Kevin Musto's 2022 NHL Draft Ranking

[Kevin Musto]

I also saw Kasper in the 2nd as lower than most recent lists. Is it that the OP, like others before, don’t see top 6 upside? Seems like for sure this player has NHL potential.

Kasper absolutely has NHL upside, but I think it'll be as a bottom 6er who injects energy and hustle into the lineup. He just missed the 1st round cutoff for me. Still a guy I'd want to draft, but I don't see a top 6er.

Stylistically he reminds me of Sam Lafferty. (that's a style only comp)

 

[mistaclick]

Only question marks from me are Mateychuk and Kasper. Otherwise I really appreciate a unique ranking like this that isn’t afraid to make some interesting takes!
Love that Hutson ranking, although I’m a bit lower on him myself. Such a dynamic talent, always stood out to me when watching USNTDP and it wasn’t the height I noticed first.
Cheers

 

[Lays]

I also have Jiricek at 2 but what’s the thought process behind Nazar 8 spots ahead of Gauthier?

 

[Kevin Musto]

I also have Jiricek at 2 but what’s the thought process behind Nazar 8 spots ahead of Gauthier?

I highlighted it in the write up, but I think playmaking and defensive play are a weakness for Gauthier. He has that toolset to be the ideal power forward, but he doesn't really crash the net the way a traditional power forward would.

The big positives for him are scoring ability and physical presence, but the weaknesses are where that separation comes in.

Nazar doesn't have those playmaking and defensive deficiencies. I don't think he's as good of a scorer as Gauthier, but his scoring ability isn't a weakness. Nazar also had that growth from the beginning of the year to the end. Arguably at the end of the season Nazar was his team's best player. Of course Cooley had the better overall body of work. Gauthier was consistent, but didn't show that ability to evolve his game like Nazar did.

Again, I like Gauthier. I don't think there's worlds between him and Nazar, but that's how the rankings shook out.

I don't view it as a massive 8 spot gap between the two.

 

[Kevin Musto]

I just want to note that there's a small error with my rankings.

I didn't know that Slafkovsky measured at the combine, so I used his EliteProspects measurements which listed him at 218lbs.

As it turns out he did measure at the combine and came in at 229lbs.

Absolute behemoth.

 

[Maitz]

Very nice list, I like to have other opinion and rankings! Personally I would have Kasper in my top 20 and Korchinski higher but that’s just for me! Good job!

 

[AuraSphere]

Loving the respect given to Hutson and Jiricek in this list