The NHL Draft is an opportunity to reset or chart a new course. Some teams do this by drafting picks, while others use assets to make trades.
The 2022 NHL Draft saw a mix of both, as well as some unpredictable selections. Here’s a scorecard for each of the league’s 32 teams.
Buffalo Sabres: A
Buffalo had and made three picks in the first round – Matt Savoy, Jiri Kulich and Noah Ostlund. If there’s one fault with this roster, it’s that all three are forwards, but when your blue line already includes Owen Power and Rasmus Dahlin, perhaps that concern disappears. That’s a lot of skill added to an already thriving front group. Buffalo also took the first netminder in the draft, selecting Finnish goaltender Topias Leinonen 41st overall.
Montreal Canadiens: A
Heads turned, but only for a moment, when Juraj Slafkowski came off the board first overall. The big, scoring wing was considered by many to be the second-best power forward in the draft, and Montreal needed a center. The Habs solved that problem by trading away former third round pick Kirby Dach. Later in the first round, Montreal took Slovakian Filip Messar. Where the Canadiens really excelled was with the first two picks on Day 2. Here, they grabbed Owen Beck and Lane Houston, considered by many to be first-round talents. Houston, in particular, is among the best in the draft in terms of skill; just his 5-foot-8 frame as a linebacker scared teams. Montreal appears positioned for a quick upward swing in its recovery.
The first three picks of the NHL draft brought many surprises. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
Seattle Kraken: A
No one knows how it happened, but when Shane Wright fell to fourth overall, the Seattle Kraken were there to pick him up. Now with Matty Beniers and Wright in the middle, Seattle has the foundation to win in the future. In Round 2, the Kraken stole another first round skill player in Jagger Firkus. Extremely creative and dangerous from all areas of the offensive zone, when Firkus fills up, he can fill the net for the Kraken. On Day 2, Seattle took Ty Nelson 68th overall. The undersized blueliner could turn into a steal. Seattle also found good value in Tucker Robertson and David Goyette.
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Columbus Blue Jackets: A
If Columbus had left this draft with just three picks, its selections of David Jiricek, Denton Matejchuk and Luca Del Bel Belluz would have been enough. The Blue Jackets got two of the top five defensemen in the draft, and there’s a legitimate chance Jiriček could turn out to be a player other teams regret letting slip to the sixth pick. Columbus played by the rules and the rankings, with few surprises in the early round, and maybe that’s a good thing.
Minnesota Wild: A-
With two first-round picks, the Wild added Liam Ogren 19th overall, then stole Danila Yurov, considered by many to be a top-10 talent, at 24th. Beyond that pair, who both project as surefire NHL players, Minnesota did a good job on Day 2 by adding Hunter Haight and Rieger Lorenz. Haight is a smart two-way center, and Lorenz has late first-round upside.
Winnipeg Jets: A-
The Jets took two very different players in the first round. Brad Lambert was once considered a top-five prospect, and he is undoubtedly a highly skilled performer. He could be a steal at No. 30. While some may say they reached for Rutger McGroarty at No. 14, no one can blame the Jets, as there is a lot to love about the tough, disruptive game that McGroarty plays. Besides that pair, Winnipeg found value in Elias Salomonson and Danil Zhilkin in the second and third rounds.
Anaheim Ducks: A-
There’s a lot to like about the Ducks’ draft class. Pavel Mintyukov is one of the elite offensive defensemen in the draft, and Noah Warren and Tristan Luneau immediately add depth to a blue line group that has been thin outside of current NHLer Jamie Drysdale. Anaheim addressed this organizational need with emphasis. The icing on the cake for Anaheim was grabbing big forward Nathan Gauche in the first round. The Ducks entered the draft with the clear goal of addressing their biggest team need, and they succeeded.
Arizona Coyotes: B+
Selecting Logan Cooley over Wright at third overall was questionable, but the Coyotes have restocked their prospect stockpile through volume alone. Moving up in the first round and then selecting Maveric Lamoureux, who would have been available later, was also a little confusing. With their other pick in the first round, the Coyotes made a surefire pick by grabbing Connor Geeke at 11. In the second, Artem Duda became the Coyotes’ second blueliner, followed by Julian Lutz, who could turn into a late steal. If Geekie and Cooley go to plan, the Coyotes draft could become an ‘A’, but the players who went with the third, 29th and 36th picks could re-draft down the road, reliving the nightmare.
Carolina Hurricanes: B+
The Hurricanes pitching staff should be commended for their 2022 draft class. What they were able to accomplish without a first round pick is impressive. Gleb Trikozov and Alexander Perevalov are legitimate prospects who had a chance to go in the first round. They may have fallen to picks 60 and 71 due to the NHL’s hesitancy toward Russian players, but that could be good for Carolina. Simon Forsmark was another shrewd pick, while Chaz Lucius is an intriguing sleeper who saw less of the spotlight in a deep USNTDP squad but could feature as a middle-six forward. Carolina’s biggest steal may be fifth-round pick Vladimir Grudinin.
Chicago Blackhawks: B+
If you had to judge the Blackhawks on their three first-round picks — Kevin Korczynski, Frank Nazar and Sam Rinzel — it’s a good day. In fact, these three players based on the draft alone could earn an “A” grade for the Blackhawks. General manager Kyle Davidson is either a genius or made mistakes as a rookie in the mixed messages of the day. He traded two of his youngest stars, 21-year-old Dach and 24-year-old Alex DeBrincat, who both looked like part of the future solution. In terms of talent, there’s no telling if the Blackhawks won or lost.
Washington Capitals: B+
Everyone is hoping this draft grade becomes an “A” for the Capitals. It is very possible if concerns about the health of Ivan Miroshnichenko are in the past. He’s a top 10, maybe top five talent, and the Capitals claimed Miroshnichenko at 20th. Ryan Chesley was another player some scouts had in the top 20, and the Capitals selected the stalwart USNTDP defenseman at No. 37. Washington played safety the rest of the way, adding good depth.
New Jersey Devils: B
For an organization that needed defensemen, grabbing Simon Nemec and Seamus Casey, two of the best puck movers who both thrive in transition, was a win. Could the Devils have traded back, especially with Wright and Cooley on board, and still picked Nemek while picking up another asset? Almost certainly. But that’s a hypothetical we’ll never get an answer to. Big netminder Tyler Brennan has potential for the future. With the talent the Devils have in their system, picking up for organizational needs was wise, even if they left the talent on the table.
Philadelphia Flyers: B
Taking Cutter Gauthier fifth overall is a choice loved by many and questioned by some. Gauthier jumped up the rankings at the end of the season, seemingly following the NHL combine when scouting opportunities ended. He had a great U-18 World Cup and will be in the NHL, but whether he was fifth we will only see in the future. Devin Kaplan, another USNTDP player, has great potential.
Detroit Red Wings: B-
Don’t question Steve Yzerman. At least not yet. The team needed a center and secured that position at number 8 by selecting Austrian Marco Kasper. They then drafted USHL Rookie of the Year Dylan James. Taking Ville Husso on draft day was another blow for Yzerman. What followed is where this draft would rate for the Wings. The Red Wings swung for the fences with Dmitry Buchelnikov and then did what they’ve become known for, picking up lesser-known Europeans like Anton Johansson and Maximilian Kilpinen.
St. Louis Blues: B-
None of St. Louis’ first four picks were outrageous. Jimmy Snuggerud is intriguing. For the stacked USNTDP, it was hard to tell if Snuggerud was the benefactor of the skills that surrounded him, or if he was the catalyst. Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, a Finnish striker, also has a lot of upside.
Nashville Predators: B-
Some people saw Joakim Kemmel as a top 10 player, and he could still become one of the best scorers from this draft class. Adam Ingram was a good pickup at No. 82 overall, but the Predators, who had holes on the blue line on the organizational depth chart, did little to address the problem.
Tampa Bay Lightning: B-
Isaac Howard may have a one-pointed mind, but when his mind is on scoring, and often, it could be worse. His team play is questionable, but there’s a lot to love and he’s shown his personality on the draft stage, something the NHL needs more of. It was surprising to see Howard still available at No. 31 overall, but for the Lightning, it was a case of the rich getting richer. Lucas Edwards was one of the most talked about overage players in the draft and could be closer to the NHL than many others.
Vancouver Canucks: B-
Vancouver was gifted Jonathan Lekerimaki at No. 15. Many considered his skill set worthy of a top 10 pick. He’s creative, can score goals, finds passing lanes where there aren’t any, and can be exciting to watch with the other you’re Sweden’s Elias Petersson… no, not Elias Petersson, picked by the Canucks in round 3. It’s hard to get too excited about this group aside from Lekkerimaki.
Dallas Stars: C+
Taking Lian Bichsel has a big upside. It’s hard to pass up on the towering defenseman, and while the Stars may have to be patient with his development, the upside is worth the wait. Defense was clearly a focus for the Stars, who selected blueliners including Christian Kyrou and George Fegaras with their first four…
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