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: [click here]
Part 2: [click here]
Part 3: [click here]
Part 4: [You are here]
Seattle Kraken
Selections:
1st round: Matty Beniers (2nd)
2nd round: D Ryker Evans (35th)
3rd round: C Ryan Winterton (67th)
4th round: D Ville Ottavainen (99th)
5th round: RW Jacob Melanson (131st)
6th round: G Semyon Vyazovoi (163rd)
7th round: LW Justin Janicke (195th)
Matty Beniers
The first pick in Kraken franchise history, Beniers is a 6’ 2”, 175 lbs. center who scored 10 goals and 24 points in 24 games in his first season of college hockey with the Michigan Wolverines and was also named to the Big Ten’s All-Rookie Team. He also played against NHL players at the IIHF World Championship in May, and he also won a gold medal with Team USA at the IIHF World Juniors. Although there is the choice between returning to Michigan or going straight to the Kraken organization, there’s also a sense of unfinished business at Michigan. Not only was the 2021 season shortened because of the COVID pandemic, but the Wolverines were forced to withdraw from the NCAA Tournament because of positive tests within the program. He is everything that teams want in a center: a dynamic and high-pace puck carrier, one who accelerates with linear and nonlinear crossovers though a large array of rush patterns and tempo changes to maneuver past opposing defenders. He is always involved in his team’s defensive game, showing high-level details, defensive problem-solving ability, and switchability, similar to Jonathan Toews. GM Ron Francis says that Beniers is a “perfect fit to set the tone” for the Kraken’s hockey operations when developing their prospects, adding that he is “the kind of guy you want to start a franchise with.” With the Sabres taking Owen Power, the two became the first pair of teammates to go 1st and 2nd overall in the NHL Draft since 1969.
Ryker Evans
The Kraken get a 5’ 11”, 189 lbs. defenseman who had at least one point in 12 straight games with the WHL’s Regina Pats, the longest streak for a WHL defender. In the 2021 season, he had 3 goals and 28 points in 24 games. Evans is a self-described “give-and-go player” and one of the Draft’s best zone exit defensemen. With his improving shooting mechanics, he has become far more confident hunting for twine too. He even flashes delays to reset and find the trailer. A tight gap off-puck gaps eliminates his man entirely, while a suffocating on-puck gap kills entries in the neutral zone.
Ryan Winterton
Winterton was hurt by a lack of OHL action in 2021, as they cancelled their season because of the pandemic, but he played with Team Canada at the IIHF U18 World Championship. His Draft stock likely dropped because of the lack of an OHL season. He naturally reads and adapts to the circumstances on the ice, positioning himself in an area that is beneficial and finds gaps and opportunities for odd man rushes with regularity. He is dangerous off the rush, utilizing his ability to fire an accurate wrist shot on net or to slip a tape-to-tape pass to a teammate. Winterton is a strong skater with good puck protection ability and above average agility and top speed, as well as poise with the puck. He has a shooter’s mentality and is a puck thief on the backcheck. As he is 6’ 2” and 175 lbs., he has room to bulk up and put muscle in him.
Ville Ottavainen
The Kraken are going with defense again, selecting Ottavainen, who stands 6’ 4”, weighing 193 lbs. He spent the 2020 season playing for the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers, where he had 4 goals and 15 points in 53 games. During the OHL shutdown, he played for JYP on its junior and pro teams. He had 7 goals and 15 points in 15 games for their U20 team before getting called up to the senior team, where he had 3 points in 22 games. His strengths are primarily on the offensive side, where he likes to join the rush, either by rushing down the wing or dropping down and becoming an option as a trailer. His puck skills are solid for his size and makes well-timed activations from the point to make himself an available option in the offensive zone. On defense, he stood players up at the blueline and made good plays with his stick to take away space. When on the breakout, he relies on his partner to make the outlet pass. His default is to draw the forecheckers to him, move it to his partner, and allow his partner to make the decision.
Jacob Melanson
Melanson spent the 2021 season with the QMJHL’s Acadie-Bathurst Titan, where he had 8 goals and 19 points in 18 games. He is a two-way forward who plays with energy and skates well for someone listed at 5’ 11”, 200 lbs. He also plays on the power play, kills penalties, and is opportunistic around the net but also with good passing skills. He says that his biggest part of his game is his physical game.
Semyon Vyazovoi
Vyazovoi played for Tolpar Ufa in the MHL, where he had a 2.06 GAA and a .939 SV% in the 2021 season. Standing 6’ 2” and 168 lbs., he possesses good size, and looks comfortable when playing the puck, but what stands out in his game is his aggression. He plays farther from his net than most goalies would feel comfortable with. While it leaves him vulnerable to one-timers, it makes it hard for opposing teams to score on their initial shots. When he is in his game, he does well with his rebound control, which complicates things for the opposition.
Justin Janicke
With the final pick of their first Draft in franchise history, the Kraken selected Janicke (6’, 181 lbs.) from the US NTDP. He is set to play for Notre Dame for the 2022 season. In the 2021 season with the US NTDP U18 team, he had 12 goals and 28 points in 43 games. Every night and shift, he will forecheck with a mental map of the ice and an advanced knowledge of where to funnel opposing defenders. He is physical, plays on the inside, and make contributions defensively.
Draft Grade: B
Beniers can become a franchise center. At times, he has played on the wing, but his future appears to be up the middle. He’s probably not going to challenge for scoring titles, but he can be an offensive player who also plays against the other team’s top line. Evans was passed over in the 2020 Draft and he seemed like a bit of a reach in the 2nd round. He is good in his own zone and can skate well with the puck as well as make a good first pass to start the transition game. Winterton was hurt by the OHL cancelling their 2021 season. He is another two-way center who should get big ice time with the Hamilton Bulldogs. Ottavainen is a big defender who is more known for his defense rather than his offense. Janicke is a solid pick in the 7th round, as he is a two-way winger with offensive skill and grit.
St. Louis Blues
Selections:
1st round: C Zachary Bolduc (17th)
2nd round: none
3rd round: RW Simon Robertsson (71st)
4th round: none
5th round: D Tyson Galloway (145th)
6th round: none
7th round: RW Ivan Vorobyov (198th)
Zachary Bolduc
Bolduc plays what can be called an “old school” style of hockey. The NHL is turning towards small, speedy, and skilled stars, but Bolduc holds true to the 2010s game with his heavy power forward package. He is a strong winger with a great ability to generate chances off the rush. The tools he has give him the upper hand in downhill battles. When defenders stand flatfooted or rush him, he dangles through them with rapid stickhandling motions. When given an open shooting lane, he can take a couple steps, kick a leg back, and sling pucks past the goalie. Scouts pointed out his ability to carry the puck through the neutral zone and find options quickly. If he can’t, he relies on his terrific shot. Thanks to his frame, this shot is powerful and accurate. His mechanics get it off quick and keep it dangerous. A dangerous weapon as a secondary option, backing up his ability to find plays, is something. However, he has some areas of improvement in his game. His skating is noticeably slower than his peers. His ability to pass the puck effectively helps him maintain the tempo of the game but if he wants to continue to play a highly transitional game at the pro level, he needs to use his strength to get an added boost behind his stride. He missed just under two months with a shoulder injury this season, which raises more concerns. However, he did have 40 goals and 81 points in 82 games with the Rimouski Oceanic in the 2020 and 2021 seasons combined there. He could have a high ceiling thanks to his blend of physicality and strength with solid playmaking and shooting, possibly someone similar to Yanni Gourde. However, his floor may not be perfect. He's a developmental project that the Blues take on time and time again, and they would almost always work out. In the end, he’s a hard worker, and when you combine his speed and goal scoring ability, you get a solid player.
Simon Robertsson
This gets a feeling of déjà vu for the Blues, as they traded up to select another big bodied right winger with a great shot. Robertsson is very similar to Bolduc, as he enjoys carrying the puck through the neutral zone and identifying chances quickly in the offensive zone. While Bolduc uses his strong physicality to attack the opposition head-on, Robertsson prefers to be a bit more elusive and use strong stickhandling and quick movements to burst into open lanes to get a quick shot off. Over the last two seasons, he had 22 goals and 50 points in 56 games with Skellefteå AIK’s J20 squad. He pushes his hand from his body and fully engages the lever-motion downforce on his stick for a clean shot with plenty of zip and accuracy. He couples that shot with savvy off-puck to make him a consistent scoring threat in the offensive zone. At the end of the day, Bolduc and Robertsson have one primary focus in common with their games: Their shot. Robertsson’s is a bit better, but he sometimes struggles with his shot selection, which may leave things a bit awkward or unsatisfying. But still, he can crash into the lanes quickly when off the rush and get a high-quality shot on the net, which is impressive. He is arguably the purest sniper in the Draft class, but if he is the purest sniper in the Draft class, why did he slip down to the 3rd round? He was ranked as high as a 1st round talent. This selection from Blues GM Doug Armstrong is a huge-time steal.
Tyson Galloway
In a Draft where teams are going steal after steal, the Blues ended up with a typical 5th round talent. Galloway isn’t really a defenseman who can catch wow fans, but he is a modest, large-stature defenseman who can shut down plays defensively with his long reach and can break out of the zone as well. He adds everything that you expect from a 6’ 4” defenseman to have a cannon of a shot, just okay skating, and strong passing. The skating translates to rush defense, where he would usually drive the puck carrier to the perimeter before pivoting and erasing them along the boards. He has a lot of off-puck activation with some in-motion passes and give-and-go type plays. This pick may feel like a reach, however. While the Blues lost Vince Dunn to the Kraken, they had a logjam at left defensemen that was actually satisfied by Dunn’s departure, but all the Blues did was add to the logjam. They wanted a big body defenseman who is capable of sparking modest offense on the back of a strong defense and breakout abilities. Bryce Montgomery would have been a better selection, as he can do all that while being a right-shot defenseman, something the Blues need way more than left-shot defensemen. Galloway better fits being a left-shot defenseman, so getting him to move to the right side seems too optimistic. He may be a good prospect but it’s not the right fit for the Blues.
Ivan Vorobyov
The Blues have a knack for going off the board with re-entry players, usually in the 7th round, and they stayed true to that. Vorobyov put up nice scoring numbers while in a tough situation, putting up 21 goals and 50 points in 52 games with the MHL’s Mamonty Yugry in the 2021 season. He ranked 5th among all MHL players in his age group with better scoring than Capitals 2020 4th round pick Bogdan Trineyev. He has a nose for the net. His stickhandling is very strong. He lets the puck pull him from side-to-side, shifting weight which gives him a terrific ability to move laterally and beat defensemen with ease. He isn’t really the fastest player in a dead-straight, but the fancy stickhandling and great elusiveness makes him quick around the offensive zone. He likes driving to the net, isn’t afraid to get physicality, and does what he needs to score. There are some drawbacks on his game that can be tough to fix in stubborn players. However, this pick shows one thing: The Blues did their work. After being passed on all of last year’s Draft and most of this Draft, the Blues were able to identify Vorobyov’s ability and take him late in the Draft. He isn’t far from being a popular name on one of the least popular teams in Russia, showing how conscientious the Blues scouts worked this season. With his mature ability to beat defenders and tenacious nose for the net, there is something to like in him. He puts his nose to the grindstone and works. It could translate well to North American play.
Draft Grade: B-
The Blues’ grade is hurt from a lack of Draft capital, but they still had some solid selections. Bolduc has an excellent wrist shot, snapshot and slap shot. He is accurate and shows good power. He is not afraid to go to the dirty areas of the ice and can score from inside the home plate area too. Robertsson is another pure goal scorer with excellent shooting arsenal and is also a good playmaker. He is a good stickhandler and uses his body to protect the puck in the cycle game. Galloway is a big defenseman who has a strong defensive game and started to show offense in 2021.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Selections:
1st round: none
2nd round: none
3rd round: D Roman Schmidt (96th)
4th round: LW Dylan Duke (126th)
5th round: C Cam MacDonald (160th)
6th round: D Alex Gagne (192nd)
7th round: D Daniil Pylenkov (196th), LW Robert Flinton (211th), RW Niko Huuhtanen (224th; Mr. Irrelevant)
Roman Schmidt
The Lightning didn’t have a Draft choice in either of the first two rounds, so they had to wait about three and a half hours in Day 2 to make their first selection. Schmidt spent the past two seasons with the USDP, scoring two goals and 7 points in 22 games with the US NTDP Juniors last season, with 31 penalty minutes. He also had three goals and 14 points in 45 games with the USDP’s U18 team, with 49 penalty minutes, along with five games in the U18 World Championship, where he recorded no points. He originally committed to Boston University, but then opted out to play for the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers, who selected him 36th overall in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection. He’s a big defenseman, at 6’ 6” and 209 lbs., with great skating skills for a defender his size. He’s mostly a shutdown defenseman who could be useful in battles along the boards and knows how to use his stick to retrieve the puck. He’s a right-shot defenseman and can play on the right side of the defense, which is the weaker side of the Lightning’s roster. Schmidt will get a bigger opportunity to play in the offense in the OHL. Despite his size, he has a good speed, a heavy snapshot, although his passing is what needs improvement. He models his game after Victor Hedman, whom he idolizes. Schmidt understands body positioning, lane coverage, and box-outs when defending the cycle, as well as using his translatable tools to establish himself as a stay-at-home defenseman. Although he is inconsistent at times, especially against tougher opponents, he has shown that he is comfortable defending his own zone. His skating is average among defensemen but it’s surprising given his frame. He does not have an NHL skating stride at the moment, but his agility, pivoting, and acceleration are all standouts given how big he is, and he will only improve with post-Draft development. His strides are a bit short and heavy, but he shows quick feet on crossovers, which indicates that there is a foundation to build upon in that regard. He is well balanced and strong on his edges, and, at times, he would take the puck strong to the net after making a shifty move or two to avoid pressure. He can handle the puck under pressure and his poise is shown multiple times in one sequence. When an opponent gets in his range along the boards, that’s when he strikes, forcing closeouts. He pins attackers to the boards with his free hand while knocking the puck away with his stick. Good pick for Tampa.
Dylan Duke
The Lightning didn’t have a 4th round pick to begin with but got back into the Draft when they traded their 2022 4th round pick to the Canadiens to get pick No. 126 in this Draft, where they used to select Duke. Like Schmidt, Duke also comes from the US NTDP. Before the Draft, he seemed to be a consensus 2nd round pick, so the Lightning saw some value in trading back into the middle rounds to select the 5’ 10”, 180 lbs. left winger. He has a lot of similarities to what the majority of the Lightning’s prospects have. He is a high-energy player that can work in the corners and establish a presence in the front of the net despite not being the tallest player on the ice. His willingness to play in the front of the net helps him score, as he led the USDP’s U18 team with 29 goals in 50 games last season. He also had three goals in 5 games in the U18 World Juniors. He engages with the net-front defender, establishing his body position, and then pushing off as the puck comes near him. From there, he spins around and fires, hammers away, and occasionally shows some deft in-tight handling skill. Even if he can’t find space, he still finds a way to deflect the puck or whack away. He buzzes the offensive zone from start to finish, considering any opponent to be a target of opportunity. He is a physical sniper who can also contribute to the penalty kill. He can do all the dirty work on the ice, playing tough along the boards, laying hits, and brushing off opponents when driving to the net. Although he might not be that forward who can score 30 goals per season, he still has the qualities of a high-end prospect.
Cam MacDonald
MacDonald had 10 goals and 17 points in 30 games in his first season with the QMJHL’s St. John Sea Dogs. When the puck rests on the blade of one of his teammates, he can slip away form coverage, hide behind the back of defenders, and drive to the net sneakily to tip in passes headed his direction. The 6’ 1”, 190 lbs. forward also has a heavy shot that he can release quickly. He can skate and has a large frame that should play well as he develops his game. Defensively, he can use some work and has to focus on not being a perimeter player on offense. Those are traits where he can improve as he matures. He will return to the QMJHL to continue to develop for at least one more season before turning pro.
Alex Gagne
The Lightning continue to select players from the USHL with the selection of Gagne, a 6’ 3” 207 lbs. defender headed to the University of New Hampshire to start the 2022 season. In 53 games with the Muskegon Lumberjacks during the 2021 season, he had 3 goals and 26 points. UNH HC Mike Souza said that he was impressed with the size and the decision making of the defender, saying, “He’s got a real high work ethic, he wants to be a pro, he wants to be a player at the highest level and the fact he’s a New Hampshire kid adds to that excitement for us.”
Daniil Pylenkov
Similar to what they did with Amir Miftakhov last season, the Lightning are drafting an overage Russian player, this time being Pylenkov, a 6’ 1”, 194 lbs. left-shot defender. He had 5 goals and 19 points in 54 games with Vityaz Podolsk of the KHL in 2021, not bad for a 19-year-old in Russia’s top league. He was part of the Russian team that won the silver medal in the 2020 World Juniors. He is mostly a stay-at-home defender, playing a safe game with and without the puck, relying on his defense partner to move the play up the ice. He plays physical, using his size to close out opposing forwards, and uses his stick to deny passes. He showed his strength by pinning opponents to the board and a high level of engagement through his attempts to block shots. He was recently traded to SKA St. Petersburg, but since he is 20, he is eligible to play in the AHL. With the Lightning’s lack of depth on the left side of the defense in the prospect pool, it may be possible that the Lightning will bring him over quickly.
Robert Flinton
Flinton is a big power forward, listed at 6’ 2”, 203 lbs. committed to play at Dartmouth starting in the 2022 season. His last full season was in the 2020 season, where he had 11 goals and 25 points in 27 games with the St. Paul’s School of the USUS-Prep. During the 2021 season, he had 9 goals and 24 points in 14 games split between the Northern Cyclones and North Suburban Wings’ U18 AAA teams before heading back to the St. Paul’s School for the final six games.
Niko Huuhtanen
The Lightning’s final pick of the 2021 Draft was ultimately the very last pick of the Draft, as Huuhtanen became crowned as the NHL’s Mr. Irrelevant of the 2021 Draft. He is 6’ 1” and 203 lbs. as an 18-year-old. He had 20 goals and 34 points in 37 games for Tappara’s U20 squad during the 2021 season. He was drafted 2nd overall by the WHL’s Everett Silvertips in the 2021 CHL Import Draft and signed a contract with them in mid-July, so it’s likely he will be coming to North America to play for them in the 2022 season. He can score goals, use his size and deception, and use his body to protect pucks and make plays. He has a powerful release, is physical, unafraid to use the body to win puck battles, and is good on the forecheck. Oddly enough, he was brought in to replace some of the offense that the Silvertips will lose because the Lightning’s pick from last season, Gage Concalves, turned pro and will play for their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch.
Draft Grade: B-
The Lightning had to wait until the final pick of the 3rd round to make a pick. Schmidt is a giant on the blueline, standing 6’ 6”. He uses his size effectively and forwards coming his side of the ice with their head down will pay the price. Duke is a pure goal scorer who scores the majority of his goals in front of the net. He gets to the net both with and without the puck. MacDonald has good size and plays a solid two-way game. Huuhtanen has good size and uses it to dominate his age group along the boards and in front of the net. He is very good at winning battles for loose pucks.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Selections:
1st round: none
2nd round: LW Matt Knies (57th)
3rd round: none
4th round: none
5th round: C/LW Ty Voit (153rd)
6th round: G Vyacheslav Peska (185th)
7th round: none
Matt Knies
The Leafs’ first selection didn’t come until late in the 2nd round. During the 2020 season, he was outstanding, coming off a rookie season with 14 goals and 45 points in 44 games, the most by any 2021 Draft eligible player, ahead of 1st round picks Matty Beniers, Matt Coronato, Chaz Lucius, and Mackie Samoskevich. He was widely considered as a first round pick for this season, with 17 goals and 42 points in 44 games in 2021 (three fewer points in as many games). However, he went from being a potential late 1st round pick to barely being ranked in the 2nd round, although, to be fair, he began the season recovering from a concussion. But he finished the season on a tear. In the months of January, March, and April, he had a point per game pace or better (1 PPG in January, 1.14 PPG in March, and 1.6 PPG in April). Not to mention that his shot rate increased in a similar fashion. He has good speed and acceleration, and his mechanics are sound. It can get iffy with his crossovers which would need to be improved upon, but skating is a strength overall. In the same vein, he also has a good wrist shot. It is a quick, accurate, and has some power in it. On the power play, he alternated between net front and on the point. When positioned at the point, he would look to use his heavy wrist shot to snipe a goal, but it would more often cause a scrum off a rebound as it isn’t easy for goalies to stop and smother. Knies has a good combination of size, skating, and awareness for body positioning to protect the puck. He also knows how to gain leverage on a defender to get a step on him and then bully his way past them. When it comes to generating scoring chances, this is one of the many ways he can do that. If there is a particular strength of his game that isn’t a mechanical skill, but a way to impact the game towards his team’s favor, it’s his offensive transition game. He has the speed to get by defenders, and good enough deception and maneuverability to get around teams that try to cut him off and box him in. Some of the best ways to have an impact on scoring chances, for and against, is to be good at driving the offensive transitions or shutting down transition attempts against. The other part of it is his forechecking, specifically his offensive retrievals. He is effective at the chip and chase part of hockey, when he dumps the puck to a good area for him to use his skating and chase it down. He either gets the puck first or gets on top of the other team quickly and then uses his size and forechecking to strip them or knock it loose, so his team can gain possession. One area that may need improvement is his playmaking, especially when forced. He has a nice, simple, but effective game that goes in a straight line: Drive through the neutral zone, chip the puck in, get it, go to the net, and so forth. But he isn’t a good player at creating chances with the puck on his stick unless if it’s in transition. When he has the puck, he’s most effective with defenders beside or behind him, either because he's working the cycle or in the rush. When a defender is in front of him, he needs speed to get by them, but it mostly works for him in transition. When in the offensive zone, he relies mostly on size and strength to try and get a step on them so he can get to the more dangerous areas. But usually, he would get rid of the puck and then get to the dangerous areas without it. Although he is deceptive and has good hands, he can’t really dangle at a high level. He can make good passes but can’t necessarily find more difficult passing lanes to his teammates and won’t be mistaken for a set up guy. He’ll need to rely on his linemates to do a lot of the scoring chance creation in the offensive zone with the puck while he helps in other ways. He also lacks high-end skills. Although he has good shooting, skating, deception, passing, and awareness, there’s nothing about him that is elite. That may be his biggest concern for Knies as far as how he has developed while he showed a lot of promise. He didn’t seem to gain or develop the skills he had a year ago into something more special. It doesn’t help that the motor, work ethic, puck hounding and puck stripping that he shows on the forecheck does not seem to be there on the other end. He’s not active on the defensive zone, nor is he aggressive in pursuing the puck carrier through the neutral zone. Overall, if you compare Knies to Zach Hyman, it makes a lot of sense, given that the two share a lot of similarities. The question is how high does Knies make it? At the very least, he’s a bottom six forward with energy who is good on the forecheck and can create chances for his linemates. His lack of high-end skills would likely be, in most cases, that bottom six would be as high as he gets. Hyman never seemed to have high-end skills either, but he was a highly effective player in some valuable areas that it didn’t matter. The same could be true for Knies, but only time will tell. The belief is that the Leafs think there is more to him than what is seen in his Draft season. He will play for the University of Minnesota for the 2022 season. If he can develop more dynamic skill, refine his skating to improve his mobility, then they have a power forward who can essentially be the Hyman replacement and play in the top six.
Ty Voit
After selecting Knies, the Leafs had to wait until the 5th round to select Voit, who is the classic Kyle Dubas type of forward, a zippy winger that is widely considered undersized, as he stands 5’ 10” and weighs 161 lbs. In 2020, he had 8 goals and 28 points in 49 games with the Sarnia Sting, good for 7th in the OHL in points per game for 16-year-olds in their D-1 season, in the same group as Brett Harrison, Chase Stillman, Brennan Othmann, and Wyatt Johnston. The difference is that the four forwards in Voit’s group played games in 2021, while he did not, which could be why he fell to the 5th round. He only played in the PBHH Invitational in 2021, where he was one of the top producers in his age group, with 10 points in 10 games. He has the kind of skating you want a smaller player to have. Despite his speed being above average, he is agile and maneuverable, and shifty on his skates so it’s difficult for defenders to catch up to him. He can make quick lateral cuts and crossovers to evade the other team and find open areas of the ice. Becoming more explosive as a skater will be important, which is something that adding muscle and strength will help a lot with. He is one of the more creative and skilled playmakers in his OHL Draft class. He has made impressive one-touch passes, generating scoring chances, playing the give-and-go game better than most players in his Draft, accelerating on receptions and makes moves like stick lifts, turns, and saucer feeds almost instantly. His game is full of creative, unexpected offensive patterns, attracting defensive pressure and making plays through layers. Part of what helps his playmaking is how he is able to handle the puck, keeping defenders off balance, and making it harder for them to take it off of him. He knows how to maneuver the puck on his stick to lure defensemen to pull them closer to him or how to protect it while driving through defenders. He is intelligent, as he knows positioning on the ice, awareness of the play around him, clever manipulation, and processing the game quickly. It helps him to see and anticipate a play before everyone else, so he can make creative passes, or position himself on the ice better. It also helps him compete against bigger and stronger players, so that they can’t catch him, check him, or pin him along the boards. Concerns revolve around his strength, and this is a big one, because it would affect numerous elements of his game. Adding strength will help his skating become more powerful and explosive, and improve his top speed. It will also help him fight through checking and not get shoved around easily in scrums. It would also help him add more power to his shot. It’s also not uncommon for smaller defenders to not be the best defensively, especially when they’re younger. But this appears to be an issue for Voit, as he could get lazy defensively, flying the zone too early, having his head in the clouds, positioning himself in no-man’s land in his own end, and so forth. On one hand, it may seem easy to fix, as you would expect him to get better with coaching and maturity. He does have the tools to at least get good enough defensively. Being quick, agile, and showing the ability, anticipation and desire to chase pucks down and steal them in the offensive and neutral zones are things that can also be applicable in the defensive end. There were also few times where his shot looked nice, hard, and accurate, but he’s likely not going to be known as a goal scorer, but more of a playmaker whose skill will intermittently help him score goals at higher levels. His goals were scored off rushes or well-timed cuts to the net rather than sniping from long or medium distance. Adding strength will help on his shot as well as his shot mechanics. But he has shown the willingness to crash the net and get to the dirty areas for tips and rebounds, which is another area where adding strength would help. Overall, the impression is that he would be a middle six playmaking winger who can help on the power play and do a lot of the offensive work in the neutral zone and offensive zone to set up chances. The likelihood of him doing that is the big question. He will return to Sarnia for the 2022 season, and it has to be shown that he is bigger, stronger, faster, and better overall.
Vyacheslav Peska
There is the feeling that the Leafs had a specific player in mind in the 6th round, and they used it to select Peska, a 6’ 2”, 163 lbs. goalie who spent the 2021 season with Irbis Kazan of the MHL, where he had a 2.57 GAA and a .909 SV% in 17 games, with an 8-5-2 record. He was well scouted by the Leafs because Toronto Marlies AHL goaltending coach Jon Elkin was in Russia to watch the Leafs’ 4th round selection of the 2020 Draft, goalie Artur Akhtyamov. What caught Elkin’s eye was Akhtyamov’s backup for Irbis Kazan, which happened to be Peska. There might be a strategy as to why they selected Peska. Akhtyamov, who hasn’t signed with the Leafs yet, had a great season with AK Bars Kazan. There was some belief around building comfort for Akhtyamov to come to North America by also having him come with someone he knows well in Peska.
Draft Grade: C-
The Leafs’ Draft grade is hurt by how little Draft capital they had, as they only had three picks: A 2nd rounder, a 5th rounder, and a 6th rounder. Knies is very creative, can stickhandle in tight spaces and extend plays for teammates to get open. With his hands and agility, he can beat defenders in tight spaces and get to the net. He needs to work on his skating, however. Voit is a smaller forward who can play a perimeter game. He is a decent passer with good vision, but needs to put on some muscle. Peska is an off-board goalie selection for the most part.
Vancouver Canucks
Selections:
1st round: none
2nd round: RW Danila Klimovich (41st)
3rd round: none
4th round: none
5th round: G Aku Koskenuvo (137th), D Jonathan Myrenberg (140th)
6th round: D Hugo Gabrielson (169th), RW Connor Lockhart (178th)
7th round: LW Lucas Forsell (201st)
Danila Klimovich
Heading into his Draft year, Klimovich was more or less of an unknown. He got some recognition during the 2021 U18 World Championship, where he had six goals in five games. He moves on the first touch and cuts inside on most opponents. He mostly plays his game in between the two dots as much as possible, uses his teammates, and plays with a hard and violent energy. Although his skill may be raw, his potential is off the charts. He possesses good speed and an NHL-caliber shot, and his overall skill had him go on his way to being named one of Team Belarus’s best players of the U18 tournament. He is highly creative and has a complete level that is off the charts. He knows how to finish his chances, something that can elude a lot of players striving to be consistent offensive producers. He has the skills of a top line forward. Although it might not be his ceiling, he can thrive on a second or third line and power play, especially with the quick release and motor. The concern is that the Canucks’ scouts were evaluating his talent based off of five games at the U18s. All in all, the Canucks are getting a high potential winger that could turn into a steal. He has the potential to be a perennial 20-goal scorer in the NHL. After the Canucks lost Kole Lind to the Expansion Draft, they get a solid replacement in Klimovich. It will be interesting to see how he develops once he starts playing for the QMJHL’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. It could happen, since his agent stated that he wants to sign and play in North America next season, but seeing that he is currently trying out for the KHL’s Dinamo Minsk, there is an equally likely chance of it not happening. Either way, he gets to play in tougher competition.
Aku Koskenuvo
Koskenuvo is a goalie that could potentially be a superstar. He is splendidly athletic and has a massive 6’ 4” frame, with the raw toolkit of an NHL starter. He should develop into a solid NHL goalie with the right coaching environment, which he will get in Vancouver. With Thatcher Demko being the starter for the foreseeable future and Mike DiPietro possibly being his successor, Koskenuvo will have a lot of time to grow and develop into the player he has the potential of becoming. Canucks goalie coach Ian Clark said of Koskenuvo, “When I look at Aku, I look at a goaltender that may be a bit raw, a little bit green with some of the structural stuff, you know, there’s some blemishes there that we can easily transform and reorganize in his game, but some of those other areas which are much harder, he has in spades… You can have a very tall goalie that is very uncompetitive and therefore, they’re not long… You can have a shorter goalie, that is extremely competitive, that has more length. You can have a goaltender that’s very tall but has poor flexibility for example and they lack length because the length must also be flush to the ice. When a goalie is extending their leg if they don’t have the flexibility to keep their knee flush to the ice and really seal everything down, really that length has no value … Length, to me, is a really valuable commodity in those critical moments, and Aku has that.” Koskenuvo will head to Harvard University for the 2023 season, and it will be interesting to see how he will do against North American competition.
Jonathan Myrenberg
Myrenberg, a 6’ 2”, 190 lbs. right-shot defenseman, spent most of his time in the J20 Nationell with Linkoping HC J20, where he had three goals and 8 points in 15 games. He is a mobile defender that has a hard shot but could use work on his defensive game. He has a laser of a wrist shot which is accurate from anywhere in the zone, and his one timer catches fire. He also has solid skating, a great three-way mobility, and deceptive edge work that allows him to gain separation from the puck. His game is very similar to Alex Edler, except with more physicality. He’s not afraid to use the body to make a big hit or stand a player up in the neutral zone with his size and strength. His vision and defense aren’t something that can wow you, but because his hockey IQ is so high, it could be fixed with time. He’s a project that will need a few seasons to mature before making the jump to the big stage.
Hugo Gabrielson
Gabrielson, a 6’ 1”, 172 lbs. defender who had four goals and 13 points in 17 games with Frölunda HC J20 in the J20 Nationell and three goals and 7 points in 24 games on loan with the Halmstad Hammers HC, is versatile enough to play on both ends of the ice and has the makings of a top four defenseman in the NHL. He is known more for his offensive game in part of his development and isn’t afraid to jump to the play and pinch down to keep pucks in. Don’t be surprised if you see him appear in the slot for a scoring chance too. Despite his offensive upside, his defensive game is still raw. He isn’t really the best skater on the ice either, which could limit his offensive grits when he makes it to the NHL. He also doesn’t establish a lot of man-to-man pressure, not really getting into the face of the attacker when they are rushing up the boards. However, his skating and his defense can be fixed with the right coaching. His size and his ability to generate offense can make him a valuable defender, especially in a league that emphasizes puck movement and production from the back end.
Connor Lockhart
Lockhart could end up becoming a steal in this Draft. He was ranked as high as 58th in the scouting reports but ended up dropping because the OHL cancelled their 2021 season, so he and his hockey team, the Erie Otters, could not get any action going. In 2020, his rookie season, he had nine goals and 27 points in 57 games, which isn’t really enough to warrant a high Draft selection. Player development from rookie to sophomore is huge, but for players like him, there is no way of knowing to see how much better he might have been this season had it happened, and, for many teams, it’s too big of a risk to spend Draft capital on. He did not play any games in the 2021 season. Had he played in the U18s, or even the PBHH Invitational in Erie, he could have enticed teams to select him higher. He is known for his speed, creativity, and willingness to get to the dirty areas, and can possibly turn into an effective bottom six forward in the NHL. Some might point out that his 5’ 8” stature and that he is undersized. But because he has a high motor, that might not matter these days, especially when looking at the success of Tyler Johnson, Cole Caufield, and Brendan Gallagher.
Lucas Forsell
The Canucks chose to go back to Sweden to draft Forsell, a 6’, 165 lbs. left winger who had four goals and 11 points in 13 games with the Färjestad BK J20 team after having six goals and 10 points in four games with Färjestad’s J18 squad. Similar to Klimovich and Lockhart, two of his strongest attributes are his competitive nature and his work ethic. Like most young players, he is still growing in his frame. One thing that must be pointed out is that he still needs to grow in his frame. With his speed and skill, he could be a fringe top six forward, but most likely a bottom six energy player, similar to Barclay Goodrow and Jannik Hansen if he makes it to the NHL.
Draft Grade: C
The Canucks had a 2nd round pick, two 5th round picks, two 6th rounders, and a 7th rounder. However, this is an okay Draft for them considering they were without a first round pick for the second year in a row. If the defense gives Klimovich even a small opening, he can blow past them and leave them bamboozled. He also has a great wrist shot, with a flashy release. He is a long-term project who needs work on his defensive game. Koskenuvo is a 6’ 4” goalie with excellent athleticism but raw technique. Myrenberg has good size, and his skating helps him both offensively and defensively. Lockhart is undersized but has excellent playmaking.
Vegas Golden Knights
Selections:
1st round: C Zach Dean (30th)
2nd round: D Daniil Chayka (38th)
3rd round: none
4th round: C Jakub Brabenec (102nd), C Jakub Demek (128th)
5th round: none
6th round: Artur Colach (190th)
7th round: G Carl Lindbom (222nd)
Zach Dean
While many other teams were trading their draft picks on the first day of the Draft, the Golden Knights decided to stand pat and hold onto their assets. The first one of which was their 1st round pick, used to select Dean, marking the 5th time the Knights have taken a center in the 1st round of the Draft, along with Cody Glass, Nick Suzuki, Peyton Krebs, and Brendan Brisson. Dean had an impressive two seasons with the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques, with 28 goals and 66 points in 80 regular season games, with 20 of those 66 points coming in 2021. The 6’, 176 lbs. center played in all situations for them. He is an excellent skater and a great playmaker, but he is more than capable of finding the back of the net as well. He has astonishing speed and can play both center and wing. He plays at a breakneck pace, stacking his skill as a handler and a passer to go with his skating ability to make plays without hesitation. His hands work independent of his feet, with his top arm free from his side, pushed out in front of him to get him as much maneuverability as possible. When one of his teammates get open, he will feed him the puck. He is a feisty player around the net, although his biggest concern has to do with his consistency and finding the compete level game-in and game-out. Although the comparisons to Alex Killorn can make sense, Dean is more of a project prospect right now.
Daniil Chayka
The Golden Knights decided to trade down in the Draft, sending pick No. 36 to the Red Wings for picks No. 38 and No. 128. The Knights used pick No. 38 to select Chayka. He spent most of the 2021 season in Russia, splitting his time between the KHL, VHL, and MHL, with a combined 7 points in 26 games. However, he had solid numbers in his second season with the OHL’s Guelph Storm, with 11 goals and 34 points in 56 games in 2020, a 20-point increase from his 2019 season. He jumps in rushes and has an explosive shot, though he is strong in the defensive zone. The 6’ 3”, 185 lbs. defenseman is known for his long reach, using it to break up plays and cover ground on the defensive zone. He denies a lot of space with his stick and has the footwork to weaponize that reach. He breaks up a lot of plays in the neutral zone and is comfortable enough with the puck at the offensive zone blue line. He has a strong mobility and NHL-level skating, and he makes a strong first pass. He struggled with Team Russia at the World Juniors and is coming off a down year, but he still has great potential and lots of appealing tools in his skill set. His long stick could hinder him at the point, where his wrist shots come off of his stick softly because of a high grip and a stilted posture, but he is decently mobile side-to-side, getting his shot through consistently, taking away a lot of space inside his own zone as well as defending the rush. His gap could be tighter and more aggressive, while his defense is mostly about protecting the middle of the net.
Jakub Brabenec
The Knights made another trade with the Red Wings to send picks No. 114 and No. 155 to climb up 12 spots to pick No. 102, used to select Brabenec. After uncertainty surrounding the QMJHL season because of the COVID pandemic, Brabenec spent last season with the Czech Extraliga. Although he had just one assist, it was valuable experience for the 17-year-old. However, he had a standout performance in the U18 World Championship, with four assists in five games on a disappointing Czech team. The 6’ 1”, 174 lbs. center is an excellent skater who never stops moving his feet and has a powerful first stride. He is patient and responsible with the puck and is a creative playmaker with strong vision. He has a powerful shot, although it is said that he can suffer from tunnel vision given his pass-first mentality. He has experience playing both the point and the half wall on the power play, but his offensive upside is limited at this point of his development. He projects more of as a bottom six winger. He knows his next play before the puck comes to him. He flashes deception, anticipates seams, controls his skating to attack them, sees opportunities to hide at the top of the offensive zone to pop in the slot for passes, and generally supports plays well—even if connecting them can prove a bit more difficult. He is a competitive forward and plays hard in the three zones, and he has some elusiveness in his game. He also helps the Knights in their center depth, and has plenty of time to develop considering he won’t turn 18 until September.
Jakub Demek
The Knights used their next pick to select another center named Jakub. Demek is an off-the-board pick, as Central Scouting ranked him 129th on their list of European skaters. So far, he has played his entire career in Slovakia, including 10 games with HC Kosice in the 2021 season, where he had two assists, although he managed four goals and 13 points in 25 games with Slovakia’s U18 team. The 6’ 4”, 196 lbs. will play for the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings to start the 2022 season.
Artur Colach
Cholach was the 3rd overall selection in the CHL Import Draft, taken by the OHL’s Barrie Colts. He is the first Ukrainian player taken in the NHL Draft since Sergei Gaiduchenko in 2007, and the first Ukrainian defender to be drafted since Maxym Linnik in 1998. He had one assist in four games last season with Sokol Kiev in Ukraine, adding two goals in nine playoff games. The 6’ 4”, 198 lbs. left-shot defenseman played AAA hockey in the 2020 season, where he had three goals and 10 points in 16 games with the New Jersey Titans.
Carl Lindbom
Lindbom was ranked 5th on Central Scouting’s list of European goalies. In 2021, he played eight games with Djurgårdens IF J20 squad, where he went 3-4-0 with a 3.02 GAA and a .890 SV%. Given the small sample size and the COVID complications, it could be premature to judge him based on those stats, especially since he was just 17 at that time. In 2020, he had stellar numbers in the J18 Elit with Djurgårdens IF, with a 1.71 GAA and a .936 SV% and a 9-1-0 record. That same season, he went 3-3-0 with a 1.67 GAA and a .935 SV% in six games in the J18 Allsvenskan. He was Sweden’s goalie in the U18 tournament. After a tough start that had Sweden getting crushed by Canada early on, he rebounded and finished the tournament with a 4-2-0 record, a 3.06 GAA and a .918 SV% in six games. He is considered a “project” but had plenty of time to add to his 6’, 165 lbs. frame and develop his game, as the Knights have multiple goalie prospects ahead of him on the depth charts, which includes Logan Thompson, Jiri Patera, Isaiah Saville, and Dylan Ferguson. Lindbom has strong hockey instincts and is a fast and athletic goalie. He is quick on his feet, has great tracking and reads passes well, though there needs to be work done on his rebound control.
Draft Grade: B-
Dean is an outstanding stickhandler, combining his stickhandling skills with his skating and can make plays while moving at top speed. He is very creative with the puck and will cut to the tough areas to make plays. Chayka has the tools to be a top pairing defender in the NHL, but his game needs refinement. He had recent growth spurts and still seems to be adjusting his body. Brabenec is a playmaker and has a high hockey IQ, although he needs to bulk it up. Demek is a big winger who is set to join the Oil Kings in 2022.
Washington Capitals
Selections:
1st round: none
2nd round: D Vincent Iorio (55th)
3rd round: D Brent Johnson (80th)
4th round: D Joaquim Lemay (119th)
5th round: F/D Håkon Hänelt (151st)
6th round: D Dru Krebs (176th), G Chase Clark (183rd)
7th round: none
Vincent Iorio
When you look at Iorio’s playing style, if you’re a Caps fan, the first player that can come to mind is Caps’ 2018 1st round pick Alexander Alexeyev. Both have big bodies who don’t really have a specific area where they excel but are great in a lot of areas. Iorio’s best trait is his hockey IQ. That, along with his size (6’ 3”, 194 lbs.), made him good at stopping opposing attackers in his own zone. What takes it to the next level is that his breakout passes are both hard and accurate. He misdirects opponents by looking relaxed, even when vulnerable, before firing. He looks off his target, skates into the lane, then holds the deception until he releases the puck, even for long ranges and on three-line passes. He doesn’t need a lot of space to make the pass out of danger, and when the pass isn’t there, he isn’t afraid to skate it out himself. If he can get a step on the forecheckers, he is hard to stop. He is also very good at exiting and entering the offensive zone. He can use the physicality to gain control of the puck and is so good defensively. He does it all, from playing behind the puck to making sure that it doesn’t stay in the defensive zone for long stretches. The problem is that once the puck is on the offensive zone, he doesn’t really possess the creativity to do any much else with it, but when he is put with the highly skilled players, that’s no biggie—he’ll make sure that those players spend more time in the offensive zone than in the defensive zone. Caps assistant GM Ross Mahoney says that Iorio is on the verge of a breakout season, as he had five goals and 12 points in 22 games in the 2021 season. He was playing behind Braden Schneider, the 19th overall pick from last year’s Draft. Schneider got the first unit power play, penalty kill, and even strength time, and with him moving to the AHL next season, Iorio will now take up those big minutes. With his large frame, his play is more dictated by his maturity over other players, but he has proven that his IQ is high-end. He also has top four ability like Alexeyev. If they both pan out, they could be a big shutdown pair that can also pitch in offensively.
Brent Johnson
Johnson is quite possibly the most intriguing pick of the Draft with the highest upside. He is a smaller defenseman, standing 5’ 11” and weighing 165 lbs., but has excellent hockey IQ. Based on his stats (11 goals and 32 points in 47 games in the 2021 season with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede), he comes as an offensive defenseman, but his IQ allows him to play defensively well. He is good at anticipating and reading plays in the defensive zone, ending them before they begin. He is deceptive and is a creative playmaker with flashes of high-level manipulation. Without the puck, he is filling in space, getting as deep in the zone as possible without letting his man slip behind, and sneaks down the weak side. The transition deception translates to his playmaking, taking passes into a shooting stance, and then immediately passes to a more dangerously positioned teammate. He wants to be a difference-maker. Interestingly, he ranked 1st in even strength primary points per game among first-year Draft eligible defenders, and 2nd in primary points per game and primary points per 60 among first-year Draft eligible defenders, behind only Luke Hughes. The issue is that he needs to get bigger and more consistent on his defensive second efforts. Usually, the first effort of a poke check or getting his body in front of a player will work, but when it doesn’t, he sometimes gives up on the play. If he can figure that out, take a leap forward, and continue in his development as he gets to college, he could be a highly skilled top four defenseman. There could be some Mike Green inside of him, not in terms of talent, but in terms of how everything offensively seems to come easy to him, seemingly putting in minimal effort as he skates around the offensive zone.
Joaquim Lemay
There’s not a lot about Lemay, which could mean that he wasn’t on most teams’ radars, but if the Caps were taking him mid-Draft, there must be something that they like about his game. The 6’ 1”, 172 lbs. left-shot defender is a really good skater, very agile, can turn on a dime, and move up and down the ice smoothly. He is an offensive defenseman, with three goals and 26 points in 63 games with Mount St. Charles Academy’s U18 team in AAA Hockey in 2020, followed by 10 assists in 15 games with the BCHL’s Salmon Arm Silverbacks. As he turned 19 in late July, that makes him an overager. The BCHL also doesn’t develop a ton of NHL players. He will head to the University of Nebraska-Omaha for the start of the 2022 season, so it will be interesting what he can do in a good hockey program.
Håkon Hänelt
Hänelt was originally slated to go as early as the 2nd or 3rd round, but it may be possible that his value dropped because of the pandemic. Instead of playing top minutes with players of his age, he had to play with Eisbären Berlin in the DEL against men while getting fourth line time. It resulted in him getting just one goal in 22 games, a far cry from his 9 goals and 17 points in 26 games in his 2020 season with the RB Hockey Akademie. The stats he had with Eisbären Berlin are misleading, as he is a quick skater with great vision and hands. He is good on the forecheck and in the defensive zone, though he has to be harder on the man he is guarding, which should come as he gets bigger. He plays center, wing, and is even listed as playing some defense. He is a possession player, which is a good thing to hear. He just signed to play with the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques next season and will get to test those skills with players close to his age. He needs to see top six minutes, hopefully as a center and/or winger. Between his age, his possession play and his skill, and the fact that he was hidden in the men’s league when he shouldn’t have been, this could be a steal.
Dru Krebs
Krebs and Lemay have a lot of things in common. Both are left-shot defenseman with great skating and solid offensive upside, but neither have taken a step forward offensively yet, although Krebs is believed to get more power play time next season as well, which should help. His dimension is transition, starting with his skating, as he is more skilled than mechanically sound, lacking depth, but having a separation gear in the WHL and evasiveness from mohawks, punch turns, and fake pivots and cutbacks. Those skills bring deceptiveness, increasing with look-offs to conceal his intended pass recipient. More positives are that he, like Lemay, is offensive-minded. Both will need to have breakout seasons to show that they are more than just late round picks.
Chase Clark
There’s not too much to say about Clark, as he is an overage tall goalie (6’ 6”, 218 lbs.) who had a great season with the Jersey Hitmen in the NCDC, with a 1.92 GAA and a .935 SV%, along with an 18-2-1 record there, followed by a tough three-game stretch with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm, where he had a 3.03 GAA and .899 SV%. The Capitals might see something in him, and it’s best assumed that they know what they’re doing when drafting goalies. They had a huge amount of success in the goalie department over the years. It might not be known where the right-catching goalie will end up for the start of the 2022 season, but he will have to prove that he is more than just a big body.
Draft Grade: C
While the Caps didn’t have a 1st round pick, they made some interesting picks that could potentially pay off, although at times they played it safe like they usually do. The biggest hole in their prospect pool heading into the Draft was their right-shot defensemen, and they addressed it with their first two picks. Iorio isn’t really the flashiest player but plays a nice two-way game. He also has a good hockey IQ and is willing to play physically. Johnson is a solid skater, and his skating helps him push the offense for Sioux Falls. He likes to rush the puck up the ice and join the attack and is a good passer from the point. Krebs is a great skater, and that helps him in transition and makes him very difficult to beat in one-on-one situations.
Winnipeg Jets
Selections:
1st round: C Chaz Lucius (18th)
2nd round: RW Nikita Chibrikov (50th)
3rd round: D Dmitri Kuzmin (82nd)
4th round: none
5th round: RW Dmitri Rashevsky (146th)
6th round: none
7th round: none
Chaz Lucius
Lucius is a natural goal scorer with a knack for scoring around the net, as proven by his 26 goals and 38 points in 25 games combined with the US NTDP Juniors and US National U18 team after missing the first half of the season with a lower body injury. As the 6’, 172 lbs. center is a natural finisher, he has a wide array of options in his shooting arsenal, from his wrist shot to his one-timer, and even his backhand. He can work the one- and two-touch snapshot with power and precision, and can send the puck to the net with deceptive, downward force-loaded wristers. He finds open space, changes the shooting angle, and gets shots off quickly, which has become almost a necessity when beating goalies at the NHL level. The fact that he is 18 years old and has developed these traits does well for his projection to pro hockey. On top of his goal scoring ability and his shooting and offensive instincts, he is a great stickhandler, which allows him to make plays in tight around the net. He is capable down low on the cycle and can hold onto the puck as his teammates find open space. He has above average vision, but as he is a shoot-first center, his instinct is to work give-and-go plays with his wingers, where he gets the final touch for a shot on the net. If someone is open, he will find them, and will feed them the puck. He reads his teammates so well, anticipating developing plays, and timing his maneuvers accordingly. The downside on his game is his skating. While he has solid edgework, he lacks high-end speed because of some faulty mechanics in his crossovers. This limits his ability to be a puck carrier, which is why he often relies on his teammates on zone entries. Because he is good at finding gaps in the defense and because he’s able to get his shot off quickly, his skating hasn’t hampered his production so much by this point. However, he will need to work on that as he transitions to the NHL level. However, he is a smart skater who is slowly improving his game, continuing to show his elite skill and scoring ability. Not many players in this year’s Draft can shoot the puck and find offensive opportunities like him. His game is reminiscent to that of Steven Stamkos.
Nikita Chibrikov
Chibrikov, a 5’ 10”, 172 lbs. winger who had three goals and 8 points in 20 games with SKA-Neva St. Petersburg of the VHL following a three-goal, 16-point 2020 season with MHK Dynamo Koskova of the MHL, is a flashy forward who has elite playmaking skills. When combining his vision, passing, and shot, you have a total package. His fluent skating and his aggressive playstyle allowed him to excel at every level he has played at. If you give him space, a runaway through the neutral zone, or a pocket in the offensive end, he will cut around the opposition with his stickhandling and crossovers. He locates teammates early in possession sequences and finds ways to reach them by shifting to the backhand, by saucing the puck above sticks, banking it on the boards, or the goalie’s pads. He has a lot of promise in his game, with his poise with the puck on his stick and his skating being two of the things that are impressive in his game. He has good hands in tight and can find teammates in the slot even when he has a defender over him. He also has an impressive shot, as he can get it off in a hurry and is good at using deceptive moves to place it wherever he wants. He doesn’t back down from being physical, as he can also battle hard for the puck in the corners and has good lower-body strength, making it hard to strip him of the puck. He needs to work on his defense, however. At times, he is good on the backcheck to help disrupt passing lanes with his active stick, but other times, he is either invisible in the defensive zone or he barely tries. He processes the game at a high level and has shown that he reads the play well. He needs to put more emphasis on helping out the defense on a consistent basis in his game. However, him being the captain of the Russian U18 national team is further proof that he is a good leader. Despite the uncertainty on if he will make the transition to the NHL, he possesses the tools required to excel as a top six forward. He will join a depth chart that is only going to get better. With the additions of him, Lucius, and Cole Perfetti, the Jets have a young forward core that they can build on.
Dmitri Kuzmin
The Jets chose to go a different round in the 3rd round to select Kuzmin, a 5’ 10”, 176 lbs. defender who had three goals and 12 points in 46 games in the 2021 season with Dinamo-Molodechno of the Belarusian Extraleague. This past season, he intended to move to North America so that he can play in the OHL with the Flint Firebirds but was not able to do so as the OHL never got a season going in the midst of the pandemic. Instead, he returned to Dinamo-Moldechno. Although he is small for a defenseman, he plays like he is 6’ 4”, and because of that, his size can be overlooked. An offensive-minded defenseman, he has solid skating, excellent agility, mobility, and awareness. When in his own end, he has good positioning and has proven to be a solid slot defender, able to stop open lanes and deflect scoring chances. He is calm and can control the tempo well, often bringing the puck behind his own net to slow down the play so he can his teammates can regain control. He has a knack for getting behind the net. Three of his goals this past net are from behind the net in a Michigan/lacrosse style goal. He has a high level of offensive creativity, which helps him improve his offensive game. Although he is a puck distributor and is capable of making tape-to-tape passes, he needs to improve his passing in the offensive zone. In summary, he is a developmental project, but with the right development, he could potentially be a third-pairing defenseman and see some time on the power play. While it is unclear if he will make the trip overseas to play with the Firebirds, it would be a good move for his development to play in the OHL. The Jets add yet another intriguing prospect to their defensive core, as Kuzmin will join a group of young defensive prospects like Dylan Samberg, Leon Gawanke, Simon Lundmark, and Declan Chisholm, who are all looking to make an impact.
Dmitri Rashevsky
Rashevsky, a 6’ 1”, 165 lbs. right winger, finally got drafted in his third time in the NHL Entry Draft. He was passed over in his first two drafts, which makes him one of those rare Draft picks to be selected in his third Draft, but GM Kevin Cheveldayoff is confident that not being selected in 2019 and 2020 will drive his playmaking abilities. He has a motor that doesn’t stop. Whether it be on the forecheck or the backcheck, the start of his shift or at the end of his shift, in the MHL, VHL, or KHL, he wants the puck on his stick and in the back of the opposing net. He rarely over-dangles, preferring to use his teammates and make give-and-goes to get out of tight situations. He spent most of the 2021 season with Dynamo St. Petersburg of the VHL, where he had 11 goals and 16 points in 24 games. He also played nine games in the KHL, where he had an assist with Dynamo Moskva. His most impressive stats came from the 2020 season, where he had 44 goals and 74 points in 61 games with MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg of the MHL. He is not just a goal scorer; he is also a playmaker. Puck-handling is his strongest suit, while the goal scoring is an added bonus for him, which isn’t all that bad for his team. Not only does he protect the puck, but his ability to stick-handle makes creating open ice easy as he sets up solid plays for his linemates. Then again, his motivation to score is what stands out, as his five shots per 20 minutes in the 2020 MHL season was one of the best averages in the league. Being drafted at 21 years old is late compared to typical NHL Draft picks. The downside to this is that it makes less time for development at the NHL level compared to younger draftees. He needs to work on his skating, which has been above average. He is a late bloomer physically, so he still has work to do on getting bigger and adding muscle. He is fairly small in stature for someone of his height, but the hope is as he continues to train and play in the NHL, he will build up strength and improve on his skating. Although it is unlikely for the draftee’s first NHL season, should HC Paul Maurice give Rashevsky the opportunity to play with some of the Jets’ bigger names, he could potentially elevate his game.
Draft Grade: B
Although the Jets just had four picks in this year’s Draft, they picked up excellent talent relative to their Draft position. Lucius and Chibrikov fell down the Draft boards and the Jets took advantage of player falling. Lucius is a pure goal scorer who has a good arsenal of shots, as he is effective with his wrister, snap shop, slap shot, one-timer, and backhand. His shots are accurate and are powerful. Not to mention that he has quick hands, able to get his shots off very quickly. Chibrikov is a very solid playmaker, with good vision and anticipation, reading the play and anticipating the movements of his teammates and his opponents. When there is a scoring opportunity, he finds his man and gets him the puck. Kuzmin is a very good skater and tremendous puck handler at the point, pushing the offense from the backend.
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