Prospect Info: 2022 Draft Prospects, Part II
- Thread starter StevenToddIves
- Start date
-
HF Sportsbook has been reset for the new season - Click here to play.
SteveCangialosi123
Registered User
I’d be curious to see what our scouts’ board looks like. It seems like either guy is very possible with where we’ll likely be picking. I’d rather not have to choose and just pick who’s left.
Based on what we like I imagine they're leaning towards the bigger and more physical Jiricek.
- Dec 20, 2018
- 22,675
- 50,599
2021: Hurtig was in his D+1 year. Malek was D+1. Bardakov was D+2, he’s 21. (3/7)
2020: Daws was D+1. Baumgartner was D+2. (2/8)
2019: Thompson was D+2 (1/11)
2018: Shara was D+2 (1/6)
2017: Hellickson was D+1. Senn was D+3 (2/11)
2016: Rykov was D+1. Davies was D+1 (2/9)
I don’t think we hit OA particularly hard before last year, they’re common enough among goalies and late picks. The earliest picks are Daws (#84) and Thompson (#96).
We have a bunch in the last two drafts, to the point where it’s going to thin our prospects out in the future, as it makes 2021 a light class, unless we hit this age group harder this year.
Our particular response to COVID was leaning into European overagers our scouts could watch a bunch. It would have been nice if we took a flyer on some the CHL talent that dropped, and went cheap in terms of draft value, but we didn’t. (I’m not a huge fan of what we did in that draft, but that’s life.)
Columbus picked an overager at #21, Yegor Chinakhov, in 2020 and 2 OAs out of 5 picks.
They had picked 3 OAs, out of 7 picks, in 2017 and 2 OAs, out of 5, in 2018. They had none in 2019 but only picked three players.
The biggest surprise is that there aren’t any in their nine 2021 picks. Three were 1sts, so that helps the odds, but you never know with Columbus.
I don’t know how many overagers are drafted per year though.
Nemec's terrific, can't say enough about the guy. There has never been a teenager in the history of the Slovakian men's league to take that league by storm like he has.
I've compared Nemec and Jiricek at length. I'm not sure it's a matter of who is better, so much as what you *like*, I guess. If you're going to go by who is better right now, we'd have to say Nemec, even though it's a bit unfair because Jiricek missed so much of this season with injury. If we're going to go with upside, it's probably Jiricek because he has zero physical limitations and it's just a matter of rounding out his game, much like Luke Hughes last year and Jake Sanderson the year prior.
Nemec is the superior puck mover and passer -- he's just elite in those respects. He's a beast in transition. He's also very good defensively. Though everyone will tell you Jiricek is more physical, it's also important to mention that Nemec is not exactly shy, he's very economical and effective with shoulder checks and bodying opponents off the puck. In the offensive zone, Nemec is more playmaker than shooter, but the fact that he has upped his shooting game for the playoffs has to get our attention.
Jiricek is one of those limitless prospects. With his combination of speed, strength and skating juxtaposed with his natural aggressiveness and physicality, he's just hell for opposing forwards to play against. I'd say that before the injury, he was one of the two or three most intimidating defensemen in the Czech men's league... as a 17 year old. His shot is an absolute howitzer, and he's a rare defender with 20+ goal upside. Just as Nemec's defense and physicality are commonly (and mistakenly) underrated, Jiricek's puck skills are also often overlooked. Though he is not on Nemec's rarified level, Jiricek is excellent in transition, puck movement, outlet passing and playmaking.
I hope this helps.
I would have to agree with @Hisch13r on this -- everything displayed and said by Tom Fitzgerald would have to make one feel that Jiricek would be the guy here. I honestly think it's possible he's as high as #1 or #2 overall on the Devils draft board, and no I do not feel that would be a stretch.
On my post immediately above, I tried to give a good, solid comparison of the two players. They're both outstanding and any team would love to have either. But team-building requires a variety of abilities and skill sets, and we'd have to say that Nemec is not entirely dissimilar from Hamilton or Luke Hughes, the two players this blueline is likely being built around. Jiricek is his own thing. When I get asked for comparisons for Jiricek, I'm at a loss because the most similar-styled player I can think of is one of the most unique players in recent NHL history in Dustin Byfugliuen. That combination of size/strength/physicality/skill/shot/hockey IQ just doesn't come along very often.
I'm including the profile of Simon Nemec written by @Steve Kournianos on his website. Though I disagree with Mr. Kournianos' ranking of Simon -- I have Nemec in my top 5, while he does not -- his assessment of Nemec's skill set is, as always, spot on.
Skating and Stickhandling
Nemec is highly shifty and agile, using his multi-directional quickness to cover ground rapidly and achieve intended results. He isn’t a road runner with explosive speed, but Nemec absolutely loves to join the rush and is as much of a passing threat as the trailer as he is with the shot. Nemec has a quick first step and will anticipate puck travel to involve himself in battles anywhere on the ice. He can change directions multiple times in one sequence with or without the puck, and he’ll attempt reverses in the face of pressure without revealing panic, fear, or indecisiveness. These traits are critical in shifting momentum away from aggressive forecheckers, who after a few unsuccessful attempts to chase Nemec behind the net realize their overzealousness simply presents him with open ice to exploit while showing off his edgework. Being a confident decision maker in the skating and puck-handling realms allows Nemec to take the puck for a zone-to-zone rush that culminates with a clean, controlled entry with his head up to deal with the changing, often chaotic nature of an opponent’s defensive scheme.
Shooting, Passing and Playmaking
Nemec is more a two-way defenseman than one who think offense all the time, but he’s highly capable of creating scoring opportunities and quarterbacking an effective power play. It appears as though his teammates know to not only give Nemec his space, but position themselves in opportunistic areas near the goal. That is partly due to Nemec being an excellent passer in both accuracy and effectiveness; meaning that he rarely settles for short-distance d-to-d passes or handoffs to a nearby teammate simply to avoid any opposing entanglement. Rather, Nemec will delay, then delay some more, all while pivoting or shuffling to open up multiple lanes for his favored seam pass to the weak side. Nemec, much like fellow Slovakian draft prospect Juraj Slafkovsky. does not need to be on his forehand to make these attempts click, and the clean and confident manner in which the duo orchestrate a power-play possession for Slovakia’s junior team is similar to any NHL-caliber unit.
Hitting the net with accuracy is critical to Nemec’s production, as his low, hard slapper with little backswing generates juicy rebounds. But Nemec is not much of a goal scorer or high-volume shooter, as he picks his spots to unload one rather than incessant fire-and-forget attempts. It’s possible for more shot attempts to be coached out of him, but the general impression of Nemec’s offensive game is that he’ll choose the pass over the shot more times than not. It should be mentioned, however, that there has been an uptick in Nemec’s shot generation this season, as he averaged 5.1 and 4.5 shots per game in small sample sizes during the under-18 Ivan Hlinka and under-20 world junior championship, respectively.
Defense and Physicality
Nemec is a teenager still growing into his frame, so the effectiveness of his bodychecking, one-armed shoves, and pins along the boards all vary depending on the size of the opponent. But bigger forwards don’t necessarily get a free pass against him, especially in front of the net, where he’ll deliver a crosscheck or two and employ stick checks while maintaining his balance. Nemec displays excellent use and positioning of his stick whether he’s stationary or moving, and he keeps a tight enough gap to seal off puck carriers at his line or fix them away from the net and into the corner. He was used as a penalty killer more at the international level and less in league play, with occasional displays of tide-turning tactics centered on reads and stick use than using strength to gain a positioning advantage.
One observation regarding Nemec’s decision making relates to the defensive zone, where his overall situational awareness while defending the slot can vary from sound to reckless. Although Nemec is fairly reliable in actual slot coverage, the trick is getting him to stay there rather than continuously release to chase a puck carrier up to the blue line when his own forward is already positioned to cover the threat. This doesn’t mean that Nemec is susceptible to bait, but his desire to create turnovers and transition to offense can lead to unmarked threats in high-danger areas. It’s reasonable to chalk this up to inexperience, however, and Nemec usually is quick to retreat to the low slot and protect the net-front area upon realizing the disproportionality of low-to-high coverage.
Hockey Sense
Nemec is an intelligent on-ice leader with a high panic threshold who is capable of eating minutes and being used in any situation. Although he can look overconfident when ladling blind passes into the middle or pinching while his partner already is down low, Nemec’s gambles are mostly reasonable with good intentions, and he is no different from any minute-eating, puck-rushing defenseman who occasionally gets victimized simply because of the law of averages. But examples of Nemec making an egregious mistake with devastating consequences are uncommon at the adult-league level and even more rare when he’s competing against his own age group. This is partly due to Nemec’s ability to patiently deal with complex situations such as an aggressive two-man forecheck or an ill-structured offensive zone possession that requires his immediate assistance. As we’ve seen in each of the last two seasons, Nemec can take a game over with simple plays rather than looking flashy — a telltale sign of maturity and composure.
NHL Projection
Top-pairing two-way defenseman and power-play quarterback.
Skating and Stickhandling
Nemec is highly shifty and agile, using his multi-directional quickness to cover ground rapidly and achieve intended results. He isn’t a road runner with explosive speed, but Nemec absolutely loves to join the rush and is as much of a passing threat as the trailer as he is with the shot. Nemec has a quick first step and will anticipate puck travel to involve himself in battles anywhere on the ice. He can change directions multiple times in one sequence with or without the puck, and he’ll attempt reverses in the face of pressure without revealing panic, fear, or indecisiveness. These traits are critical in shifting momentum away from aggressive forecheckers, who after a few unsuccessful attempts to chase Nemec behind the net realize their overzealousness simply presents him with open ice to exploit while showing off his edgework. Being a confident decision maker in the skating and puck-handling realms allows Nemec to take the puck for a zone-to-zone rush that culminates with a clean, controlled entry with his head up to deal with the changing, often chaotic nature of an opponent’s defensive scheme.
Shooting, Passing and Playmaking
Nemec is more a two-way defenseman than one who think offense all the time, but he’s highly capable of creating scoring opportunities and quarterbacking an effective power play. It appears as though his teammates know to not only give Nemec his space, but position themselves in opportunistic areas near the goal. That is partly due to Nemec being an excellent passer in both accuracy and effectiveness; meaning that he rarely settles for short-distance d-to-d passes or handoffs to a nearby teammate simply to avoid any opposing entanglement. Rather, Nemec will delay, then delay some more, all while pivoting or shuffling to open up multiple lanes for his favored seam pass to the weak side. Nemec, much like fellow Slovakian draft prospect Juraj Slafkovsky. does not need to be on his forehand to make these attempts click, and the clean and confident manner in which the duo orchestrate a power-play possession for Slovakia’s junior team is similar to any NHL-caliber unit.
Hitting the net with accuracy is critical to Nemec’s production, as his low, hard slapper with little backswing generates juicy rebounds. But Nemec is not much of a goal scorer or high-volume shooter, as he picks his spots to unload one rather than incessant fire-and-forget attempts. It’s possible for more shot attempts to be coached out of him, but the general impression of Nemec’s offensive game is that he’ll choose the pass over the shot more times than not. It should be mentioned, however, that there has been an uptick in Nemec’s shot generation this season, as he averaged 5.1 and 4.5 shots per game in small sample sizes during the under-18 Ivan Hlinka and under-20 world junior championship, respectively.
Defense and Physicality
Nemec is a teenager still growing into his frame, so the effectiveness of his bodychecking, one-armed shoves, and pins along the boards all vary depending on the size of the opponent. But bigger forwards don’t necessarily get a free pass against him, especially in front of the net, where he’ll deliver a crosscheck or two and employ stick checks while maintaining his balance. Nemec displays excellent use and positioning of his stick whether he’s stationary or moving, and he keeps a tight enough gap to seal off puck carriers at his line or fix them away from the net and into the corner. He was used as a penalty killer more at the international level and less in league play, with occasional displays of tide-turning tactics centered on reads and stick use than using strength to gain a positioning advantage.
One observation regarding Nemec’s decision making relates to the defensive zone, where his overall situational awareness while defending the slot can vary from sound to reckless. Although Nemec is fairly reliable in actual slot coverage, the trick is getting him to stay there rather than continuously release to chase a puck carrier up to the blue line when his own forward is already positioned to cover the threat. This doesn’t mean that Nemec is susceptible to bait, but his desire to create turnovers and transition to offense can lead to unmarked threats in high-danger areas. It’s reasonable to chalk this up to inexperience, however, and Nemec usually is quick to retreat to the low slot and protect the net-front area upon realizing the disproportionality of low-to-high coverage.
Hockey Sense
Nemec is an intelligent on-ice leader with a high panic threshold who is capable of eating minutes and being used in any situation. Although he can look overconfident when ladling blind passes into the middle or pinching while his partner already is down low, Nemec’s gambles are mostly reasonable with good intentions, and he is no different from any minute-eating, puck-rushing defenseman who occasionally gets victimized simply because of the law of averages. But examples of Nemec making an egregious mistake with devastating consequences are uncommon at the adult-league level and even more rare when he’s competing against his own age group. This is partly due to Nemec’s ability to patiently deal with complex situations such as an aggressive two-man forecheck or an ill-structured offensive zone possession that requires his immediate assistance. As we’ve seen in each of the last two seasons, Nemec can take a game over with simple plays rather than looking flashy — a telltale sign of maturity and composure.
NHL Projection
Top-pairing two-way defenseman and power-play quarterback.
2022 Draft Profile:
LW/C Cedrick Guindon, Owen Sound OHL
Guindon is the prototypical fast, small skill player whose development physically will be crucial in defining his NHL future. He's certainly impressed on the scoresheet, second on his team in scoring with 28 goals and 29 assists for 57 points in 66 games for a young but exciting Owen Sound squad. He's good at what he's good at -- which is playing a high-tempo all-offense game, and he's a dual threat with good skills across the board in puckhandling, playmaking and shooting. Though he struggles in several other areas, it's not for lack of effort.
Guindon's finest attribute would have to be his speed. He plays a high pace game and is always looking to generate offense. The problem is, his physical limitations make him containable for better defenders. He's listed at 5'10-170, which I'd say is very generous, and he's not particularly strong for his size. He takes a lot of hits and spends a lot of time on the ice after being knocked off his feet. He's a player who has heart, but sometimes he'll get frustrated by stronger defensive teams and can be driven to the perimeter, where the points do not come as easily.
Guindon's defensive game is similar. The effort is there, but he loses the majority of one-on-one battles. There may be no player in the 2022 class whose development will be so dependent on building core strength, because I'd say if he can become even average in terms of being strong on the puck, he has the potential to become a good, middle six scoring forward in the Conor Garland mold. It's very difficult to find Guindon ranked anywhere by anyone, but Elite Prospects listed him on their honorable mention list. I like his offensive game and speed, so I would say he is certainly worth a flyer as a potential upside pick in the 6th/7th rounds.
LW/C Cedrick Guindon, Owen Sound OHL
Guindon is the prototypical fast, small skill player whose development physically will be crucial in defining his NHL future. He's certainly impressed on the scoresheet, second on his team in scoring with 28 goals and 29 assists for 57 points in 66 games for a young but exciting Owen Sound squad. He's good at what he's good at -- which is playing a high-tempo all-offense game, and he's a dual threat with good skills across the board in puckhandling, playmaking and shooting. Though he struggles in several other areas, it's not for lack of effort.
Guindon's finest attribute would have to be his speed. He plays a high pace game and is always looking to generate offense. The problem is, his physical limitations make him containable for better defenders. He's listed at 5'10-170, which I'd say is very generous, and he's not particularly strong for his size. He takes a lot of hits and spends a lot of time on the ice after being knocked off his feet. He's a player who has heart, but sometimes he'll get frustrated by stronger defensive teams and can be driven to the perimeter, where the points do not come as easily.
Guindon's defensive game is similar. The effort is there, but he loses the majority of one-on-one battles. There may be no player in the 2022 class whose development will be so dependent on building core strength, because I'd say if he can become even average in terms of being strong on the puck, he has the potential to become a good, middle six scoring forward in the Conor Garland mold. It's very difficult to find Guindon ranked anywhere by anyone, but Elite Prospects listed him on their honorable mention list. I like his offensive game and speed, so I would say he is certainly worth a flyer as a potential upside pick in the 6th/7th rounds.
Last edited:
You’d think if NJ was going to pick so many oldagers they would have picked me already.
nugg
NJ Hammerhead Bats!
Should've been more, Rashevsky anyone?
Yeah, I can't think about Rashevsky. I ranked him higher than anyone in the world. We literally passed him over for Artem Shlaine and Ben Baumgartner in 2020 and for Salminen and Vilen in 2021. It's insane. Right now if you offered Winnipeg all four of those players for Rashevsky, they'd laugh you out of the room.Should've been more, Rashevsky anyone?
- Dec 20, 2018
- 22,675
- 50,599
David Jiříček with the Czech National team.
Prospect board sleuths pointed out you can see the surgery scars by his knee.
Last edited:
2022 Draft Profile:
LW/C Servac Petrovsky, Owen Sound OHL
This unheralded Slovakian forward possesses several attributes we look for in a traditional "sleeper" prospect. He has the versatility to play center or wing, and has produced admirably for a very young Owen Sound squad with 25 goals and 26 assists for 51 points in 63 OHL games. He's one of the youngest players in the 2022 draft class, with a mid-August '04 birth-date. He combines decent size at 6'0-175 and there's reason to believe he's still growing, as he was listed at 5'11-168 just last year. He's a good skater who displays flashes of very impressive skill. And he's pretty far down on the draft radar, with just one 3rd round ranking and one 4th round ranking among the major draft evaluators.
Petrovsky plays with pace, with or without the puck. He's impressive in his ability to puck handle at high speeds, something I always look for in younger forwards. He shows a nice compete level, always supporting his teammates defensively and active on the forecheck offensively. I like his skating a lot, and I feel there's room to grow there. The shot is very good, and he can flash some intriguing playmaking which hints at possible a high-end ability here.
Petrovsky is still raw, and needs a good deal of development. He can get confused both positionally and strategically in his own zone when the other team extends possession. In the offensive zone, the positioning also needs work, and sometimes he can catch himself off the play as if almost surprised he read it poorly. But these don't make me question the overall awareness, because he displays very good instincts when under less adversity. I think it's just a matter of youth, combined with his first year on North American ice.
Petrovsky is a player you almost wish was born a couple weeks later so you had a mother year to evaluating him before the 2023 draft. There is the possibility of a big development jump and an 80+ point season in the OHL next year, which could get him into the late 1st/early 2nd conversation for that draft. As such, I would say Servac Petrovsky is certainly a potential steal in the 4th/5th rounds of the 2022 draft. This is a very talented player who, in my mind, just needs experience, polish and a little more growth, both physically and in his overall game.
LW/C Servac Petrovsky, Owen Sound OHL
This unheralded Slovakian forward possesses several attributes we look for in a traditional "sleeper" prospect. He has the versatility to play center or wing, and has produced admirably for a very young Owen Sound squad with 25 goals and 26 assists for 51 points in 63 OHL games. He's one of the youngest players in the 2022 draft class, with a mid-August '04 birth-date. He combines decent size at 6'0-175 and there's reason to believe he's still growing, as he was listed at 5'11-168 just last year. He's a good skater who displays flashes of very impressive skill. And he's pretty far down on the draft radar, with just one 3rd round ranking and one 4th round ranking among the major draft evaluators.
Petrovsky plays with pace, with or without the puck. He's impressive in his ability to puck handle at high speeds, something I always look for in younger forwards. He shows a nice compete level, always supporting his teammates defensively and active on the forecheck offensively. I like his skating a lot, and I feel there's room to grow there. The shot is very good, and he can flash some intriguing playmaking which hints at possible a high-end ability here.
Petrovsky is still raw, and needs a good deal of development. He can get confused both positionally and strategically in his own zone when the other team extends possession. In the offensive zone, the positioning also needs work, and sometimes he can catch himself off the play as if almost surprised he read it poorly. But these don't make me question the overall awareness, because he displays very good instincts when under less adversity. I think it's just a matter of youth, combined with his first year on North American ice.
Petrovsky is a player you almost wish was born a couple weeks later so you had a mother year to evaluating him before the 2023 draft. There is the possibility of a big development jump and an 80+ point season in the OHL next year, which could get him into the late 1st/early 2nd conversation for that draft. As such, I would say Servac Petrovsky is certainly a potential steal in the 4th/5th rounds of the 2022 draft. This is a very talented player who, in my mind, just needs experience, polish and a little more growth, both physically and in his overall game.
Buck Dancer
Registered User
- Jul 13, 2021
- 3,007
- 1,756
That’s great news, having Jiricek play before the draft. If we do take him, we should also hire his medical staff lol.
I feel like this is some interesting stuff with Lassi's tracking. I wonder how Nemec would look now with a few months more to go off of. Nemec is far more involved in transition while Jiricek's far more involved defensively. Offensively here Jiricek has a very slight and basically negligible edge in cycle creation while Nemec is far better off the rush. This has helped me uphold my opinion of wanting Jiricek more considering I think the upside is higher and he's a better partner for Luke since Luke can handle the bulk of the transition work. That would negate Nemec's biggest advantage over Jiricek. Jiricek's defensive edge over Nemec would be a big plus to have alongside Luke
Lou Bloom
Registered User
- Oct 14, 2020
- 1,046
- 1,998
That bears out with what I've seen from both as well. I think Nemec's a great prospect in his own right but Jiricek has a chance to be a special talent. You're talking about a player that can be a true physical, shutdown minute eater, while also having the offensive skill to be one of the better offensive dman in the league. The only comparable I could even come up with is Mo Seider.
Seider's the guy that has come to mind for me as well. That's a super high bar to reach so I'm not expecting that but if he can be like 75%-80% of Seider that's a great player and certainly attainable. Gimme a Luke-Jiricek pairing where both players are at least like like 75-80% of Makar and Seider and that's a dominant top pair
Very strong video. Thanks for posting.
I'd add I agree with 90%, but I'd rate Slafkovsky's hockey sense as high-end and disagree with this assessment that there are inconsistencies in his game awareness. But this video and report was tremendously well done on the whole.
The US-NTDP plays their NCAA schedule prior to the USHL schedule, for the most part. One of the criticisms of Cooley has been that he's dropped off a bit in the latter part of the schedule, whereas Nazar and Gauthier and McGroarty have improved as the season has progressed. I'm not saying this stat is not interesting, but I am saying it lacks context to some degree.
Yeah, Jiricek's the guy for me, too. But if the Devils pick 5 or 6 and Jiricek is gone, of course I'd think Nemec would be the pretty obvious pick there. They're both great players, but Jiricek has almost limitless upside in some senses, and his physicality is just so enticing and desperately needed by the Devils.
Oneiro
Registered User
- Mar 28, 2013
- 9,892
- 12,002
Yeah, add me to the echo chamber too. I am good with Jiricek or Nemec but I think you've gotta take Jiricek if it comes down to it.
He's like a smarter Brent Burns to me, and his flaws are so obvious and correctable. He's insane and overcommits in both zones often but you also see him make natural, sharp reads with his stick. He understands what to do when the other team sets up possession and I see his overzealousness as high compete, not being lost. On a team led by some smooth, finesse guys, I think he'd fill quite a role as a heart and soul guy.
He's like a smarter Brent Burns to me, and his flaws are so obvious and correctable. He's insane and overcommits in both zones often but you also see him make natural, sharp reads with his stick. He understands what to do when the other team sets up possession and I see his overzealousness as high compete, not being lost. On a team led by some smooth, finesse guys, I think he'd fill quite a role as a heart and soul guy.
Last edited:
