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

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RW/LW (right-shot) Alexander Perevalov, Loko Yaroslavl MHL (STI Ranking #12, McKenzie #39)
I have a colleague of mine who makes fun of me, saying that every year I get obsessed with one MHL player who I feel is sorely under appreciated for the draft and spend countless hours watching him, talking about him and writing about him. Well, I'm just going to ruin the suspense early and tell you that this year, that player is Alexander Perevalov. Guys who have read me for the past three years on the Devils HFBoards draft thread certainly have been inundated with names like Gritsyuk, Rashevsky, Spiridonov, Khusnutdinov. Well, I'm going to ruin the suspense right off the bat and tell you that, this year, I'm not going to shut up about Alex Perevalov. With a consensus ranking in the area of the late 1st/early second round and with many people ranking him outside of their top 50, I'm going to jump out there in January and say that Perevalov is an outstanding prospect who deserves strong consideration for the top 10 overall.

Though this write -up is about Perevalov and not myself, it's often important to point out that my ranking criteria is different than most. I give a tremendous amount of weight to what many call "intangibles", which is to say hockey IQ and compete level. Perevalov is absolutely elite in both of these categories. This kid comes out to win every battle of every shift with the heart of a lion, and his anticipation and on-ice awareness are both absolutely spectacular. I feel the only reason he is not in every top 20 list on the planet is because this is a kid you need to watch play in order to truly appreciate, and many draft analysts are just too lazy to watch the MHL.

Statistically, he should also be getting attention. In 42 MHL games, Perevalov sparkled with a stat-line of 25-25-50. He produces offensively. What those numbers do not tell you is that he is also one of the better defensive forwards in the draft. In one-on-one battles he is tenacious and relentless, and he never quits on a puck until he wins it. He's smart positionally and active with his stick, he's willing to play physically and get his hands dirty in the greasy areas. This is a true 200-foot player, whose only defensive flaw is that can get so excited to transition to offense that he has a propensity to jump the zone before his team achieves possession -- an easily coachable flaw, especially considering the character and smarts this kid plays with.

Perevalov offers good size (6'0-190) and speed without being high-end in either respect. To explain this, I'm going to hold him up against perhaps the best skater in the 2022 draft, Brad Lambert. With the puck? Lambert looks far faster -- he skates like lightning. But Perevalov's anticipation and desire -- combined with very good skating -- has him looking like the fastest player on the ice without the puck. Speed is not just how fast you go in open ice -- it's how fast you process and react to game situations, and how hard you drive to get to where you need to be to score or defend. In this sense, Perevalov often looks like the fastest player on the ice, even when, in open ice, he is not. Essentially, my point here is that, while Lambert is clearly the fastest forward for the 2022 draft, Perevalov plays faster than Lambert.

Perevalov offers a litany of puck skills which are absolutely tremendous. He is a true dual threat in the offensive zone -- his shot is elite, and his passing and vision are borderline elite. He is an innovator with the puck, defenses never can anticipate what he will do next. He is far beyond his years in selling shot to feather a cross-ice feed to the tape, or selling pass and then blasting pucks towards the corner from virtually anywhere in the offensive zone. His shot is outstanding -- he gets it off quickly with extreme accuracy, and is a master at finding the back of the twine from seemingly impossible angles. This skill is greatly abetted by another elite tool, as Perevalov's puckhandling ability is also borderline elite. I've seen him take the puck out of the corner beating two bigger defensemen -- utilizing his high-end compete -- then turn a third defender inside-out to gain a slight angle -- utilizing his high-end hands and smarts -- and then rocket a puck top cheddar past a goaltender who was off the angle because he had no idea Perevalov could even find a way to get the puck on net. Perevalov makes something out of nothing with routine consistency.

I'm still working on my rankings, and I have not decided exactly where Perevalov is going to land. I feel Perevalov is a strong, high-floor bet to be a 2nd line forward who does it all -- "the kind of player you win with", as I like to say. But his strong shooting, anticipation and puck skills make me think he can be a first liner at the NHL level who offers PPG-type scoring. This kid is an outstanding hockey player who offers all the intangibles you want -- in spades. In this sense, he reminds me a bit of non-MHL players I've loved in the past few drafts like Peyton Krebs and Dawson Mercer. Alexander Perevalov is a winner, and an outstanding hockey prospect.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

C/LW Ludwig Persson, Frolunda J20 Sweden Jr. (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Persson has recently gained some helium in the draft community due to an outstanding set of wheels and some gaudy numbers in Swedish juniors. His line of 24-35-59 in just 39 J20 contests alludes to palpable offensive talent, but his calling card is his skating, which should see him with a regular shift on an NHL bottom 6 even if his ancillary offensive skills never develop to a point where he scores enough for a second-line role.

Ludwig Persson is a borderline-elite skater who excels in top speeds, acceleration, balance and dexterity. He plays with a very good compete level and pretty good awareness, a combination which almost has him playing at a different speed than his J20 competition. He's just zipping around everywhere and making the opposition's heads spin. He's not a small player, at 5'11-180, and it's not impossible to envision his skating improving even more when he develops better core strength. He's heady and responsible in all three zones, and as such Persson is a very likable player whom it is easy to root for.

The question to ask at this point is: then why isn't Persson being mentioned as a possible first round pick? The answer is not really a criticism of Persson -- who is an excellent player who gives consistent effort -- but more along the lines of a revelation that none of his ancillary offensive abilities really pop. Persson is a pretty good passer, puck handler and shooter without standing out in any respect. He's a high effort defender but loses his positioning under duress and can be beaten one-on-one. Actually, "under duress" is where many of Persson's problems begin and end because he's one of those scorers who is terrific in space but can cough up pucks and make mental errors under pressure. When we watch Persson on the power play, he looks like a tremendous prospect. When we watch him 5x5 against good defenders, that's when we ask a litany of questions.

Overall, I'd certainly draft Persson on the basis of his speed and versatility. He excels in all special teams and his skating is a difference maker which should see him make the pros, even if it's in more of a Hagelin-type "go out there and outskate them and forecheck like hell" role. If his offensive tool-kit develops, there's some upside here, but I wouldn't get too drunk looking at his gaudy J20 stats. I see Persson as a safe pick who I'm looking at anywhere from the late 2nd to late 3rd round. Due to the impressive skating and numbers, he probably won't slip into the 4th.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LW/C Servac Petrovsky, Owen Sound OHL (STI Ranking #61, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
This unheralded Slovakian forward possesses several attributes we look for in a traditional "sleeper" prospect. He has the versatility to play center or wing, and has produced admirably for a very young Owen Sound squad with 25 goals and 26 assists for 51 points in 63 OHL games. He's one of the youngest players in the 2022 draft class, with a mid-August '04 birth-date. He combines decent size at 6'0-175 and there's reason to believe he's still growing, as he was listed at 5'11-168 just last year. He's a good skater who displays flashes of very impressive skill. And he's pretty far down on the draft radar, with just one 3rd round ranking and one 4th round ranking among the major draft evaluators.

Petrovsky plays with pace, with or without the puck. He's impressive in his ability to puck handle at high speeds, something I always look for in younger forwards. He shows a nice compete level, always supporting his teammates defensively and active on the forecheck offensively. I like his skating a lot, and I feel there's room to grow there. The shot is very good, and he can flash some intriguing playmaking which hints at possible a high-end ability here.

Petrovsky is still raw, and needs a good deal of development. He can get confused both positionally and strategically in his own zone when the other team extends possession. In the offensive zone, the positioning also needs work, and sometimes he can catch himself off the play as if almost surprised he read it poorly. But these don't make me question the overall awareness, because he displays very good instincts when under less adversity. I think it's just a matter of youth, combined with his first year on North American ice.

Petrovsky is a player you almost wish was born a couple weeks later so you had a mother year to evaluating him before the 2023 draft. There is the possibility of a big development jump and an 80+ point season in the OHL next year, which could get him into the late 1st/early 2nd conversation for that draft. As such, I would say Servac Petrovsky is certainly a potential steal in the 4th/5th rounds of the 2022 draft. This is a very talented player who, in my mind, just needs experience, polish and a little more growth, both physically and in his overall game.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LD Owen Pickering, Swift Current WHL (STI Ranking #50, McKenzie #23)
Regardless of where his consensus ranking lands, I expect Pickering to be a 1st-round pick in the 2022 draft. He has the three obvious factors which attract most to defensemen -- size (6'5-185), speed (not elite skating, but outstanding straightaway speed) and capable offensive production (33 points in 62 games from the blueline on an offensively-challenged Broncos team). My caution with Pickering is that the player he is now is nowhere close to the player who he hypothetically will be when and if he finally reaches the NHL -- this is an extremely raw prospect with a ton of development before he becomes anything close to his optimum projection. That being said, he's also a good player at the WHL level who is more than just his combination of size and speed.

Pickering has some very intriguing offensive tools. His shot is undeniably good, this is a guy who can score clean from the blueline. While not a cannon blast like Jiricek, Pickering has a strong shot which will play even higher if he can improve his release and accuracy. His passing vision is similarly intriguing on a "work in progress" level. Often he makes very good passes which indicate some NHL-caliber vision, but other times he can be erratic in trying to force things which are not there. Pickering puts a lot of pressure on himself to create offense, and sometimes that frustration shows and he can make errors. It's not for lack of compete, I'd say one of the aspects I like most about Pickering is his compete level. He's very active on all 200 feet of ice, and he's a battler for loose pucks in the dirty areas. Pickering knows he's big and strong, and as he fills out his tall, lanky frame I expect this aspect to get even better. The problem is that, once he gets the puck, he doesn't always know exactly what to do with it. His best puckhandling move is still to use his long reach and big body to play keep-away with the opposition, and his actual puckhandling needs work.

Defensively, the description of Pickering is similar. He works hard and is a beast one-on-one, but his positioning and anticipation need fine-tuning. He's imperfect, but also makes many strong plays game in and game out which make you say "wow, if he can fix this XXX problem, he's really going to be terrific".

Ultimately, any assessment of Owen Pickering takes a ton of projection and a lot of people are going to wrongly panic in either direction. You're going to read some people who will falsely say he's the highest upside D in the draft, and others who will foolishly say he's just big and fast and doomed to wash out. Personally, I really like him, just maybe not in the first round.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

C Matthew Poitras, Guelph OHL (STI Ranking #81, McKenzie #74)
Matthew Poitras has received no shortage of hype leading up to the 2022 draft. His high-skill, excellent skating and near-elite playmaking acumen have him almost universally regarded as a 2nd round pick, with a handful of 1st round rankings, including a high of #24 overall from Dobber Prospects. There are still skeptics, especially since he's playing on a pretty good Guelph team and not exactly tearing it up in terms of production with 50 points in 68 games. Personally, I play both sides of the fence, because I find Poitras to be a lot like watching a great thriller movie. Which is to say, there are alternate moments where I'm like "that was so awesome!" tempered by other moments where I'm covering my eyes and like "no no no no no no noooooo!"

Poitras is very nimble and agile on his skates, he gets around the ice quickly. His passing is excellent, especially in space, and his puckhandling is also a major strength. He can shoot pretty well, but I'd call him more of a playmaker than a finisher despite the fact he only has 8 more assists than goals this season, which is probably a bit of an anomaly. Poitras' greatest strength cannot be narrowed down to a "tool" or "skill" so much as the rare ability to create something out of nothing offensively.

This is to say, there are many players on the amateur level who are good enough to take space or time or passing options given to them by the opposing defense and exploit them . But that number shrinks exponentially when we are talking about a player who can enter a zone one-on-two, make a series of moves to create space, open a passing lane and hit the next teammate entering the zone on the tape in full stride. Poitras has these types of abilities -- he gets you out of your seat at least once per game with an absolutely phenomenal play to create high-danger chances out of seemingly nothing from anywhere in the offensive zone.

The next question should be: then why is Poitras not even close to a PPG player on a decent OHL team? Well, this is also a player who leaves you scratching your head with some regularity. In the defensive zone, he can often be seen floating so far out of position he's almost not seen at all. His desire to constantly create offensively leads to some epic turnovers. Without getting too heavily critical, Poitras is the prototypical player with very uncommon ability but a great deal to work on before he can consistently unlock those abilities.

Poitras is obviously a player of great awareness and a potentially high hockey IQ, but several brain-lock moments must be eliminated before he can be considered such a player. I like his compete level, unlike some players of his ilk, Poitras can absorb hits and plays with courage and desire. With the right development, he can become an excellent second line support scorer and thus should be considered a very good pick in the 2nd round. But there is some variability and risk here, so I'm probably ranking him towards the back of the round.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LD Seamus Powell, US-NTDP (STI Ranking: Not Ranked, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Powell is a nice player who I really like at the level he's at, but his lack of size, speed or appreciable puck skills make me a bit concerned about his projectability. The Marcellus, NY native is a very good defender, almost the consummate "cerebral defender". He's terrific with his gaps and his positioning and plays with terrific defensive awareness and heart. But he's also 5'11-160 or thereabouts and does not skate particularly well, and this is not a covetable combination for a defender.

Powell is one of those cerebral and positional defenders who is at his best in the games where you don't notice him. He just anticipates passing and shooting lanes, blocks and picks off pucks and fires them to one of the many talented US-NTDP transition players to start the offensive rush. Simple and effective. He's not a physical player, and though he plays very calm and composed and efficient with the puck, none of his offensive skills are going to get the scouts scribbling, so to speak.

I like Seamus Powell for what he is, and as such I hope he fills out his frame and ups his skating a notch, which would allow him an NHL future as a 6/7 defenseman you could plug in the lineup for dependable and responsible play. But I'm not sure I would draft him, I'd rather see how he develops over the next four years at Boston College, where he is committed.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RD Sam Rinzel, Chaska High MN USHS (STI Ranking #38, McKenzie #31)
Here we have the extremely raw, but huge and fast defenseman who will be all over draft boards as people watch him and ask "what if?" He's currently 6'4-180, and his skating is not the trope of "good for a big man" -- Rinzel is flat out a very good skater with surprising agility for his size who can reach formidable top speeds in open ice. He's also a classic two-way player who is a blanket defensively at his level, and he also is very adept at rushing the puck up ice and creating scoring opportunities in the offensive zone. Although we also must factor in that he's spent most of his season playing at an extremely low level, he's played a handful of games for Waterloo of the USHL and impressed.

Rinzel is a player you're probably going to have to draft in the 2nd/3rd rounds, because players who mix his size and skating are quite infrequently found. And then you're going to have to wait -- he's got a ton of development to go, both filling out his lanky frame to the 200+ neighborhood and refining positioning, gaps and fundamentals, all of which show promise but need work. Rinzel is committed to the University of Minnesota, but not until the 2023-24 season, and we can probably expect to see him in the USHL next year. He's probably four years away from realistically competing for an AHL, much less NHL role.

But what can you have your hands on if his development goes well? Rinzel is a smart kid with good awareness both offensively and defensively, and he plays hard. I'd like to see more physicality out of him, he uses his size more for reach and wing-span and puck protecting than to knock opposing players around, which he is obviously quite capable of. But he's certainly got a lot of defensive potential as a guy you can't skate around and is very tough to get through. If his gaps and positioning improve, he'll be a very strong defender.

I'd say Rinzel is even better offensively, though we will have to wait and see how that progresses at higher levels of play. He's a strong passer and his shot shows a ton of promise. He can bobble pucks and needs a bit of work there, but his calm and cool under pressure are extremely impressive and very tough things to teach. He can potentially blossom into a real transition asset and perhaps even a two-way, all-situations mid-pairing NHL defender. But again, there's a long way to go before he's there.

Sam Rinzel is the kind of high-upside pick in the 2nd/3rd rounds who can potentially make an NHL scouting team look quite brilliant a half decade or so down the line. The risk is that he's also a guy who has played mostly at lower levels, and thus is more of a product of extreme size/speed advantages than actual play. The team which picks Sam Rinzel is going to have to really believe in his potential and have a lot of patience, but clearly the possible payoff is significant.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RW Tucker Robertson, Peterborough OHL (STI Ranking #114, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Watching the Petes a lot over the course of the OHL playoffs to monitor the progress of Chase Stillman, I became aware the best RW on Peterborough was actually this kid. Though the general consensus would probably rank Robertson in the 4th round range, watching this high-compete scoring winger immediately endears him to you. Anyone who pays particular attention to the OHL has nothing but glowing reviews, and he has the odd high ranking, suck as the Puck Authority, which has rocketed him up to #21 overall.

The stats would seem to back this. Robertson tore up the CHL for 41 goals and 40 assists in just 68 games and was the Petes most dangerous player throughout their season and short stint in the playoffs. Then we must ask, why is he so overlooked in the rankings? Well, Robertson's 5'10 height might have some seeing him as a smaller forward, but he's extremely solid shoulder-to-shoulder at 190 pounds, so I would quickly refute that. Combined with Tucker's interior, hard-forechecking game, I would actually categorize him far more as a power forward than a finesse one.

The tool breakdown for Robertson is not dazzling, but all of the tools play up because of a high hockey IQ and elite compete level. He's a very good but not great skater with a very good shot which falls short of high-end sniping. His playmaking and puckhandling are what I'd call "good enough" -- they're certainly not strengths, but also not liabilities. Most of his assists are more of a hard work variety -- winning puck battles and dishing off quickly -- than high vision, creative events.

Ultimately, Robertson is an old-school north/south, high-motor, heady forechecker with just enough offensive upside that he might see time one day on an NHL second line. There's nothing not to like here. Considering his draft position might be the 3rd or even 4th round, he's certainly a great pick there. With the high floor of a very likely NHL bottom 6 worker bee, Robertson is even a good pick as early as the late 2nd round. Just a terrific player with a huge heart.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RW Vinzenz Rohrer, Ottawa OHL (STI Ranking #57, McKenzie #80)
Hockey has gained in popularity in Central Europe over recent years, and the number of talented players from Switzerland, Germany and Austria is testament to this. Though Rohrer is not the first-round surety of countryman Marco Kasper, he is a tremendous prospect in his own right and a very likely selection in the 3rd/4th rounds. He's one of those players who maximizes his natural skill base, and players of this high-character ilk are the most likely to approach their talent ceilings. This has become something of a calling card among Austrian hockey talents, which can attribute not only to Rohrer and Kasper, but also to current NHLer Michael Raffl and Minnesota uber-prospect Marco Rossi.

Rohrer is not big at 5'11-165 and not especially fast, though we can say he is strong on his skates. But he's currently a very effective two-way weapon for the 67's top line, primarily because he's sneaky dangerous offensively and has an outstanding combination of hockey IQ and compete level. He plays an extremely interior game and fears nothing, always crashing creases for rebounds and deflections. He's a maximum-courage player who routinely wins puck battles against defenders who have advantages over him in size, wing-span and speed. Though Rohrer is certainly strong for his size, his finest asset is his unending tenacity, and relentless desire to win. You can beat him once, but he'll just keep on coming back at you.

Rohrer is far from just an extreme effort guy. His puck-handling skills are top notch, and you can literally make a highlight reel from the amount of times Rohrer has emerged from high-traffic scrums with full possession with a head full of steam and incredibly quick hands manipulating the puck like an extension of his body. He also has a plus-shot -- very impressive in release, accuracy and power. If you just watched the shot's trajectory without witnessing who shot it, your jaw might drop when you realized the dude who unleashed it is maybe 170 pounds soaking wet. This kid can outright score. Despite being one of the few youngest players for the 2022 class with a 9/9/04 birthdate, Rohrer tallied a 25-23-48 line in 64 OHL games.

He needs to improve his defensive game, though of course not for effort. The positioning needs work, and as with many young over-enthusiastic young hustlers, puck chasing is a problem which needs to be coached out of him. He always wants to help his team win, which is commendable, but sometimes a player is more effective in this regard by keeping position and offering an exit support up high rather than trying to always be the hero.

Vinzenz Rohrer is a player whom I am extremely high on. I feel his high motor combined with a couple of plus skills outweigh his impediments of size and high-end speed. I do not think he's a guy you can ever aspire to be a first liner, but middle 6 upside with 20+ goal potential is not an unreasonable aspiration. I feel his high compete raises his talent floor, and at the very least he'll be a tenacious professional 4th liner. In the third round he's a good pick, and in the 4th round he's a tremendous pick. Keep this kid on your radar, because he's an excellent and sorely underrated prospect.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

C Topi Ronni, Tappara U20 Finland Jr. (STI Ranking #103, McKenzie #65)
As a true center with size and good skating skills, your path to the NHL is pretty clear if you can simply play a good 200-foot game and show some semblance of offensive ability. As such, Ronni is not the sexiest draft pick in the land, but he's a pretty sure bet to be gone by the end of the 3rd round, where he's typically ranked. He's playing at exactly a PPG pace in the Finnish juniors, so he's not tearing it up, but he produces. He's relied on by his coaches for big minutes in all situations. He's a projectable 6'1-175 and he shows terrific skating acuity. Yep, he'll be drafted all right.

Watching Ronni, he just goes out there and gets the job done. His compete level is fine and consistent, but he plays more of a calm, controlled style than anything else. He makes good decisions and shows smarts, but he's not out there on some other brainwave level making his opposition look stupid. I'd say his strongest asset is his playmaking -- he's an efficient, accurate passer who shows decent creativity and vision in space. His skating is good, but again he doesn't blow you away with this tool. Ronni is a pretty good puck handler and a pretty good shooter. He's an effective body in the defensive zone, and while he doesn't drive transition, he certainly contributes to it.

Everything about Topi Ronni says "professional center". It doesn't scream it, it just sort of taps you on the shoulder and whispers it in your ear. I'd say he has a low ceiling as a 3rd line NHL center with 30-40 point, two-way ability, and a very high floor as a 4th line pivot. This represents a very safe pick in the 3rd round at a very crucial position which every team in the NHL always seeks bodies to fill. I might sound like I'm unenthusiastic about Ronni, but I realize his value and like him as a player. He's certainly going to see his name in my final top 100, and he's without a doubt a smart pick as soon as the 3rd round begins.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RD Otto Salin, HIFK U20 Finnish Jr. (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Honorable Mention)
Salin is a player who is tough to assess because he's missed most of this season due to injury, and it is difficult to assess if he was 100% healthy even when he was on the ice. Generally, he's striking as an offensive-minded defenseman with terrific skating and a nice set of surrounding skills. But he's also true to his prototype as a 5'11-190 undersized defender, as he can be beaten in his own zone by stronger forwards and also makes a number of high-danger plays which often go wrong and lead to high-danger chances against.

When Salin is looking healthy and on his game, he is certainly impressive. He plays a game where he is always thinking and working hard. He makes a number of creative little plays with the puck and is one of those guys who when you just expect him to chip the puck out of danger, often will make a quick juke and deke and somehow find a way to lace a puck onto a teammate's stick to break out of the zone with possession. He's got a lot of battle to him and is by no means soft, which to me is absolutely crucial when assessing this type of player. For example, I was very down on Anttoni Honka a couple of years back -- an offensive defender with an absolutely elite skill set who would see a physical opponent go into his corner with the puck and just hang back waving his stick as to say "no way I'm going up against that dude". Meanwhile, in this draft we have 5'6 Lane Hutson, maybe the smallest defender we've ever seen, who is willing to battle any 6'3 forward you throw at him. Salin is definitely a high-courage, high-compete guy, and as such he's a player I'm high on even though I'd prefer him to be a bit more careful in his puck management.

So, while I'd call Salin a passable-but-needs-work defender, we should talk about his offense, because that's where he truly shines. Again, he's a terrific skater who has brilliant hands, he always wants the puck on his stick and plays with almost a brashness once he does. He likes to lead the breakout and often baits a forechecker to try to go at him because he has so many moves and such agility that he can just turn them inside-out and make them look silly. He's a creative and often beautiful passer -- if the opposition forechecks him too aggressively, he's one of those players who can beat two opponents at once and then beat you with a cross-ice stretch pass. He's just very gifted with the puck, and he knows it, and he's dying for an opportunity to show it off.

Once in the offense zone, Salin is dangerous but not dominant. He's not Cale Makar back there, but he's nimble and willing to activate to generate offense. His shot is about average, but the opposition always must be aware of his ability to beat you one-on-one in isolated situations. You'd rather just have him shoot than have your forward go at him and beat him to bring the puck freely down low. Salin is a player the opposing coaching staff needs to game-plan against.

The problem with drafting a defenseman you hope will be very good offensively but just average defensively is that if they don't hit their absolute offensive ceiling, they're probably more of a liability back there than an asset. This is to say, while Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes are certainly assets for their team, they're also rare players in a league full of offense-first defenders, many of whom your team might be better off without. We all want 35-point, mid-pairing defenders, but if they're not equally good defensively they may be hurting you more than helping. The question is: how good offensively can Salin become, and can he at least become an average defender? This is especially difficult to surmise, particularly in a draft-eligible season which has only seen him healthy for a handful of games.

Otto Salin is significantly talented enough that I would be willing to take this chance in the later rounds, probably starting with the 4th. Most of his rankings seem to fall in the range of the high 3rd round, and I'd say that's fair, but my personal bias that defenders need to defend first would probably slip him one round in my own rankings. But again, I'm high on his talent and Otto Salin is certainly a fun player to watch and a legit player to watch as an offensive defender with mid-pairing, 40+ point upside at the highest levels.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RD Elias Salomonsson, Skelleftea J20, Swedish Jr. (STI Ranking #111, McKenzie #53)
Entering the 2022 draft season, Salomonsson was on many top 10 overall lists. Though it's simple to see why, he is also a prime example of why assessing amateur defensemen is very, very difficult. There are so many nuances involved in what makes a good defender, and people get caught up in superficial things -- size/speed combos, ostensible skill sets, and of course the modern obsession with numerics. Salomonsson is frustrating in that superficially, he is indeed a tremendous prospect, one we can even go so far as to say has top-pairing NHL potential. The problem is, watching him actually play entire hockey games there are a great deal of troublesome aspects which beg the question if he's even a player you would draft in the first three rounds.

Let's start with the good. Salomonsson has a fully stocked tool kit. He's got decent size (6'1-185) and terrific skates. Though he's not huge or an elite skater, he really stands out there with his quickness and mobility, especially playing in a junior league. Whenever he's on the ice, he's usually the best athlete on it. You can see this in his quick-twitch passing and laser-beam of a shot. To me, his hand/eye coordination really stands out -- I've seen him take bouncing passes away from his body and corral them into shooting position in a heartbeat. He can pick pucks out of the air at the blueline in order to hold the zone and have them on his blade in a flash. Once he gets possession, he can launch multi-directionally in a single step to blow past the forward covering him. In space, he's a tremendous passer, able to thread the needle with eye-opening acuity. And when he has time to line up a shot, look out. He's aggressive in the offensive zone and plays a gambling style with his pinches and rushes, both of which are often effective due to his tremendous combination of strength, skating and skill.

But then there are the problems. Though he can occasionally make strong defensive plays which make observers feel he has strong potential in this respect, they are often outnumbered by the amount of mistakes he makes on the defensive side of the puck. Without the puck, Salomonsson has developed a troublesome habit of often being caught puck-watching. He'll float around waving his stick, but without actually accomplishing anything. When the opposition moves pucks quickly in his zone, he is then slow to react and often gets caught in poor positioning as a result. This is not some offensive-minded defenseman who is poor without the puck defensively, but once he gets it he's a stud in transition. Often Salomonsson seems unfocused in the defensive zone, and even when he makes a good play to retrieve the puck, he'll just chuck it out of the zone without assessing his options.

This leads to the most troublesome aspect of Solomonsson's game to me -- he seems to much weaker under pressure than while applying pressure. Good forecheckers can force him to cough up pucks, make bad decisions, and generally lose his focus completely. Salomonsson can be like two players -- a shark when his team is attacking, but a minnow when his team is pinned in the zone. I do not want to harp too much on the aspects of his game which Salomonsson needs to improve upon, because his potential is clearly high. But what I can do is compare him to a player in the 2022 draft who he shares much in common with physically, just trails behind in the intangible aspects.

Simon Nemec is also a right-shot D of similar size, skill and skating ability. I would say Salomonsson has an even stronger shot, which would give him the edge. But, like any great defenseman, Nemec seems to -- every single shift -- make these neat little plays to acquire the puck from opponents, or to get pucks out of pressure and into low-danger areas. Every time Nemec gets the puck, he seems to have already calculated multiple smart options of what to do with it. This is where Salomonsson falls light years behind a player like Nemec -- the little plays Nemec makes are in situations where Salomonsson is either puck-watching or sweating the opposing pressure.

Are these aspects which can be learned? I'm not certain. I do know that watching Salomonsson, when he is on his game, it seems the sky is the limit for this great talent. But -- even as much as the Devils need a RD on draft day, I'm not sure Salomonsson is a player I'd even seriously consider with the Devils second round pick. There are just so many IFs involved in projecting his development.

However, it must be stated that Elias Salomonsson is the type of talent who can prove all the doubters wrong. His combination of size/skating/skill is precisely what most teams covet on their bluelines. If he figures it out and it all clicks in, Salomonsson could be a high-scoring NHL defender with great value. He's likely to get a lot of support from the stat-obsessed, as his numbers have been excellent in the Swedish J20 and he's fared pretty well in tournament play. But watching him, you realize he's not a defender "you can beat if" but rather a defenseman who is often beaten, and that makes him a scary pick in the first round.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

C/LW Matias Sapovaliv, Saginaw OHL (STI Ranking #53, McKenzie #46)
I became very intrigued with this young Czech forward while I was studying the Spirit's best player, defenseman Pavel Mintyukov. I wanted to write him up while he was still fresh in my head, because I feel Sapovaliv's combination of immense size (6'4-190), high hockey IQ and two-way play can see him go as early as the first few picks of the 2nd round, perhaps even the late 1st by a team who believes they can improve his skating technique.

Sapovaliv is not just about his strong defensive play, though that is clearly his calling card. He's tallied 52 points in 68 OHL games, good for second among forwards on his team. He is a very good passer with intriguing vision, which is at least partially attributable to his all-around high hockey IQ. You don't see him make exceptional passes, but you always see him execute smart passes, and his high anticipation allows him to quickly process open lanes and hit them with authority. Sapovaliv's shot is not as hard as you'd like from a player his size, but his mechanics are good and as he fills out his frame I'd expect more mustard on the release. His puckhandling is again pretty good, but his forte is shielding the puck from the opposition with his extremely long reach and large frame.

Defensively is where Sapovaliv shines. His positioning is top-notch, he's always supporting his line mates and defense, and the effort level and awareness are both excellent. Whether or not Sapovaliv can become a top notch bottom 6 center depends upon his ability to improve his very average skating, both in terms of speed and agility. If this kid can work out the kinks in his stride and get the explosiveness to even up this trait to an above-average level, I think he'll be a very good checking center with some offensive upside.

I'd say Sapovaliv's likely draft position is in the 2nd round, but he's a kid to pay attention to if he slips. His high intelligence makes me feel he has a higher development arc, and starting with the third round he's a potential high value pick. If he falls to the 4th, Sapovaliv is an outright steal.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RD Vladislav Sapunov, Dynamo Moskva MHL (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
By no means is Sapunov an exciting prospect on any level, but I felt the need to write him up because he's a RD who is solid defensively and should be around in the 6th/7th rounds. Were Sapunov bigger physically, he'd probably be getting more attention because he's rock solid in his own zone and very adept positionally and in his gaps. However, he's 6'0 and very slim, maybe 165 pounds, and people don't really pay attention to smaller stay-at-home defensemen leading up to the draft.

I'll repeat that Sapunov is extremely steady in his own zone, and add that he's also quite mobile and competes very well. His upside is a 3rd pairing, stay-at-home D but he's got a very reasonable floor because he's so smart and responsible. The Devils need RD and in the 6th/7th rounds where he'll likely be available, this is a player certainly worth a look. He's good at hockey and extremely reliable.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

C Matthew Savoie, Winnipeg WHL (STI Ranking #8, McKenzie #9)
Matthew Savoie is a 5'9-175 right-shot center who torched the WHL for 90 points in 65 games. He is exciting and dynamic in every sense of the words, and he is tremendous fun to watch.

Savoie is an elite puckhandler, with the type of passing vision we can only describe as rare. Combined with an enormous hockey IQ and awareness, especially offensively, he seems to be playing at a different pace and level than his competition on a regular basis. In the offensive zone, his feet are always moving, creating a shifty entity on the ice who is perpetually changing the angles for passing lanes, shooting lanes, and narrow windows which he can explode through in order to rush to the high-danger scoring areas. He's not just playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers, he's a grandmaster while everyone else is still trying to open the checker box. His skills are complimented by the fact that there's just so darned many of them -- he's also possessing of a laser-beam of a shot which he gets off with extreme accuracy and economy. Defenders have to be aware of the many ways he can beat them, and weaker defenders often just back off, waving their stick around as if just praying to some vague, amorphous deity that Savoie doesn't make them look silly. With consistency, Matthew Savoie does just this. His brain works so quickly that he's always processing everything while jigging and juking with the puck -- as soon as that passing lane opens it's on his linemate's blade, and as soon as the defenseman commits their hips he's by them, and if neither of those things happen he'll just make a quick deke to shift the angle and fire a wrister top cheddar. Dynamic. Fun to watch. I can't say it enough.

Savoie is an excellent, but not elite, skater. His straightaway speed is tremendous, and he's usually got the jump on the opposition anyway because of his unique in-game awareness. However, he does need work in this area -- his edges and acceleration are both good, but not good enough to call him a truly high-end skater, and in this respect I'd say he trails other draft eligible forwards like Lambert, Kasper and Cooley. This has been a bit of an impediment in his drive to be labeled a top 5 pick, as his smallish stature (especially for the center position) usually demands absolutely elite skating. I'd like to stress Savoie's skating is still a strength, there's just room for improvement. Savoie has a few other areas which can be accentuated if he will reach his ultimate ceiling as NHL superstar. I'd certainly call him more of a playmaker than scorer, and he's always looking for the pretty pass, using the shot almost as a fallback. But -- as I've mentioned -- Savoie's shot is outstanding; a rocket with a lightning release. I'd like to see him shoot more, as he can occasionally get into the habit of pressing too hard for the highlight reel dish which can lead to rushes in the opposite direction.

Defensively however, Savoie is actually quite good for an undersized center. He's not a slam-dunk stud in that area like ostensible 2022 top pick Shane Wright and a lot of that can be attributed to the size/strength issue. Savoie can be beaten one-on-one, especially by physical defenders. When playing against better and more physical WHL competition, he's still been good, but not quite as dominant. Savoie feasts on teams playing him tentatively, but his talents can be somewhat mitigated by physical defensive competition keying on him all game long. I certainly feel he'll need more time in the weight room, but it's not a question of compete level. Savoie is a relentless forechecker with a never-stop motor who is always always on the puck. Dynamic. Fun to watch. I can't say it enough.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

C Samuel Savoie, Gatineau QMJHL (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Here we have an extremely speedy, checking line center prospect who is pretty much off every draft list because he doesn't drive offense at all. I noticed him while reviewing film on his Gatineau teammates Noah Warren and Antonin Verreault, and decided to write Savoie up because I feel he's a solid pick in the 6th/7th rounds because of his near-elite skating, high compete level and strong play in the defensive zone and on the forecheck.

The New Brunswick native is not related to surefire 2022 top 10 pick Matt Savoie or older brother Carter, an Edmonton prospect. He does not play like those two scorers, either. He's a balls-to-the-wall north/south dervish who uses his lightning speed and frenetic compete level to make it pure hell for opposing defenders. Routine dump-ins are turned into desperate puck battles whenever Savoie is on the ice -- he just comes out of nowhere, willing to hit any D-man of any size, and utterly relentless on the puck. Defensively, as you'd expect in such a player, Savoie is smart, savvy and willing to block shots with his face if need be. He's tremendously likable in his obvious team ethic, and he's tough to play against.

Offensively, Savoie has all the basic skills without standing out in any way except for his speed. He's only in the 5'9-5'10 range, but he stands out in that he's one of those fire hydrant kids who is likely over 190 with broad shoulders and he's very physically strong. He's a passable puck-handler, passer and shooter but you'd be wrong to expect any offensive fireworks. Savoie is a lunch-pail player who adds two it high compete and speed, that's just what he is.

Savoie will likely be available in the 6th/7th rounds due to a lack of scoring upside, but he's an interesting pick there. He's certainly an asset on the forecheck and defensively and he's a center. He ups your team speed. Though drafting kids with likely 4th line upside is a dicey proposition for the draft analyst, I feel Sam Savoie has the potential to be an extremely effective one, and he's a team-first player who makes his team tougher to play against.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LW Reid Schaefer, Seattle WHL (STI Ranking #31, McKenzie #37)
I'm just going to come out and say it right away: I want Reid Schaefer on my hockey team. He's gone completely unnoticed by all the independent scouting bureaus and draft writers, but the Bob McKenzie scouting poll sees him as a late 3rd rounder at #79 overall. I'm going to have him ranked higher. Why? Well, we're talking about a 6'3-215 power forward who plays with extreme physicality and possesses the requisite skill to skate alongside skilled scorers. If I'm picking anywhere in the 3rd round and I see Reid Schaefer's name on the draft board, this is the guy I'm taking. Hell, I'm drafting this kid anywhere from the mid-2nd round.

Schaefer plays a high-compete game and is features incredible physical strength which he loves to throw around. If you're a defender chasing a puck in the corners with the Spruce Grove native anywhere on the ice, you'd better be looking over your shoulder or you might spend the next few days wondering where the truck was which just ran you over. In net-front battles he is immovable and unstoppable, and he scores a ton of rebounds while creating screens and general havoc which allows his teammates to play up their own offensive acumen. Schaefer creates space for everyone else wearing his teams' jersey, and his coaches concurrently use him as sort of a Swiss army knife, flipping him from line to line according to game situation. Playing a team with a star scorer? Schaefer is a defensive beast on the checking line. Down by a goal late? Schaefer moves up to the top line and his scorers immediately have more room to work with.

Reid Schaefer came pretty much out of nowhere to record a 30-goal season, and likely would have scored more if he were a staple on the top-line, though he seems to relish his role as the T-birds' jack-of-all-trades. He possesses a great shot, though most of his goals are of a greasier, more interior variety. His one-timer, however, is terrific -- accurate and heavy, making him a nice option for the right circle on the PP. He is an accurate and efficient passer without being a high-vision dazzler. He is a good stickhandler, though like many bigger players his go-to move is to shield the defender with his huge frame and then use his long reach to hold the puck out of their reach.

To me, Schaefer has one area of improvement which can see him become an absolute monster at the NHL level, and that's his skating. Right now, I'd say he skates well for his size and his top speeds are above average. But, much like a young Jamie Benn, if he can gear this up to the next level, his upside professionally may be beyond what anyone is close to realizing. Because he's just a dominant power forward right now in so many aspects, and the addition of a separation gear would just improve the rest of his surrounding game stratospherically.

There's nothing not to like here. I think at the very least, you'll have an intimidating 4th liner who can pop in some offense with his strong shooting and net-front play. But with a few years of development and areas of improvement, I believe the potential upside here is immense. I watch the NHL this year and see what similar-styled players like Tanner Jeannot and Marcus Foligno are achieving, and I feel Reid Schaefer has the upside to be even better -- sort of a Tom Wilsonesque force for an NHL top-6. There's no guarantee Schaefer will hit these lofty heights, but I still feel he's a terrific pick because I have few doubts he'll at least carve out a power role in an NHL bottom 6.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RW/C Brayden Schuurman, Victoria WHL (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Schuurman was second in scoring for Victoria this year and a key part of his team, which will likely garner him some late-round draft attention in the 2022 draft. Despite being 5'9, he's extremely stocky at 190 pounds, so I wouldn't describe him as a *small* kid. His skills check out as good-but-not-great across the board, but his skating is below average. This will negatively affect him on draft day, because 5'9 players who do not skate well do not typically go high.

There is no doubt Schuurman is good at hockey, and his 29 goals this season were certainly impressive on a so-so Victoria squad. The questions all revolve around how he projects for the future. Schuurman is a shoot-first player in his offensive game, which combined with his skating issues and size will probably push him out of the middle to the RW at the higher levels. Right now his game is more suited to a top 6 role, but I'm not sure his talent level is high enough to make it there at the higher levels, so he may have to adapt his style to more of a bottom 6 role.

I feel Schuurman will be taken in the 6th/7th rounds, and if not he might be an intriguing overager next year if he can improve the skating. I would not be surprised if he topped 80 points in the WHL next year, which will certainly gain him some attention in the scouting community.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RW Matthew Seminoff, Kamloops WHL (STI Ranking #41, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Matt Seminoff is a player who has already defied expectations, and as such I would not bet against him defying more. Drafted as a strong defensive forward with an elite compete level, he has worked his way up to the Blazers' top line alongside WHL top scorer Logan Stankoven and has rocketed up draft rankings this year as a PPG player who also excels on all 200 feet of ice. However, his consensus is still all over the place, ranked as high as the first round by Dobber Prospects (#29) and Elite Prospects (#26) and as low as the mid-3rd round (#75 by McKeen's and FC Hockey).

Seminoff is averaged sized at 5'11-180, although he plays bigger due to his almost supernatural work ethic. The Virginia-born but Canada-raised prospect has great straight-line speed and acceleration to get there, but needs to work on his edges and turns before he can be called an overall great skater. None of his offensive tools stand out individually -- he's a decent shooter, a smart passer and a fine stickhandler, but Seminoff is one of those players for whom it's not the pieces which matter so much as what you get when the pieces all come together.

Because Seminoff is absolutely relentless every second of every shift. He is constantly dogging the puck, he is an omnipresent thorn in the side of every opponent every time he steps on the ice. His defensive awareness mixed with his incessant hustle sees him constantly forcing opposing errors and creating turnovers to switch possession to his team. Are his 46 points in 48 games perhaps a bit inflated because he plays with Logan Stankoven and a litany of other talented Kamloops forwards? Sure, probably. But I can guarantee all of his teammates absolutely relish the idea of playing with this chaos-inducing, turnover creating, hustle machine. There are a lot of more talented and bigger and faster forwards available in the 2022 draft, but there's no one we can say plays with more heart. This, combined with very strong hockey sense, makes Matthew Seminoff a worthy pick from the second round on in the 2022 draft.

I'm not sure I would take him in the 1st round as Dobber and Elite have suggested, because I honestly feel his likely scenario is as a stud 3rd line center with the offensive chops to slot up to the 2nd line in a pinch. But he'll be a fixture on an NHL PK unit, and he'll work his tail off. Seminoff is a high floor player who I would be shocked if he did not at least carve out a valuable role in an NHL bottom 6.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RD Grayden Siepmann, Calgary WHL (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Most 5'11-185 defensemen need to be lightning-fast on their skates and oozing offensive skill. Siepmann is slightly different in that -- although he is one of the best skating D in the entire draft -- he is actually conservative in his mind-set and plays a defense-first style.

Siepmann is not entirely incapable with the puck. He's a solid puck-handler and pretty good playmaker, who knows his speed makes him an excellent weapon in transition. His shot is pretty good for his size, and he almost hit double-digits in goals with a 9-16-25 line in 66 games. He's very competent in the offensive zone, but he also does not necessarily stand out in this respect, which along with his size should keep him on the draft board until the later rounds.

But Siepmann is an exceptional skater, and this greatly defines his game in both the neutral and defensive zones. Unlike many amateur defenders, Siepmann has few problems defending against speed, which when combined with his positional acuity and strong gaps, makes him an extremely effective defender. Though he can clearly be outmuscled down low and along the boards, he is a very strong defensive option in space.

I expect Greydon Siepmann to last pretty deep into the 2022 draft, because we need to face the fact that most NHL front offices want their smaller players -- especially defenders -- to either possess size/strength or huge amounts of offensive skill. But I think he has upside as an Andy Greene-type undersized defender who does a great job of keeping the opponents off the scoreboard while driving transition to a strong degree. This is a kid to really like for the late rounds of the 2022 draft.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile

LW Juraj Slafkovsky, TPS Finland (STI Ranking #2, McKenzie #1)
Right away, it's important to point out that this 6'4-220 Slovakian is an absolutely rare combination of size, power, finesse and skill. It is this rare combination which might give him an argument for the highest upside for any winger available in the class.

Let's start with the obvious. Before you even see him play, he's clearly towering over the competition, and we're talking about a kid who is solidly built through and through. By the time he reaches the NHL, Slafkovsky could be in the 6'4-230+ range. But once the puck drops, you quickly realize we're not dealing with some north/south banger. Slafkovsky features a pair of talents which are absolutely elite -- his hands and his passing vision.

Let's start with the puckhandling ability, because it is crucial in factoring his potential dominance at an NHL level. This kid has incredibly soft hands, and he can dangle the puck like an absolute wizard. Slafkovsky is on the short list for the best stickhandler in the entire class of 2022. On its own, this is a phenomenal attribute for any hockey player to have, but when this is combined with his high hockey IQ, high-end awareness and huge physical stature? It's downright deadly. Even down low in tight spaces, Slafkovsky can be impossible to get the puck from. There are almost shades of a young Jagr, how Slafkovsky can quickly maneuver the puck to a safe spot with his huge backside shielding off the defender to gain himself time and space where seemingly there was none. He's just a beast down low, so tough to beat one on one once he gets possession that defenders are almost better off just backing off him and trying to cut off the passing lanes.

Because Slafkovsky also has elite passing vision. This cannot be understated, as well. He makes slick, soft no-look passes with the acumen and accuracy of a 5'9 skill center. Again, his ability to use his size and hands to create time and space in tight areas is unique and elite, but when combined with the high level of awareness necessary to assess the situation and lace a dart to a teammate in scoring position? Slafkovsky is simply a weapon, and when he's on his game he's quite possibly impossible to defend.

The young Slovakian is not simply a distributor -- he also possesses a very hard shot. However, this is an area which needs improvement -- primarily, he is a pass-first player who needs to utilize his shot much more. As a player with high intelligence, I feel this will be coached into him during his development. Slafkovsky also needs to work on the accuracy of his shot, which is not comparable to the accuracy of his puck distribution as of yet. Most of Slafkovsky's goals seem to come from the crease area down low, where he is an absolute beast and impossible to move. Combined with his soft hands, he is a constant danger to score from anywhere down low.

With most players of Slafkovsky's immense stature, the next question is usually concerning whether they can skate. Though Slafkovsky's skating is not on the elite level of some of the other top forwards in the class of 2022, it is very good. Slafkovsky has a long, powerful stride and can cover large amounts of ice very rapidly. I would rank Slafkovsky's skating as "good" with the potential to become "excellent" with a bit more work in that area.

I really like Slafkovsky's compete level. He's really frenetic and heady on the forecheck, and combined with his high hockey IQ, he's always in the right place. I'd like to see him be a bit more physical, especially on the defensive side of the puck, where he is adequate but not great. This would not be a deterrent in deciding whether to draft him of course, I'm perfectly fine with a high scoring winger with top line potential being far superior offensively than defensively if they are at least adequate defensively, and Slafkovsky is just that.

Ultimately, Slafkovsky is a phenomenal prospect -- maybe the best Slovakian winger to come out of the draft since Hossa -- and certainly a guy with the enormous upside to one day be the best player in the entire 2022 draft class.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LW Colton Smith, London OHL (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
Though destined to be a divisive prospect due to his play style, Colton Smith has the potential of a true draft day sleeper due to the fact many modern scouting bureaus and draft writers specifically and purposefully ignore players of his particular play style. And when describing Smith's play style, we can probably sum it up in one, single word: MEAN.

The Hershey, PA native is 6'2-210 and possesses extraordinary physical strength. It is safe to say he is well aware of this attribute, as he basically plays the game like a bully on skates. Smith hits anything that moves in the opposing jersey, and he hits it hard. If one of his teammates takes a hard check, Smith is out on the next shift trying to plaster the offender into next week. He is incredibly tough, and this is also how he affects the game offensively. Smith's finest attributes in the scoring sense are that he is an immovable object in front of opposing nets, and he is one of the best in the OHL at screening goalies and banging home rebounds or scoring off greasy, net-front scrums. If there's any battle where the winner is determined by strength, Smith is going to come out on top of that particular battle.

Where Smith becomes intriguing is when we look at the surrounding tools in his game and realize they're actually pretty good. His skating is average and his puck skills need work, but he's actually a pretty nifty passer and his shot is heavy and accurate. His go to move with the puck, like many youngsters gifted with size and strength, is to shield the puck with his body and hold it out, as if playing "keep away" with a smaller kid. The problem with this move is, unless you are an elite level hands/vision guy like a Juraj Slafkovsky, it usually leaves the puck so far away from your own body that it takes several precious moments to reel it back in for a pass or shot when that opportunity arises. Smith has trouble creating, and the London coaching seems to prefer him to just crash the crease and let the other 4 Knights skaters do the heavy thinking. But again, Smith is terrific at crease-crashing, and this is an increasingly rare but still incredibly valuable skill in modern hockey.

Defensively? Whoooo boy does Smith need work. Without dwelling on specific aspects, it's safe to say that if Smith can't hit you, you just beat him. But just don't let him hit you, because he's basically a freight train -- if he catches you you're toast, but if you see him coming and elude him, he's stuck on the rails and can't turn back.

Colton Smith has been, as mentioned, largely ignored in draft rankings. Craig Button has him at #64, but I couldn't find him in any other top 100 lists. I don't know if I would consider such a player in the first 5 rounds, but in the 6th/7th you have a shot at a very physical 4th line bruiser who could develop the requisite skills to become a pretty decent hockey player. The passing and shooting are pretty good, and if he can improve his puckhandling and -- primarily -- defensive zone play, I think we could have a Zack Kassian-type somewhere down the line, which is very useful for your 4th line. The problem is, I don't see Smith lasting until the 6th/7th rounds, because he's the type of player Ottawa likes to snatch up in the 2nd round.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

RW Jimmy Snuggerud, US-NTDP (STI Ranking #28, McKenzie #17)
Jimmy Snuggerud is almost the consummate US-NTDP player, and why every player on every US-NTDP team must be considered a legitimate NHL prospect. The program has become the very best developmental hockey source in the world, consistently instilling strong two-way play, high levels of compete, physicality, offensive skill and team-first ethos. Although nothing Snuggerud does is on an awe-inspiring level of a Cooley, Gauthier, Nazar or McGroarty he simply is very good in any singular aspect of the game.

Snuggerud is a strong and solid 6'2-185 and likes to play a physical and furious style. He's an outstanding forechecker, combining his very good speed, strength and terrific compete level to always be hounding the puck. He likes to crash the crease and he's very effective in the greasy areas. Offensively, everything he does is probably in the good-but-not-great range -- passing/vision, puckhandling, offensive awareness. Where I'd say he really shines is his shooting -- Snuggerud can really power the puck past a netminder, and he's a volume shooter who loves to whip the biscuit towards the twine.

Where Snuggerud really shines in my opinion is on the defensive side of the puck. His anticipation in the d-zone and sense of when and where to support his teammates is simply tremendous, and his effort level and team ethic really jump out at you. He's just a guy you want on your line to do the dirty work and win pucks.

In transition is not Snuggerud's strongest point. I feel he'd rather just get the puck deep and chase it and win it, but he does possess the prerequisite sense to play a nice support option when playing with high-vision linemates like Cooley and Nazar. He's been very good on the power play, where he likes to set up shop in the left circle for his outstanding shot, or pound the crease hunting for deflections and rebounds and screens. The young Minnesotan is also a very good option on the PK, where his defensive awareness and effort create havoc for the opposition.

I feel the Devils -- and every team -- need more Jimmy Snuggeruds. This is a very high floor 3rd liner whose combination of size, speed and shooting give him some very real 2nd line scoring upside.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

LD Spencer Sova, Erie OHL (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie #84)
Players develop at different rates, so when a player lacks production it's important to take special care in assessing their skill sets. With Sova, we have a two-way defenseman who has failed to impress with his offensive numbers, with just 25 points in 60 games and playing at a -20 clip which is worst on his team. However, we also have a player who stands 6'1-185, skates well, and shows NHL-caliber abilities on both sides of the puck. As such, this is also a player who has been ranked just outside the 2nd round (#66 -- FC Hockey) and probably has a consensus ranking in the late 3rd/early 4th round.

Sova is one of those players who checks every box in the skill-set list without possessing a singular elite tool. Good size, good skates, good passing, good puckhandling, good shot, generally good defensive zone play. He's calm with the puck and knows what to do with it. He's reliable in pretty much all situations without being dominant. He's just a player who goes out every shift and does his job quietly, and the Erie coaching relies on him for big minutes as a result.

Sova can get into trouble against quicker opposing forwards who can beat him in space, and with stronger opposing forwards who can beat him down low. His decision making is mostly pretty good, and he's shown some intriguing ability to carry the puck up ice and make some slick passes in the offensive zone. I feel this is a player who has a good degree of NHL upside, but he's kind of like drafting a good kicker in football because your fans are not exactly going to jump to their feet and start applauding the pick. He's just a steady, two-way player with perhaps some upside to approach 30 points at the professional level in a bottom 4 role. As such, Spencer Sova is certainly worth a pick from the 4th round on.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2022 Draft Profile:

C/LW Cole Spicer, US-NTDP (STI Ranking: Honorable Mention, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
My final US-NTDP draft profile is for a very solid but unspectacular checking line player, who projects at the NHL level as a very solid but unspectacular checking line player. Spicer is not particularly big at 5'10-165, but he does a lot of subtle things well and plays with terrific intangibles of compete and smarts. He's probably never going to score much, but he has the requisite skill to chip in an odd goal while playing extremely responsible two-way hockey.

Spicer is neither big (5'11-165) nor fast, and his game is more cerebral than high-paced or frenetic. He slows the game down, covers his man, does his job and executes smart plays all over the ice. He's certainly overshadowed by the high end talent he's surrounded with on the US-NTDP, but he's a capable playmaker and puck handler who is positionally strong and possessing pretty good awareness. Defensively is where he shines, not so much in the physical sense -- he can be outmuscled or outsmarted -- but in his attention to detail and strong work ethic.

Spicer is the type of player you take in the 6th or 7th round because he's positionally versatile and his intangibles and two-way play make him a higher floor option than most players available so late in the NHL Draft.