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

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RW Gavin Hayes, Flint OHL (STI Ranking #76, McKenzie #83)
Gavin Hayes is fortunate to be playing his OHL hockey in his home state of Michigan, but this is far from the reason he's an absolute fan favorite. Hayes is the definition of a player whose entire game is contingent upon an extraordinary compete level. There are few players who play with as much heart and hustle as this 6'1-175 winger, and as such he's an absolute menace on the forecheck and wins puck races and puck battles all over the ice. Despite being one of the younger players on his team with a mid-May '04 birthdate, Hayes is a regular in the Firebirds' top 6 and 4th on the team in scoring with a respectable 49 points in 65 games. This is no small feat on a Flint team headlined by a pair of Uber-prospects in Brennan Othmann and Dmitri Kuzmin. But repeated viewings show there is more to this player than just an amazing effort level, and as such he's a name to know for the 3rd/4th round of the 2022 draft.

Hayes is willing to do absolutely anything to win. He'll battle anyone, he finishes his checks, he'll block shots, he shows tremendous courage in all the greasy areas. He's the first man back on the back check and he supports his teammates. That being said, he's a guy who energizes a line, he's not the type of Grade A talent to drive one. Still, this is not a kid without impressive skills. I'd say his top two are skating and puckhandling. Hayes is very fast and can reach high speeds quickly. This plays up even more due to his otherworldly effort level, and the result is a player who always looks like the fastest player on the ice even when there are more talented skaters in the game. Hayes can also dangle and deke at a top 6 level, and he does not lose this ability at high speed. So, all game long it's hard to take your eyes off the kid -- he's just go go go.

The caveat with Hayes is that his offensive ability is limited. He's an ok shooter and passer, sure, but these are functional tools. He's not a player who will generate offense in any degree except when creating turnovers due to his hustle and hard-hitting style of play. However, Hayes is a player who can compliment greater offensive talents, by always being in the right place and crashing the net and creating space and being heavy on the puck.

As previously mentioned, I feel Gavin Hayes will be taken in the 3rd/4th round and I feel he's an excellent pick there. I'm not sure he has the upside to justify going in the first two rounds, but his enormous heart and high-speed style gives him a very high floor as a 4th liner, especially when combined with his physicality and size. I'd say his upside is as a very, very good traditional NHL 3rd line RW who can pop in a bit of offense and make the opposition's lives very difficult. This is an extremely likable player, and also a very good one. I am very excited to see him one day in the NHL, as I'm very confident his high motor will get him there.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RD Ryan Healey, Sioux Falls USHL (STI Ranking #120, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Here's another super-sleeper at RD whom I'm extremely intrigued by. Healey is an extremely mobile, offense-first, 6'1-180 defender with a litany of offensive skill which have yet to truly translate to the scoresheet. He's heading to Harvard University in the fall, and this is absolutely the type of prospect who has a breakout campaign in his sophomore/junior year and everyone wonders how they slept on him in his draft year.

Healey is very aggressive with his breakouts, transitions and zone entries. He shows a great deal of confidence in his skating, puckhandling and passing abilities, all with good reason. I'd say Healey's finest attribute is his playmaking, which I would go so far as to call high-end with the potential to get better. I really like the way this kid sees the ice and anticipates the open man instead of simply finding him.

Defensively, Healey needs work but I'm not grading him down too much on it because he shows the ability and effort-levels to improve in this respect. I respect his physicality and hustle -- though he's never going to be a bruiser with his general frame/game combination, he's not afraid and battles hard.

Healey is about as raw as raw gets, but again there's excellent potential here. His rankings are generally in the 4th round or later range, although he is particularly loved by elite prospects.com, which lists him as a second rounder at #51. I feel this is a kid you hope lasts to the late 4th/5th rounds, where you snatch him up and just sit back and wait for him to develop. This Massachusetts native is certainly an intriguing prospect to keep an eye on in the future.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RW Marek Hejduk, US-NTDP (STI Ranking #112, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Not every player is suited for a top line role, but some get this at an early enough age the they work on an develop the anterior aspects of their game to the point where they are far better than the sum of their parts. Maybe it's because his father was an excellent long-time NHLer (Milan Hejduk), but Marek Hejduk has taken a pretty-good-but-not-standout tool kit and turned himself into one heck of a hockey player, one who would represent an excellent pick towards the final few rounds of the 2022 draft.

The Colorado native is a pretty good skater who won't blow anyone away or be blown away by anyone else. His shooting, passing and puckhandling are all "good enough", and all play up because of a very high hockey IQ, which is his second-best attribute. The finest quality to Hejduk is his defensive awareness and willingness to work his tail off in the defensive zone. There are just moments in every game where Hejduk is supporting his center or defensemen down low and fishing pucks out of trouble where it just seems like he's a security blanket for his teammates and coaches.

I'm not sure Hejduk will ever score much at the NHL level, but he can pop in a few points in the bottom six and he's the guy you'll always want out there when protecting a slim lead late. If there's a player he reminds me of stylistically, it's probably a young Jay Pandolfo. Though "defensive specialist forward" is probably the least sexy thing anyone wants to hear with their draft picks, this 6'0-175 forward will have a very high floor for that role and, as such, would represent a terrific pick anywhere in rounds 5 to 7.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RW Ben Hemmerling, Everett WHL (STI Ranking: Not Ranked, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Here we have a small forward who has garnered enough attention to attain a handful of top 100 rankings despite a stature which I feel is quite generously listed as 5'10-160. Hemmerling is a worker bee who displays great hustle and intelligence and put up respectable scoring totals of 47 points in 57 games. The question is if there is top 6 upside, and whether his slight stature will negatively affect his ability to transition into a bottom-6 role.

My main question with Hemmerling is his lack of high-end skating or offensive skills. Though he is solid in both respects, neither are particularly eye-opening to any discernible degree. I'd feel more confident projecting him for a future NHL roster if he had that extra gear or were a bot bigger, though it's possible a good physical trainer can build up his core strength enough to improve in both areas. I'm not ruling out an NHL possibility here, but the more likely scenario is a future AHL player. He's probably a player who will be available very late on draft day.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

C Otto Hokkanen, SaiPa Finland (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Otto Hokkanen is one of those centers who consistently takes care of his two-way game, but because he is good in that role and utilized primarily as a defensive center, it becomes tough to gauge his offensive upside. He offers very good size at 6'2-185 and his skating is above-average, if nothing special. But again, he's a big center, so we can expect to hear his name called on draft day despite a lack of any offensive statistics or pre-draft hype from any of the major writers or bureaus.

Hokkanen is almost incessantly steady both positionally and defensively. He plays more of a cerebral style of defense than a physical/high-compete one, and I feel this hurts him in terms of accruing any attention. He's got a big body and he's very strong, and as a defense-first player you'd like to see him throw his weight around with some more sandpaper in his game. I'm not sure this can be instilled, because he's just a very calm kid on the ice. Still, he's an effective defensive presence against centers a decade older and more experienced, and we have to give him due credit for this.

Hokkanen's offensive skills are, as mentioned, tough to assess. He seems to have pretty good puck-handling and passing skills, but he's not very aggressive on the offensive side of the puck and always thinking about his 200-foot responsibilities first. He also has weaknesses, as he's a bit overmatched in the face-off circle against older players and really lacks much of a shot, especially for a kid of his size.

Overall, I think we have a player who can make the NHL as a 4th line center and, if his offense develops and he can up his skating and physicality a notch, perhaps a 3rd liner. His defensive game and size certainly give Hokkanen a pretty steady floor. He's been ignored on draft boards, but I certainly see him as a pretty good 6th/7th round pick, because Hokkanen is a big center and a very good one defensively.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LW Isaac Howard, US-NTDP (STI Ranking #25, McKenzie #20)
Second on the US-NTDP in scoring this year, the Wisconsin native plays a very simple and translatable game which gives him a high floor as a bottom six frenetic forechecker and palpable upside as a second line scoring winger. The 5'10-180, high-compete forward does a lot of things well, but the team which drafts him will have to keep in mind that the expectation for him is more as a complimentary player than a line driver.

The first thing you notice about Howard is how hard he plays. He is rabid on the forecheck and always looking to funnel pucks to the net. He is present and supportive of his teammates in transition, and he is a hard worker with good instincts in the defensive zone. Wherever he goes, he's going to be equally popular with fans, coaches and teammates. But this is not just a worker bee -- Howard is a very good skater with a excellent shot which absolutely gives him 20+ goal upside at the highest levels.

Howard is not an east/west wizard, though he has the offensive awareness and speed to play alongside linemates who fit such descriptions. He's more of a catch-and-release weapon, whose quick thinking allows him to pick a corner if he gets a moment's opening and, if he does not, enables him to make a shifty move and find an open teammate in better position. He is not a dangler or a player to extend possession -- he prefers smart little plays and would always prefer to get a shot on net as rapidly as possible.

Ideally, Howard would be a middle six forward with the ability to slot up in a pinch, and probably a fixture on the 2PP. As a guy who will benefit his team in all three zones, he's a pretty safe pick. I expect him to go somewhere in the #20-#32 range. However, if he slips into the second round, he'd be a pretty shrewd pick for any team as, again, we're talking about a very safe pick who also has a decent amount of upside.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

C Jack D. Hughes, Northeastern University NCAA (STI Ranking #34, McKenzie #35)
Despite the same name as the Devils emerging franchise player, the 2022 Jack Hughes is a completely different player. You're not drafting him to be your feature offensive generator, but rather to be a strong complimentary two-way player for your middle 6 who does everything well, both on and off the puck.

Hughes' primary assets are his intangibles, and it's important to mention them before analyzing his tool set, because his high hockey IQ and relentless desire to win play up every single one of his physical assets. This is an extremely intelligent hockey player who studies and knows the game inside and out. You do not see mental mistakes from Hughes, but you often see them from the opposition when he is on the ice. As for his heart, it's unquestionable -- Hughes plays with the heart of a lion, shift in and shift out, on all 200 feet of the ice.

Hughes' finest attribute physically would have to be his playmaking and vision. He possesses high-level awareness, extreme creativity and is able to execute with unpredictability and precision, a combination which is not as common in amateur players as we would like to think. That being said, Hughes' ceiling is probably not as a first-line scorer, as he his limited in size/strength (5'11-160), while being a pretty good and quick but not outstanding skater. He's a creative and innovative shooter, accurate and always trying to make quick last-second moves to change his angle and fool the goalie, but he's not what you would call a sniper either. I'd say he's a subtly good shooter, though strangely his best goal-scoring tool might be a sneaky and surgical backhand which he uses much more often than the average player, especially at his age.

What makes Hughes really likable (aside from the high-end motor, of course) is his versatility, both in a positional and utilization standpoint. His defensive game -- again -- is excellent, and you can slot him down to the bottom 6 as an energy player who hounds the opposition on the forecheck and in the defensive zone, while offering some sneaky offensive pop. You can also play him on the second line with offensive responsibilities, and in a pinch I think he might even become a player who can slot up to an NHL top line in case of injury, due to his smarts and playmaking. He's a guy you can play on the PP and PK, a guy you will want to put out there in the waning minutes of a one-goal game whether you're leading or trailing. Despite his size, he plays with the utmost courage, and he's a physical winger who creates from the exterior but also will penetrate the interior when playing with other talented players.

I really like Jack D. Hughes as a future two-way, point-producing and defensively very good second line center for an NHL organization. The most alluring fact may be his extremely high floor -- players with this type of compete and intelligence do not wash out unless there is a catastrophic injury. I'd say Hughes will be, at the very least, an excellent stud for your bottom six with some offensive pop and a beast on the PK. But his lack of size or high end speed will likely drop him out of the top 20, so I'd say he's a likely pick for the #21-#45 range.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LW Jakub Hujer, Rouyn-Noranda QMJHL (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Jakub Hujer has gotten a bit of attention from scouts, which probably has a lot to do with the fact he's 6'3-200 and skates decently. Central Scouting ranked him #56 in North America, despite mediocre numbers (24 points in 49 games) for a forward on a poor Rouyn-Noranda squad. The young Czech winger has a few intriguing skills -- he's got some nice stick handling moves, some intriguing passing acumen and a heavy shot. But the real reason he will likely hear his name called on draft day is that he is huge and likes to absolutely crush the opposition with his tremendous man-strength.

Hujer is probably utilized as a "defensive forward", and although he is outstanding in one-on-one battles anywhere on the ice, his positioning needs a ton of refinement. Under heavy offensive pressure, sometimes Hujer can get caught puck chasing and skating around like a chicken with a blindfold. But he certainly shows some potential here, as he's mobile and ridiculously strong, with a very good compete level and work ethic.

Offensively, I don't think we'll ever see him on an NHL top 6. Hujer has the offensive ability to be more than just a thug on skates, but he's just not consistent enough in his offense that he's ever going to be a huge point-producer. I think we're ideally talking about a defensively responsible, hard-hitting kid for your 4th line who can chip in with maybe 10+ goals or 20+ points.

I think Hujer is likely to be taken higher than his consensus ranking, because there are several NHL front offices which covet his style of play. I could easily see the Senators or Ducks or Islanders taking him as high as the 4th round. If he lasts until the 6th/7th rounds -- which is possible -- I think Jakub Hujer is a good pick for any team wishing to address and improve their organizational physicality.




2022 Draft Profile:

LD Lane Hutson, US-NTDP (STI Ranking #71, McKenzie #40)
The Chicago native is without a doubt one of the most fun players to watch in the entire 2022 draft. Maybe the smallest defender I've ever seen succeed at this level -- I'd say he's 5'7-135 at most -- he is an absolutely outstanding skater with puck skills which can only be described as outright wizardry and an off-the-charts offensive awareness which make him absolutely lethal on the power play. He is so creative and deceptive that it's almost par for the course to see him spin defenders in circles on the blueline with a litany of shifty moves, easily zipping around them into open ice and creating high-danger offensive chances where most blue liners would just be throwing the puck on net or chucking it around the boards. However -- and not especially surprisingly -- he's also a bit of a defensive liability in one-on-one battles and in his high-rise style which can lead to chances against.

First we need to talk about his offensive awareness, which is almost magical to watch. His edges and acceleration are so outstanding that it's routine to see him get the puck from a standstill and then seemingly manipulate defenders with his deft stick handling into leaning the way he wants before turning them inside out and eluding them without breaking a sweat. He is Mister Something Out Of Nothing. In the offensive zone, his awareness -- both spatial and in terms of passing and skating lanes -- is special. Predictably, he's a great passer and always a threat to generate scoring chances, though the fact that his shot is so-so at best limits him in some ways.

Defensively? It's a completely different scenario, unfortunately. I'm going to editorialize a bit and wonder why Hutson was not converted at some point to forward. With his skills, I feel he would be a far better player on the wing and a threat to be a late first round pick this year. Because, quite frankly, he's just not equipped to win down low battles at the USHL level, much less the NCAA level, much less the NHL level. He has little reach and is not one of those guys you'd even call strong for his size. Brian Rafalski, for instance, was probably 5'9 or 5'10 but gifted with incredible strength and would out battle 6'3 and 6'4 forwards with routine regularity. This is not the case with Hutson, though I do not blame a lack of courage on his part -- he's a feisty kid, he's just not capable sometimes.

I would still be touting Hutson for the second round based on his high-end offensive acumen if he were exceptional in his gaps and positioning defensively, but he's just not. I see Hutson literally not as a defenseman but as a left wing playing out of position. I would still draft him on the basis of his scintillating offense, just not in the first few rounds. And if I did draft him, I'd be trying to convince him to change position. I think he'd make a really terrific winger and his NHL chances would be far greater. As it stands, he's going to have to seriously improve his defensive play and core strength to make it even on a third pairing. I think his upside is in the Gostisbehere realm, but again, Gostisbehere is a liability any time he does not possess the puck in the offensive zone.

I do not wish to be negative about Hutson, because he's a terrific and extremely fun offensive generator. As is, I think he can be a guy who scores 50-60 points from the blueline -- just at the AHL level. I can't see an NHL coach deploying a player with regularity who can be routinely outmuscled by 5'10-170 forwards. I think he's interesting if you can shelter his minutes for offensive zone draws and the PP, where he can function as a specialist at the NHL level. But really, I'd just want him to move up to the wing.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

C/LW Ivan Ivan Ivan, Cape Breton QMJHL (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
The, uh... redundantly named Czech pivot is the first overeager I'm writing up for the 2022 draft. He's a hard-working center who was passed over last year because of questions of his production for a poor Eagles team and further questions about a combination of lack of size (5'11-170) and high end speed. However, Ivan has seriously improved his skating and leads his Cape Breton team by a whopping 9 goals with just 35 games played, with 20 thus far. He plays a competitive and responsible 200-foot game and might represent a nice pick with bottom 6 upside who will likely be available as late as the 7th round.

Ivan Ivan is one of those oft-overlooked "no particular strengths but also no particular weaknesses" players. He's a decent skater, passer and puck handler. I'd say he's a good shooter, his best physical tool, which may leave any NHL future on the wing rather than center. But he does play a strong two-way style and is very responsible. His awareness in all three zones in commendable. I'd rate his compete level as high, which is even more impressive when you see how utterly weak his team and linemates are.

The question we should ask ourselves with Ivan Ivan is, what if he were a second liner on a talented team instead of pretty much the entire offense on a lamentably poor one? Essentially, the only thing opposing coaches have to do is gameplan against this kid, who is good offensively but not exactly a dynamic scorer. He sees the best shut-down D and C face-off against him every game, and still produces with little help in his own line-up. This makes me feel Ivan might have some upside at the higher levels.

Again, you're not drafting an overager with Ivan Ivan's resume in the 3rd or 4th round. But he is a kid who, 180 picks into the draft, would certainly represent a player of intrigue for me. The fact he can also play center would up his value.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Prospects:

LD Daniil Ivanov, Spartak Moskva MHL (STI Ranking: Not Ranked, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Every so often you get a prospect who would translate to the NHL on every level, but their skating is so far below average it holds them back. Though I like Ivanov's future in the European leagues, I have concerns that he can keep up in the fastest league in the world, the NHL.

There's a lot to like for what he is now. Ivanov is 6'4-210 and extremely physical. He's smart and positionally sound, and he's got a terrific shot from the point. He's a big, strong kid who is an automatic mismatch with virtually any forward in the MHL in one-on-one battles. Ivanov also had 15 games in the VHL, where he would regularly throw around far older opposing players like they were rag dolls. He's a beast in the crease and the corners.

Unfortunately, Ivanov is just not mobile in any sense of the world. He has trouble with speed in every aspect. He can be beaten off the rush, and forced into consistently backing up and allowing quacking opponents space. With the puck, he is just not slick or agile enough to avoid opposing forecheckers. The faster the game gets, the more Ivanov's effectiveness wanes.

I believe the size and shot will see Ivanov drafted, it just might not be until late. I'd like to see him get a skating coach and work his tail off in that singular aspect of the game. If Ivanov can get to near-average skating acuity, he's got a shot as a 3rd-pairing, physical stay-at-home guy at the NHL level.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LW/C Adam Ingram, Youngstown USHL (STI Ranking: #92, McKenzie #54)
Adam Ingram is a big (6'2-175) forward with some raw and intriguing abilities which should see him snatched up early in the 2022 2nd round with an outside chance to even compel a team to taking him in the late 1st. The Manitoba native currently sits as the USHL point leader among all draft eligibles with 26 goals and 55 points in 54 games, good enough to lead his team by a whopping 12 points. Ingram's greatest weapon is a borderline elite shot and a very advanced offensive awareness, which has some thinking he can ceiling as a high-scoring and large framed NHL second-line force.

If Ingram is a name you're not familiar with, you're not alone. USHL tend to lack the high-profile of CHL or US-NTDP prospects while often being denied the buzz of European draft-eligibles. But if you're a numbers guy, his stats immediately jump off the page and then when you watch him, there is certainly a lot of aspects to interest you. Ingram displays good instincts in puckhandling and passing, but he's admittedly raw in those respects and will need a lot of work and development. He's a bit of a risky prospect in that it's very tough to project what type of player he will be in a half decade because his particular strengths make him so successful at the USHL level but there are certainly elements he will need to improve for higher levels.

Foremost is skating. Though Ingram is not slow, he's in the average range when it comes to speed, agility and mobility. If I'm drafting this kid in the 2nd, I'm immediately assigning the best skating coaches to work with him. He has the athleticism to raise his skating into the above-average range, which would really play up every one of his other abilities. Ingram also needs to work on his 200-foot play, as his defensive awareness does not even approach his smarts and anticipation in the offensive zone, and I'd say his compete level can lag there a bit, as well. The combination of his lack of speed and defensive acumen juxtaposed with his shoot-first mentality makes me feel Ingram is a bit out of position up the middle, and would greatly benefit from a permanent move to the LW. But I do feel Ingram can be a very good goal-scoring LW at the NHL level, with a formidable ceiling as a second liner who is impressively capable of peaking in the 25-30 goal range.

Again, Ingram is a very likely candidate for the 2nd round of the 2022 draft. There is a slight chance he goes in the first, and I cannot see a player with his combination of size and shooting falling anywhere below the 3rd.

 

[TreeBeyondTheWoods]

In an easy copy+paste format - the stats and league of each player, in order alphabetically and strictly 2021-2022. Didnt want to type each name so youll just have to trust me lol. Maybe posting the stats after each summary is best as to not take away from the writing?
PAGE 1
------
USHS-Prep - 27GP 15/19/34
USDP - 2GP 0/1/1
USHL - 9GP 0/2/2
>
USHL - 61GP 2/26/28
>
J20 Region - 8GP 3/11/14
Allsvenskan - 48GP 3/11/14
SHL - 1GP 0/0/0
>
OHL - 46GP 9/17/26
>
OHL - 68GP 21/30/51
>
Russia U18 - 7GP 1/1/2
MHL - 45GP 4/7/11
>
WHL - 64GP 18/31/49
>
USDP - 47GP 4/6/10
USHL - 22GP 2/2/4
>
J20 Nationell - 11GP 3/4/7
SHL - 29GP 1/2/3
INTERNATIONAL - 5GP 0/1/1
>
QMJHL - 44GP 9/21/30
>
QMJHL - 42GP 1/22/23
>
QMJHL - 67GP 29/15/44
>
OHL - 63GP 5/39/44
>
USHS-MN - 31GP 48/35/83
USHL - 27GP 11/6/17
>
USHL* - 39GP 12/19/31
USHL* - 21GP 6/6/12
>
USDP - 48GP 10/23/33
USHL - 17GP 3/10/13
INTERNATIONAL - 6GP 3/3/6
>
USDP - 59GP 12/17/29
USHL - 26GP 5/10/15
INTERNATIONAL - 6GP 2/3/5
>
USDP - 51GP 27/48/75
USHL - 24GP 13/23/36
INTERNATIONAL - 7GP 3/8/11
>
QMJHL - 64GP 26/30/56
>
MHL - 51GP 10/21/31
>
OHL - 68GP 30/46/76
>
OHL - 65GP 17/29/46
INTERNATIONAL - 4GP 2/0/2
>
NCAA - 36GP 3/16/19
>
OHL - 57GP 6/25/31
INTERNATIONAL - 7GP 3/2/5
>
USHL - 41GP 3/8/11

Page 2
--------
OHL - 64GP 3/19/22
>
Russia U18 - 7GP 4/8/12
MHL - 33GP 14/14/28
>
Russia U18 - 7GP 1/5/6
VHL - 4GP 0/0/0
MHL - 52GP 14/27/41
>
USDP - 54GP 3/15/18
USHL - 24GP 2/9/11
INTERNATIONAL - 6GP 0/2/2
>
QMJHL - 68GP - 39/70/109
>
OHL - 54GP 0/6/6
>
WHL - 66GP 36/44/80
>
OHL - 54GP 14/30/44
INTERNATIONAL - 2GP 0/0/0
>
USHS-Prep - 28GP 13/37/50
>
USDP - 18GP 1/4/5
USHL* - 5GP 1/2/3
USHL* - 47GP 10/24/34
>
J20 Nationell - 23GP 5/22/27
SHL - 41GP 0/3/3
>
QMJHL - 66GP 31/26/57
>
USDP - 54GP 34/31/65
USHL - 22GP 19/9/28
INTERNATIONAL - 6GP 3/6/9
>
OHL - 54GP 10/18/28
WHL - 63GP 24/46/70
>
OHL - 67GP 6/17/23
>
OHL - 66GP 33/40/73
INTERNATIONAL - 4GP 1/2/3
>
USHL - 59GP 19/32/51
>
MHL - 18GP 2/11/13
VHL - 12GP 1/2/3
KHL - 6GP 0/1/1
INTERNATIONAL - 4GP 0/1/1
>
OHL - 68GP 30/29/59
>
WHL - 58GP 23/29/52
>
USHL - 59GP 11/27/38
>
OHL - 63GP 22/19/41
>
U20 SM-sarja - 32GP 6/19/25
Liiga - 24GP 0/2/2
Mestis - 2GP 0/2/2
INTERNATIONAL - 20GP 1/19/20
>
OHL - 66GP 41/38/79

PAGE 3
--------
OHL - 65GP 19/30/49
>
USHL - 59GP 3/18/21
>
USDP - 52GP 10/9/19
USHL - 27GP 3/6/9
INTERNATIONAL - 2GP 0/0/0
>
WHL - 57GP 10/37/47
>
U20 SM-sarja 14GP 6/10/16
Liiga - 30GP 1/0/1
Mestis - 2GP 0/0/0
INTERNATIONAL - 23GP 2/1/3
>
USDP - 60GP 33/49/82
USHL - 27GP 11/26/37
INTERNATIONAL - 6GP 6/5/11
>
NCAA - 39GP 7/9/16
>
CzechiaU17 - 3GP 4/1/5
CzechiaU20 - 8GP 3/5/8
Czechia2 - 14GP 1/4/5
INTERNATIONAL - 3GP 0/2/2
>
QMJHL - 65GP 31/34/65
INTERNATIONAL - 11GP 1/4/5
>
VHL - 15GP 0/1/1
MHL - 47GP 9/21/30
>
USHL - 54GP 26/29/55

Hopefully there isnt too many if any errors. Also its Ryan Healey* lol. Thanks for the writeups.

 

[StevenToddIves]

In an easy copy+paste format - the stats and league of each player, in order alphabetically and strictly 2021-2022. Didnt want to type each name so youll just have to trust me lol. Maybe posting the stats after each summary is best as to not take away from the writing?
PAGE 1
------
USHS-Prep - 27GP 15/19/34
USDP - 2GP 0/1/1
USHL - 9GP 0/2/2
>
USHL - 61GP 2/26/28
>
J20 Region - 8GP 3/11/14
Allsvenskan - 48GP 3/11/14
SHL - 1GP 0/0/0
>
OHL - 46GP 9/17/26
>
OHL - 68GP 21/30/51
>
Russia U18 - 7GP 1/1/2
MHL - 45GP 4/7/11
>
WHL - 64GP 18/31/49
>
USDP - 47GP 4/6/10
USHL - 22GP 2/2/4
>
J20 Nationell - 11GP 3/4/7
SHL - 29GP 1/2/3
INTERNATIONAL - 5GP 0/1/1
>
QMJHL - 44GP 9/21/30
>
QMJHL - 42GP 1/22/23
>
QMJHL - 67GP 29/15/44
>
OHL - 63GP 5/39/44
>
USHS-MN - 31GP 48/35/83
USHL - 27GP 11/6/17
>
USHL* - 39GP 12/19/31
USHL* - 21GP 6/6/12
>
USDP - 48GP 10/23/33
USHL - 17GP 3/10/13
INTERNATIONAL - 6GP 3/3/6
>
USDP - 59GP 12/17/29
USHL - 26GP 5/10/15
INTERNATIONAL - 6GP 2/3/5
>
USDP - 51GP 27/48/75
USHL - 24GP 13/23/36
INTERNATIONAL - 7GP 3/8/11
>
QMJHL - 64GP 26/30/56
>
MHL - 51GP 10/21/31
>
OHL - 68GP 30/46/76
>
OHL - 65GP 17/29/46
INTERNATIONAL - 4GP 2/0/2
>
NCAA - 36GP 3/16/19
>
OHL - 57GP 6/25/31
INTERNATIONAL - 7GP 3/2/5
>
USHL - 41GP 3/8/11

Page 2
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OHL - 64GP 3/19/22
>
Russia U18 - 7GP 4/8/12
MHL - 33GP 14/14/28
>
Russia U18 - 7GP 1/5/6
VHL - 4GP 0/0/0
MHL - 52GP 14/27/41
>
USDP - 54GP 3/15/18
USHL - 24GP 2/9/11
INTERNATIONAL - 6GP 0/2/2
>
QMJHL - 68GP - 39/70/109
>
OHL - 54GP 0/6/6
>
WHL - 66GP 36/44/80
>
OHL - 54GP 14/30/44
INTERNATIONAL - 2GP 0/0/0
>
USHS-Prep - 28GP 13/37/50
>
USDP - 18GP 1/4/5
USHL* - 5GP 1/2/3
USHL* - 47GP 10/24/34
>
J20 Nationell - 23GP 5/22/27
SHL - 41GP 0/3/3
>
QMJHL - 66GP 31/26/57
>
USDP - 54GP 34/31/65
USHL - 22GP 19/9/28
INTERNATIONAL - 6GP 3/6/9
>
OHL - 54GP 10/18/28
WHL - 63GP 24/46/70
>
OHL - 67GP 6/17/23
>
OHL - 66GP 33/40/73
INTERNATIONAL - 4GP 1/2/3
>
USHL - 59GP 19/32/51
>
MHL - 18GP 2/11/13
VHL - 12GP 1/2/3
KHL - 6GP 0/1/1
INTERNATIONAL - 4GP 0/1/1
>
OHL - 68GP 30/29/59
>
WHL - 58GP 23/29/52
>
USHL - 59GP 11/27/38
>
OHL - 63GP 22/19/41
>
U20 SM-sarja - 32GP 6/19/25
Liiga - 24GP 0/2/2
Mestis - 2GP 0/2/2
INTERNATIONAL - 20GP 1/19/20
>
OHL - 66GP 41/38/79

PAGE 3
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OHL - 65GP 19/30/49
>
USHL - 59GP 3/18/21
>
USDP - 52GP 10/9/19
USHL - 27GP 3/6/9
INTERNATIONAL - 2GP 0/0/0
>
WHL - 57GP 10/37/47
>
U20 SM-sarja 14GP 6/10/16
Liiga - 30GP 1/0/1
Mestis - 2GP 0/0/0
INTERNATIONAL - 23GP 2/1/3
>
USDP - 60GP 33/49/82
USHL - 27GP 11/26/37
INTERNATIONAL - 6GP 6/5/11
>
NCAA - 39GP 7/9/16
>
CzechiaU17 - 3GP 4/1/5
CzechiaU20 - 8GP 3/5/8
Czechia2 - 14GP 1/4/5
INTERNATIONAL - 3GP 0/2/2
>
QMJHL - 65GP 31/34/65
INTERNATIONAL - 11GP 1/4/5
>
VHL - 15GP 0/1/1
MHL - 47GP 9/21/30
>
USHL - 54GP 26/29/55

Hopefully there isnt too many if any errors. Also its Ryan Healey* lol. Thanks for the writeups.

Thank you. Great stuff.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LW Dylan James, Sioux City USHL (STI Ranking #65, McKenzie #61)
In my relentless quest to find previously unnoticed players with the potential to be draft-day gems, I bring you Dylan James. The Calgary native is an ideal combination of size (6'0-185) and high-end skating ability who combines good skills across the board offensively. He's scored at a PPG pace (61 points in 62 games) in a tough and defense-oriented USHL and represents a dual-offensive threat with the capacity to make flashy plays at high speeds. Somehow, he's been pretty much ignored by the majority of the scouting world, and it's tough to find much written about him by any draft analysts. But this kid has very real talent, and represents a potential great pick for the middle rounds.

James' finest attribute would have to be his skating. This kid can really hit impressive top speeds which back up an entire defense, especially considering his ability to puck handle without losing a step. He's terrific at zone entries as a result, and I would call him a potentially very good transition player. Like many players of this ilk, he can get caught trying to break in with possession and turn the puck over in some dangerous areas. I have great hope that a few years in the NCAA will see him learn to pick his spots with a bit more care, as he has high potential in this respect.

It's tough to be critical of a player for the old adage of "trying to do too much", but that's really James' biggest problem. He sometimes tries to thread passes through multiple players when a safe drop back to the point would be the better option. He's the guy who can blow past two defenders and then get beat by a third when he should've just chipped the puck in deep. But again, if this is a criticism it's one I actually don't take too seriously for a teenager because I actually like the fact James wants to make something happen every time he's on the ice. Again, it's all a matter of learning to choose when and where.

Dylan James is a good shooter and a good passer, with good compete and high intelligence. I really don't see a discernible weakness in this speedy scorer which raises any red flags for me. He certainly needs a lot of work on the defensive side of the puck, but it's not for lack of effort and he'll have several seasons at an excellent University of North Dakota program to hone his 200-foot game.

Dylan James is the kind of player I'm taking a hard look at from the 4th round on. His speed/size/skills combo alone make him extremely attractive in terms of sleeper upside, and when you add in a good effort level and hockey mind? Well, there's no reason he cannot fulfill his potential as a middle six scoring LW at the highest levels. Keep an eye on this kid, he's a terrific young talent.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RD Ludvig Jansson, Sodertalje Allsvenskan (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Ludvig Jansson is an offense-first defender although his Allsvenskan stat line of 5 points in 47 games is probably a poor reflection of that. For those unfamiliar with the European leagues, the Swedish Allsvenskan is a secondary men's league to the SHL, sort of like the AHL is to the NHL. So he's playing against men with professional experience, which is still quite challenging for a prospect who just turned 18 in late December. It's my belief that Jansson would have much better numbers had he spent the lion's share of the season in the J20, and his 4 points in 9 games there certainly back up this belief. Janssen has gotten some positive attention due to very good mobility, a good tool kit and a solid 6'0-175 frame, with a few 3rd round rankings and one anomalously high one of #53 overall by Draft Prospects Hockey.

Jansson's foremost strengths are probably all in the offensive zone. He's got a great set of hands and can really dangle quite well. His offensive awareness and passing games are both good right now with room to improve as he develops. Jansson features a very good shot which he gets off quickly with an economical release. Jansson is active off the point without being a true gambler, and most of the time I think he has pretty good decision making in this respect. Jansson's straight line speed is quite good, even if he has a bit of an awkward stride which negatively affects some of his ancillary skating abilities. Foremost among them would be skating backwards, which I would say Jansson is actually pretty poor at. This must be improved for him to make the NHL, much less succeed there.

Jansson also needs a lot of work on his defensive game. The effort is there and I like his instincts, but his gaps and positioning need a boatload of work and development. Pressure can force him into mistakes, which is certainly the area of greatest concern. He can be physically beaten by bigger and stronger forwards. That being said, he's very good with the puck in space, and his outlet passing game is dependent on how much time he has. I certainly feel there is upside here as a middle pair, offense-first defender which certainly makes Janssen intriguing.

As a RD with upside, Jansson must get attention from the Devils and their fans come draft day. The Devils absolutely must fill the dearth organizationally at the position. It is my opinion that the 2nd round is too early to draft Jansson, because the upside does not match the uncertainty with this prospect. I'd certainly consider him after the 4th round, and he'd be a very strong pick late. This is a young player with all the essential tools to be a pretty good scoring professional defenseman and still take care of his own end. But he's got a lot of work to do in order to get there.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LW/RW (left-shot) Joel Jonsson, Mora J20 Sweden Jr. (STI Ranking #51, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
A lot of people read my draft profiles strictly to learn about potential draft-day sleepers who are not talked about nearly enough. Well, Joel Jonsson is one, and as such he's one of my favorite players for the late rounds of the 2022 entry draft. He is mostly ignored for two reasons: his size measurements of 5'9-150 and a lack of high-end straightaway speed. Well, in there next few paragraphs I'm hopefully going to convince you that this is a player with very real NHL top 6 upside due to a combination of sublime skill with off-the-charts intangibles.

I have often said that size is not crucial when judging NHL prospects. It can be when a larger player plays big or a smaller player plays small, but this is not the case with Johnsson. His courage is very high, and he's not afraid to take the puck to the interior. As a matter of fact, he's not afraid to take the puck anywhere. Joel Jonsson is one of those players who always wants the puck on his stick and is very comfortable once it is there. He has outstanding hands and an absurdly high hockey IQ and he knows it.

Johnsson has the rare ability to manipulate defenders into making mistakes using a litany of slick moves and the foresight to judge what a defender will do if he leads them in a certain direction, when all along his plan was to open the precise lane the defender just gave him. Johnsson is a devastatingly good passer, and like all devastatingly good puck handler/playmakers, he seems to have more space than other players whenever he has the puck. This is not luck, it's just a high level of being able to create space. He's the guy all of his teammates wants to quarterback every offensive zone situation, and Jonsson does this like a conductor running a philharmonic.

I have also often said that skating acuity is not simply about top speeds. Jonsson is barely above average in this respect, but I'd still call him an excellent skater due to his phenomenal edges and maneuverability with the puck. The combination of his elite hands and elite edges have him literally faking opposing defenders off-balance, sometimes multiple times in the same game. Then when we add in his elite hockey IQ and ability to create lanes and then hit them with remarkable passing acumen, we have a player with top 6 scoring upside in the NHL despite obvious physical limitations. One can ask no more of a player with Joel Jonsson's natural-born abilities than to be as good as Joel Jonsson has been, and this speaks volumes to his high character and intelligence.

Clearly, this is a young player who needs the weight room and several years of development. With improved core strength we could see concurrent improvements in areas of need like straightaway speed and shooting power. However, Jonsson's shot is still "as good as it can be", due to a quick release and excellent accuracy. He's Mora's top shootout option, though naturally that has more to do with his cool under pressure and remarkable set of mitts. Ultimately, I see a player with a potentially high development curve, especially if he adds muscle to his frame. He's actually a kid who loves to hit and get his hands dirty, and although he's quite strong for his size he can obviously still be outmuscled because he's a guy fully willing to go toe-to-toe with a 6'2-200 defender.

Joel Jonsson is, quite simply, the most overlooked forward out of Sweden for the 2022 draft. He has palpable top 6 upside and his character and high IQ -- combined with a silky set of hands -- give him a higher floor than most 5'9-150 offensive wingers. He's a player who loves the puck on his stick and always seems to know exactly what to do with it. He will probably be available from the 4th round to the 6th for purely superficial reasons, and he'd be an absolute steal if you get him there.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RD David Jiricek, HC Plzen Czech (STI Ranking #3, McKenzie #6)
David Jiricek is an absolute beast -- 6'3-190 and always playing with tenacity which borders on abject ferocity. He is one of the most physical defenders to come out of the draft in years, and he has the strength and athleticism to back it up. Playing in the Czech men's league as a teenager, Jiricek already changes the way opposition offenses approach the zone -- he's one of those defenders you always need to be aware of on several levels. He punishing in the crease and the corners, always seeking an open ice hit, and nearly impossible to beat in a one-on-one physical battle. There's no point in throwing the puck in his corner, because he's just going to come out with the puck, and once Jiricek gets the puck he really knows what to do with it.

Jiricek's puck skills are what separate him from the typical defensive defenseman and make him a likely pick for the top half of the first round in a stacked 2022 draft class. Though I would be reticent to classify him as an elite puck-mover like a Drysdale or Hughes or Clarke, Jiricek has excellent awareness and anticipation rare in a defenseman with such elite shut-down potential. He's always thinking one-step ahead, which allows him to make quick accurate passes in all three zones. He's capable of getting the puck in full stride as he enters the offensive zone and lasering a cross-ice pass onto a rushing forward's blade in full stride. It's very impressive.

Jiricek's abilities are further accentuated by some other outstanding abilities. He's a terrific skater with room to improve. Though not an elite skater in the vein of a Drysdale or Hughes, Jiricek still features 4-way mobility, acceleration and top speeds rare in a defenseman of his size and physicality. His skating is an asset now, will be an asset going forwards, and with a few improvements will increase his ceiling on either side of the puck.

The young Czech's best offensive asset could be his shot -- it's an absolute cannon from the point. Though his overall offensive vision would rank him a bit shy of the elite NHL PP quarterbacks, his shot could see him one day on an NHL top PP unit as the trigger man. He's very good at using his lateral mobility to side step defending forwards and give himself passing and shooting lanes. With the passing lanes, as I've mentioned, he's very good at utilizing them, while not elite. But if you give Jiricek a shooting lane? He's downright deadly. That shot is an absolute weapon. His wrist shot is quick and accurate, and his slap shot can beat Czech men's league goalies clean from the blueline.

I feel Jiricek's shooting is what separates him from a player he's likely to be compared to from the 2021 draft in Simon Edvinsson. While their size, power and physicality -- along with strong defensive play and high compete level -- are comparable, I feel Jiricek has an edge in passing vision and a tremendous edge in shooting. In Edvinsson's defense, the 2021 6th overall pick is an even better skater with a better set of hands, but it's important to note that Jiricek is strong in both areas, as well. But I feel Jiricek has a similar high-end defensive upside to Edvinsson while offering superior offensive upside. That shot alone can see Jiricek hit his ceiling as a 15-20 goal scorer from the point. But the point is that these are comparable talents.

Again, the offense is a bonus here. Jiricek's calling card is size, defense, mobility and physicality, along with a strong awareness in all three zones. But we should not confuse him offensively with Cale Makar or John Carlson, because that's just not the foremost strength in his game. It's an additional bonus for a player with elite potential as a physical, shut-down defender at the highest levels.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LW Beau Jelsma, Barrie OHL (STI Ranking #62, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Beau Jelsma is the type of player who plays an old-school power forward game with every iota of his ability, except for the fact that he's a bit undersized at 5'10-170. Though this inhibits his ability to impact the game like a big-bodied player of the same style, it also makes him a terrific sleeper for the later rounds of the draft. Especially when we also factor in that Jelsma is a pretty skilled kid who can score, plays a very good two-way game and is an absolute terror on the forecheck.

Jelsma has been mostly overlooked in the draft community, probably not just because he's undersized for his particular style, but also because he lacks a singular, standout tool. It's important to add that this is mitigated by the fact Jelsma also lacks any discernible weakness. Jelsma is a pretty good skater with very good intelligence. He shoots well, knows how to find the soft spots to open himself up for a shot, and shoots the puck well without being any kind of high-end sniper. He's smart, efficient and accurate in the passing game, though lacking high-end creativity or vision. He handles the puck well.

Jelsma is a package of pretty-good tools which all come together under the very shiny ribbon of an outstanding compete level. This kid is all over the ice every shift. He's a forechecking beast, he crashes the crease, he hits everything in sight. He's the first kid back on the back check and works his tail off defensively. He's certainly liked and relied on by his coaching staff, and his energy is infectious for his teammates.

I've seen Jelsma with one inordinately high ranking -- #57 overall by Eliteprospects. Outside of that bureau, I'd say he's seen as a 4th/5th round pick. It's important to note Jelsma is not a line-driver, but it's equally important to note he's a guy you can probably slot up the line-up to energize whatever line he plays on. Though he's more of the mucker when playing with more skilled linemates, this is a kid who can produce, as evidenced by an impressive 27 goals in 68 OHL games. Beau Jelsma is not a player I would recommend reaching for as early as Eliteprospects suggests, but he's an outstanding, high-floor pick for the 4th round, a player with a high probability of playing an extremely effective role for an NHL bottom 6 with the potential to slot up the line-up in a pinch.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LW/C Gabriel Kangas, Vasteras Allvenskan (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Here we have another versatile, high-effort player who might be a nice pick for the 6th/7th rounds. Though not a high-scorer or high-skill guy, he's a smart and efficient passer who is positionally sound in all three zones. Kangas shows a nice awareness both on and off the puck and is always working hard.

If Kangas has a detriment to being drafted, it's that he is average-sized at 5'11-175 and average at best as a skater. You like him when you watch him because of his heady, maximum-effort game, and his coaches certainly like him for his ability to slot through the bottom three lines as a wing or center and hold his own.

The question I have here is whether Kangas can build his core strength and up his skating to the above-average sphere. I think this is the demarcation between him being a very good player in Sweden or a good bottom 6-er in the NHL. For this, he's certainly a player worth looking at in the 6th/7th rounds.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RW Devin Kaplan, US-NTDP (STI Ranking #46, McKenzie #67)
Here we have the best New Jersey product for the 2022 draft. Not only would he represent a nice homer pick for the early second round, but Kaplan also offers the power/interior game which the Devils sorely need coming up the prospect pipeline. This is also a player who is indicative of why statistics are overrated in evaluating draft prospects. Though his modest 13-25-38 scoring line leaves him off many top 50 and even 75 lists for the 2022 draft, he's mostly deployed in checking roles for a stacked US-NTDP team. This is certainly the type of player whose offensive game can seriously blossom in the NCAA (Boston U. commit) and make a lot of teams wish they had scouted his skill set closer than his numerical totals.

Kaplan does a lot of things well, and he plays the game right. He's a big kid (6'2-190) who is not afraid to play with an edge, and he's a beast in the corners and down low. He plays a basic game, crashing the crease and funneling pucks towards the net. He's a very good skater and possesses sneaky good puckhandling skills which enable him to surprise and beat defenders one-on-one. He is capable of making quick, nifty moves to get inside position on defenders, and then utilize his considerable strength to box them off the puck while he takes the puck where he always takes the puck -- right to the net. He's also a smart, neat and efficient passer. We're not talking high-end vision, but we're talking about a guy with some really subtle skill which may play up when he is relied on in more offensive roles at the university level.

Kaplan is a very good defensive forward who plays a high-effort game. While he does not possess any extraordinary awareness, he is fundamentally sound and rarely makes costly mistakes or finds himself out of position in any zone. He's just strong, reliable and plays hard and with an edge. There's really nothing not to like about him. I'd say Kaplan's floor is quite high as a 4th line power forward, and his likely potential is as a 3rd line power forward with no shortage of offensive pop. What really intrigues me is his offensive tools are actually superior to his production thus far, lending to the thought that he might have another gear and be able to some day slot up to a second line. In this sense, he's a good pick in the 2nd round and -- if he slips to the third -- Devin Kaplan would represent an outright steal.

Again, the Devils need power forwards, and the Bridgewater native would be thrilled to be drafted by NJ. He's definitely a player to keep an eye on in the middle rounds of the 2022 draft.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LW/C Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, HIFK U20, Finnish Jr. (STI Ranking #55, McKenzie #66)
One viewing of one shift by Alex Kaskimaki is enough to realize that the draft consensus is easily confused. You notice him right away, he's a 6'0-180 forward with elite skating ability which is among the best in the entire 2022 class. He possesses a great set of hands and thus the rare ability to make moves with the puck at high speeds, adding a degree of shiftiness and deception to his lightning-fast game. He shoots the puck very well and is normally the go-to scorer on his line, one of the reasons attributable to his gaudy numbers in Finland Juniors, with 19 goals and 41 points in just 31 games. Then, why is Kaskimaki's consensus ranking generally in the late 2nd/early 3rd round? Though players are often overlooked in less-scouted leagues like the DEL or the MHL, this is rarely the case in Scandinavia. Though players are routinely knocked down rankings for the two most common areas of skating and size, Kaskimaki has solid size and skating is his foremost strength. The mnre you watch Kaskimaki, the more you realize this is a player who, while certainly needing work, represents a potential draft-day steal if he falls to his general consensus ranking.

Kaskimaki is an absolutely explosive skater in every sense who has been the best skater on the ice in every viewing of him I've had this year. He features two more plus tools, in his hands and his shooting, though neither of these abilities is on par with with his jets. This trio of skills alone give him at least the ability to be a terrific bottom 6 NHL-er. I think the problem is there are several areas of necessary improvement in his game which cloud his ability to be a top 6 forward despite his impressive scoring totals thus far.

Kaskimaki is an okay passer, but he's more of a functional playmaker than one of high vision or creativity. This is to say, he'll hit the open man if he's looking to pass, but he's generally a shoot first or beat-the-defender-first weapon by choice. Passing is if he cannot do it himself. So, while this is not an area of weakness for Kaskimaki, it's also not a particular strength. He's a checkers-passer not a chess-passer, though he's a solid checkers player. Kaskimaki is also a player with much to work on defensively -- I find his IQ and hustle both play better in the offensive zone, and sometimes both he and his whole line can get caved in the defensive zone against better competition. I'd say Kaskimaki is a player of above-average to good awareness offensively, but defensively that slips a bit. Still, his speed factors into why his coaches use him as a regular on the PK, and he's actually pretty good in that role. Where I think the overall lack of his awareness and anticipation at a high level affects Kaskimaki is that he might project more to the wing at the NHL level than to center.

Still, this is a player of much potential, and even if his development stalls on several levels his skating and puckhandling alone should see him be able to carve out a 4th line role in the NHL. You always have to be aware of Kaskimaki on the ice. But if Kaskimaki's development takes a jump, he's a potential steal. If he can learn to better anticipate and position himself defensively, his speed gives him potential as a really high-end defender. And if his overall game improves in the coming years, this is certainly a player with 2nd line scoring upside. As such, I feel Kaskimaki's general ranking is a bit too low, and I would not be surprised or disappointed if he were taken very early in the 2nd round of the 2022 NHL Draft.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

C Marco Kasper, Rogle SHL (STI Ranking #9, McKenzie #10)
It's really thrilling to watch Austria rise into the realm of hockey relevancy, with Innsbruck native Marco Kasper set to be their second early first-round pick in the past three years. Like another one of my recent draft favorites (Marco Rossi), Kasper is a tremendous two-way player who plays a heady, high-compete game. It's a statement to me that the runaway best player out of Sweden for the 2022 draft isn't even Swedish. He's one of my favorite players for the entire draft, and it's a thrill to watch him and write about him.

Kasper is what you would call a traditional center: he's a left-shot, 6'1-185 two-way player who excels in every area of the game despite no singular standout tools. If he has one tool bordering on the elite, it's his skating. Kasper is a tremendously fast player with terrific agility, and his speed plays up even more when combined with his outstanding awareness and positioning. Simply put, he always has a jump on the play because he's usually in the right spots (both offensively and defensively), and he has the burst and extension to then separate from his opponents once the situation calls for it. Marko Kasper thinks fast and plays fast.

Kasper is also an excellent passer. Perhaps he's not an elite creator, but I'd call him an excellent playmaker due to a high hockey IQ, top-notch decision making and extreme acuity in lasering passes with pinpoint accuracy. He's a pretty decent shooter, though I'd call him a pass-first type of player. His hands are okay but nothing special, he prefers to use his long reach and strong physique to shield the puck away from defenders than to dangle around or through them. Kasper's style has adjusted to his talents -- he likes to draw attackers to him, face the boards and box them off the puck, then make a quick move to jar open a lane and feed a teammate. This might be problematic against stronger and more physical defenders at higher levels, but Kasper's offensive abilities are all developing and I feel he will thrive as an interior offensive force once he hits the NHL. I don't think we're talking about a PPG NHL-er, but his bread and butter is his tremendous all-around game, smarts and compete level and I wouldn't rule out his development into a 60+ point center.

When you watch Kasper over all 200 feet of the ice, his offense is just a small piece of what he brings to his team. Kasper is a very good defensive player, always working his tail off. He plays with his feet always moving and his head on a swivel. This combines with another formidable part of his game -- the young Austrian is a physical player with a pronounced nasty streak. He hits, he battles, and he gets his mitts dirty both to score goals for his team and prevent them for the opposition. With his mix of speed, physicality and smarts he's just a monster to line up against.

Ultimately, what we have here is a two-way center who has good size, tremendous skating and speed, a high motor and a wonderful head on his shoulders. I don't think you're drafting him to be your 1C, but I think he's an excellent bet to be your 2C or at least 3C. He's very likely to be a undervalued leading up to the 2022 draft, as his statistics have not been stellar at the SHL level (11 points in 46 games) playing against men in the third-best league in the world, and unfortunately many draft writers these days seem to base everything on numerical analysis without watching much of the players. But Kasper is far more valuable than a perimeter scorer -- he's the kind of player you win with. He's tough, smart and good in every aspect of the game -- while playing a fast and furious style. He's got the speed and skill to excel in transition and on the exterior, and he's got the smarts and guts to excel in the interior. To me, Marco Kasper is absolutely deserving of a top 10 overall selection in 2022.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RW Joakim Kemell, JYP Liiga (STI Ranking #10, McKenzie #7)
No 2022 top-10 hopeful had a more meteoric rise than this kid. Two years ago, any draftnik was familiar with names like Wright and Savoie and Lambert, but Kemell was not regarded close to that level. And yet here we are -- with Kemell breaking all sorts of records for a draft-eligible player in the highest league in Finland and threatening to be picked in the top 3 overall. How?

Kemell has achieved this the old-fashioned way -- he's used his near-elite intangibles of high-compete level and high hockey IQ to get the very most out of a formidable skill set. Simply, this is a kid with a ton of smarts and desire who gets the most out of his skill set, which is also quite impressive in and of itself.

I'd say Kemell's finest tool is his shot. He's an absolute sniper. His wrist-shot is elite -- he gets it off with quickness and precision and can beat top Finnish goalies clean, even from beyond the circles. His one-timer is already NHL caliber, and combined with his smarts and anticipation he knows where to go to get open and create the passing lanes from the puck-distributor to himself. Unlike most high-end amateur snipers, Kemell is also a dual threat with the ability to thread the needle and set up teammates if the opposition is keying solely on his shot. As such, opposition is forced to always be aware of him in the offensive zone, because he's just deadly deadly deadly.

Also unlike most high-end amateur snipers, Kemell has a complete game which is quite impressive. He's very good as a 200-foot player; I'd go so far as to say he's one of the better two-way wingers in the draft. This kid always attacks the puck, he's not cherry-picking and waiting for a teammate to get the biscuit to him in a scoring area. He's constantly calculating not just how to score, but how to win. I've seen him throw big checks on bigger, older players and dive to block shots. It's really difficult not to love Joakim Kemell. But is he a top 5 pick?

Kemell is not big -- 5'11-175 -- and while I'd call him both quick and fast, his skating is not on the elite level of a Lambert or Cooley. He's also a pure right-shot winger, while many of the players who could go ahead of him have the potential to play in the NHL at either center or wing. My pro-Kemell argument here would be that Kemell's high anticipation plays his speed up, which is to say that he always seems to be in the right place ahead of the time, giving him a jump on the play. As far as the size? I feel it's a bit immaterial, in the sense that he's very strong and competitive and clearly willing to battle anyone, anywhere on the ice. This kid has been playing at an all-star level in a men's league.

Let's throw some statistical comparisons out there. I will add the disclaimer that I despise an over-reliance on stats in draft-eligible prospect analysis, but they certainly must be used as empirical evidence when their relevance is so... glaring. Still only 17 years old (he's a late April birthday), Kemell led all teenagers in Liiga with 15 goals in 39 games. He is absolutely a consideration for the top 10 of the 2022 draft, and perhaps even the top 5.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LD Adrian Klein, Straubing DEL (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
The German league is better than most people realize and improving every year, but the 2022 draft will be a bit of a down year in terms of German-born prospects. Klein is likely the only defender with a legitimate shot to be drafted, as he is 6'3-205 and plays a physical and reliable defense-oriented game. He's an okay skater and lacks any discernible offensive instincts, but has late round potential as a steady, third-pairing defender at the NHL level.

Adrian Klein has the ABCs covered when it comes to defense, but he has not bothered working his way much further down the alphabet. He's excellent in one-on-one battles and has pretty good positioning and defensive awareness for a teenager playing in a men's league. He's physically a beast, willing and able to chuck around smaller forwards anywhere near the crease. Once he retrieves the puck, he always prefers a safe pass or chip up the boards.

As such, Klein rarely activates in the offensive zone and is usually simply the safety valve in transition. When he does handle the puck in the offensive zone, he's normally looking to shovel it towards the net, though he's a capable passer if he has a little time and space. There's nothing flashy here, Klein is just a meat-and-potatoes kind of player.

The size and physicality alone should see Klein's name called in the 5th-7th rounds. Draft analysts may be bored by players of Klein's tool set, but NHL front offices seem to covet them annually at the draft.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RW Cole Knuble, Fargo USHL (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
The son of a long-time excellent NHL bottom-six forward in Mike Knuble, Cole offers similar upside and probably is a player who can be found in the late rounds of the 2022 NHL Draft. Like with most checking line forwards, Cole Knuble offers a high compete level and very admirable awareness on all 200 feet of ice. Unfortunately, a combination of average size (5'10-175) and average skating will certainly represent an impediment to overcome if he's going to follow in his father's NHL footsteps.

Knuble's offensive skills are all playing out as good at his current USHL level without jumping off the page. His finest attribute is his puckhandling -- this kid can dangle the puck quite well -- and he's also a pretty decent passer and shooter. However, nothing really pops as a plus tool which is going to lead to top six success. The key for Knuble will be to improve his core strength in the weight room and work really hard on the ice to increase his skating effectiveness to make it as a bottom 6 guy at the higher levels.

Cole's motor and hustle certainly make him a likable player and an enjoyable kid to root for. They also increase his chance of making it, as coaches at all levels appreciate team-first, lunch-pail players like he certainly is. He'll likely have four years playing at a well-coached Notre Dame program to improve the ancillary aspects of his game. I would consider him in the late rounds, as Cole Knuble will represent a relatively high-floor option at the tail end of the draft.