INTRODUCTION
Welcome to my brand new series profiling the best players available in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, Meet the Prospects. My goal is to provide you with all of the necessary background information and scouting reports prior to next summer’s 2022 selection process. These articles will be in-depth examinations of each player’s individual attributes and the paths they have taken to reach the NHL draft, from the major junior ranks to the international circuit and beyond. Let’s get started.
BIO
Shane Wright became just the sixth player to be granted exceptional player status and allowed early entry into major junior hockey in 2019 after he had a dominant 2018-19 campaign in the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) with the Don Mills Flyers U16-AAA team. After leading the league in scoring with 150 points (66g84a) in 72 games during the regular season, and winning GTHL Player of the Year, he would lead them to an OHL Cup championship while taking home MVP honours with 18 points (8g10a) in 7 games. He was taken with the first overall pick of the 2019 OHL Priority Selection by the Kingston Frontenacs, and would put on a show as a 15/16-year old rookie with 39 goals and 66 points produced in just 58 games. That resulted in Wright earning the CHL’s 2019-20 Rookie of the Year honours and inserted his name at the very top of the 2022 NHL draft prospect list. Unfortunately, he would have to wait for his sophomore follow-up as the OHL cancelled the entirety of its 2020-21 regular season schedule. In fact, he would not appear in competitive game action until the Under-18 World Championships in the spring of 2021. Wright was named captain of the Canadian team despite a 2004 birthday and 2022 draft eligibility that made him one of the youngest players competing alongside mostly 2021 draft eligibles. Team Canada would win the tournament’s gold medal for the first time since 2013, and Wright was brilliant in his 5 games with 9 goals and 14 points (both the second-highest marks of any player) for a tournament-best 2.80 points-per-game average.
The current 2021-22 season has seen the OHL return to a somewhat normalized schedule, meaning Shane Wright is finally getting to play out his second year of major junior. The Kingston Frontenacs named him as the new team captain in a special home opener ceremony, confirming what many knew was inevitable after he was given an “A” as a 15-year old rookie (the youngest in CHL history to receive such a distinction, by the way). Aside from the captaincy, however, Wright’s year has been anything but what was expected. At the time he took a break from the OHL to join Team Canada’s Under-20 World Juniors tryout camp he had notched 30 points (11g19a) in 22 games for a 1.36 points-per-game average. For most OHLers that would be a brilliant start to their season, but for a former exceptional status prospect it is slightly underwhelming. The Kingston captain made the cut for this year’s Canadian U20 WJC team after failing the year before, but after just 2 games played (and 1 assist) the event was cancelled and Wright was returned to his OHL club.
AWARDS/ACCOLADES
GTHL Player of the Year (2018-19), OHL Cup MVP (2018-19), CHL Exceptional Player Status (2019), First Overall Pick – OHL Priority Selection (2019), CHL Rookie of the Year (2019-20), U18 World Championships Gold Medal (2021), Kingston Frontenacs Captain (2021-22)
ATTRIBUTES
He is an ideal two-way center with elite offensive skills and a highly-intelligent defensive game. At 6’1” and 185 lbs. he’s not the biggest guy out there and could definitely benefit from adding muscle, but he can handle himself physically in the tough areas of the ice. With Wright, it is all about his hockey sense and the way he is able to read and anticipate plays at both ends of the ice. He has the IQ to always be in the right spot at the right time, whether that means finding open space for a teammate to get him the puck in a good scoring position or getting into his opponents’ shooting/passing lanes in the defensive zone for a block. There’s no question that he sacrifices at least a little bit of offense in order to remain strong defensively, as he always comes back deep to help his defense break the puck out instead of cheating up ice in pursuit of odd-man rushes or breakaways.
I would hesitate to call him an “elite” skater perhaps, but he has great acceleration to go along with a powerful stride and outstanding balance/edgework. He has a wide-base stance that allows him to instantly accelerate in any direction as well as protect the puck and shield it from defenders. The best overall weapon in his repertoire is the lethal, lightning-quick shot he possesses and he can score with it in many different ways and from many different spots on the ice. He has nearly flawless mechanics and extremely impressive accuracy too. His go-to move is a powerful leg-kick that helps him to generate remarkable velocity on his wristshot. As he gets more playing time and experience (and gains in strength) his shot will inevitably become even more of a weapon, and that’s not the only one he has available to him either. Wright’s playmaking ability has been a bit of a secret up until this season, mostly because his focus has been on scoring goals rather than setting them up. Now the tables have turned and he has been focused on setting up his teammates rather than shooting it himself. He has the skill to execute passing plays that the majority of his peers cannot, but he has perhaps been too unselfish with the puck so far. When you can fire the kinds of laser beams that Wright can, passing should be the second option. With experience will come the understanding of whether to shoot or pass based on the situation. His hockey IQ is incredibly high for a 17/18-year old, so I have no doubts he will sharpen his decision-making in that regard.
Wright’s attention to detail is very impressive, and another of the qualities that sets him apart from the rest of his draft class. He makes in-game adjustments to his faceoff techniques in order to be more proficient and will change up his methods of attack on-the-fly to combat his opponent’s defensive structure. Defensively, he is often matched up against opposing top lines and tasked with shutting down the best players due to his work ethic, smart reads, and solid positioning in his own zone. Wright works hard to maintain a steady all-around game and takes pride in his ability to have an impact at both ends of the ice. He is always calm, composed, and calculating his next moves, which can be a positive and a negative. Sometimes the game needs to be played with instinct, and sometimes one needs to compete with emotion rather than remaining calm at all times. It is a balancing act, to be sure, and one Wright will have to learn how to maneuver to be successful at the next level.
PROJECTION
Shane Wright, despite his average OHL season so far, projects as an elite number one center who can be trusted to play big minutes in any situation including powerplay, penalty kill, final minute of the game when up-a-goal/down-a-goal, etc. With his history of earning the captaincy of his team at practically every single level he has played at, he projects to continue that trend and captain an NHL franchise one day too. He has had plenty of doubters because of his underwhelming statistics and lack of intensity this season, but with all the stops, starts, postponements and cancellations he has endured (including an entire lost season of development) I strongly believe these “issues” will correct themselves easily enough.
IN-GAME SCOUTING REPORT
Kingston Frontenacs vs. Hamilton Bulldogs (January 21, 2022)
Final Score: Kingston 5 vs. Hamilton 2
Game Stats: 0g1a-1pt, 4 SOG, -1, 11/18 FOs (61%)
Period One: He wins the opening faceoff and skates the puck into the offensive zone with speed, then slams on the brakes and looks for a passing option. When he finds none, he flips it deep into the zone and lays a hit on a defender before going for a change. He has a really strong second shift where he spins away from an opponent and gains some open space but passes it back to the point for a shot on net. The shot misses, but Wright collects the puck first and fires it at the net looking for a deflection. He later attempts a blind backhand pass out to the slot but it is picked off by an opponent. He does some great work in the defensive zone to pressure the puck carrier before finally intercepting the puck and safely clearing the zone. He gets out on the top PK unit, quickly wins the faceoff and clears it down the ice. His hard work helps to kill 40 seconds off the clock and he goes for a change. On a late shift he makes a fantastic read on an attempted cross-ice pass, lays down his stick to block it and helps his team gain possession. He makes a blunder after that with an attempted long-range cross-ice pass at his own blueline that is picked off and nearly results in a goal against. On the same shift he battles an opponent and wins before taking it around back of the net and trying to force the puck through on multiple attempts. Kingston is given a PP with 10 seconds left and Wright wins the draw. Period ends.
Period Two: It’s a tough start to the period (and the powerplay) when he fumbles the puck in his own end and nearly coughs it up to a forechecker. Eventually he gains control of it and helps to generate some zone time, but in one sequence when he gets the puck in open space with a clear look at the net, he peels back and surveys the ice looking for a passing option instead. He really needs to be more aggressive and selfish and shoot that himself. Later on, his line is trapped in their own zone but Wright makes a great read to anticipate a pass and steal it, but then just seconds later he loses his defensive coverage and it results in a goal against. He generates some good chances in this period, but still a little too pass-happy. Later he gets a pass right in front of the goal and fires a hard shot on net that is stopped. On a faceoff in the offensive zone, he jumps ahead off the lost draw to catch the defender who has possession and then outbattles him for the puck but is hauled down and draws a penalty. While they fail to convert, Wright clearly gains some momentum from it. He has a fantastic wrap-around backhand chance that nearly scores. He continues winning battles and working hard to maintain possession. He gets another nice pass in front of the net, but once again it is stopped. With just over a minute left in the period he wins a defensive zone draw, then flies up the left side on the rush and receives a pass. He fires a wicked shot that nearly scores. Looked dominant as the period went along.
Period Three: He wins a defensive zone faceoff and immediately takes it up ice the other way with his linemates. Upon entering the zone he goes straight to the front of the net with his stick on the ice. Seems to have a newfound goal scoring mentality. He does get a secondary assist on Kingston’s fourth PP of the game when he skates the puck deep into the offensive zone and looks for a play then sends it back to the point. The point man shoots and the puck is deflected in. The rest of the period is comprised of really solid defensive play, sticking with his man-to-man coverage and ensuring they get no second chance opportunities. On a 4-minute PK for a high-sticking double minor, he battles hard and almost gets a clear on his first attempt but it’s kept in at the point. On his second attempt when he gathers a loose puck, he fires it down the ice.
The Draft Report 