The 2022 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game took place on March 23, and it was an entertaining (and eye-opening) contest that ended with captain Denton Mateychuk’s Team White winning 3-1 over captain Shane Wright’s Team Red. Jagger Firkus of the Moose Jaw Warriors was named Team White’s Player of the Game while Wright, the consensus number one ranked prospect for the upcoming 2022 NHL Entry Draft, was Player of the Game for Team Red. I saw things a little differently as far as the performances went, but I also wanted to highlight more than just two players who stood out to me during this highly competitive affair. There were plenty of strong showings from the class of 2022, as well as a few players who didn’t look all that impressive. It’s just one game, of course, so none of the performances (whether good or bad) will hold much weight when it comes to my eventual final rankings list, but that doesn’t mean it’s a meaningless exercise. This is a “best-on-best” game with a level playing field for each and every prospect to demonstrate their skills in a heavily-scouted environment, so there are certainly things we can learn about these players from the way they performed on the big stage. Let’s break down the 10 Best Performances from the 2022 CHL Top Prospects Game:
10. Matthew Savoie ,C, Team Red
The dynamic Winnipeg ICE centerman was held without a point, but he had some fantastic rushes throughout the game where his blazing speed and soft hands were on full display. There was a fearlessness to the way Savoie drove the net that was truly exciting to behold. He can absolutely fly on his skates, and multiple times during this game he blew past opposing defenders with ease and created glorious scoring chances.
9. Kevin Korchinski ,D, Team Red
Oddly similar to his season so far with the Seattle Thunderbirds, Korchinski didn’t have the best start but continued to get better and better as the game went along until he was one of the standout players. His combination of size, skating, and offensive creativity with the puck was clearly evident by the time the third period rolled around, though there were times he was caught out of position. He twisted, he turned, and he spun around like a top to elude pressure, but more importantly he made a good impression.
8. Nathan Gaucher ,C, Team White
The big Quebec Remparts center showed off some slick moves and his patented brand of hard-hitting hockey on nearly every shift, and he even scored a goal after a brilliant three-way passing play between he, Antonin Verreault (Gatineau Olympiques) and Denton Mateychuk (Moose Jaw Warriors). Gaucher hasn’t had the point production in the QMJHL that many believed he would this season, but in this game he stood out with his play at both ends of the ice.
7. Ty Nelson ,D, Team Red
Despite the fact that he was held off the scoresheet in this game, North Bay Battalion defenseman Ty Nelson had himself a great game. His pinpoint passing, elite skating, and underrated shutdown abilities made him one of Team Red’s most reliable two-way forces from start to finish. This kid has a very high ceiling despite his 5’10” frame, and he did excellent work in showcasing that intriguing potential.
6. Shane Wright ,C, Team Red
The Kingston Frontenacs center and Team Red captain burst through the middle of the ice on a clear breakaway with his first shift of the game, but missed the net as he shot wide. The very next shift he came out flying and executed a perfect two-on-one with Danny Zhilkin of the Guelph Storm to open the scoring. From that point onwards, it was Wright’s defensive zone efforts that stood out the most. He stole pucks, came back deep into his own zone to assist the breakout, and demonstrated the leadership he is known for.
5. Reid Dyck ,G, Team Red
The Swift Current Broncos netminder stopped every shot he faced upon taking the crease from Sherbrooke Phoenix goalie Ivan Zhigalov, and many of them were of the highlight-reel variety. He was cool, calm and composed in the crease and kept the score close despite a severe mismatch in shots on net. There was one memorable sequence in which he made three incredible point-blank saves back-to-back-to-back, but overall it was pretty much a flawless performance from Dyck.
4. Jagger Firkus ,C, Team White
At 5’10” and 150 lbs., Firkus is a smaller-sized forward who has blinding speed and lethal offensive skill. He was Team White’s Player of the Game with a goal and an assist, but he also manufactured quite a few other chances that just barely missed their mark. He tied the game 1-1 on a phenomenal individual effort, going inside-out on an opposing defender before ripping a quick wrister top shelf that beat Team Red’s goalie on the far-side. Firkus’ boundless energy and ultra-competitive nature are a handful to defend against every night in the WHL, yet they stood out like a sore thumb in this game.
3. Jake Karabela ,C, Team White
I know I’m not alone in saying that Jake Karabela was the most surprising standout in this game. He tied for the lead in points (2), notching a goal and an assist in helping Team White claim victory, beating netminder Ivan Zhigalov with a series of quick dekes before depositing a gorgeous goal behind him. The number of scoring chances and offensive zone rushes he created throughout the entire game will probably have more than a few scouts reviewing their notes on him.
2. Denton Mateychuk ,D, Team White
Team White’s captain assisted on Nathan Gaucher’s marker with a bullet pass to Antonin Verreault that set up a pretty two-on-one sequence the Quebec pivot buried behind Zhigalov. His incredible speed and mobility fuelled the team’s attack all game long, and he was just as good in his own zone too. Mateychuk hit the post with a blistering rocket labelled for the top corner of the net that nearly put the game out of reach early on, and that was just one of his many great plays.
1. Tristan Luneau ,D, Team White
Don’t agree that Luneau was the best player in this game? Then go back and watch it again. The Gatineau Olympiques blueliner thwarted Team Red’s forwards from the outset, consistently broke the puck out of his own end untouched, and even joined (or led) the attack when he saw an opening to do so. Sporting an “A” as one of his team’s alternate captains, he led by example and stood out to me as the all-around best player of the game.
The Draft Report 