By Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler
Jun 23, 2022
The Montreal Canadiens had the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, which took place July 7-8, and selected Juraj Slafkovsky in a surprising departure from what was once the consensus.
The Athletic’s staff, led by the endless research of prospects writers Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler, provided insight, including an in-depth look at the top draft-eligible prospects and the impact these players could have on an NHL team.
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Final Analysis
Draft Grades for all 32 teams, plus scouting reports for every player
Winners and losers from Day 2
First Round
NHL Draft analysis for every pick
Why did Shane Wright drop from being the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft?
Winners and losers from Day 1
Best available players for Day 2
The top prospects
Corey Pronman’s final ranking
Corey Pronman ranks the top 131 draft-eligible players in the 2022 NHL Draft.
Scott Wheeler’s final ranking
Scott Wheeler’s final ranking for this year’s draft class is made up of 68 forwards, 32 defencemen and zero goalies.
NHL Draft Confidential: What scouts and executives think about the No. 1 pick and more
Who should go No. 1? How high can Cutter Gauthier go? What Corey Pronman is hearing about the top prospects ahead of the draft.
NHL Draft survey
Scouts, players and staff weigh in on the 2022 NHL Draft class in Scott Wheeler’s draft survey
Pronman vs. Wheeler: Debating the top prospects in the 2022 NHL Draft
Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler debate Juraj Slafkovsky, Cutter Gauthier and other top prospects they disagree about in this year’s draft.
Wheeler: 10 NHL Draft prospects of interest who missed my top-100 ranking
Players who didn’t make Scott Wheeler’s final draft ranking but who have interesting skills that make them stand out.
Best skaters? Top shots? Corey Pronman ranks the 2022 draft-eligibles by skill
Which prospects are the best skaters, have the best puck skills, hockey sense, shot, and are the most physically dominant?
Which NHL Draft prospects have the most upside? Pronman ranks the top 31
Corey Pronman ranks this year’s draft-eligible players based solely on their tools.
Shane Wright. (Chris Tanouye / Getty Images)
Mock Drafts
Corey Pronman’s final mock draft (July 6)
Corey Pronman’s complete seven-round mock draft (June 30)
Staff Mock 2.0 (June 22)
Dueling two-round mock draft: Corey Pronman and an NHL source predict the 2022 NHL Draft (June 20)
Scott Wheeler’s Mock Draft (June 13)
Corey Pronman’s Mock Draft 2.0: First-round picks, analysis (June 7)
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Corey Pronman’s Mock Draft 1.0: The entire first round (May 17)
Staff Mock: Lottery picks (May 10)
Scouting reports
Shane Wright: The makings of the likely No. 1 pick | What makes Shane Wright special
Juraj Slafkovsky: Slafkovsky vs. Wright and the decision for the No. 1 pick
Logan Cooley
From local star to national team-leading scorer to top NHL Draft prospect, Cooley’s left the same humble impression everywhere he’s gone.
Conor Geekie
On the origin story of a 6-foot-3, 196-pound centre.
David Jiricek
Top NHL Draft prospect David Jiricek projects as an intimidating NHL defenseman.
Simon Nemec
Why Nemec projects to play on a top pairing and top power-play unit in the NHL.
Matthew Savoie
After overcoming pandemic hurdles, Savoie’s draft year has looked like the path he was destined to follow.
Frank Nazar
Frank Nazar’s deep-seated, quiet competitiveness has propelled him to the very top of the NHL Draft.
Kevin Korchinski
Why Korchinski’s upside might be “unparalleled” in this year’s draft
Rutger McGroarty
Meet Rutger McGroarty, the Nebraska kid making history on his way to the draft
Isaac Howard
Howard has proven he’s not just a first-rounder, he’s one of the very best players in the 2022 NHL Draft class.
David Goyette
How Goyette has emerged as a bonafide star and a potential first-round pick.
Tristan Luneau
Luneau’s season began with a knee procedure but ended with him averaging a team-high 25:33 and posting six points in seven playoff games.
Pavel Mintyukov
How Mintyukov’s playing style mirrors his chess strategy
Marco Kasper
Kasper offers ‘a great engine’ and a fun off-ice talent
Brad Lambert
One-on-one with the NHL Draft prospect on his speed, what’s next, Lahti, and more.
Danny Zhilkin
Why Zhilkin could be taken in the first two rounds.
Cutter Gauthier
NHL Draft prospect Cutter Gauthier has a great shot — no matter the hand
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Lian Bichsel
Blessed with physical tools and maturity, top 2022 NHL draft prospect Lian Bichsel is ready to take the next step in his game.
Lane Hutson
Lane Hutson might be small in stature, but his game could translate well to the NHL.
Mats Lindgren
What makes Mats Lindgren Jr. different than most other players is his hockey journey and where it’s taken him.
Vinzenz Rohrer
No one in the 2022 NHL Draft class has travelled a road to Montreal quite like that of “fearless” centre Vinzenz Rohrer.
Nicholas Moldenhauer
Sidelined with illness and injury for much of his draft year, Moldenhauer is embarking on the biggest week of his life at the U18 Worlds.
Need to know
Who has the most to win (and lose)?
Who’s the crown jewel for the team with the No. 1 pick?
What is the scouting process for NHL Draft prospects? Everything you need to know
Scott Wheeler explains how he dissects the game and its players in order to put together his draft rankings.
What is each team’s biggest need going into the NHL Draft?
Corey Pronman examines every team’s entire depth chart at the NHL and prospect level and projects their needs over the next few years.
Final 2022 NHL Draft thoughts
Scott Wheeler offers some final takeaways on the 2022 NHL Draft class.
(Photo: Mike Stobe / NHLI via Getty Images)
