2022 NHL Draft: Player Rankings, Risers, and Fallers V 3.0

With the Stanley Cup Final nearing its conclusion, the NHL Draft is just around the corner. Kingston’s Shane Wright remains the top prospect in this year’s draft but who is rising and who is falling in the final weeks?

This is my last of these rankings for Full Press Hockey.

My one mock draft will be in the next week or so right on this network. For now, I have adjusted some rankings. I may have a few more changes as I double back on certain players one last time. For now, enjoy this article.

NHL Draft Prospect Rankings

1. Shane Wright – C – Kingston – OHL
2. Logan Cooley – C – USA U-18 – NTDP
3. Matthew Savoie – C – Winnipeg – WHL
4. David Jiricek – D – HC Plzen – Czechia
5. Juraj Slafkovsky – LW – TPS – Liiga
6. Jonathan Lekkerimaki – C – Djurgardens JR – Sweden JR
7. Joakim Kemell – RW – JYP – Liga
8. Simon Nemec – D – HK Nitra – Slovakia
9. Conor Geekie – C – Winnipeg – WHL
10. Frank Nazar – C – USA U-18 – NTDP
11. Brad Lambert – C/RW – JYP – Liiga
12. Danila Yurov – RW – Magnitogorsk – KHL
13. Cutter Gauthier – LW – USA U-18 – NTDP
14. Denton Mateychuk – D – Moose Jaw – WHL
15. Ryan Chesley – D – USA U-18 – NTDP
16. Pavel Mintyukov – D – Saginaw – OHL
17. Kevin Korchinski – D – Seattle
18. Gleb Trikozov – C – Omskie – MHL
19. Liam Ohgren – LW – Djurgardens JR – Sweden JR
20. Marco Kasper – C – Rogle BK – SHL
21. Jimmy Snuggerud – RW – USA U-18 – NTDP
22. Rutger McGroarty – LW/C – USA U-18 – NTDP
23. Isaac Howard – RW – USA U-18 – NTDP
24. Seamus Casey -D – USA U-18 – NTDP
25. Filip Mesar – W/C – HK Poprad – Slovakia
26. Owen Beck – C – Mississauga – OHL
27. Owen Pickering – D – Swift Current – WHL
28. Ty Nelson – D – North Bay – OHL
29. Jordan Gustafson – C – Seattle – WHL
30. Lane Hutson – D – USA U-18 – NTDP
31. Jiri Kulich – C – Karlovy Vary – Czechia
32. Jagger Firkus – Moose Jaw Warriors – WHL

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NHL Draft Risers

Marco Kasper had a good showing at the World Championship. It wasn’t all about points. He didn’t have a very good team and you have to adjust for that. It helped all of us see him in a different environment and he showed that he was very adaptable.

Jimmy Snuggerud has been creeping up the charts. His dad did play so that checks a box but that’s not why. At the NHL combine, I had a chance to see his mental game off the ice and it was solid. He already had great tools on the ice.

Ryan Chesley is going up in my rankings. Many believe there isn’t much offense there but his skating is close to elite and his coverage and overall defensive play has been exceptional. If he provides some offense like I think he can, some team could be making a good value pick when they select him.

NHL Draft Fallers

Ty Nelson took a big tumble. He’s a smaller defenseman and even though his strength is really good and his offensive game is top-notch. His skating isn’t elite and may never be and that means he could be playing a different kind of role if he gets to the NHL someday.

Jiri Kulich was skyrocketing during the U18s and that carried over to the World Championship. But then his output slowed down. For various reasons. He was banged up at the end of the season. He’s a solid two-way player with a great shot. Is he a center? So far he looks that way but it could change. This draft doesn’t have a lot of natural centers.

Undecided

I’m not sure what to make out of Stephen Halliday. He had 95 points while playing for Dubuque this season in the USHL. This was his fourth year in the league. He’s a 6-4 center and what you see is what you get. I don’t think he will get much better and his skating is likely to hold him back. He’s 19 and headed to Ohio State. I didn’t rank him.