2022 NHL Entry Draft

[RomanP]

On 9/26/2021 at 12:42 PM, Stierlitz said:

 

Especially for you (you probably will be the only one who understands lol)

 

[HighOnHockey]

Well I'm calling it now, Brad Lambert is on the slide. 1 assist and -4 through 7 games, averaging 12:35.

 

Teammate Joakim Kemell on the rise with 6 points and +3 in 7 games, averaging 15:55.

 

A couple of players from less traditional markets (at least as far as producing high NHL draft picks) are off to solid starts in Sweden. Big 6'5 Swiss defenseman Lian Bichsel has an assist in 3 games and played 14:16 and 11:33 in his last 2.

 

6'1 Austrian center Marco Kasper has a goal and is averaging 12:38 through 3 SHL games. He also has 5 points in 4 Champions League games so far.

[allegend]

HighonHockey, Isam, Stierlitz: I have really enjoyed reading your comments. 

Thanks for the insights and updates.

[HighOnHockey]

Bob's list is out. Miroshnichenko is number two. Feels like someone around here was saying Miroshnichenko was the second best prospect way back when most folks were drooling over Lambert and Savoie.

 

Slafkovsky at four makes sense. NHL scouts love big players who can play. He reminds me of Rick Nash a little.

 

@Isam

McGroarty outside the top ten. Interesting...

 

Well there goes my hidden gem Lekkerimaki.

 

But the fact that Luneau, Nazar, Howard fall outside the top 15 is a testament to how stacked this draft is. They'd be top ten in an average year without question.

[Isam]

9 hours ago, HighOnHockey said:

Bob's list is out. Miroshnichenko is number two. Feels like someone around here was saying Miroshnichenko was the second best prospect way back when most folks were drooling over Lambert and Savoie.

 

Slafkovsky at four makes sense. NHL scouts love big players who can play. He reminds me of Rick Nash a little.

 

@Isam

McGroarty outside the top ten. Interesting...

 

Well there goes my hidden gem Lekkerimaki.

 

But the fact that Luneau, Nazar, Howard fall outside the top 15 is a testament to how stacked this draft is. They'd be top ten in an average year without question.

Still to early in thecseason so far

[J.I.A.H.N]

13 hours ago, HighOnHockey said:

Bob's list is out. Miroshnichenko is number two. Feels like someone around here was saying Miroshnichenko was the second best prospect way back when most folks were drooling over Lambert and Savoie.

 

Slafkovsky at four makes sense. NHL scouts love big players who can play. He reminds me of Rick Nash a little.

 

@Isam

McGroarty outside the top ten. Interesting...

 

Well there goes my hidden gem Lekkerimaki.

 

But the fact that Luneau, Nazar, Howard fall outside the top 15 is a testament to how stacked this draft is. They'd be top ten in an average year without question.

You must admit HOH

Early rankings seldom stay constant..............other the generational talents, things are pretty fluid until after the new year, and even then there is lots of movement

It's not like anyone should be shocked!

[HighOnHockey]

8 hours ago, J.I.A.H.N said:

You must admit HOH

Early rankings seldom stay constant..............other the generational talents, things are pretty fluid until after the new year, and even then there is lots of movement

It's not like anyone should be shocked!

I'm confused at this post. Did I say something to the contrary? Shocked about Miro moving ahead of Lambert and Savoie? Well anybody who has seen all three play a significant amount will not be shocked at all. But there was a narrative - particularly on HF that seemed to have leaked its way here - that there was "big three" of Wright, Lambert, Savoie. Presumably this was started by mostly stat- and highlight-watchers. Against the popular opinion, I've been saying since spring of 2020 (after the 5NU17s) that Miro is a clear cut above the rest of the draft (only behind Wright), so you can't blame me for being a little excited to see that the majority of NHL scouts agree with me, at least up to this point.

 

Obviously a ton of hockey left to be played, and I'm happy to change my mind, but I have 20+ viewings on Miro (YOG, 5NU17, U18, Hlinkas, MHL, VHL), and upwards of 10 each on Lambert (U17s, U20s, U18s) and Savoie (YOG, U17s, USHL), so I have pretty well-formed opinions of all three. Lambert seems to be on a steep downward slide. There's still a chance Savoie could put all the pieces together and emerge as a bluechip superstar, but most likely if someone is going to pass Miro for the second spot, it will be somebody new emerging, not one of those two. If that's going to happen, best guesses right now would be Joakim Kemell, Conor Geekie, Juraj Slafkovsky. Also can't count out three of my personal favourites - Frank Nazar, Seamus Casey and Tristan Luneau.

[J.I.A.H.N]

10 minutes ago, HighOnHockey said:

I'm confused at this post. Did I say something to the contrary? Shocked about Miro moving ahead of Lambert and Savoie? Well anybody who has seen all three play a significant amount will not be shocked at all. But there was a narrative - particularly on HF that seemed to have leaked its way here - that there was "big three" of Wright, Lambert, Savoie. Presumably this was started by mostly stat- and highlight-watchers. Against the popular opinion, I've been saying since spring of 2020 (after the 5NU17s) that Miro is a clear cut above the rest of the draft (only behind Wright), so you can't blame me for being a little excited to see that the majority of NHL scouts agree with me, at least up to this point.

 

Obviously a ton of hockey left to be played, and I'm happy to change my mind, but I have 20+ viewings on Miro (YOG, 5NU17, U18, Hlinkas, MHL, VHL), and upwards of 10 each on Lambert (U17s, U20s, U18s) and Savoie (YOG, U17s, USHL), so I have pretty well-formed opinions of all three. Lambert seems to be on a steep downward slide. There's still a chance Savoie could put all the pieces together and emerge as a bluechip superstar, but most likely if someone is going to pass Miro for the second spot, it will be somebody new emerging, not one of those two. If that's going to happen, best guesses right now would be Joakim Kemell, Conor Geekie, Juraj Slafkovsky. Also can't count out three of my personal favourites - Frank Nazar, Seamus Casey and Tristan Luneau.

I think you are taking my post wrong.

 

I 100 % get your posts, and enjoy your insight.  And I was not trying in any way to question your opinion or what you have seen. In fact, I use your opinions regularly to keep updated, as I do not have the time or interest to put the time you put into it. In short, you are the expert here not I.

 

I was merely pointing out for those that you are talking to, that it is early and players on a downward trend have time to correct their rankings, or continue their downward trend, if that is the case.

 

I am sorry, if it appeared to you, that I was questioning your opinion or review. It was not my intention. So keep on doing exactly what you are doing, and I will continue to read and enjoy your posts.

 

Just keep in mind, that my statement was not wrong, only misunderstood, and probably not correctly placed into your narrative. Again, I am a fan of your reports and opinions in general. 

 

Keep trucking! Cheers!

[HighOnHockey]

2 minutes ago, J.I.A.H.N said:

I think you are taking my post wrong.

 

I 100 % get your posts, and enjoy your insight.  And I was not trying in any way to question your opinion or what you have seen. In fact, I use your opinions regularly to keep updated, as I do not have the time or interest to put the time you put into it. In short, you are the expert here not I.

 

I was merely pointing out for those that you are talking to, that it is early and players on a downward trend have time to correct their rankings, or continue their downward trend, if that is the case.

 

I am sorry, if it appeared to you, that I was questioning your opinion or review. It was not my intention. So keep on doing exactly what you are doing, and I will continue to read and enjoy your posts.

 

Just keep in mind, that my statement was not wrong, only misunderstood, and probably not correctly placed into your narrative. Again, I am a fan of your reports and opinions in general. 

 

Keep trucking! Cheers!

Lol you are far too polite. I barely know how to deal with this. But I think my point was actually somewhat in line with yours: my frustration has been with this assumption that so many fans have seen and uncritically adopted of a big three, more than a year out from the draft. So the point I'm trying to make is that early assessments based on direct knowledge is very different than early assessments based on whatever guesses and assumptions these people base them on.

 

Take Raty last year for example: he was considered the consensus top ranked player pre-season (before Bob's list). I'd seen very little of him myself, but I had heard from smart hockey people that he was far from the best prospect in the draft and that he would undoubtedly fall far in the rankings. So mid-way through the season many people thought Raty was just having a tough year and falling because of it. But actually he was never the top prospect and was falling because the early assessments that considered him the top prospect were wrong and we were seeing a market correction.

 

Same goes for Savoie here, for instance. I've said for a long time he is a prospect with a ton of talent and upside but also a lot of issues. He hasn't even played yet this season so his rankings on Bob's list isn't a reflection of him "falling" but that the NHL scouts don't agree with the popular opinion on him. I hope he proves me and the NHL scouts wrong, because he has the potential to be the most electrifying player to come out of this draft if he figures it out.

[J.I.A.H.N]

11 minutes ago, HighOnHockey said:

Lol you are far too polite. I barely know how to deal with this. But I think my point was actually somewhat in line with yours: my frustration has been with this assumption that so many fans have seen and uncritically adopted of a big three, more than a year out from the draft. So the point I'm trying to make is that early assessments based on direct knowledge is very different than early assessments based on whatever guesses and assumptions these people base them on.

 

Take Raty last year for example: he was considered the consensus top ranked player pre-season (before Bob's list). I'd seen very little of him myself, but I had heard from smart hockey people that he was far from the best prospect in the draft and that he would undoubtedly fall far in the rankings. So mid-way through the season many people thought Raty was just having a tough year and falling because of it. But actually he was never the top prospect and was falling because the early assessments that considered him the top prospect were wrong and we were seeing a market correction.

 

Same goes for Savoie here, for instance. I've said for a long time he is a prospect with a ton of talent and upside but also a lot of issues. He hasn't even played yet this season so his rankings on Bob's list isn't a reflection of him "falling" but that the NHL scouts don't agree with the popular opinion on him. I hope he proves me and the NHL scouts wrong, because he has the potential to be the most electrifying player to come out of this draft if he figures it out.

No, not too polite, I just did not want you to misunderstand my comment. If in person, we would have cleared it up, in milli-seconds. But again, it was on me.

 

as per your response, I totally agree, and have to watch myself not get too excited with early projections. Now, I use them as more of an attention getter, but even then, guys climb up the rankings. all through the year.

 

This year, I have seen a early ranking where they have like 5 or 6 RHD all together in the 12 to 18 spots, of course, this will change, and some might rise and some fall, but I do find it interesting so many RHD have made it so high so early.  I merely have my fingers crossed that one (the right one, LOL) is available with our pick. (if by then we still have it, lol).

 

I actually am reminded, that the rankings and prospects are one of my favorite things about the hockey season, so I find guys like you truly important in my hockey understanding. (Don't get a big head! LOL)

 

One thing I find totally interesting and love the debate, is on BPA, as alot of hockey fans do not understand that each NHL team has their own rankings, and that viewing TSN or your or my rankings of players, has little bearing on how a team actually sees the rankings.......in general, yes the same names are generally in the same area's of the draft, but each team will have a slightly different order, which is exactly why Pettersson and Hughes dropped to us.

 

I think where I and some posters have a difference of opinion is that I think that GM's see players first in tiers, than in rankings within that grouping, then they assign some value to each player. So in fact a team could be seen over reaching, when in fact they are not, as they simply picked who they though as the next BPA, or 2 prospects were so close in their rankings, that there was no real difference, according to their rankings.

 

As much as there is a system and ways of ranking them, it is not a perfect science, and misses happen every year. So for this reason, I just love the insights you and those others post. Pure gravy for me...and I like gravy!

 

PS............I really liked Brayden Schneider (NYR), who you commented to me once, you were not as warm about. I love that big mobile Dman with size, who can chip in with the odd point, but does not have any elite skills........you see him a little differently, which I am perfectly good with, as it gives me something to adjust my thinking on, down the road.

he will probably just have a journeyman hockey career, but I would just love him beside Hughes or Rathbone.

 

hey, we all have our favs......

 

Cheers!

 

[Stierlitz]

 

[GB5]

On 10/1/2021 at 11:43 AM, Stierlitz said:

 

I like the week night given that they are dragging this into the middle of summer and I don't want to be watching tv on a mid-summer Friday night

 

 I wish they would just start the regular season two weeks earlier and be playing real games on October 1st every year and then the draft could be sooner as well.

 

 

[Isam]

Really liking geekie. He has a got a serious power game mixed in with some skill. Reminds me of a hybrid of dach and drai.

[Bure_Pavel]

With Benning's tracker record we should only draft players out of the NCAA or Europe:

 

Europe or NCAA:

Klimovich

Podkolzin

Boeser

Rathbone

Hughes

Petey

Hoglander

Demko

 

CHL:

Virtanen

McCann

Juolevi

Woo

Lind

Gadjovich

 

All first and second rounders other than Rathbone.

 

Not sure if our scouts are just way better in these regions of what but we should stick to where we have had success. More waiver pressure through the CHL I find, while Europe and NCAA gives more time to players to develop before jumping to North American pro hockey.  

 

 

[HighOnHockey]

Man what a difficult situation for Danila Yurov this year. Coming into the season I'd say he was a fairly safe bet to be a top 5 pick and one of a large handful of players who could have challenged for 2nd overall behind Wright. His season is reminding me a lot of Lucas Raymond's draft year - Raymond had an absolutely dominant D-1 season and was an obvious top 5 pick going into the year; but being such a mature, responsible pro-style player. he was able to make Frolunda's big club in a 4th line role at 17 despite being one of the lightest players in the league at about 165 lb, and had very little offensive opportunity.

 

Similarly, Yurov is one of the most mature, pro-style players I've seen at this age in years. Certainly not as purely skilled as Raymond, but he's more physically mature than Raymond was his draft year (Yurov is also late birthday) - Yurov is 6'1 and listed at just 172, but this kid is strong as an ox. At 17 last year I can't remember the last time I saw a prospect that age dominate pucks battles at the major junior level like Yurov did. Never seems to lose a 50/50 battle, and even when he was at a distinct disadvantage going in he so often found a way for his team to come away with the puck.

 

But now he is stuck in limbo between MHL and KHL. Magnitogorsk is the best team in KHL at an absurd 16-1. Yurov has played 14 games for them, averaging just 5:07. He was sent back to junior recently and put up 6 points in 2 games. He's obviously far too good for MHL now, but struggling to find a place on a stacked Magnitogorsk KHL team. World Juniors is going to be his big opportunity to showcase himself for the draft, and I'll be expecting a big tournament from him, most likely alongside his longtime Red Army linemate Fyodor Svechkov.

Edited October 16, 2021 by HighOnHockey

[Warhippy]

13 minutes ago, HighOnHockey said:

Man what a difficult situation for Danila Yurov this year. Coming into the season I'd say he was a fairly safe bet to be a top 5 pick and one of a large handful of players who could have challenged for 2nd overall behind Wright. His season is reminding me a lot of Lucas Raymond's draft year - Raymond had an absolutely dominant D-1 season and was an obvious top 5 pick going into the year; but being such a mature, responsible pro-style player. he was able to make Frolunda's big club in a 4th line role at 17 despite being one of the lightest players in the league at about 165 lb, and had very little offensive opportunity.

 

Similarly, Yurov is one of the most mature, pro-style players I've seen at this age in years. Certainly not as purely skilled as Raymond, but he's more physically mature than Raymond was his draft year (Yurov is also late birthday) - Yurov is 6'1 and listed at just 172, but this kid is strong as an ox. At 17 last year I can't remember the last time I saw a prospect that age dominate pucks battles at the major junior level like Yurov did. Never seems to lose a 50/50 battle, and even when he was at a distinct disadvantage going in he so often found a way for his team to come away with the puck.

 

But now he is stuck in limbo between MHL and KHL. Magnitogorsk is the best team in KHL at an absurd 16-1. Yurov has played 14 games for them, averaging just 5:07. He was sent back to junior recently and put up 6 points in 2 games. He's obviously far too good for MHL now, but struggling to find a place on a stacked Magnitogorsk KHL team. World Juniors is going to be his big opportunity to showcase himself for the draft, and I'll be expecting a big tournament from him, most likely alongside his longtime Red Army linemate Fyodor Svechkov.

Maybe we hope Yurov doesn't have a monster world jrs and we poach him with a surprise pick  

[HighOnHockey]

OK so I know people are expecting the Canucks to pick outside of the top 15 this year, so we're generally less interested in the top prospects. Figured I would do brief profiles on a couple of my favourite prospects who could be available in the back half of the first round, based on where they're ranked so far.

 

Tristan Luneau, RHD, QMJHL Gatineau - Not the most highly skilled defenseman in the class, but at 6'2 and with elite hockey IQ, he's certainly one of the most NHL-translatable.

 

What sets him apart: His offensive transition game. Highly deceptive, able to beat forecheckers with change of speed and direction.

 

 

 

What else makes him a top prospect: His defensive game. Separates bodies from pucks and makes quick plays out of pressure.

 

 

 

What could hold him back: I've yet to see anything special from him in the offensive zone.

 

Head to head: against Frank Nazar, one of the most purely skilled players in the draft class, and Luneau has his number twice in one shift.

 

 

Edited October 17, 2021 by HighOnHockey

[HighOnHockey]

Seamus Casey, RHD, USNTDP - A smaller defenseman at about 5'10, but he fits the mould of the modern offensive defensemen with elite skating agility, a la Makar, Q. Hughes, Drysdale, etc.

 

What sets him apart: Skating agility.

 

 

 

 

What else makes him a top prospect: Pretty much everything else - offensive skills, IQ, creativity, but he's also exceptional defensively against his own age group.

 

 

 

What might hold him back: Obviously just size and strength. As I said, he defends exceptionally well at this level, but it will get harder as competition gets bigger and stronger. Risk management also needs work.

 

Head to head: against Pano Fimis, the 2nd overall pick in the OHL draft. Don't mind the commentary guy saying nice defensive work by Cutter Gauthier - it is 3, not 8.

 

 

 

Edited October 17, 2021 by HighOnHockey

[Podz92]

On 10/13/2021 at 10:42 AM, Bure_Pavel said:

With Benning's tracker record we should only draft players out of the NCAA or Europe:

 

Europe or NCAA:

Klimovich

Podkolzin

Boeser

Rathbone

Hughes

Petey

Hoglander

Demko

 

CHL:

Virtanen

McCann

Juolevi

Woo

Lind

Gadjovich

 

All first and second rounders other than Rathbone.

 

Not sure if our scouts are just way better in these regions of what but we should stick to where we have had success. More waiver pressure through the CHL I find, while Europe and NCAA gives more time to players to develop before jumping to North American pro hockey.  

 

 

I have noticed that a lot of the players the Canucks have drafted out of the CHL leagues dominate because of either their physical maturity and/or quickness. But once they are playing against professionals those advantages aren’t as prominent and many can’t seem to adjust...just a personal observation 

[R3aL]

On 9/30/2021 at 10:52 AM, HighOnHockey said:

Bob's list is out. Miroshnichenko is number two. Feels like someone around here was saying Miroshnichenko was the second best prospect way back when most folks were drooling over Lambert and Savoie.

 

Slafkovsky at four makes sense. NHL scouts love big players who can play. He reminds me of Rick Nash a little.

 

@Isam

McGroarty outside the top ten. Interesting...

 

Well there goes my hidden gem Lekkerimaki.

 

But the fact that Luneau, Nazar, Howard fall outside the top 15 is a testament to how stacked this draft is. They'd be top ten in an average year without question.

Sorry this is irrelevant to your post I quoted just wanted to acknowledge you for last year.

 

Must be nice seeing you were right about cole sillinger! You were higher on him then anyone last year good job mate!