Prospect Info: Devils HFBoards 2022 Draft Resource, Indexed Profiles A Thru Z

[StevenToddIves]

I'm going to be putting up alphabetical profiles of all the prospects I've encapsulated over the course of the year. Hopefully, this will enable you to easily locate the prospects discussed for the Devils, both leading up to and after the draft. I am also including video and my rankings. Hopefully you will find this thread useful.

Page 1 Index: Ali, Anderson, Arnsby, Asplund, Barabosha, Beck, Bell, B. Berard, Bichsel, Blais, Booth, Bourosh, Buchinger, Bump, Burnside, Casey, Chesley, Cooley, Cote, Davydov, Del Bel Belluz, Delic, Devine, Dionicio, Dorrington

Page 2 Index: Donovan, Dolzhenkov, Duda, T. Duke, Dumais, J. Edward, Firkus, Fimis, M. Fisher, Fleming, Forsmark, Gaucher, C. Gauthier, Gazizov, Geekie, I. George, Goyette, Greene, Grudinin, Guindon, J. Gustafson, L. Gustafsson, Haight, Hamara, A. Hayes

Page 3 Index: G. Hayes, Healy, Hejduk, Hemmerling, Hokkonen, I. Howard, J. Hughes, Hujer, Hutson, Ingram, Ivan, Ivanov, James, Jansson, Jonsson, Jiricek, Jelsma, Kangas, Kaplan, Kaskimaki, Kasper, Kemell, Klein, Knuble

Page 4 Index: Karabela, Konyen, Korchinski, Koromyslov, Kulich, Kulonummi, Kvochko, Kyrou, La Starza, Laakso, Lambert, Lamoureux, Langlois, Z. Lavoie, C. Leddy, Lekkerimaki, M. Lindgren, Lisowsky, Livanavage, Lorenz, Loshing, Lucius, Ludwinski, Lund, Luneau

Page 5 Index: Lutz, Mastodomenico, Mateychuk, Mathurin, Matikka, McConnell-Barker, McGroarty, Mesar, Milne, Minten, Mintyukov, Miroshnichenko, L. Morrison, Nazar, Nelson, Nemec, Neuchev, Nguyen, Nordberg, Nyman, Odelius, Ohren, Orlov, Ostlund, Pelevin

Page 6 Index: Perevalov, L. Persson, Petrovsky, Pickering, Poitras, S. Powell, Rinzel, T. Robertson, Rohrer, Ronni, Salin, Salomonsson, Sapovaliv, Sapunov, M. Savoie, S. Savoie, Schaefer, Schuurmann, Seminoff, Siepmann, Slafkovsky, C. Smith, Snuggerud, Sova, Spicer

Page 7 Index: Suzdalev, A. Sykora, Trikozov, H. Thornton, Verreault, Vidicek, Vilmanis, Wagner, M. Ward, N. Warren, S. Wright, R. Yakupov, Yurov, Zhilkin



2022 Draft Profile:

C/LW Brennan Ali, Lincoln USHL (STI Rank: #78, McKenzie: Unranked)
Here's a deep sleeper, a player who has gotten absolutely no attention but I kind of picked out in my USHL viewings as the type of player who could potentially project to a very good bottom 6 center at the NHL Level. The young Chicago-native has size (6'1-195) and speed and plays a very physical, two-way game. He is not a high end passer or shooter or puck handler, but he creates offense the very, very old fashioned way. Ali is a ferocious forechecker who creates turnovers through a frenetic and hard-hitting style down low. Once he gets the puck, Ali plays the north/south style to a simplistic but effective level -- hitting open men with passes or firing the puck on net. Brennan Ali is always driving to the net and always playing hard.

Ali certainly needs refinement and development in several aspects of the game. He has 4 years at an excellent Notre Dame program in the NCAA to grow as a player. His lack of more cerebral elements make it possible that his professional future will always be bottom 6, but this is an excellent defender who could be a natural for the role. But the size/speed combo is tantalizing, while the compete/physicality factor give him a style of game which has proven successful time and time again in bottom six NHL roles. He's very difficult to play against, and his consistency of effort on the ice gives me hope he can raise the level of his anterior skill set.

Brennan Ali, again, has gotten no attention -- and as such, this is not a player I'm looking at until the later rounds. But I feel he would represent a nice selection there for any team. In my opinion, players with high compete levels are more likely to reach their talent ceilings, and although it takes a great deal of projection to pinpoint Ali's, I'd say it's as a havoc wrecker in an NHL bottom six. This is a tremendous athlete, and certainly worth taking a chance on later in the draft.

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[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RD Kent Anderson, Green Bay USHL (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Unranked)
Good late-round picks are more difficult at RD than perhaps any other position. There tends to be a premium on these players, and as such many go higher in the NHL Draft than warranted by their talent level. Kent Anderson's lack of any particular standout skill might actually drop him to the 5th-7th rounds, where he would be a safe and heady selection. Quite simply, Anderson is a 6'3-200 pound defenseman who skates well and lacks any alarming weakness to his game.

Anderson is one of the bigger players in the USHL, and he uses his size to his advantage. He uses his physicality to win puck and board battles and clear creases, but is not an overly nasty player. He is a good skater who can keep up, and once he gets going his long strides eat up a lot of ice rapidly. He's a pretty good passer and he's capable with the puck on his stick.

Defensively, Anderson can certainly use some refinement, but he shows pretty commendable defensive instincts. Because of his strength and mobility, it is probably on the defensive side of the puck where the Calgary native displays the most upside. But he's not invisible offensively -- he is willing to join the rush in transition, and can make some clever pinches in the offensive zone when necessary.

Anderson's upside is probably as a 3rd pairing NHL defender, but I'd also say he has a rather high probability of reaching this upside. He's heading to a terrific program at the University of Denver, and I think we'll see some impressive improvements across the board. For the Devils, this is certainly a player to look at late in the 2022 draft.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LD Oskar Asplund, Almtuna Allvenskan (STI Ranking: Not Ranked, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
There is no doubt this is a player with an NHL-capable skill set. Asplund is a 5'11-170 defenseman with a high hockey IQ, a great deal of offensive awareness, good playmaking skills and a some nifty puckhandling capabilities. However, there are also multiple flags here which would make me reticent to draft him despite the fact he's received a bit of attention leading up to the 2022 draft.

I've watched Asplund a few times, and every time he's frustrated me. His compete level is very lax, unless the puck is on his stick. I'm really not sure why he's not a forward. Even in his own zone, he shows very limited battle in the corners and in puck-battles. The assumption would be that a 5'11 defender playing in a league like Allvenskan where he's on the younger side would compensate for the size/age deficits by outworking the opposition, but with Asplund it often seems like he's just coasting out there.

Asplund is a good but not great skater, and his offensive upside is as a bottom-4/2PP guy. I do not believe Asplund's offensive abilities are enough to make up for the defensive and compete concerns. I feel he has the potential to play professionally, but it will more likely be the SHL than the NHL.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

C Liam Arnsby, North Bay OHL (STI Ranking: #99, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Sometimes a player is nothing what he looks like. Liam Arnsby is 5'11-185 and, at first glance, you'd assume he was a fast-skating, high-scoring pivot. Then you watch him a while and realize he is actually a 6'4-230 power center trapped in a smaller man's body. He is incredibly strong for his size and one of the most physical players in the draft. His bread and butter is a defensive game which is light years beyond his age level. He is absolutely punishing to play against, as he gives you no space, his positioning and defensive anticipation are top-notch, and he'll hit you -- very very hard -- at any available opportunity. However, this comes with the caveat that Arnsby's offensive skills are never going to impress anyone, so this is a player you draft with a particular role in mind.

One of the best things I can say about Arnsby -- or any role player type lacking extraordinary talent -- is he knows his strengths and he plays to them. Arnsby's number one strength is, in fact, strength. But his intelligence and defensive awareness are not far behind. His entire game is fueled by a terrific compete level -- this is a kid who is willing to do anything to keep the opposition off the scoreboard. But the offense will probably keep him out of the top half of the 2022 draft. Arnsby is an average skater, and as such he relies on his high anticipation to win puck races. His strictly a north/south guy in the offensive line -- he can pass, but it's very conservative and lacks any discernible creativity. He is not a kid who likes to handle the puck, he's a catch-and-release player. Arnsby's biggest offensive weapon is an extremely heavy shot, but it takes forever to get off and the mechanics need to be cleaned up.

Ultimately, it's not often I'm writing about a draft-eligible center with 8 goals and 20 points, but Arnsby is just that good in his physical and defensive games, and his intelligence and compete make him a legit prospect as a menacing, shut-down center for your NHL 4th line. He's gotten a bit of love from the scouting world for doing what he does best, and as such has gotten a #79 ranking from McKeen's and a #85 from Draft Prospects Hockey. Arnsby is not a player I target at the draft, but he is a player I monitor, because if he falls to the late rounds, he's a very high floor option there. He's the kind of player you want on your side, which explains why the Battalion awarded him the captaincy as a 17 year old.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

C Owen Beck, Mississauga OHL (STI Ranking #22, McKenzie: #33)
Owen Beck is the penultimate two-way center. Offensively, he's good without being necessarily gifted, and has produced admirably with 21 goals and 51 points in 66 games for Mississauga as the 2nd line center behind Luca Del Bel Belluz. Defensively is where Beck really shines, as he's one of the better shut-down pivots in the OHL -- playing a cerebral brand of hockey off the puck which frustrates opponents with regularity. He's a kid with very good size and strength at 6'0-190, and he's an outstanding skater, though certainly shy of the elite range of the Lamberts and Cooleys.

Owen Beck's primary offensive weapon is his brain. This is one of the highest hockey IQs in the OHL, if not the 2022 draft class. He processes the game at an extraordinarily high rate, and while he's not a dangler or high-vision passer, he can make the opposition look just as silly as an elite-skills player by out-thinking them on the fly. I've seen him enter the zone 1-on-3 while his teammates were in the midst of a line change, then fake a dump-in to turn one defender around, then make two quick moves to spread the other out and take the puck outside, where he actually turned a nothing play into extended zone possession for the Steelheads. This is the type of player Beck is -- while his skills are not quite that of a #1 center, he's so smart and cool he just squeezes every iota out of his natural abilities.

Beck is one of the best transition centers in the league. Despite ceding top PP unit duties to Del Bel Belluz and playing without high end talent on the 2nd line, Beck almost singlehandedly makes his line one of the more formidable units in the league. Everything in his line goes through him -- he's the best player on his team in the defensive zone with high-end instincts and puck-hawking skills combined with a high motor. In transition, he's a beast -- this is a kid who is always looking to enter with possession, but also a player who is team-first and responsible and rarely turns the puck over. In the offensive zone, again Beck is the driver. Though he lacks a high-end shot and his puck skills rate as good-not-great, every play he makes is so smart you immediately realize it was the right decision as soon as he makes it. This is a player you want on your team, plain and simple.

Beck's consensus ranking is probably in the top half of the 2nd round. I've seen him get a few 1st round rankings with a high ranking of #23 from Elite Prospects. I've also seen him underrated by a few in the bottom of the 2nd round, as with Craig Button's #58 ranking. But he's just such a good player, no one is dropping him into the 3rd. For me, Beck is a slam-dunk for my 1st round rankings. There's just so much to like about this player. He will help you in offense, in defense, in transition and possession. Though he lacks the pure skill to make it as a regular for your top 6, I'd say Owen Beck is almost the penultimate 3rd line center. His advanced processing of the game raises his floor so much that I would call him as can't-miss as any player taken after the top 10 or 12 overall in the 2022 draft. This is a terrific hockey player.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RD Artyom Barabosha, Krasnaya Moskva MHL (STI Ranking: #39, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Though I try to keep my prospect evaluations impartial and neutral, simply focusing on the individual abilities and potential of the prospect, with Artyom Barabosha it's going to be impossible to do this without plugging him as a perfect guy for the Devils in the late rounds of the 2022 draft.

Barabosha is a 6'2-190 punishing physical defender who also features good mobility, strong top speeds and extremely competent capability with the puck. His physicality is the first feature you notice -- he's always playing the body in tight, utilizing smart shoulder-checks and high-end strength to separate the opposition from the puck and win one-on-one battles along the boards and in the crease. He also loves the open-ice hit, and he's a guy opposing forwards cannot have their head down around whenever Barabosha is on the ice.

Positionally and in his gaps, I'd say Barabosha is good -- showing nice defensive awareness -- but can still use work if he will fulfill his utmost potential as a mid-pairing, shut down defender at the NHL level. Where Barabosha really goes from "impressive defender" to "intriguing upside" is when you watch him with the puck.

Unlike most defense-first defenders, Barabosha is actually pretty aggressive, both in transition and in the offensive zone. He's a deceptively good puck-carrier with a good number of dekes and moves to avoid opponents in the neutral zone. In the O-zone, Barabosha is not afraid to jump in assertively to join the play. If he sees an opportunity, he'll skate in deeper from the point, looking for a one-timer. Individually, I'd say Barabosha's offensive arsenal is good-but-not-great -- he can shoot and pass effectively, but neither are high-end abilities.

I'd say Barabosha's ultimate ceiling is a mid-pair, physical shut-down guy who can maybe hit the 30-point plateau. This is an extremely valuable commodity at the NHL level. I'd also say his defensive acumen and physicality, combined with his skating also give him quite a reasonable floor. So, when I say Artyom Barabosha is a huge steal for the 2022 draft, it's because he's not ranked by anyone. When we also factor in the New Russian Factor and the chances that all Russian prospects slip in the oncoming draft, we're talking about a kid who could be available in the 5th thru 7th rounds. This would be a huge value, as I would consider Barabosha a very good pick as early as the 3rd round.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LW Parker Bell, Tri-City WHL (STI Ranking #104, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
To be honest, I'm a bit baffled by the lack of attention Parker Bell has received with the 2022 NHL Draft just 4 months away. He's a 6'4-200 LW who has scored at a respectable rate for a mostly punchless Tri-City squad, currently second on his team with 37 points in 47 games. He's a very good skater who is certainly raw in his overall game but offers a great deal of upside if you're patient in his development.

The native British Columbian is not the player you expect when you give him multiple viewings. He's more of a passer than a shooter, and he's very good in this respect. Though not an elite-vision type you would take in the 1st or 2nd round, Bell is a very smart and efficient passer who can surprise with the occasional flashy feed. This is not to say Bell cannot become a goal-scorer -- because technically I'd say his finest offensive attribute is his shot, which features a lightning-quick release and excellent velocity. One of the many things Bell must work on is using this weapon more -- he's definitely a pass-first player, which makes no sense to me when you're playing on a team without much offensive talent and your best attribute is your shot.

To be honest, a lot of Bell's game is raw, but I feel he's the type of player who, with good coaching and development, can really turn out to be a diamond in the rough. He needs to work on his positioning and refine his technique, though there is no reason to believe the aptitude is not there. And although he competes well, Bell does not use his huge frame nearly enough. I'd like to see him seriously hit the weight room, as 15 pounds of muscle and a little more bite to his game could make him a serious steal in the later rounds.

Parker Bell is a player I'd start taking a hard look at from the 4th round on. Quite simply, the mix of a huge frame, great skates and very impressive offensive tools to work with give him tremendous upside. However, this is also a player whose upside is far off in the future, so you're going to need some patience. Ultimately, this is precisely the conundrum which could be dropping Bell into the later rounds, where I feel a team would be very shrewd to snatch him up.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

C Brady Berard, US-NTDP (STI Ranking #95, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
This young Rhode Island native is getting very little interest in the general consensus for the 2022 draft, but I'm going to come right out and say that anywhere between the 4th and 7th round he's an outstanding pick. The younger Berard is not a flashy point-producer like his older brother, 2020 Rangers selection Brett. Rather, he's a physical, shut-down center who is in the conversation for the best face-off guy in the class of 2022. You're drafting him as a player with an extremely high floor as a 4th line guy who is extraordinarily ahead of his age in every aspect of defensive play, even if his limited upside is that of a 3rd line center who can chip in with a little offense.

Brady Berard is not flashy and has no singular aspect which will get you out of your seat. But you watch him matched up in a game against a 1st line NCAA center who is averaging a PPG at 22 years old, and then you realize the older player did not get a single scoring chance when Berard was on the ice. That's it, simple but effective. Berard is a decent but not great... well, everything. Skater, passer, puck-handler, shooter -- all of it. Berard is pretty good, nothing stands out as particularly good or bad. His offensive awareness is pretty much pitch-n-grind, cycle cycle, crash the net. He's as north/south as they come.

Defensively is where he shines. Berard is not huge at 6'0-180 but plays bigger. He's really strong for his size and although he's far from a headhunter, don't let him catch you with yours down or he will lay you out with a huge open-ice hit. He loves the dirty areas, he's a real mucker. His defensive IQ is far higher than offensively -- his positioning is simply outstanding, his coverage is like a blanket. He drives the opposition crazy with his defensive relentlessness.

"Relentless" is a great word for Brady Berard, who has one of the best compete levels in the entire 2022 class. This kid leaves everything on the ice every shift. A goal against while he's on the ice is an affront to his very existence, and he'll come out the next shift with another gear you did not even think was possible. And again -- his prowess in the face-off circle is just remarkable. Normally, one of the areas the US-NTDP struggles in against much older and bigger NCAA competition is in face-offs, but Berard dominates against all ages. It's a big asset to have, and he's out there for a ton of draws when the US-NTDP has a slim lead late in a contest.

Again, Brady Berard is not a player you're drafting in the first or second round, the offensive ability is just not there. But he's a guy you grab in the 5th/6th round to be your future Cizikas or Faksa or Kuraly when other teams are swinging for the fences on flashy but soft 5'9 wingers who don't know what the defensive zone even looks like. From a Devils standpoint, he makes a ton of sense. The only quality defensive center prospect in the entire organization is likely Jaromir Pytlik. Berard would immediately become the best defensive forward in the system and the best face-off specialist as well. Most importantly, players with high compete levels more often reach their talent ceilings, and Berard's motor is his singular elite trait.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LD Lian Bichsel, Leksands SHL (STI Ranking #29, McKenzie #26)
The top Swiss defenseman to come out of the draft in years, Bichsel is one of those intriguing but raw prospects who comes with a great deal of uncertainty but has some draft pundits thinking his upside may be higher than any other LD in the entire 2022 class.

The obvious is that Bichsel is 6'5-215 and willing to throw his massive frame around. He's a very slim kid now, but as he fills out his frame with muscle in the training room, the potential here is obvious. While not a flawless skater, Bichsel's huge stride can get him up to impressive speeds. It should be noticed that, as with many huge kids, it's also a bit of an awkward stride. Bichsel's acceleration leaves something to be desired, and his agility is not high end. But he's a huge kid who can move, and that is intriguing in and of itself.

The Swiss giant is also a smart player with good offensive instincts. Before being promoted to the Swedish men's league, Bichsel tallied 3 goals and 7 points in just 11 J20 games. He's active at the point with his pinches and has been utilized in lower levels as a power play option. His shooting and passing are pretty good, though neither jump off the page. I'd say his finest offensive tool is his hockey IQ, as he shows very good awareness and anticipation in space. His hands are good but his puckhandling can use work, as he's gotten into the "huge kid habit" of relying on his big frame and long reach to play keep away from the opposition. This does not translate as well to the NHL level unless you can also dangle the puck with a bit more acuity than Bichsel has shown thus far.

Defensively, Bichsel alternates between impressive and frustrating. I like his compete and battle, which combined with his physicality has seen him function as a one-man cycle-breaking machine, especially at the lower levels. Against kids his own age, it almost seems like he can just take the puck from the opposition whenever and wherever he chooses to. In the Swedish men's league he's struggled a bit defensively, to the point where maybe he's just not ready for that level yet despite his obvious man-size. He shows some panic with the puck and loses one-on-one battles to smaller players.

I don't know what my final assessment is of Bichsel, to be honest. I think he's like 5 years away from the pros, but he has all the elements to be a bit of a unicorn once he gets there. If he approaches his ceiling, Bichsel can be a mid-pairing D with 2PP-type offense who is a physical beast defensively. This is extremely rare, and could see an NHL team call his name as high as #20 overall. Of course, he's as far from this ceiling as perhaps any player in the entire 2022 class, which leads to a great deal of projection and uncertainty, and this will see many other teams dropping him down their draft lists.

But in case Bichsel nears his true potential, he's going to fun and intriguing to watch over the coming years and, as I've stated, this is a young talent who is difficult to miss.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

C/RW Alex Blais, Chicoutimi QMJHL (STI Ranking: Not Ranked, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Here's another player who is not ranked anywhere by anyone who is interesting for several reasons. Alex Blais is scoring at a pretty good rate in the Q (30 points in 44 games) and combines excellent skating ability with a projectable frame (6'0-160). His speed is really the most attractive quality, with some tremendous edges and dexterity. He's also a pretty good passer with some decent hockey awareness and a nice compete level. These qualities lead me to feel that, with work in other areas of his game, he can become a very good 3rd line forward at the professional level.

Like any unranked player, Blais has a few warts which are probably the reasoning behind his lack of attention. His hands are a bit problematic, as he's a bit of a sloppy puck handler and sometimes has trouble corralling passes and loose pucks. Though he's competitive, he is not physical at all and can be manhandled a bit by stronger defenders. But I think if he builds up his core strength and works hard on his puck skills, his high level of skating and decent hockey sense might give him intriguing professional upside.

Blais is not a player you take before the 5th round, but in the 6th or 7th round you would be getting a kid who, at the very least, should inject a ton of speed into your AHL lineup in the future. He'll probably be leaned on a ton next year by Chicoutimi, so maybe we'll see some helium in his development arc.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LD Angus Booth, Shawinigan QMJHL (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Booth is not a player who jumps out at you, but the Montreal native grows on you with repeated viewings. He's simply an effective and efficient blue liner in all three zones who makes his team better whenever he steps on the ice without wowing you in any one particular area. He's one of those defenders who is really good because you do not notice him. His positioning is dead on, he is intelligent with and without the puck, he makes the right plays without ever hitting the highlight reel.

Booth has a projectable frame, although he's thin now at 6'0-165. He is very mobile, maybe lacking straightaway speed but far above average in his four way mobility and dexterity. In terms of singular skills, he's solid at everything without having a plus tool. He's a smart passer, a decent shooter and can puck handle out of danger but won't be dangling around guys in the offensive zone. If he sounds boring, he's "good boring" -- which is to say you'll never shake your head at mental mistakes with this kid. I'd say his best tool is his brain, as Booth is a cerebral defender who plays without panic. He's very refined and mature, and you just feel better whenever he's on the ice.

Booth is generally ranked in the 4th round range, although I've seen him once in the 2nd (#54 overall, Craig Button). I think he could fall to the late rounds, as his lack of standout abilities makes him the kind of player who may not be noticed, even by NHL scouts. In the 5th-7th rounds, Angus Booth is a smart pick for any team, as I'd give him a pretty high floor of a 6/7 D who can represent a valuable step-in-the-lineup two-way guy at the NHL level. From a Devils standpoint, Booth might not be the guy to key on, even late, as the team is so deep in depth LD. But I wanted to write Booth up, because I feel he is a very good young prospect who is worth monitoring on draft day and thereafter.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RW/C Daniil Bourosh, Rouyn-Noranda QMJHL (STI Ranking #96, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Here's another player who is completely off the draft radar, but I'm extremely high on him -- I feel this might represent one of the better sleepers for the final three rounds of the draft. Daniil Bourosh is in the conversation for the best product out of Belarus for the 2022 draft. He's a big, physical kid at 6'1-190 who plays with serious edge and features an absolutely outstanding shot. I find it difficult to believe no major draft rankers have given him any love because this is a player who can wreak havoc on the interior and down low while also blast the puck clean past quality goalies, even from beyond the circles. He is absolutely certain to be on my rankings when I extend my list in the early spring.

It is important to note that Bourosh is playing on a fairly awful Rouyn-Noranda squad. Though his 14 goals and 10 assists do not jump out at you as eye-popping numbers, we must take into account that this is a team which struggles mightily to score and the Belarussan's 14 goals lead his team at this point. He's also achieving this as one of the youngest members of the team (April '04 birthdate) and still acclimating to North American hockey, struggling to learn the language spoken by all of his teammates and coaches. Sometimes we do not appreciate how difficult it is for the European youngsters who come overseas to the CHL, especially when they are not from nations like Finland and Sweden which have a more Western culture where English is commonly and fluently used.

Bourosh's skating can be described as "good for his size". He has nice top speeds, but sometimes it takes him awhile to get there. His stride is a bit awkward mechanically, and if a good NHL skating coach can clean up his stride I feel he has potential as an above-average NHL skater. Bourosh has a very good compete level, and he loves to raise hell on the forecheck and bang bodies along the boards. I'd say his hockey sense is good, though he prefers a north/south style of play. Still, he's a passable passer and puck handler -- though clearly his preference is to get into position where he can unleash his absolute bomb of a shot. I'd rank all of Bourosh's shots as terrific -- his wrist shot is a laser beam, his slapper is heavy and lethal. Bourosh's best shot is probably a quick and efficient snap shot which has extraordinary power and is very difficult to stop when he he has but a moment to get it off inside the circles.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Bourosh's combination of power in his game and power in his shot gives him very real middle 6 upside at the NHL level. He's got several areas to work on, and he's certainly a bit of a diamond in the rough. His defensive positioning needs work, his skating stride needs to be cleaned up, he can get frustrated by shrewd defensive schemes in transition. But, seeing as no one has ranked him in their top 100, I don't think you have to really worry about it too early -- this is a kid who should be available in the 4th/5th rounds and possibly even later. He's a power forward who can blast the puck and he skates well with a possibility of skating even better. This is a real sleeper with serious NHL potential.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LD Michael Buchinger, Guelph OHL (STI Ranking #90, McKenzie #73)
Buchinger is a 6'0-185, offense-first blueliner who has made a sneaky climb up draft boards all season long behind some outstanding production in Guelph. The Markham, Ontario native has tallied 42 points in 57 games thus far to lead a talented Storm blueline in scoring. Buchinger lacks a singular standout skill which would see him drafted in the 1st round, but he's also pretty solid defensively and is a very likely pick in the 2nd, where most of his consensus rankings find him.

Buchinger is a very strong skater in every respect -- top speeds, acceleration and 4-way mobility. His speed plays up because he has very strong positioning and anticipation and usually finds himself with the head start of being in the right place to begin with. With the puck on his stick, he's extremely smart and efficient without being necessarily dynamic. Buchinger is a strong passer, puck handler and puck rusher. What I really like about his play with the puck is that he sort of always starts with the Plan A of making a play to generate offense. He'll start creative, looking for a window for a stretch pass or a puck rush. But unlike many young offense-first defensemen -- Buchinger doesn't press the issue. If his Plan A is not there, he is perfectly fine switching to a safer Plan B of chipping the puck up the boards or out of danger.

I found Buchinger to be a responsible defender who is good on gaps and awareness. He's steady with the puck and cerebral without it. Buchinger is not a physical defender, but he's no slouch in puck battles and board battles. I don't foresee him every being a true shut-down guy, but the potential is there for a bottom four player who produces offensively without dazzling you, while also playing good, steady defense. If there's a weakness, it's probably Buchinger's shot, which is more functional than a weapon.

I'm not sure I'd draft Michael Buchinger at the top of the 2nd round, when there are some high-end players available who slip through the 1st. But heading towards the end of the 2nd round and into the 3rd, this is a terrific pick. Buchinger's high IQ gives him a high floor, and he's impressive on both sides of the puck. This is a very good young defenseman.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LW Alex Bump, Omaha USHL (STI Ranking #77, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
I don't know what to make of this kid, because one game he'll look like an early second round pick and the next he'll leave you scratching your head wondering why he did pretty much everything he did. But Bump's talent level is extremely high, and though there will be a whole lot of finger-crossing if you draft him, he's the type of player with very real NHL scoring upside who can make you look like a genius for taking him in the 6th round.

Bump started the season in the Minnesota USHS circuit for Prior Lake High and absolutely shredded it for 37 goals and 68 points in just 26 games. He then moved on to the Omaha Lancers, where he has scored at a fairly impressive pace of 11 points in 14 games. My analysis is based on his play in Omaha, as I did not get to watch him in any of his high school games.

Bump offers a good combination of size and speed at 6'0-195 with very good skating ability and directional mobility. He's a flashy stickhandler who can turn defenders inside out with a litany of moves. The problem is, he's always trying to do this. Alex Bump plays hockey like a live-action video game, and when it works for him it's extremely impressive, but when it doesn't he can leave his team in a bit of a lurch. When Bump does get into shooting position, he's deadly. He's utterly mastered the "toe-drag then snap it", as he's deftly able to hold the puck out as almost a decoy, before quickly changing the angle to fool the defenders and goal-keepers. His shot is both heavy and quick on the release, and his combination of puck skills and shooting ability would have to set his upside as a 2nd line scorer at the professional level.

I'll just be straight here -- Bump needs a ton of work on his two-way game and in his decision making. This could simply be the result of having been the best player on the ice every single game in a high school league and then having to adjust to playing in the far more competitive USHL. When you're scoring 68 points in 26 games, you're pretty much allowed, and probably encouraged, to try every single dangle in your bag of tricks. But he needs to learn puck management and team play over the next few years at the University of Vermont. If he does? Well, this is an extremely talented kid.

It's tough to say how much guts it would take to draft Alex Bump in the 2nd/3rd round, though his talent dictates he belongs in that range. I would certainly take a hard look at him in the late rounds, because why not? He's probably going to be available late anyway, as no one has given him any reasonable ranking aside from Central Scouting which lists him at #69 for North American skaters.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RW Davis Burnside, Dubuque USHL (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Davis Burnside is a projectable 6'0-180 forward who skates well and forechecks hard and possesses the potential to be a bottom six forward at the professional level. He was recently traded from Des Moines -- one of the doormats of the USHL -- where he represented pretty much one-third of the team's offense. Though the Illinois native is a very good passer and features a decent shot, he is not close enough to high-end in any particular skill to ever be considered a candidate for a top 6 role at the highest levels, and going to a better team where he can play more of a support role might be beneficial to his overall development.

Burnside's best attribute is his motor, which is why I've decided to write him up. He is a high-compete player who never gives up on a puck and, though I've yet to see him in Dubuque, he was clearly the leader for his Des Moines team. However, his hockey sense, especially offensively, is a bit two-dimensional and that could set a lower ceiling in the future. He loves rushing the zone, chipping it in and winning the puck battles himself, which he is very good at, but sometimes he'd be better off making safe passes where he takes individual chances.

Defensively, I'd say Burnside is downright excellent, especially considering his age and level. He's relentless on the puck and unforgiving in his pursuit. Positionally he needs some work, but he's committed to Ohio State University in the fall and will likely have four years at the NCAA level to round out his game. He's not ranked anywhere by anyone, so he's a guy you look at in the 6th/7th rounds to add future depth to your AHL team with the hopes he can progress to the level of an NHL bottom six, defensive minded forward with a high compete level.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RD Seamus Casey, US-NTDP (STI Ranking #47, McKenzie #51)
Seamus Casey's wildly divergent consensus rankings may have as much to do with how certain scouts and draft writers idealize defensemen as it does with his own game. I've seen him with multiple rankings in the #11-#12 range, but I've also seen him as low as #50 (Button) and also quite low on the most generally accurate of the big rankings, Bob McKenzie's scout poll (#44). He is generally up-ranked by the more "new age" stat-based rankers, who do not see his 5'10-160 frame and lack of top-speed or much physicality as an issue. Right now, it's a fair argument that he is the top two-way defenseman for the heralded US-NTDP team, but in terms of projection there are certainly problems and questions in his overall style of play which will not affect stronger and faster defenders.

The native Floridian is an excellent example of how the tool of skating is often misconstrued in the scouting process. While Casey's straight-end speed is good but not great, his edges and ability to spin on a dime while deceptively and elusively manipulating the puck with his elite stickhandling makes him extremely difficult to defend. In transition, Casey often makes the opposition look downright silly, manipulating the puck to draw them in and then making a litany of quick moves in a lightning-quick directional change to leave them in his dust. Straight end speed is not everything, and Casey's high IQ and hockey awareness see him always playing faster than he actually is.

Unlike most small defenders, Casey is not simply an offensive guy. This is what I like about him the most. Casey grades as excellent in terms of defensive awareness, positioning, gap control, and effort. His compete level is sometimes misconstrued as average because he's just so smooth and natural out there it seems as if he's not trying. But Casey is certainly a guy giving it his all, and his brain never takes a moment of any shift off. He has an active stick and active feet, and will never be a defensive liability. That being said, Casey can also be beaten one-on-one, both in open ice against faster players and in tight by more physical ones. It's the nature of the beast when you're 5'10 and lack the preternatural strength of a defenseman of similar height like Brian Rafalski or Kris Letang and no fault of Casey's, but at the higher levels you're going to have to pair him with a Carlo or Slavin-type in order for him to succeed in a top 4 capacity.



Offensively, Casey is a point producer who is actually more conservative than he needs to be. I find Casey very precise and patient in his zone rushes. Only if necessary of if the score dictates does he knife into the zone with any relative aggression. But when he does? Look out -- Casey is absolutely an elite dangler which, combined with his edges, can have him weaving in and out of traffic like a high-octane, top-line forward. Casey's passing is also sublime and excellent -- in fact he prefers to utilize the pass over the rush, both in transition and the offensive zone. He's a team first guy and, again, sometimes you'd like to see him even more aggressive. His shooting is what I'd call "good enough" -- in no way intimidating, but he's got a knack for hopping pucks through traffic onto the net.

So, what do we ultimately have in Seamus Casey? He's not really an offensive defenseman, and I don't see a 50+ point guy here, but he'll certainly produce offense. And he's not a shut-down guy -- though his play is generally good and exceptionally smart, he's going to have a lot of trouble with certain types of players at the NHL level in one-on-one scenarios. But it's also tough to gauge his ultimate potential because, like another US-NTDP defenseman in Jake Sanderson, Casey does not ever ever risk team results for personal offensive glory like several offensive-minded defenders in the CHL or Swedish leagues. With his sublime puck skills and shifty skating and high awareness, could Casey have another offensive gear that we simply haven't seen yet?

I'm going to have to say that as much as I like Casey's two-way game, this is not the player to target as a first round pick, but Seamus Casey will be an outstanding pick for the second round. Make no mistake, this is a very good hockey player and it will be fun to track him over the coming seasons.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RD Ryan Chesley, US-NTDP (STI Ranking #14, McKenzie #25)
The general consensus has the battle for top defenseman in the 2022 draft between Simon Nemec and David Jiricek, with a conglomerate of other defensemen fighting for the #3 spot among blueliners. I've seen several names here: Calle Odelius, Pavel Mintyukov, Denton Mateychuk, Elias Salomonsson and Chesley's US-NTDP teammate, Seamus Casey. To me, right now this spot is not occupied by any of them, but rather by the Minnesota native Ryan Chesley.

Without the puck -- which is to say in terms of pure defensive acumen -- Ryan Chesley might be the best player in the entire 2022 class. He is absolutely brilliant at defending the rush, at winning puck battles, at denying zone entries, at positioning, angles and gap control. Ryan Chesley's mere presence on the ice changes the complexion of the game and makes the idea of scoring for the opposition an obstacle course. Chesley also plays with an extreme level of "keep your head up" physicality, forcing the opposition to slow down their neutral zone play and zone entry strategy to a level of extreme caution. If your head is down when you retrieve a pass by the blueline, it may be the last thing you see before you're face-down on the ice surface wondering what hit you. Chesley is one of those "stronger than he is big" guys -- though his 6'0-190 frame is not intimidating, all it takes is one Chesley open-ice hit and he'll loom a whole lot larger. He's one of the most physical defenders in the 2020 class.

If the previous paragraph were the only thing I knew about Chesley's game, I'd still want him. But there is a whole lot more to this enormously talented young man. Chesley is also a very good skater, with 4-way mobility and healthy agility. He's not going to blow you away with his skating, but opposing attackers are also not going to blow past him. When Chesley's mobility is combined with his elite-level positioning, angles and gap control, it seems like he's always pasted like glue on any forward trying to enter the zone or find space, no matter how fast on their skates that opposition forward may be. Again, the moment he is on the ice, the game changes. Even on an enormously talented US-NTDP blueline, Chesley just stands out -- the moment he hits the ice, generating offense just got a whole lot harder for the opposition.

Chesley could fall in the draft because of -- in my opinion -- the most absurd reason possible to drop a defender in your rankings, which is to say a lack of offensive statistics. Some of his rankings strike me as almost comedically preposterous -- #37 (Draft Prospects Hockey), #55 (McKeen's), #72 (Craig Button). All of these I'd attribute to his stats of 2 goals and 6 assists in 35 games. But if you actually break down Chesley's offensive skills -- much like US-NTDP defenders of 2020 Jake Sanderson and Brock Faber -- they are actually far better than his stats indicate. Chesley has one of the best shots of any defender -- of any player -- in the entire 2022 class. It's an absolute bomb. He skates and puck handles well, and he's a very capable passer, if not the most creative one. He is very crisp and accurate with his passes, although he's a checkers passer rather than a chess one; which is to say he can smoothly execute something immediately in front of him like a give-and-go or a laser beam cross-ice feed, but he's not seeing the lanes before they become apparent or creating them himself. Still, Chesley's bomb of a shot absolutely gives him potential as a #1 NHL PP option and gives him the capability of becoming a 40+ point defender at the NHL level.

Chesley is not a perfect player, which to me, drops him behind top 2022 D-men Nemec and Jiricek. The feature he sorely needs to work on is his transition game. Chesley can be -- like many young defenders -- forced into puck errors by a strong opposing forecheck. Though his puck skills grade out well in space, under pressure --- well, Chesley clearly feels that pressure. I sometimes think this could just be an element of his desire to play perfect defense and not give anything away, because his skill level is clearly quite good. In order for him to develop into his NHL upside as an elite shut down defender, he's going to also have to develop into a guy who does not give pucks away for free.

Ryan Chesley is one of my favorite players for the 2022 draft. Though his detractors are going to point to his statistics as some sort of inalienable evidence that he's some plodding oaf, they will be sorely mistaken. I can already tell you that his ranking will be so-so with newer age draft analysts like Will Scouch and extremely low for numbers guys who don't really understand hockey like Byron Bader. This is a kid who does not take any chances to pad his own stats if there is any remote possibility it will hurt his team. Ryan Chesley is extremely responsible and team oriented; he's a high-compete, high-intelligence player. We can already see how good his defense can become, and his offense is like a secret which won't be told until he is freed up in that role. His mobility, cannon shot and offensive awareness would all point to a very good ceiling in these respects. If you're looking for a Jake Slavin or Adam Pelech for the 2022 draft, this is the guy, and you also may be getting a guy who can top 15 goals and 40 points at the highest levels. As such, Ryan Chesley will likely be around the #10 overall area and the #3 defender in my 2022 rankings.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

C Logan Cooley, US-NTDP (STI Ranking #5, McKenzie #3)
Writing about Logan Cooley is quite frankly boring, because there's really nothing but great things to say about every aspect of his game. Don't just take my word for it though, if you read 25 scouting reports from major bureaus, the only negative you will see repeated is that, at 5'10-175, he's small for an NHL center. But then when you watch him play a few games, you realize quite quickly that his incredible compete level and intelligence more than makes up for a few inches and a few pounds. This is a can't miss future NHL-er who should get strong consideration for the top 3 in the 2022 draft.

Let's start with Cooley's skating, because among all the top forward prospects for 2022, I'd say Cooley's skating trails only Brad Lambert. Cooley has elite speed and agility, his acceleration is off the charts and his edge work is phenomenal. Against slower and slower-reacting opponents, Cooley looks like a video game darting in between, around and through defenders before they have the reaction time to even turn to have a chance to stop him. Though Lambert has more natural skating ability and higher top speeds in space, Cooley might play even faster because the high compete level and intelligence give him the anticipation and motivation to always be on the puck. I'd say we can argue Cooley might not be faster than anyone else in the 2022 class, but he plays faster than anyone in the 2022 class.

Which leads us to the obvious conversation about Cooley's intangibles. This kid's combination of heart and brain are almost a super power. His awareness is just ridiculous, which combined with his consistency of off-the-charts effort make him an impossibility to defend. Similarly, we're also talking about a potentially elite NHL two-way center, who routinely shuts down much older top centers in the NCAA. Quite simply, he's a one man pace-driver on all 200 feet of ice, almost unconsciously and consistently attaining possession in the defensive zone, leading the rush up ice in transition, then beating you once again in the offensive zone. I've watched three games of this kid in a row and been unable to find a single moment when his effort dropped or he made a mental mistake. You need a microscope and a healthy dose of pessimism to find fault in any of the fundamental aspects of his game.

High-end puck-handling? Check. High-end vision and passing? Check. There is some discrepancy in the view of his shooting, but I find Cooley to have a phenomenally quick and deceptive release on an accurate and lethal wrist-shot, though I would say Cooley is certainly more playmaker than pure scorer and will always accumulate more assists than goals. Cooley's passing game is probably his other truly elite skill, his vision is incredibly impressive and he completes high-danger passes with the acuity and regularity that most amateur centers complete bank passes off the boards to uncovered point men.

Logan Cooley's upside is as a high-scoring, extremely fast, two way #1 center at the NHL level, and his talent floor is as a pretty-high scoring, extremely fast two-way #2 center at the NHL level. I don't care that he's 5'10-175 because he plays big, his brain is like a supercomputer and his heart is tremendous. Logan Cooley is an NHL star waiting to happen.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LW Justin Cote, Drummondville QMJHL (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Justin Cote is a freak. He's 5'6-145, but the reason you draft him is not what you'd expect. He's not the typical smaller speedy, shifty point producer. No, the reason you draft Cote is his shot. It's not just a quick release, accurate shot -- it's an absolute cannon blast. I'd compare the power on his shot to the average 6'5 NHL power play trigger-man. Cote just crushes the puck with such authority you can scarcely believe it's coming from a kid that size. All he's got to do is round out the rest of his game to an average level, and he'll have some value for an NHL team.

Cote is not just a shooter. He's a good -- not great -- skater with good puckhandling and passing abilities. He possesses the courage in tight to battle for pucks and crash creases, but he does not usually come up on the winning end of those battles. He's a very small kid who gets bounced around on the regular, and of course this bleeds into his defensive game, which is below where it will need to be if he is to make the big show.

But Cote is scoring at a PPG pace in the QMJHL, so he certainly warrants some late round attention come draft day. He's also a smart kid with good offensive awareness, and with some development it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility to envision him one day topping 20+ goals in an NHL middle six role. I haven't seen him ranked anywhere... by anybody whatsoever... so I'm guessing this is a kid you consider in the 7th round, simply because he can fire the puck. The problem is his closest comparable I can think of is Reid Boucher (in terms of play style, not character) so there's certainly also a very low floor. But I'm writing up Justin Cote as a possible intriguing pick in the last round, because he can really fire the puck and has some other nice offensive attributes.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

C/LW Daniil Davydov, MHK Dynamo-St. Petersburg MHL (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Here's another potential late round super sleeper. Though I wouldn't call Davydov a "high-end upside" guy, he's a high-IQ center who skates well, displays excellent passing vision and plays a two-way game. The 5'11-175 forward plays responsible, low-risk game which may have negatively impacted his scoring totals, which to me makes him even more intriguing. He's also one of the better face-off men available for the 2022 draft class.

Davydov has not garnered much, if any, attention from the scouting bureaus, hinting to the fact he's another kid who may be available in the 6th/7th rounds. Though you would probably have to wait four or five years for him to compete for an NHL job, this is the type of player you want to take a chance on late in drafts, because all indications are he has middle-6 center upside. If he can build his core strength and up his skating a notch, we're dealing with a strong, 200-foot player who can pop as a playmaker. If not, I still feel Davydov's defensive game, high-level awareness and face-off acumen give him a strong shot to make it on an NHL bottom 6.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

C Luca Del Bel Belluz, Mississauga OHL (STI Ranking #56, McKenzie #29)
Del Bel Belluz is a very skilled hockey player who came out of virtually nowhere this year to become one of the best players in the OHL. With 30 goals and 46 assists for 76 points in 68 games, he has emerged as a possible pick as high as the late 1st round for the 2022 draft. Though his consensus ranking would probably be in the early 2nd round range, he has garnered 1st rankings from multiple scouting bureaus, including an anomalous high ranking of #16 overall from TSN's Craig Button. Is Del Bel Belluz worth a pick in the top 20?

What we have here is a very skilled center with good size (6'1-180), decent skates, a high in-game awareness and several projectable tools. Del Bel Belluz is at his best with the puck, as all of his puck skills can be rated as high-end. He is an excellent puck-handler, with excellent vision and a terrific shot. Though none of his tools are quite in the "elite" end, Del Bel Belluz's puck skills are terrific both when analyzed separately or when working in tandem, and this is his calling card as an NHL prospect. Del Bel Belluz has to be considered a kid with 2C upside at the highest levels, and he offers very good scoring potential.

We also must scrutinize the reasons why, despite so many positives, Del Bel Belluz is generally considered to be a 2nd rounder by the consensus. Personally, I have a few questions about his athleticism. His skating is average to above average, but not very explosive. He can keep up, but it certainly is not an asset. His strength is also something Del Bel Belluz will need a lot of work improving -- I've seen him outmuscled for pucks by much smaller players. This is not a question of Del Bel Belluz's compete level, which is perfectly good. It's just some kids are physically strong for their size, and some are not. I feel Del Bel Belluz needs a lot of time with skating coaches and in the weight room, but the upside is clearly there.

I'm going to agree with the consensus the Del Bel Belluz is a perfect pick for the top half of the 2nd round. If everything goes well in development, there is certainly the potential for a 60-point 2C. This is a player who is outstanding with the puck and very smart. He's a dual-threat who can beat high-level opposition with both the shot and the pass. He's a center possessing several weapons at his disposal, and as such Luca Del Bel Belluz should hear his name called very early on Day Two of the NHL Draft.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LW/C Kocha Delic, Sudbury OHL (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
The Sudbury Wolves' current top scoring line is interesting in that it's composed of a trio of fast, skilled but undersized forwards who will all certainly be drafted in the 2022 draft. Though Delic is likely destined to be the final player picked of the threesome (Goyette centering Delic and Konyen), he's still a very shifty and skillful player with potential to one day play on a scoring line at the highest levels. Though his 43 points in 57 games do not exactly pop our eyes from the sockets, he's probably the best passer of his line and plays with excellent pace and precision.

Like his linemates, the biggest knock on Delic is his size, as he's a bit generously listed at 5'10-180. But the Ottawa native is a very good skater who thinks fast and plays fast, which is what you want from a smaller offensive forward. He's got a nice set of hands and is able to deke in full stride, making him especially dangerous in zone exits and zone entries. In space, Delic seems like a 2nd or 3rd round pick, but like many smaller forwards his struggles come in the interior and the defensive zone. Right now he's pretty easy to knock off the puck, and Delic certainly needs some time in the weight room.

But this is also a player who can generate offense, and as such we need to project and laud his palpable upside. If a defender gives him too much of a gap, Delic is quick to exploit it with his quick hands and even quicker feet. He is a creative passer who can manipulate defenders to open up non-existent lanes, and ability which gives him some 2nd line upside as a playmaker from the wing. Though he is not the line-driver that Goyette is or the trigger-man that Konyen is, Delic's skills also compliment the line -- a line which gives slower opposition fits every time they're zipping around the ice.

Delic has had a couple of late 3rd round rankings, but I haven't seen him on too many top 100 lists. I'd probably take him third out of his line, but I'd still take him. I'd say Delic's upside is the same as Goyette and Konyen -- a second line offensive generator -- but his floor might be slightly lower so I'd say he's probably a nice pick in the 4th round and on.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RW Jack Devine, University of Denver NCAA (STI Ranking #69, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Initially, you may not notice Jack Devine. On a stacked Denver team including high end prospects like Bobby Brink, Carter Savoie, Shai Buium and Sean Behrens, the young Chicago-native kind of fades into the background with a lack of flashy, elite-level skills. Devine is neither big nor small (5'11-175) and he's a pretty good skater who does not blow you away. But the more you watch him, you realize he is a player of greater substance than flash and dash, and he's the kind of player you win with.

Devine's best skills, as with many of my favorite prospects, are his intangibles. This is a really smart, team-first kid who plays the game with very good awareness on all 200-feet of ice. He hustles his tail off on the forecheck and backcheck, supports his linemates and understands positional awareness and collective responsibility. He sees the ice well and processes the game quickly. He plays with courage and his motor never stops. But Devine is not just an intangibles guy, he's also a very smooth puck-handler and adept passer with some intriguing vision which can occasionally show flashes of high-end upside. I don't know if he'll ever be a top 6 producer at the NHL level because he lacks the shooting to score goals or ancillary abilities to drive a line, but I think he's a very good bottom 6 NHL-er with an extremely high floor and a bit of offensive pop due to the puck skills.

Devine's name is being bandied about as a 2nd rounder, and I like him there, though probably towards the tail end of the round. From the third round on, this is certainly a player who is worth consideration due to the high floor, high level of thinking and high effort levels. He's a likable player who I think will make it to the big show and be a big team guy for whichever team drafts him.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LD Rodwin Dionicio, Niagara OHL (STI Ranking #100, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
A lot of people read my draft write-ups with a specific emphasis in finding deep sleepers they may not have heard of at all. Rodwin Dionicio is a bruising, 6'2-210 potential shut-down defender who could certainly become such a player. He's never going to put up big numbers, but he's got the skill to be a 20-30 point guy and offense is not why you draft him. He's just the perfect sidekick for an offense-first RD and a guy who can make a mark in his own right as a physically punishing, high-compete blueliner.

Dionicio comes from an interesting background. He was actually born in New Jersey, but raised in Switzerland. He's a dual citizen, but has aligned nationally with Switzerland, where he has performed admirably in international tournament play. His calling cards are strength, compete, physicality and defensive awareness. He's got pretty soft mitts for his player type and a nice shot. His passing is okay but doesn't jump off the page, he's more a catch-and-release type player.

Dionicio has one necessary area of improvement which I feel will almost singularly determine his NHL future. Though his top speeds are okay, he takes a while to get going and his first few strides are extremely sloppy. This needs to be cleaned up, and some heavy off-season skating work with some good skating coach could make him a big potential draft-day steal. Because Dionicio is already terrific defensively, and unlike many young stay-at-home physical rearguards, he is not a "the puck is a hot potato" lumberer. He just needs more jump and acceleration, as quick forwards with advanced stop-and-start capabilities can be past him with the puck before he's even gotten going.

I have high hopes for this player. I love his intelligence and compete. He's also pretty invisible on draft boards, making him a potential coup in the 6th/7th rounds. We must keep ion mind that there is no player without flaw taken after the 1st round, much less after the 5th, and there's always some chance-taking with the late picks. Rodwin Dionicio has clear potential to be a Manson or Chiarot type, and we all saw how valuable those players were to contenders at this year's trade deadline. As such, he's a tremendous pick for the late rounds of the 2022 draft.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LD Jackson Dorrington, Des Moines USHL (STI Ranking: Not Ranked, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
At first glance, Dorrington is a legit NHL prospect. He's 6'2-190 and skates very well in space. He's strong and athletic, and usually comes out the visitor in board battles and one-on-one puck contests. His offensive skills are, taken under the microscope, all good enough to aspire to an NHL career.

The concerns about Dorrington arise when you watch him awhile. Though his top speeds are very impressive, his skating mechanics need work as his acceleration and edgework are both problematic. He's not only a bit slow to get his feet moving, but he also seems to lack awareness and anticipation, as he is often slow to react to the play. This is further complicated by his rawness and the fact that his positioning and gaps both need a great deal of improvement.

Dorrington is a talented raw prospect, however, and the Massachusetts native will have four years to develop in a very good program at Northeastern University. If he can refine several aspects of his game, Jackson Dorrington has NHL potential, and as such I would not be surprised to hear his name called in the 6th or 7th round.