks the game and sees the ice well. Rivaling him for prep player of the year was defenseman, Chris Romaine from Milton. Romaine is a fabulous skater that eludes pressure with the puck on his stick. The 2022 draft eligible is still growing and filling out his frame. Another 2022 draft eligible prospect that impressed this season was Jack Brandt, from Tabor. He carries the offense for his team and plays selflessly. Brandt is always looking to set up his teammates in high danger areas. The final 2022 draft eligible to note is goaltender, Conor Sullivan from Rivers. Sullivan posted a 2.08 GAA with a .927 Save % this season. He is truly a gamer; he is one of those guys who gets better when he faces a ton of shots.
Looking ahead to future drafts, prep hockey has a lot of potential. The 2023 draft eligibles are headlined by a pair of twins, Donovan and Julian Frias, from St. George’s. They are the most entertaining duo to watch in prep hockey. On any given shift, the two of them are hunting down pucks and knocking people are their backside. Finally, there are three more prep hockey players that received invites to the NTDP Evaluation Camp. Goaltenders Thatcher Bernstein and Ryder Shea both had impressive rookie seasons for Nobles & Greenough and St. George’s, respectively, while forward, Gavin Cornforth put together nearly a point and a half per game season for Thayer.
Recap
After missing an entire season last year, a lot of draft eligible players jumped ship and played in the USHL. This was always going to be a difficult season because of COVID restrictions, but overall, the players and coaches did a great job of re-establishing the culture of prep hockey. This is still a great league and that was showcased in high-level games in great atmospheres. When it is all said and done, there will be 7-8 players from New England Prep Hockey selected in the 2022 NHL entry draft.
After a long winter of viewing the best late 2003 and 2004 born hockey prospects from around the globe we came together as a group to hammer out our spring rankings. This is the fourth of five rankings we at DraftPro put out with our last and final rankings released just after our draft publications are published in late May.
Compounding our thoughts going into this meeting were our thoughts on what is going on in Europe with the invasion of Ukraine by their neighbors Russia, and what that might do to not only the global future but also the immediate outlook for those young men who are playing the game in both nations. Would NHL teams shy away from investing in a prospect because of the unknown surrounding this situation? Some of our own staff have been uprooted as they flee the conflict, and our thoughts are ultimately on them and their safety first and foremost.
Eventually we decided to submit our spring rankings based solely on evidence of on-ice skills, and not what might be a boycott of an entire nations talent pool (Russia) as a result of one regime’s power hungry actions.
Below is our Draft Prospects Hockey Spring ranking release of the top 100 prospects eligible for the 2022 NHL Entry draft.
One scout will see a sure fire top six scorer while another scout might see a AHL journeyman. One might see a can’t miss prospect while the other scout might not see anything to get excited about.
At Draft Prospects Hockey we task our group of evaluators to not only breakdown skill sets of each prospect they observe and speak on progression from view to view, which is very important to track, but also to give their best assessment of what type of future player these kids could eventually become at the highest level in an attempt to give our readers an educated idea of what upside each NHL prospect might have. That can be a daunting task as much change happens between views in a season let alone in the time between viewing a seventeen-year-old boy to when that same boy becomes a twenty-five-year-old man playing at the NHL level. But if you look close enough the clues to make those projections are there.
Below are some select reports on some of the 2022 Draft Class taken from actual game reports. We hope you enjoy these monthly reports this season as we give you, our reader, a small sample of what our evaluators see on the ice.
February 2, 2022 Reaktor Nizhnekamsk vs Ladia Togliatti (MHL) Joseph Peters
34 C Raul Yakupov, Reaktor Nizhnekamsk (MHL), 6’1”, 168, L, DOB 06.21.2004
Upright skater. Needs to bend and add some flexibility to his skating. He can skate his way down the ice with some power and create chances. Lacks elusive escape ability. When he was kept to the outside he managed to get a backhand on net for a shorthanded opportunity. Showed some patience not forcing a shot towards the net. On the power play, he could have fired the puck but recognized the chances of getting the puck on net was slim. Instead, he used his hands to carefully stop his shot and handle the puck, eventually moving it back to the point. Showed nice ability to win faceoffs. Attempted to regain possession on the power play by backchecking and stick lifting the puck carrier in the neutral zone. Creeps around the defensive zone picking up coverage. Turns his back to shield the puck and attempts to shove the opposition. Strong and competitive in the faceoff category of his position. When the puck is a 50/50 chance, he uses smarts and strength to tie up the opposing center, eliminating the option of using his stick. Either using his feet or waiting for his teammates to jump in, for the most part he can stand his ground on top of the circle. Sometimes his body language shows laziness. His feet stop moving, floats around the ice, and has his stick up by his waist. Almost as if he is waiting for the puck to come to him, rather than working to get the puck himself. He is a bit physical. Throws his body around, but it is not going to plaster someone to the glass.
February 5, 2022 Lethbridge Hurricanes vs Swift Current Broncos (WHL) Matt Hnatiuk
24 RW Josh Filmon, Swift Current (WHL), 6’2″, 159, L, DOB 03.18.2004
Josh is a tall, lean forward who is always active when he’s on the ice. For the most part he shows an average top speed that is powered by his quick feet and a nice even stride, but occasionally he will find an extra gear and get his feet to move a little faster allowing him to separate from pressure or help him win a puck race. He is good on his edges and is able to maneuver just as quickly as his feet move. He shows he has good puck control and is able to settle pucks quickly when he has to and can move them on nice and smoothly. He is able to control the puck near his top speed, but when he really wants to separate from the opposition, there is sometimes a lag from the thought of speeding up and keeping the puck on his stick. His feet start moving quicker before his head and hands can keep up. Usually he can maintain control, but sometimes, he results in a turned over puck. He does show good patience with the puck, especially on special teams and doesn’t just throw it away that often. He usually takes a second to look around and find his best options, and if he can’t find one, peels back and tries again. He shows good scoring ability as well as playmaking skill. He is fairly well rounded when it comes to this area of his game. He is equal parts shooter and passer. He has a quick wrist shot that he tries to let off as fast as he can while not allowing the goaltender to know it’s coming. He is accurate from within range (top of the circles down) and he is willing to let shots go from almost anywhere he can. His passing and playmaking are just as good as his scoring. He is able to spot streaking and open teammates and quickly dish off passes that lead to high quality scoring chances. He isn’t afraid to try higher risk passes to try and make plays happen. He has a well rounded IQ and is able to read plays as well as formations at both ends of the ice. His IQ is higher in the o-zone, but I expect that from a forward of his calibre. He also shows great anticipation in the o-zone and has an ability to know when to pressure with more intensity to create a turnover in his favor. Physically, he doesn’t play a hard game. He will use his body to separate the opponent from the puck when he needs to, but you won’t see him make bone crushing hits every shift. Defensively Josh is active, but not often a noticeable defender. He does well to chip the puck out and chase them down, and he is effective at pressuring the defense at the blue line and making them rush their movements. Josh plays a nice, even offensive game with two-way ability. He has nice puck moving and shooting skills that will translate well at the next level. I think he could be a 5th round choice this draft and has potential to be a middle six player at the next level.
February 5th, 2022 Guelph Storm vs Owen Sound Attack (OHL) Jared Brown
4 D, Michael Buchinger, Guelph (OHL), 6’0”, 185, L, DOB 04.25.2004
Buchinger is a well-rounded rearguard that provides plays on both offence and defence. Had an impressive game and was noticeable for almost the entire game. He plays both special teams and his work on the penalty kill was solid. Using his mobility to actively get our from the front of his net and pressure. Places his stick and body in the way of passes and shots. Displays an effective reaching stick while defending the rush that can stifle zone entries for the other team. Pair that with a great gap control and he’s a reliable defender against the rush. An aspect to his transitional defence is due to his effortless skating ability. He moves well in all four directions. Smooth back skater with great lateral mobility and can lead the attack up the ice by activating his feet on the breakout. Possesses high-end awareness, hockey sense, and play recognition shown in his puck movement at both ends of the rink. His puck distribution on zone exits were solid. He does have trouble making a play on his backhand. Connected on his stretch passes and made sure his zone exit passes were crisp and hard. Does a great job waiting for the lane to be open. Offensively he made smart slip passes back to a teammate covering him at the point after pinching on a 50/50 puck on the boards. His awareness allows him to recognize plays and execute on them to set up his teammates. His shots were kept low from the point and attributed to his teams first goal of the game. An area I’d like to see him improve on is his ability to play the body. Buchinger has second paring NHL potential and is a mid-round prospect in my books, possible a late second rounder.
February 13, 2022 St Michaels vs Caledon (OJHL) Matt Morrison
5 RD, Jack Sparkes, St Michaels (OJHL), 6’8, 229, R, 10-20-2003
Jack Sparkes is a long rangey defender that takes up a ton of room on the blue line. He plays for the Buzzers in the OJHL and is a part of a strong defensive group. He uses his size well to impact the game in different ways. That means physicality is there, long reach and active stick plus a long lanky stride that helps him get around with ease. He is surprisingly coordinated for his size and seems to be pretty solid at 229lbs. Some of the hits he threw in this one were heavy and exactly why he will be drafted. He started on the top pairing in a shut down role against the top line. He plays top line penalty kill and second unit power play. I will say I love how he knows what his game is and doesn’t force it. Not much offense despite a heavy shot. The wind up is just way too long and predicable. Will need work on his foot work along the blue line to get shots through as he’s a pretty stationary shooter from the point. His first step isn’t the quickest but he relies on strong edge work and a long stride to create speed. Sparkes forced a long pass a couple times and they ended up working out so I wonder if he does have some more offense to his game that is mostly playmaking. If he can work on the release he will also end up getting way more goals for a kid who already fires the puck heavy. He seems to have solid vision when he makes his first pass it is usually the quick and smart play. Defensively is where he makes his bread. He threw a huge hit in this one along the boards that sent his opposition flying. Likewise he took one he didn’t like and came back with some cross checks and a fight. Not afraid to get into it clearly and at his size that’s an element NHL teams will love. I have him as a later round pick in the NHL draft. He projects as a shut down bottom pair defender due to his size and edge.
February 13, 2022. Leksand IF J20 vs Frolunda HC J20 (J20 Nationell) Charlie Thelin
22 RW Joel Ratkovic-Berndtsson, Frolunda HC J20 (J20 Nationell), 6’0’’,179, L, DOB 10.18.2003
A tough winger with many offensive skill sets. Ratkovic has had a great season thus far as he is over a point per game player who keeps producing and working hard night in and night out. He is a player that loves to have speed under his skates and there is nothing strange with that as he possesses a rapid and fluid skating technique. His first steps are frenetic and explosive, and he follows them nicely with athletic long powerful strides. Skilled to carry the puck at this speed with his smooth stickhandling and creative mind, doesn´t panic when he´s facing an opponent as he often makes a small body deke or a fast change or direction to get past. In addition to his skill is he a player who has an amount of grit to his game, not afraid of the physical game and likes to enter the dirty areas on the ice. Can for instance throw a heavy hit on his aggressive forechecks and be involved in scrums in the corners or in front of the net. His strongest attributes are in the offensive zone, he has good positioning with his hockey sense as he always seems to appear in the right areas to release his shot or pick up a loose puck or rebound. Shows overall a great creativity and finesse in the offensive zone with smart opening passes and a confidence on the puck that results in crafty yet unexpected dekes in tight time-pressured situations. Plays a huge role with the man advantage, often the one who creates the easy entries to establish pressure. Exhibits great movement on the powerplay as well to be open and ready to release his hard accurate wrister that is a goal scorer’s shot. On the downside, can appear inactive and stationary in the defensive play, his positioning is decent, however it would be nice to see him use that hunger that shows offensively in the defensive zone as well. Ratkovic is a lethal scoring winger who is a constant offensive threat with his qualities, and I must say I’m a bit surprised that his name doesn’t get mentioned more when it comes to discussions about the upcoming NHL-draft.
February 18, 2022 The Winchendon School vs Dexter Southfield (USHS-Prep) Andrew LeBlanc
Maximum effort, scoring forward. Plays every shift like it is his last. He loves to attack through the neutral zone with speed. He plays a very north-south game and pushes the puck up the ice quickly. He has great straight-line speed, and he leaves defenders in the dust at this level. He has a great ability of getting leverage on opponents and using his speed to either create high danger chances or draw penalties. As he moves up to the next level, he will need to work on his deceptiveness coming through the neutral zone. He did not seem to have much creativity with the puck. In the offensive zone, he is always throwing pucks into dangerous areas in front of the net. Good things usually happen when he is on the puck. He crashes the net hard for rebounds. He is not the biggest guy, but he is not scared to throw his body around. He chases down loose pucks often and engages in puck battles. As he fills out his frame, he will only become more effective in fighting for 50/50 pucks. He has some work to do defensively. He shows a lot of effort, but he should work on his positioning to be more effective. One thing that is important to note is his team-first mentality. He is quick to compliment others for his own success and does not blame others for mistakes. He is the type of player that people love playing with because he makes people around him better. He is a player that is easy to root for, and by all accounts, he is an amazing teammate and leader. Badger has tremendous upside, given his drive, making him a hot commodity in the middle rounds of the 2022 NHL entry draft. If all goes well in his development, he could become a two-way middle 6 forward in the NHL.
