I just recently published my analysis of the picks made in the first round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft in a previous article, so now it is time to conclude my coverage of the event with a breakdown of rounds two through seven and the selections that caught my attention. I’m going to be completely honest with you though: as all of the prospect scouting and analysis is done by just one person (me) I admit to being unfamiliar with many of the later round picks. There are just way too many draft eligibles each year for one guy to possibly keep up with. So instead of doing extensive background research on every single player that was not on my radar, I made adjustments to the format and came up with a compromise.
To begin I will be reviewing each of the nine players inside the top thirty-two of my Final Rankings that were selected outside of the first round, and then ranking the top ten NHL franchises according to the best depth picks among the later rounds (in my personal opinion, of course). The intention is to cover the most promising additions made on Day Two without having to compile an overwhelming amount of information that will likely cause many to lose interest before the end. This is my “streamlined analysis” of the last six rounds featuring a grand total of 193 selections that (hopefully) isn’t just another bloated, boring mess regurgitating the same old talking points you can read about anywhere else. So, in keeping with that spirit, let’s get started. Enjoy!
MY TOP-RANKED PROSPECTS
Ryan Chesley ,D, U18-NTDP (USHL)
The Draft Report’s Final Rank: 30
Actual Selection: Second Round (37th, Washington Capitals)
In truth, I expected Ryan Chesley would be picked higher than I had him ranked on my list. There were even rumblings that some NHL teams were considering him as the very next blueliner they would select after the “Big Two” of Simon Nemec and David Jiricek were off the board. The 6’0”, 195-lb. defender hadn’t been able to produce at the prodigious rate of his previous U17 campaign in the NTDP as a U18, but his defensive game had clearly grown in leaps and bounds and he had notched a solid 5 points (2g3a) in 6 games for Team USA at the U18 Worlds to finish the year strong. When Chesley’s name was not announced on Day One it was one of the more notable non-inclusions, but it didn’t take long into the second round before the Washington Capitals snatched him up. The U.S. NTDP has been hugely successful, and especially in recent years, at producing high-caliber NHL talent and Chesley could easily become one of those success stories with his size, skating, two-way abilities, and underrated physicality.
Seamus Casey ,D, U18-NTDP (USHL)
The Draft Report’s Final Rank: 26
Actual Selection: Second Round (46th, New Jersey Devils)
A second NTDP defenseman in my top thirty-two who lasted past the first round of the draft, Seamus Casey’s game is based upon his elite skating and terrific puckmoving skills as well as sneaky-good defense in his own zone. He didn’t have the offensive outbreak that was perhaps expected of him after an excellent U17 season but he looked great at the U18 Worlds in putting up 3 goals and 6 points in 6 games for Team USA. Casey is only 5’10”, which certainly contributed to the hesitation from GMs to take him early on. It was the New Jersey Devils, making their second pick of the draft after nabbing Simon Nemec at number two overall, whose jersey he pulled over his head nine picks after his teammate Ryan Chesley had done the same with the Capitals. With the way the position of defense in the NHL is trending, towards somewhat of a speed-driven “fourth forward”-type role, Casey’s lack of size may not be that big of an issue, particularly because he’s such a gifted skater and has phenomenal hockey sense.
Tristan Luneau ,D, Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)
The Draft Report’s Final Rank: 11
Actual Selection: Second Round (53rd, Anaheim Ducks)
I had Tristan Luneau higher on my list than pretty much anyone else since I first published my Part 1 Rankings back in October 2021, so I’m not surprised that he wasn’t drafted where I personally had him placed. There are a couple of things that really surprised me, however: 1) Not a single one of the teams with first round picks decided to use theirs on a 6’2” two-way defender and former first overall pick (2020 QMJHL Entry Draft) whose defensive game is among the very best in his class. 2) The Anaheim Ducks selected Noah Warren, Luneau’s teammate and fellow defenseman, eleven spots before Luneau. Yes, he’s bigger at 6’5”, but neither I nor many others that I’m aware of had them projected or ranked that way. I stand by my eleventh overall rank of Tristan Luneau. He has been undersold as far as his potential upside is concerned and I believe GM Pat Verbeek landed himself a steal in the second round.
Topi Ronni ,C, Tappara (U20 SM-Sarja)
The Draft Report’s Final Rank: 31
Actual Selection: Second Round (59th, Calgary Flames)
This was the first pick of the 2022 draft for the Calgary Flames after they traded their first round selection to the Montreal Canadiens in a bid for a long playoff run. Obviously it is a pick I agree with, as I would have placed the 6’2” Finnish center much higher. Does he have staggering offensive upside? Probably not, no. But he brings a steady and responsible defensive game with a decent scoring touch that would fit great in a middle-six role. Ronni spent a fair number of games in the Liiga as a 17-year old too, so he has experience playing at the pro level already. You can’t go wrong with a player like Topi Ronni in this range.
Gleb Trikozov ,C/RW, Omskie Yastreby (MHL)
The Draft Report’s Final Rank: 23
Actual Selection: Second Round (60th, Carolina Hurricanes)
In an article I published prior to the draft where I previewed some of the hot topics, I stated my belief that it would likely only be Pavel Mintyukov, Danila Yurov, and Ivan Miroshnichenko who were taken in the first round, and I was correct. That doesn’t mean players like Gleb Trikozov aren’t worthy of picks in that range, it’s simply the sticky situation Russian prospects find themselves in at the moment. Trikozov had a strong regular season in the MHL but really blew up over the postseason, placing among the top point producers in the league for his Omskie Yastreby club. Questions will remain until he actually reaches North American soil, but the Carolina Hurricanes have enough good players and prospects that they can afford the risk.
David Goyette ,C, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
The Draft Report’s Final Rank: 21
Actual Selection: Second Round (61st, Seattle Kraken)
The speedy centerman was named a finalist for OHL Rookie of the Year after leading all first-year players in both goals and points despite being handed top-line responsibilities on a young and inexperienced Sudbury Wolves squad. Goyette’s high-end playmaking talents also landed him a spot on Team Canada’s roster for the U18 Worlds, and he contributed nearly point-per-game production through 4 contests (1g2a-3pts). The fact that he had such a great season even after sitting out an entire year due to the OHL’s 2020-21 cancellation was extremely impressive and should have secured his first round status, in my opinion. It didn’t though, as Goyette lasted until the tail end of the second round where he was picked up by the Seattle Kraken with Ron Francis’ fourth of four round two picks. I am fully confident in Goyette’s potential and believe this will ultimately prove to be far too low for a player of his caliber.
Ty Nelson ,D, North Bay Battalion (OHL)
The Draft Report’s Final Rank: 25
Actual Selection: Third Round (68th, Seattle Kraken)
The Kraken first grabbed David Goyette with their final pick of the second round, then followed it up next by choosing OHL blueliner Ty Nelson with their third round selection just seven spots later. Nelson, who was the first overall pick in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, had an excellent rookie campaign for the North Bay Battalion topped off by his 10 points (0g10a) in 13 playoff games that helped the team reach the Conference Finals. Though he stands just 5’10”, typically undersized for defenders, he weighs in at nearly 200 lbs. and is not shy about playing a physical game in his own zone. Attributes such as those are the reason I felt comfortable placing him inside the top thirty-two of my Final Rankings list.
Alexander Perevalov ,LW, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (MHL)
The Draft Report’s Final Rank: 27
Actual Selection: Third Round (71st, Carolina Hurricanes)
Once again the Carolina Hurricanes chose to use their highest remaining selection on a talented Russian forward, adding Alexander Perevalov in the third round after taking Gleb Trikozov in the second (they held no first rounders this year). Perevalov plays more of a “man’s game”, for lack of a better term, than his countryman but isn’t quite as offensively gifted. The 6’0”, 192-lb. winger played 5 KHL contests in 2021-22 and will spend the entirety of next season there too, in all likelihood. Perhaps he decides to stay home and carve out a career with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, and then again perhaps he decides he wants to compete against the very best in the NHL. There’s a ton of uncertainty when it comes to Russian draft prospects right now, so a third round selection for Perevalov is probably appropriate.
Jordan Gustafson ,C, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
The Draft Report’s Final Rank: 32
Actual Selection: Third Round (79th, Vegas Golden Knights)
This was only Vegas’ second pick through the first three rounds, yet they landed one of 2022’s most underrated prospects in the middle of round three. In a strange coincidence of sorts, the Edmonton Oilers chose one of Gustafson’s teammates, winger Reid Schaefer, in the exact same thirty-second spot in which I had placed the Seattle Thunderbirds’ 5’11”, 177-lb. center on my final list. Gustafson’s versatility, speed, and blue-collar work ethic were the attributes that stood out to me initially and frankly not much has changed since then. With the strong two-way approach he brings to the ice every night there could be a middle-six center position awaiting his arrival in Vegas one day, though he is admittedly more of a longer-term project than those kinds of players usually are.
RANKING THE TOP TEN “WINNERS” OF ROUNDS 2-7
Sidenote: Overage draft picks were not taken into account, only first-time 2022-eligibles.
1. CAROLINA HURRICANES
Best Depth Selections: Gleb Trikozov (60), Alexander Perevalov (71), Simon Forsmark (101), Cruz Lucius (124), Vladimir Grudinin (156)
Carolina’s current NHL roster is full of homegrown draft picks such as Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Martin Necas, Seth Jarvis, and Jaccob Slavin, which is a testament to the organization’s drafting and development. In 2022 GM Don Waddell once again came away with a number of excellent prospects despite not having a single first round pick. The ‘Canes’ top two selections came in the second and third rounds starting with Gleb Trikozov (2nd round, 60th overall) and then Alexander Perevalov (3rd round, 71st). One of the benefits of a deep prospect pool is the ability to take chances at the draft, and Waddell took some calculated chances on the two talented Russian forwards. He then hit on three more outstanding picks, big Swedish defender Simon Forsmark (who was ranked inside my top thirty-two a couple of different times) and U.S. NTDP winger Cruz Lucius (the younger brother of Winnipeg Jets prospect Chaz) in the fourth round and skilled Russian blueliner Vladimir Grudinin in the fifth. Forsmark spent the majority of his draft year competing in the SHL, Lucius lost time with injury but looked great at the U18 Worlds tournament with 8 points (2g6a) in 6 games, and Grudinin split the 2021-22 campaign between the KHL, VHL, and MHL as a 17/18-year old. The rich just keep getting richer don’t they?
2. SEATTLE KRAKEN
Best Depth Selections: Jagger Firkus (35), Jani Nyman (49), David Goyette (61), Ty Nelson (68)
This draft class could ultimately prove to be a gamechanger for GM Ron Francis and the Seattle Kraken. Not only did they fluke out and land consensus number one ranked prospect Shane Wright with the fourth overall pick in the first round, but the Kraken also came away with Moose Jaw Warriors winger Jagger Firkus (who notched 36 goals and 80 points in 66 WHL games) early on in the second round as well as 6’2” Finnish sniper Jani Nyman. Then, with the fourth of his four selections in round two he snatched up OHL Rookie of the Year finalist David Goyette followed by former first overall pick (2020 OHL Priority Selection) Ty Nelson, a small but stocky and strong defenseman who produced 51 points (9g42a) in 66 games this past season with his third round pick. Goyette and Nelson are especially intriguing players with potentially sky-high NHL upside, Firkus is freakishly fast and skilled, and Nyman provides the size/skill combo coveted every single year at the draft.
3. WASHINGTON CAPITALS
Best Depth Selections: Ryan Chesley (37), Alexander Suzdalev (70), Ludwig Persson (85), Jake Karabela (149)
The Washington Capitals’ biggest stars (like Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson, and Evgeny Kuznetsov) are all in their 30s and now beginning to wind down their NHL careers, which means the draft carries extra importance for the franchise these days. GM Brian MacLellan did great work to get that ball rolling in 2022, acquiring NTDP defenseman Ryan Chesley (a projected first rounder) with their second round pick and nabbing two European studs (Alexander Suzdalev, who put up 51 points (15g36a) in 45 Swedish J20 Nationell games and Ludwig Persson, the J20’s second-leading scorer with 61 points (25g36a) in 41 games) in the third. To top it off, MacLellan chose Guelph Storm winger (and CHL Top Prospects Game standout) Jake Karabela in the fifth round. He proved more than capable of hanging with the big boys when called upon, an encouraging sign for his potential future in Washington.
4. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
Best Depth Selections: Luca Del Bel Belluz (44), Jordan Dumais (96), Kirill Dolzhenkov (109), Sergei Ivanov (138)
If you read my breakdown of the first round then you probably know I am a big fan of the work Jarmo Kekalainen has done as the Columbus Blue Jackets’ general manager. Two of his previous first round picks, Yegor Chinakhov (21st, 2020) and Cole Sillinger (12th, 2021) are already in the NHL and haven’t looked out of place. He even managed to land two of the consensus top defenders in this draft class with his first rounders David Jiricek (6th) and Denton Mateychuk (12th). So, how about his later rounds? Well, let’s see. First he added OHL star Luca Del Bel Belluz in round two, whom many sources had in their first round projections. The 6’1” center posted 30 goals and 76 points in 68 games for the Mississauga Steelheads in 2021-22 and brings a high-end offensive skillset to the table. In the third round the Jackets went with undersized but extremely talented right winger Jordan Dumais from the Halifax Mooseheads. Dumais placed third in QMJHL scoring with a phenomenal 109 points (39g70a) in 68 games played, one of the most productive draft years we have seen in a long time. 17-year old 100-point scorers are always worth taking in the third round range if they’re available. Kirill Dolzhenkov, the Jackets’ fourth rounder this year, is a beastly 6’6” Russian forward who scored at a near point-per-game rate in the MHL. Kekalainen also selected a goaltender, Sergei Ivanov, in the fifth round who stands just 5’11” but has produced stellar numbers in the MHL and on the international stage over the last couple of years.
5. MONTREAL CANADIENS
Best Depth Selections: Owen Beck (33), Lane Hutson (62), Vinzenz Rohrer (75), Cedrick Guindon (127)
After passing on the top-ranked OHL prospect Shane Wright with the first overall pick, Montreal GM Kent Hughes showed no hesitation when it came to drafting OHLers in the later rounds. Owen Beck of the Mississauga Steelheads, a smart and talented two-way center who put up 51 points (21g30a) in 68 games, was selected by the Canadiens with the very first pick of the second round and projects as a solid second or third-line pivot. Hughes, whose son Jack came up through the NTDP and was also eligible in this draft, looked to the U.S. program with another pick near the bottom of the same round and took a leap of faith on dynamic 5’8” defenseman Lane Hutson next. Hutson was the leading scorer among all NTDP blueliners last year with a brilliant 63 points (10g53a) in 60 games that included 8 points (0g8a) in 6 U18 Worlds contests and Top Defenseman honours at the tournament. His size is certainly worrisome, but the tremendous offensive ability he possesses practically guaranteed he would be drafted at some point. Returning to the OHL for a pair of promising prospects, the Montreal Canadiens added Austrian-born forward Vinzenz Rohrer in the third round (he had a point-per-game postseason with the Ottawa 67s) and Cedrick Guindon (he recorded 30 goals as a rookie to tie for the Owen Sound Attack lead) in the fourth round. Kent Hughes showed guts in his draft debut to take the players he wanted instead of giving in to outside pressures.
6. NEW JERSEY DEVILS
Best Depth Selections: Seamus Casey (46), Tyler Brennan (102), Charlie Leddy (126), Josh Filmon (166)
The New Jersey Devils didn’t necessarily load up on top scoring talent in 2022, preferring to instead pick based on how they want their roster structured in the present and future. I had Seamus Casey in my top thirty-two and think he could be a massive steal in the second round if he develops the way he potentially could. Fourth rounder Tyler Brennan was the Prince George Cougars’ starter for 39 games this season, and though his numbers don’t jump off the page there is alot of raw ability to his game that intrigues. Twenty-four picks after Brennan, New Jersey general manager Tom Fitzgerald took a solid stay-at-home defender from the NTDP in Charlie Leddy. He didn’t score a goal in 55 games but brings other attractive elements to the table. Their sixth-round selection, Swift Current Broncos winger Josh Filmon, reached the 20-goal mark in the WHL and represented Team Canada at the U18 Worlds as well.
7. ANAHEIM DUCKS
Best Depth Selections: Noah Warren (42), Tristan Luneau (53), Connor Hvidston (139)
Although I can’t say I agree with the order in which they were drafted, the Anaheim Ducks’ selection of Gatineau Olympiques teammates Noah Warren and Tristan Luneau in the second round has to be classified as a big win. Warren is 6’5”, skates well, and has some decent offensive skills too. Luneau, in my opinion, was one of the very best defensemen available in this entire draft class and has top-pairing/number one-type upside. It’s a bit of a long shot, but maybe they will form a defense pairing together in the NHL one day. Another Ducks pick that stands out to me is 6’2” Swift Current Broncos winger Connor Hvidston. Though he only managed 13 goals and 32 points in 58 WHL contests this past season he was named to the Canadian U18 Worlds roster and contributed 2 points (1g1a) in 4 games during one of his better performances of the year. This was a safe bet to make in the fifth round.
8. ST. LOUIS BLUES
Best Depth Selections: Aleksanteri Kaskimaki (73), Michael Buchinger (88), Arseni Koromyslov (120)
The St. Louis Blues certainly made the best of their third round picks this year as either one of Finnish center Aleksanteri Kaskimaki or puckmoving Guelph Storm defenseman Michael Buchinger could turn out to be “diamonds in the rough” for GM Doug Armstrong. Kaskimaki notched 40 points (19g21a) in 31 games with HIFK in the U20 SM-Sarja and even produced 2 points (1g1a) in 4 Liiga games. Buchinger, meanwhile, handled big minutes on the blueline as an OHL rookie and finished with 44 points (5g39a) in 63 games. Fellow defense prospect Koromyslov, picked up in the fourth round, is a 6’3” Russian who played games in both the second-tier VHL and the KHL as an 18-year old, something not exactly commonplace in the traditionalist Eastern European leagues.
9. WINNIPEG JETS
Best Depth Selections: Elias Salomonsson (55), Danny Zhilkin (77), Fabian Wagner (175)
Another general manager who I believe truly excels at the draft is Kevin Cheveldayoff of the Winnipeg Jets, and he landed himself a nice trio of prospects in the second, third, and sixth rounds worth noting. Elias Salomonsson was hyped early after a productive stretch of games in the J20 Nationell as a 16-year old defenseman, and while he may never be an elite NHL player he is smart and responsible in his own zone, packs a great shot, and has the size to hold his own. Danny Zhilkin also has good size as well as deceptively skilled hands and excellent skating. He didn’t put up the kinds of numbers many hoped to see from him in the OHL last season, but he has all the tools and looked good in the CHL Top Prospects Game. Fabian Wagner played 8 SHL games as a 17-year old and finished just shy of a point-per-game in the J20 Nationell, so to snag a 6’0” forward who has spent time at both center and wing in the sixth round feels like a win to me.
10. MINNESOTA WILD
Best Depth Selections: Hunter Haight (47), Rieger Lorenz (56), Servac Petrovsky (185)
I also profess myself a fan of GM Bill Guerin’s drafting since taking over in Minnesota, acquiring talent that includes Matt Boldy (12th, 2019), Marco Rossi (9th, 2020), Jesper Wallstedt (20th, 2021), and Carson Lambos (25th, 2021) in recent years. This year, after landing Liam Ohgren and Danila Yurov in round one Guerin used his second round picks to add Barrie Colts center Hunter Haight (who broke the 20-goal barrier and showed flashes of brilliance throughout the season) and Rieger Lorenz (a 6’2” forward who put up 85 points (38g47a) in 60 games in the AJHL and was a point-per-game for Team Canada at the U18 Worlds). Owen Sound Attack rookie Servac Petrovsky, an undersized rookie centerman, was snatched up in the sixth-round after notching 28 goals and 54 points in 65 OHL games. All three late-round selections hold varying degrees of promise on their current paths of development.
The Draft Report 