Another year, another iteration of the NHL Entry Draft. In here, we will list the picks, go through the players drafted by their respective organizations, and then grade the team’s draft. Here, we will do the teams alphabetically, split into four parts. Each part will be split into eight teams.
Part 1: [You are here]
Part 2: [click here]
Part 3: [click here]
Part 4: [click here]
Anaheim Ducks
Selections:
1st round: C Mason McTavish (3rd)
2nd round: D Olen Zellweger (34th)
3rd round: RW Sasha Pastujov (66th), D Tyson Hinds (76th)
4th round: C Joshua Lopina (98th)
5th round: LW Sean Tschigerl (130th), G Gage Alexander (148th)
6th round: C Kyle Kukkonen (162nd)
7th round: none
Mason McTavish
McTavish is a two-way center who plays a physical style, protects the puck, is dynamic in transition, making the right play at the right time and in the right place in each shift that he takes. He has a scorer’s release, can change the angles on his release, even at full speed. He is a net-front driven forward who can get to loose pucks and cashing in on rebounds. He blends technical skill with heavy hits, and it can be argued that he is the most complete power forward of the 2021 Draft Class. His work rate also makes him a threat when he doesn’t have the puck, as he is a competitive player with a body built for playoff hockey. His ceiling is that of Ryan Getzlaf or Ryan O’Reilly.
Olen Zellweger
Zellweger, although an undersized defenseman (5’ 9”), helps his teams play fast and can move the puck to the forwards quickly. He is dynamic, a four-way skater who uses his feet to skate around with and without the puck offensively, cutting off puck carriers in the neutral zone in tight spaces. Although not much of a finisher, with the rate he is improving at, it makes him exciting. His posture is near perfect, with the hips tilted back, his chest over his knees, and the right shin angle. He receives the passes and sets the offense in motion. He will see any opportunity to lead the rush and take it. He even works with some deception to get his opponents off-balance. His ceiling is that of Jared Spurgeon.
Sasha Pastujov
Pastujov is a sniper who has a good awareness of the offensive zone, with an accurate shot and a good release. He anticipates and reads the play well. He uses his body to keep defenders away from the puck and uses his stick to handle the puck away from opponents along the walls. His passing ability is there too, with his quick and deceptive feeds under pressure to advance play to the offensive zone.
Tyson Hinds
Hinds can make moves on defenders and can come back defensively all the way. He is engaged on the defensive side of the game. A mobile defenseman who plays with confidence, despite some reads escaping him, he plays physical and looks to take away plays and separate the attackers from the puck along the walls.
Joshua Lopina
Lopina, fresh off of helping UMass-Amherst to a national championship in 2021, with 23 points (9 goals) in 29 games, is described as possessing a big body, is competitive, strong in the faceoff circle, and has a nice finishing touch.
Sean Tshigerl
Tschigerl is energetic and can go towards the puck carrier to shut down a shooting lane, often stealing possession for quick strike offense. He plays between checks and finds the space off the rush. He is a sniper, and has a clean one-timer with hip rotation, shoulders finishing squared to the net, and arms pushed in the front.
Gage Alexander
Alexander posted a 6-3-0 record with one shutout, a 2.23 GAA and a .917 SV% in 9 WHL games with the Winnipeg Ice in 2021. Standing 6’ 6”, being athletic, and on the upward trajectory on his development, he ranked 5th in GAA and 8th in SV% among WHL leaders last season. He’s just getting started.
Kyle Kukkonen
Kukkonen is a skilled puck handler, beating defenders with fakes, changes of pace, and shifty dekes. A fast skater with high drive, his patience allows him to turn the front pressure into back pressure, consistently bringing the puck to the middle. He is effective as a playmaker, deceiving opponents and looking for teammates off the backhand.
Draft Grade: B
Overall, not a bad Draft by the Ducks. Taking McTavish over William Eklund and Dylan Guenther is a risk, but it can pay off. With McTavish and Trevor Zegras down the middle, the Ducks should be dangerous down the middle. Zellweger is an offensive defenseman who has risen up the Draft boards, taking off in production. Pastujov in the 3rd round is a steal. Although he fell down further than expected, he is still a very talented winger. Tshigerl is a nice pick-up in the 5th round who plays a two-way game.
Arizona Coyotes
Selections:
1st round: RW Dylan Guenther (9th); 11th pick was forfeited
2nd round: RW Josh Doan (37th), LW Ilya Fedotov (43rd), D Janis Jérôme Moser (60th)
3rd round: none
4th round: D Emil Martinsen Lilleberg (107th), G Rasmus Korhonen (122nd)
5th round: C Manix Landry (139th)
6th round: D Cal Thomas (171st)
7th round: LW Sam Lipkin (223rd)
Dylan Guenther
Before taking on three bad contracts, the Coyotes didn’t own their own first round pick because it was forfeited as part of a penalty sanction due to their combine testing violations in the 2020 season. After that, they come into the Draft with the 9th overall pick, used to select Dylan Guenther, an explosive goal scorer. There is no denying the potency of his shot. He is a big-time game-breaker, with a tremendous release, great moves on other defenders, and possesses the speed to move up the ice quickly. Most of his releases are explosive, with such power, control, and protection from backpressure. He also has a knack for finding the puck on the soft parts of the offensive zone. He has improved on his playmaking and defense considerably in 2021, drawing comparisons to Mikko Rantanen. He is exciting because he is well-rounded, can go to the net, can go on the power play and penalty kill, he can do it all. He represents what a modern NHL team wants: A top six winger who can score between 20 and 25 goals per season, and provides defense and forechecking.
Josh Doan
Doan is always in motion and has a powerful shot with him. His passing skill, shown by his slip passes and quick passes to the inside, was on display when he was on the Chicago Steel of the USHL. He is a consistent presence on the forecheck, taking away puck possession from his opponents, seals off defenders, then works the puck to the inside. He is coming off an outstanding season with the Steel, where he had 31 goals and 70 points in 2021, helping them win the Clark Cup. With the Yotes selecting him, it reunites him with his father, Coyotes all-time great Shane Doan, who is now the team’s chief hockey development officer.
Ilya Fedotov
Fedotov is a promising prospect. He is someone who wants the puck, banging his stick on the ice to demand his teammates’ attention and his feet pursue the puck hard when it escapes the team’s grasp. He also plays with physicality, not just by going shoulder to shoulder to shove opponents away from the puck, but also ramming them, leaving them flat on the ice.
Janis Jérôme Moser
Moser is an all-around defenseman who is a solid skater and defender, and can also play on the power play. He also has a good hockey IQ as well.
Emil Martinsen Lilleberg
Over the past three seasons with Sparta Sarpsborg, Lilleberg recorded 3 goals (none in 2020), 18 points, and 134 penalty minutes. A defenseman, standing at 6’ 2” and weighing 207 lbs., he is likely comparable to Kurtis MacDermid with all those accrued penalty minutes.
Rasmus Korhonen
In 17 games with Ässät’s U20 team during the 2021 season, Korhonen had a 2.18 GAA and a .908 SV%. There is room for improvement here.
Manix Landry
Landry can forecheck, backcheck, and attack with energy. He doesn’t give up when pursuing the puck until he secures possession of it, can launch himself toward opposing puck carriers two or three times if needed. His game is inside-driven, and his aim, with and without the puck, is to get the puck at the middle of the ice.
Cal Thomas
Thomas is coming off a season where he had 26 points with Maple Grove High School’s hockey team (5 goals, 21 assists). Although not a natural scorer, he can set up plays, as he racked up 37 assists over the past two seasons with Maple Grove High.
Sam Lipkin
The 2nd-to-last pick in the 2021 Draft, Lipkin recorded 3 goals and 11 points in 30 games with the USHL’s Chicago Steel.
Draft Grade: B+
There could be an argument for Guenther being the best pick in this year’s Draft. He scored two points per game in the WHL in 2021, with 24 points in 12 games played. While some may say that the Coyotes selecting Josh Doan just because his father, Shane, is still with the organization, and that it is also because of nepotism, those are not true. Doan is a power forward who helped the Steel win the Clark Cup this season. Fedotov has high-end offensive skill, with a slick wrist shot, both powerful and accurate, and has a quick release fooling goalies. The Yotes have good value with their later picks too, with much-needed talent in their prospect pool.
Boston Bruins
Selections:
1st round: RW Fabian Lysell (21st)
2nd round: none
3rd round: C Brett Harrison (85th)
4th round: G Philip Svedeback (117th)
5th round: C Oskar Jellvik (149th)
6th round: D Ryan Mast (181st)
7th round: C Andre Gasseau (213th), D Ty Gallagher (217th)
Fabian Lysell
Lysell was though of as one of the more skilled players in the 2021 NHL Draft class. He can speed past defenders or outmaneuver them for the puck. He is a dynamic skater who can make a big impact in transition, making things happen with the puck. The Bruins reportedly had Lysell on their radar for more than two years and got help in scouting him through European Scouting Coordinator PJ Axelsson, a former Bruin himself. While he tries to do too much at times, he has good vision to find passing lanes and to make plays at full speed. His skating form is nearly perfect, with great posture, depth, and flexibility on the ankles, knees, and hips, which gives him straight-line speed and two-step quickness. He reloads to support his defensemen, tracks well through the neutral zone, and his work rate doesn’t wane. His ceiling is that of Brock Boeser.
Brett Harrison
Harrison hunts the tight spaces and likes to trail behind the play to receive drop passes and fire from the top of the circle. He can win a lot of battles through his reach and his stature. What makes the Bruins’ selection of Harrison interesting is that he has had connections with the Bruins. His grandfather, Ed Harrison, was best friends with Gary Doak, who played 14 seasons with the Bruins and was a member of the 1970 Stanley Cup Champion Bruins. Harrison added that his father and the father of Bruins forward Jack Studnicka are friends too. He also got to shoot on Bruins goalie prospect Kyle Keyser during training camp. Harrison also admires Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron, saying that he is a “reliable player… and someone that I would like to play like.”
Philip Svedebäck
Svedebäck, a Swedish prospect who catches with his left hand, played for the Växjö Lakers U20 team since the 2020 season, logging a 3.47 GAA and a .912 SV% in the 2021 season in 12 games. He will be the Bruins’ 3rd goalie prospect under 25 behind Jeremy Swayman and Keyser. He also won a Swedish national championship with Växjö as the 3rd goalie on their squad.
Oskar Jellvik
Jellvik pre-scans for open teammates, controls his skating to not overshoot pockets of space to support plays, gets his defenders on his back in possession to extend it, and he hides his next play, deceiving his opponents. He also has some pre-planned manipulation when he receives the puck. Both he and Lysell have faced each other several times, with Jellvik calling his new teammate a “great player” with “unbelievable skills” on offense. Like his fellow draftee Harrison, Jellvik says that Bergeron is his favorite Bruin to watch.
Ryan Mast
Mast spent his first two professional seasons with the OHL’s Sarnia Sting, though his team didn’t play in the 2021 season because of the COVID pandemic. His rookie year with Sarnia, however, was successful, as he recorded 11 points in 58 games, 10 of them being assists. He stands 6’ 4” and weighs 215 lbs., seeing himself as a force on both sides of the ice and even has one Bruin that he would like to model his game after: Brandon Carlo.
Andre Gasseau
Gasseau is a shooter with flash and instincts, consistently finding the space between the faceoff circles, readies himself for one-timers and catch-and-release wrist shots. His handling skills complement his shooting, turning tricky passes into powerful wristers. He catches passes in motion, beating other players in motion, and flashes the one-on-one skill to watch through a defender. He logged 27 points in 42 games with the US NTDP U18 team. He will play for the USHL Fargo Force in North Dakota this season before suiting up for Boston College the following season.
Ty Gallagher
Gallagher is not one to pass up an opportunity to shoot, having a Gatling gun mentality making him a constant threat. When his finger is on the trigger, he shows a deceptive playmaking ability with look-off passes. He knows when his teammates are in scoring position, and if the lane is open, he would usually connect. Gallagher and Gasseau played together on the NTDP’s U18 team last season, with his 24 goals during his time there setting a record for defensemen in the program. The young defenseman will play a few seasons at Boston University before turning pro.
Draft Grade: A-
The Bruins picking Lysell and Harrison are huge. Lysell fell farther than he should have. He pairs his skating with good puck handling skills, making plays while moving at top speed. Harrison is a strong two-way player who likely would have went higher if it wasn’t for the cancelled OHL season. Gasseau is a big center who can develop a power game, and Gallagher, who doesn’t really have outstanding traits, is a solid defender who doesn’t have much liabilities either.
Buffalo Sabres
Selections:
1st round: D Owen Power (1st), RW Isak Rosén (14th)
2nd round: RW Prokhor Poltapov (33rd), LW Aleksandr Kisakov (53rd)
3rd round: RW Stiven Sradarian (88th), LW Joshua Bloom (95th)
4th round: RW Oliver Nadeau (97th)
5th round: LW Viljami Marjala (159th)
6th round: C William von Barnekow-Løfberg (161st), D Nikita Novikov (188th)
7th round: C Tyson Kozak (193rd)
Owen Power
Like what his name says, there’s power in Owen Power. There’s not a lot of 6’ 6” defensemen who can skate like he does. He doesn’t make a lot of mistakes with the puck, and he doesn’t have a problem working on the short-range passing game to let his teammates do the work when in transition. He is a big and mobile defender who makes an impact on the transition and in the offensive zone. He doesn’t hesitate, and has a great knack for finding space, and has a big shot to be threatening from the point. It’s best when he is able to get up into the rush and use his puck skill and protection ability. The potential is there, but the concern is if he processes his game or defends well to become elite. Whether or not he stays in Michigan is yet to be determined, and it could be presumed that he could go back to a loaded Michigan team that got eliminated because of a COVID case. His projection is that of a top four, second power play unit defenseman, an all-situations elite defenseman, possibly comparable to Seth Jones.
Isak Rosén
Rosén struggled in his time at Leksands IF of the SHL, but he tore up the U18s and the J20 league. He collects most pucks mid-stride, works hard in traffic, driving wide hard despite being small, with solid handling and skating. He sends false signals between the blue lines to move the feet of opposing defenders, cutting east-west and using the dotted line. He calms things down and makes smart offensive plays. He fakes weight shifts, shoulder-shimmy, and overpowers defenders. He is also smart in the way he attacks the offensive zone with and without the puck. He’s a shoot-first player, but he can also develop plays well and facilitates dangerous chances with his playmaking too. While a stiff wind can knock him off balance along with the fact that he is physically underdeveloped, with more strength and physicality in board battles, he can project as a top six winger, comparable to Oliver Bjorkstrand.
Prokhor Poltapov
Poltapov gets defenders going after him, shielding the puck by extending a knee or by using his bottom arm, and then transforming intense backpressure into an escape tool. He slows down, leans against opponents, and then lets their shoves get him into open areas of the ice, attacking the goalie or other defenders with handles and deception. He had 52 points in 61 games in the MHL, although he plays a North American game: Go to the net, try and run through anything in front of him, and bang home any loose puck in front of the net. The skill for a power forward is there and his skating is NHL level passable, but don’t expect him to be anything more than a middle six forward playing on high danger areas of the ice looking to capitalize on what his teammates generate for him. His ceiling, however, is one of a tenacious style of hockey, possibly leading to him being a fan favorite.
Aleksandr Kisakov
Kisakov has a lot of space and creativity in his game, attacking the neutral zone with crossovers, tracing weaving patterns that mask his intentions from defenders. When he closes the gap, he cuts one way, forcing them to cross their feet or pivot to match his turn, and then explodes in the opposite direction, gaining the zone to shoot at the net. He could be disinterested in the defensive zone and his ability to survey the ice to facilitate the puck in transition or maneuver around the zone has to be developed. By this point, he probably has the highest skill of anyone left in the Draft.
Stiven Sardarian
Sardarian played with Poltapov with CSKA Moskova’s U18 team, where Sardarian put up 14 points (6 goals, 8 assists) in 6 games. He will play in the USHL in the 2022 season and then prepare for his NCAA season at the University of New Hampshire.
Joshua Bloom
Bloom tore up the U16 AAA with the Toronto Nationals in 2019, with 83 points in 66 games. His success there didn’t carry over in his first season with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit, where he had 14 points in 54 games in 2020. He and the rest of the OHL didn’t get to play in 2021 because of the COVID pandemic.
Oliver Nadeau
Nadeau put up 45 points in 34 games while being draft eligible this past season. He primarily played with 2020 draftee and current Texas Stars prospect Mavrik Borque and 2021 1st round pick Xavier Bourgault this season, and while he was benefiting from his linemates, he put some impressive film. He is a power forward with a speedy reaction time who can one-touch pass around the ice and read plays. Although he is a below-average skater and is heavy-footed coming out of blocks, some skating improvements can help him with his skating, and he could be a solid power forward.
Viljami Marjala
Marjala is aware and deceptive. When approaching defenders in the wide lane, he studies his options, calculates the speed of his teammates and their routes, but he doesn’t reveal his position to defenders. He looks them off to keep a natural body position, stick at his hip and shoulder pointed down ice, buying time for his target to skate in position. When with the QMJHL’s Québec Remparts, he facilitated play on the outside to the tune to 5 goals and 27 points in 30 games. He could spend some time in the AHL for development, which could lead him to take a shot in the NHL.
William von Barnekow-Løfberg
Standing 6’ 4”, Barnekov-Løfberg brings size, speed, and skill to play a power forward game. He was an over point per game pace with the Malmö Redhawks’ J20 team, with 7 goals and 21 points in 18 games, and then put up good numbers in HockeyEttan, with 9 goals and 22 points in 26 games. The Sabres got good value with his selection as he is arguably more projectable with his skating and skill than Nadeau as of now.
Nikita Novikov
Novikov is a 6’ 4” defenseman who played on the same team as Kisakov in the MHL. He uses his long reach and size to defend blue lines, and, despite 5 assists in 7 games in the U18s, he’s a stay-at-home type of defender. He uses his size to take up space, block lanes, and get his stick in wherever he can get it to.
Tyson Kozak
Kozak plays between checks offensively, giving himself just enough space to fire a two-touch or catch-and-release wrist shot. When he doesn’t have the puck, he brings some physicality and a consistent motor. While he is not a play-killer, he’s constantly in a supporting position and knows what the next play is. He is also a defensive center who has offensive projectability. He most likely projects as an AHL player at the current rate he is going.
Draft Grade: A
This is huge for the Sabres’ rebuild, with some of their players from 2020 leaving via trade (Rasmus Ristolainen, Sam Reinhart). They also added a ton of young talent. They get arguably the best player in the Draft in Owen Power, who can do it all on both ends of the ice. Rosén combines his great skating with great stickhandling. He makes moves at top speed and is very solid at moving the puck to create chances. Poltapov is an explosive skater with the ability to generate chances on the rush. Kisakov is a pure goal scorer, with an excellent wrist shot and quick release. Nadeau is a creative playmaker on the wing who is good at controlling the puck down low.
Calgary Flames
Selections:
1st round: RW Matt Coronato (13th)
2nd round: LW William Strömgren (45th)
3rd round: C Cole Huckins (77th), D Cameron Whynot (89th)
4th round: none
5th round: D Cole Jordan (141st)
6th round: RW Jack Beck (168th), LW Lucas Ciona (173rd)
7th round: G Arsenii Sergeev (205th)
Matt Coronato
Coronato, a pure goal scorer, tore up the USHL in 2021, with 48 goals and 85 points in 51 games with the Chicago Steel. He is very good at going to the net and finding goals that can be scored. His skating makes him effective in transition, and continues to grow his all-around game by playing some minutes on the penalty kill. His hands are the foundation of the offensive profile. He wants the puck on his stick and is not afraid to absorb contact to make sure he is driving the bus for his line. He is decisive, manipulative, and clever as a puck handler. He has a good shot for someone constantly throwing pucks to the net, his release is fast, and he is versatile in how he gets pucks off. This fall, he will be playing at Harvard University to continue his career and progression as a hockey player. If he continues to excel, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him turn pro after two seasons in college. He profiled similarly to Alex DeBrincat in their Draft years, as both were l ate birthdays who had to wait the extra year to be drafted, and both scored at a near goal per game pace in their Draft year.
William Strömgren
Strömgren skates fast and powerful. Along with his puck handling skills, he can find creative solutions to carry the puck down the ice maneuvering through defenses. He is more of a shooter than a playmaker with a quick and accurate release but he also sees the ice very well to set up his teammates. He has the size, skill, and speed that NHL teams want in a prospect. In 2021, he primarily played with MODO of the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan league. In 27 games, he had 9 points, while in the Swedish U20 league and third-tier HockeyEttan, he was an over point per game player. Next season will be a big test to his skill and ability as he is signed with the SHL’s Rogle BK. As he is now in Sweden’s top hockey league, this is a big test for him, but he will solidify himself as an NHL prospect if he can produce. He has the tools to become a great hockey player, he just needs to put it together.
Cole Huckins
Huckins’ ideas are mostly right on the ice, showing above-average awareness of his teammates, can involve the team in his plays, and hold on to the puck under pressure with his quick handles. In his second season with the QMJHL’s Acadie-Bathurst Titan, he had 32 points in 33 games, a major improvement from his 38 points in 66 games in his rookie season. He has the size to become a good power forward in the NHL. He was compared to a young Joe Thornton, as both have lofty goals, but give the idea of the type of game he likes to play. He is hard loose on pucks, especially in the corners, and has good speed. He will have two more seasons in Acadie-Bathurst to develop before turning pro, but Flames fans will keep an eye out for him.
Cameron Whynot
After a tough start in his QMJHL career, it seems as if Whynot is figuring out his game. After 9 points with a -41 rating and 73 penalty minutes in 57 games his rookie season, he registered 23 points in 34 games and a +13 rating while taking just 28 penalty minutes. The progression from his rookie season is there. Management will monitor closely if he can do it again in 2022. He plays a physical and defensive game, with his offensive production being something to watch whether he improves on that as well as in his own end.
Cole Jordan
Jordan’s stride is closer to perfection than average. On neutral zone regroups or unpressured retrievals, he brings the puck to the inside first. With hesitation moves, fakes, and eye deceptions, he fools forecheckers, then hits the target in motion. A possible late-round gem, he is not afraid to make plays with the puck. He didn’t begin to generate a lot of offense for the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors, but he’s a good shutdown defender. His skating is his best attribute, and he uses it well to break out of his own zone and make rushes with the puck. He has two more seasons in the WHL before going to the AHL. He has plenty of time to work on his game and working on his offense.
Jack Beck
Beck is a 6th round flyer who didn’t play a ton of meaningful games this past season as the OHL never had a 2021 season. In his rookie year with the Ottawa 67’s, he had 7 goals and 19 points in 56 games. Despite being 5’ 11” and 152 lbs., Flames GM Brad Treliving remarked that Beck put on some muscle during the cancelled season. This upcoming season for Beck will be huge for him to prove where he is at to see if he will have a legitimate professional career. Skating is one of his better attributes that could help him be a solid prospect.
Lucas Ciona
The Flames took another big body as Ciona stands 6’ 2” and weights 205 lbs. Like Beck, Ciona is a player that you might expect a team to take a chance late in the Draft. In his rookie season, he scored 3 goals and 10 assists in 53 games with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds. He made progressed in the shortened 2021 season where he scored 2 goals and 11 assists in 23 games. Look for him to take a larger role as he played on a young Thunderbirds team that rostered 12 rookies.
Arsenii Sergeev
This is the second year in a row where the Flames took a Russian goalie prospect that is a bit off the radar (the other being Daniil Chechelev). Sergeev, who plays for the Shreveport Mudbugs of the NAHL (a tier-II junior league beneath the USHL), is a solid goalie who posted a .936 SV% in 20 games with the Mudbugs on the way to a Robertson Cup championship. It takes a long time for goalies to develop and Sergeev is another project. He will play for the USHL’s Tri-City Storm next season, another step towards his development.
Draft Grade: B+
A solid Draft for the Flames. Coronato is one of the better goal scorers of the Draft; he is willing to drive to the net and play dirty areas of the ice. Strömgren loves to take the puck to the front of the net, where he can score goals with his quick hands. Both Coronato and Strömgren are natural goal scorers. Huckins has size and the willingness to be physical to be an NHL caliber power forward. He also has great offensive skills with the ability to score goals as well as to set up plays. Whynot is also a solid skater, pushing the offense and quarterbacking the power play.
Carolina Hurricanes
Selections:
1st round: none
2nd round: D Scott Morrow (40th), D Aleksi Heimosalmi (44th), RW Ville Koivunen (51st)
3rd round: G Patrik Hamrla (83rd), D Aidan Hreschuk (94th)
4th round: RW Jackson Blake (109th)
5th round: C Robert Orr (136th), C Justin Robidas (147th)
6th round: D Bryce Montgomery (170th), G Nikita Quapp (187th)
7th round: G Yegor Naumov (200th), C Nikita Guslistov (209th), D Joel Nystrom (219th)
Scott Morrow
Morrow has an affinity for jumping to the play, fooling other defenders with his playmaking and making creative plays to his teammates. He also has the tenacity to take shifts off, visibly frustrated when the game isn’t going his way and displaying low on-ice energy at times. He’s intriguing because of the offensive side of his game, and how much he dominated at the high school and prep levels, but it’s unclear as to how he will adapt to tougher competition. He would steal pucks and race off for highlight reel goals at best, but look disengaged and out of sync with his teammates at worst. When he is at his best, he would use his hip pocket deception, changes of pace, and eyes that don’t reveal the intended play, embarrassing defenders. After breaking down a defender, he continues the manipulation to drag over another defender, before rolling his wrists, turning the fake shot into a pass to another teammate. He has size, skill, and the ability to become a top four defenseman in the NHL. He gives the Hurricanes another defenseman to develop.
Aleksi Heimosalmi
Heimosalmi is a quick defenseman that can make room for a player who can be dangerous in a situation. He is a quicker defenseman than Morrow and doesn’t shy away from the defensive side of the puck as much as an offensive defenseman would tend to do. He might need to fill out a bit, but there are a few other defensemen in the Draft that are more dynamic offensively. He has one of the highest upsides among defensemen if he pans out, and the Canes can afford to develop him for longer if needed. He was named the best defenseman at the U18 World Juniors. The problem is that it feels as if there is a switch on him. When it is flipped on, he is near unstoppable in the offensive zone, quite possibly the best defenseman on the ice. You don’t know what he can do next and he will show a variety of tricks. When flipped off, he will disappear and be a bit of a liability. All of it can be worked out, however, and he’ll be on the right team to do it. Tim Gleason, the Canes’ defensive development coach, will work with him to bring the best in his game.
Ville Koivunen
Koivunen has high-end skill and upside and is one of the more dynamic forwards in the Draft. He is of unrelenting skill and an attacking mindset to match it. He wants the puck, wants to be a game-changer, and wants to make something happen in every shift. He keeps his top hand pushed out, handles the puck at his hip, and doesn’t mind engaging numbers. His hands are smooth, works hard, and is one of the smartest players on the ice. The downside is his poor skating and is one reason why he fell to 51st. He was one of the best skaters in the Finnish U20 last season and has a lot of skill that can make you overlook his below average skating. With how he does, he could be a fan favorite should he make it to the NHL. The matter is if he improves on skating and keeps this up, you could look at someone who could be similar to Sebastian Aho. Defensively, there are problems, but if you’re patient with Koivunen’s development, he could be a 50-point player.
Patrik Hamrla
Hamrla is another goalie that the Hurricanes added to their depth charts. He played a few games for several teams on loan in 2021, with his best stretch coming in his four games with HC Karlovy Vary’s U20 team, where he went 2-2-0 with a 2.27 GAA and a .916 SV%. He has size and likes to play the puck. This is in line with what the Hurricanes look for in a goalie. He has explosiveness to his style, similar to Petr Mrazek. He has a tendency to drift and get out of position, however. The position can be worked out and it can help him allow fewer goals from range. He has solid upside because of his size and athleticism.
Aidan Hreschuk
The third defenseman taken by the Canes in the Draft, he had a slow start to his career, but he took a turn and became a top puck mover for the US NTDP. He looks to jump into the rush, taking passes in motion from the point, and brings defensive value. He is a strong defender, thanks to his mobility and physicality. He can drive to the perimeter and throw hits, and his physicality translates across the defensive end of the ice. He can be an absolute pain to play against, playing at a good pace and is responsible defensively, making him atypical for an “undersized” defenseman. His size is an obvious concern, but his hockey sense is another, as it is average at best, meaning that you’ll only see third pairing minutes from him. But if you can develop him into a physical two-way defenseman, this pick could be valuable. If he were to be a forward, he would likely be a grinding winger—a player that can play the body and knock opponents off of the puck.
Jackson Blake
The son of former NHLer Jason Blake, Jackson is a better player in-tight than in open-ice, combining puck-handling and playmaking to great effect. In-tight, he adjusts his puck positioning to hook and slip passes through the pressure, and deking through defenders without entering a glide. He pre-scans before every touch, then creatively connects with his teammates through defenders, leading them into space with area passes, and works give-and-goes. He has skill but is very light (he is 5’ 10”, 148 lbs.). He dominated the ranks at the high school level in 2021. His 5v5 play is what stands out from the rest, as he displays the ability to use his size to protect the puck and make plays in transition from the neutral zone to the offensive zone. He has a problem-solving ability to buy time and hit the weak side. Doing all this despite not being fully developed in a hard league is impressive.
Robert Orr
Although of no relation to the great Bobby Orr, and although there is no word if the young right winger goes by Bobby, Robert Orr is a quick skater, playing with lots of pace and fits the system fairly well given his motor and forechecking. His motor carries him up and down the ice and rarely lets up, forechecks, attacks, and defends with speed, with quick stops and starts. He is one who can drive the game from the defensive zone to the offensive zone and still make one-on-one plays. He is the first CHL skater that the Canes selected in this Draft. Although there’s no telling if he will make it to the NHL, the next two seasons for him will be huge.
Justin Robidas
Similar to Blake in how they play and see the game, Robidas is a competitive forward. Both of them are sons of former NHL vets, as Justin is the son of Stéphane Robidas. Justin reloads above the puck ahead of turnovers, angling opponents to the outside on the backcheck, and keeps his head turning to find trailing attackers. He goes off the boards, presents his back to defenders, and transforms shove into momentum to escape. He uses his speed and competitive nature and can be a lot harder to play against, as he can play bigger than his size without sacrificing his offense. He has one of the hardest shots in the QMJHL too. The unfortunate truth is that if he were taller than he is (5’ 7”), he would be a top 75 prospect. He has a ton of offensive skill and pace, putting the puck on the back of the net and could be another steal.
Bryce Montgomery
Montgomery is another big and mobile defenseman, standing 6’ 5”. Despite losing a year of development because of the OHL not having a season, he skates well, which is something that is hard to find in these types of defensemen. He might not be an upside pick, but he has the size and skating that could lead to success at the NHL level. What’s most impressive is his performance at the Erie Showcase tournament, as he showed the raw talent that he possesses.
Nikita Quapp
Quapp looks more like a long-term project. He has size, has a big blocking style, a bit different from Hamrla. He has a raw ability to be in the right spot and make some of the tougher saves look easy. The Canes possibly saw him in the Germany U18s and are willing to develop for as long as needed.
Yegor Naumov
Naumov is another big goalie whose play style is closer to Hamrla. He is athletic and very quick and can make acrobatic saves and side-to-side saves. He reads the game well and can make desperation saves in clutch situations. The hope is that he becomes something in five or six years.
Nikita Guslistov
Guslistov showed promise in the KHL last season, scoring a natural hat trick in one game. He scored five goals and 7 points in 28 KHL regular season games, with 14 goals and 22 points in 23 MHL games. He gets in on the forecheck and can go against another team’s best players and still bring an offensive game. He’s also smart and can be one to depend on.
Joel Nystrom
Nystrom has a solid skating and defensive ability, playing the way that other smaller defensemen do. Both his feet and mind are constantly racing to find ways to cut time and space from the opposition. He offsets his size disadvantage with his agility and quickness, by using a longer stick, by leveraging his lower center of gravity in board battles, and by closing his gap on opponents as quickly as possible on the ice. He is smart and dependable, and has offense in his game without sacrificing anything else.
Draft Grade: A
The Hurricanes came into this Draft with a clear plan to collect as many picks as they can, and to make day two of the Draft last as long as possible. They used those picks smartly. Morrow and Heimosalmi are right-handed defensemen who can push the pace offensively. They are long-term projects, but have very high upside. Koivunen can control the puck and protect it with his stickhandling. He has the vision and anticipation to see when his teammates are open for a scoring chance. Hreschuk’s two-way game is shown by his skating. He’s not one to beat one-on-one easily, and he can drive the offense. Robidas is one of the best skaters in the Draft and shows solid two-way skills.
Chicago Blackhawks
Selections:
1st round: D Nolan Allan (32nd)
2nd round: C Colton Dach (62nd)
3rd round: D Taige Harding (91st)
4th round: D Ethan Del Mastro (105th), C Victor Stjernborg (108th)
5th round: none
6th round: C Ilya Safonov (172nd)
7th round: D Connor Kelley (204th), C Jalen Luypen (216th)
Nolan Allan
The Blackhawks may have made a reach here. His value comes from his skating and defense. He is an NHL-caliber skater with projectable posture (knees over toes, hip flexion, chest up), lateral and backwards quickness, and separation through punch turns excited with crossovers. He defends the rush with NHL-ready fundamentals and a smothering mentality. He helped Canada win the gold medal at the 2021 IIHF U18 World Juniors, with a goal and an assist in seven games. Strong defensive instincts give him an edge up on competition, while managing to contribute the odd point or two offensively. However, despite being a strong stay-at-home defenseman, he has limited offensive upside.
Colton Dach
Although not as talented as his brother, Kirby Dach, Colton is one of the better shooters in the Draft from a mechanical standpoint. He pushes his hands in front of his body, lifting the top arm elbow to his shoulder, and creates distance between his feet. Just like his brother, he also has size to add to his offensive game. He uses his condor-like wingspan to reach around sticks or pull the puck in and pass under them. He had 11 goals and 20 points in 20 games for the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades in 2021, an improvement from his 29 points in 62 games in his rookie year.
Taige Harding
Harding is committed to play at Providence College for the 2023 season. He was an alternate captain when playing with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), with 5 goals and 13 points in 16 games.
Ethan Del Mastro
Del Mastro, a 6’ 4” defenseman, helped Canada win gold at the 2021 IIHF U18 World Juniors. He uses his pocket when stickhandling and uses his physicality often. He is a solid one-on-one defender, using his long reach, four-way mobility, and that physicality to where he could play the role of “engager” in the NHL. He likes to work opponents one-on-one. He had seven assists for the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads during the 2020 season, and had a pair of assists during the World Juniors.
Victor Stjernborg
Stjernborg has one of the biggest and best motors of the Draft. He can rush up or down the ice, cover the width a few times, and still have the energy for one last rush, a desperation backcheck, or a race to a loose puck before a line change. He plays with control, applying himself in every defensive technique, whether it be for blocking shots or for delivering shoulder checks, you name it. Although he had 2 goals and 2 assists in 30 games in his first season with the Växjö Lakers of the SHL, the defensive instincts are there.
Ilya Safonov
Safonov played for Ak Bars Kazan of the KHL and Bars Kazan of the VHL last season. He had 2 goals and 2 assists in 37 games with Ak Bars Kazan in the 2021 season, plus 3 assists in 11 postseason games with them. He scored two goals for Russia at the 2021 IIHF World Juniors along with 14 penalty minutes.
Connor Kelley
Kelley is a defenseman who has more defensive elements to his game after being known primarily as an offensive defenseman before he joined the US NTDP. He can take good angles to seal off other players and is a quick skater. He shuts down plays before they develop. In his freshman season with the University of Minnesota at Duluth, he had 5 points in 25 games.
Jalen Luypen
Luypen has upside offensively, with 16 goals and 29 points in 23 WHL games last season with the Edmonton Oil Kings. So far with the Oil Kings, he has 60 points, but his first season where he had over a point per game pace didn’t come until 2021.
Draft Grade: C+
This is a strange Draft for the Blackhawks. They began by reaching on Allan, who is a big and physical defender who doesn’t really have that much offensive upside. Colton Dach isn’t as talented as his brother, but has the size and offensive game. Stjernborg is arguably their best pick, as he is a solid defensive player, almost on the right side of the puck, using his hockey IQ and anticipation to read plays and create turnovers. Harding is a big defenseman who could possibly be a steal should his game translate to the higher levels.
Colorado Avalanche
Selections:
1st round: RW Oskar Olausson (28th)
2nd round: D Sean Behrens (61st)
3rd round: C Andrei Buyalsky (92nd)
4th round: none
5th round: none
6th round: none
7th round: LW Taylor Makar (220th)
Oskar Olausson
Olausson got the opportunity to play with Sweden’s World Junior team at the U20s. Although he didn’t get much ice time, he showed his speed, puck skills, and strength on the puck. His skating posture allows him to effortlessly maneuver through his opponents with his top hand in full control, pushed out from his body. Rarely is he attempting the same neutral zone rush twice in the same game, as he would enter the offensive zone differently every time, often catching an opposing player off guard. He would cross the dotted line, change lanes and speed, and work well-timed weight shifts as a puck carrier to get past the defender opposite him. He finds the open ice well, skates well, slows the game down for himself and transitions the puck well. He has a good shot, although it can be argued that it should be released faster. He is a coachable player: He will do what he is told, however, he lacks creativity to think outside the box when a passing lane closes on him, as he would panic and throw the puck away, instead of holding on to it to try and get to a retrievable spot. How he pans out in the NHL level is yet to be known, but he knows how to get through defenders when rushing the puck. With his skating ability and range, he is also an effective defender and quick transition player. He is really good at knocking pucks away and then transition out of the defensive zone quickly. It’s expected that he can make the jump to the SHL full time for the 2022 season with HV71, and then transition over to North America in time for the 2023 season.
Sean Behrens
This is great value for the Avs, as Behrens would backcheck with perfect posture, a nice blend of risk-mitigating footwork and graceful crossunders on the backwards stride, and a good sense of when to close. He would scan the ice regularly when he doesn’t have the puck. He cuts opponents off at the hands, always from a low center of gravity. He ties up loose sticks and mitigates risks with his positioning. He is a solid skater, although not a fast one, but has a motor that doesn’t stop. He is a great defender, and while he is a 5’ 10” defenseman, he plays like he is 6’ 4”, which is important for a shorter and average skating player. He plays a tough, “in-your-face” style of play, making you earn everything you get. He reads the play and the game at a high level and rarely turns over the puck. He knows where he will move the puck too before he gets it. Although his offense might not translate as efficiently in the NHL, he is one who can generate assists, always getting the puck in high-danger areas. He transitions the puck well for defensive zone to neutral zone and gets the puck to retrievable areas of the ice. He has a high IQ and can run a penalty killing unit. He will head to Denver University this fall, where it’s expected that he would say for two or three years before turning pro. The Avs already have a solid defensive core and are aided by up-and-coming defensemen Bowen Byram, Justin Barron, and Drew Helleson. There’s just too much depth in front of Behrens. By the time he makes it to the NHL, Devon Toews’s contract would be up, and there would be a battle for spots opening up.
Andrei Buyalsky
Buyalsky is a double overager, a 6’ 3” center who has had an interesting hockey career. He developed in Kazakhstan before making the jump to the USHL before heading to the University of Vermont this fall. He can skate very fast. North-South speed is not a problem for him, and he drives the net a lot with that speed, catching goalies off guard. He also defends flat-footed and creates scoring chances. The question is if he was able to do this because if he was a 20-year-old playing in the USHL. Seeing how he does in the NCAA will be interesting. He needs to add muscle in his frame, though. The Avs drafted bigger centers consistently for a few years, trying to find out how this selection will pan out, so this one is interesting.
Taylor Makar
The younger and bigger brother of Cale Makar is now a member of the Avs. He is another overager and will follow his brother’s footsteps going to UMass this fall. Taylor’s game is described as being a pesty forward, similar to Matthew Tkachuk and Josh Anderson. Taylor is 6’ 2”, playing his size. He worked very hard to get to where he is, but the natural skating and skill of Cale isn’t there in him. But by going to UMass, he will get to develop in one of the nation’s top collegiate ice hockey programs to continue to find out who he is as a hockey player.
Draft Grade: C+
The fact that the Avs only had four picks in this Draft hurts them, but what lands them a C+ is because of how they did in the first two rounds. Olausson is a good skater with an excellent array of shots, and can score with his wrist shot, snapshot, slap shot, one-timer, and backhander. His hands are quick, and his shots feature a quick and deceptive release. He likes to shoot and will shoot from anywhere on the ice. Behrens is a good playmaker from the point. He transitions the puck, with strong stickhandling complimenting his skating.
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