Simon Nemec: The 6-foot, 199-pound Slovak is a smooth-skating, intelligent defenceman who is a highly efficient puck mover with a solid two-way game. Size and not consistently using his linemates to maximum effectiveness are two things that could prevent that from happening.Ĥ. Most scouts project him as a high-end second-line centre in the NHL with a chance to develop into a 1C. At 5-foot-10 1/2, the skilled pivot has some dynamic offensive ability, especially in terms of his one-on-one play and a willingness to go to hard areas on the ice to score goals. 1 vote from our panel of scouts, but also got a few votes at No. U-18 national team centre was the only prospect besides Slafkovsky and Wright to get a No. To that end, here are thumbnail sketches of the remaining eight prospects in TSN’s Top 10:ģ. Some of them said they’re not necessarily convinced the top two picks in the draft will be Slafkovsky and Wright or vice versa. Multiple scouts freely admitted that five years from now, the best player from the 2022 draft could be someone not named Slafkovsky or Wright. “Slafkovsky was great at the Olympics and worlds, but he only scored five goals in Liiga this season and went some really long stretches without scoring a goal at all,” said another scout. “Those seem like such a long time ago,” another scout said. There’s a lot to pick apart on both sides of the equation. 1 can’t forget what they saw in Wright’s first OHL season and the 2021 U-18 world championship.” 1 are struggling with Wright’s draft year being so average ,” he said. One club executive nicely summed up the dilemma in choosing between Slafkovsky and Wright. That tournament was the only hockey Wright played in 2020-21 because of COVID-19.Įight of our 10 scouts ranked Wright either No. Disappointing, that is, relative to his brilliant 2019-20 OHL rookie season (39 goals and 66 points in 58 games) and outstanding underage performance at the 2021 U-18 World Championship. 1 on their lists said he got extra marks for playing a premium position (centre) and still putting up 94 points in 63 games in what many would concede was a disappointing season. But he’s still viewed as having a more mature, well-rounded game than Slafkovsky. Wright’s game left some scouts wanting more from him, especially in terms of competitiveness and goal scoring. “In my view, he has the best chance to be a first-line NHL forward.” “What separates Slafkovsky from Wright for me is that he’s bigger, he played harder, he was more consistent with his competitiveness, and he stepped up to produce on big stages ,” another NHL head scout said. 1 on their lists do believe he has the best chance to be upgraded from a sure-fire top-six forward to a top-line NHL winger. The five scouts who put Slafkovsky at No. There are things I like about both guys, but I have some reservations, too.”

I’m not saying one or the other couldn’t become first liners, they’re both good prospects, but unlike a lot of years, this draft doesn’t have any great prospects. “Neither one of them are locks to be first-line players in the NHL.

“It’s a peculiar draft year,” said one NHL team head scout. Club order of draft selection is not a factor in our survey of scouts and TSN’s ranking of players. Two, this “consensus” ranking has nothing to do with the preference of the team - the Montreal Canadiens - that is picking first overall. It’s really that tight in the eyes of so many scouts. One, if you were to survey another group of 10 scouts, you could very well end up with the same 5-4 split, but in favour of Wright. There are, however, two points worth noting. 1 spot heading into the draft in Montreal on July 7-8. 5 at mid-season but used two stellar international performances, at the Olympics and the men’s world championship, to vault to TSN’s No. The headline will be that it’s the first time this season - that includes pre-season rankings in September mid-season rankings in January draft lottery edition rankings in April and now the final rankings in June - that someone other than Wright is No. 1, while four scouts slotted the Kingston Frontenac centre in the top spot. 1 spot on TSN’s 2022 NHL Draft Final Ranking and, by the slimmest of margins, it’s Juraj Slafkovsky over Shane Wright.įive of 10 scouts surveyed by TSN ranked the 6-foot-4 Slovak left winger at No.

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