Mock NHL Entry Draft 2022: Toronto Maple Leafs Can Pick a Beauty

Toronto Maple Leafs scouts are hard at work. We offer some insight into who they may select and how things may go with this 2022 NHL Mock Draft.

The Toronto Maple Leafs fans and the rest of the league have reached the midpoint of the season. With the trade deadline in the not-to-distant future, scouts are preparing for that and and equally important event, the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

In this upcoming draft, held on July 7–8, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, the Leafs will have three draft picks to use. They will select in the first, second, and seventh round. With there being a lot of strong players in this cohort, there is a good chance that the franchise adds a valuable asset to the organization.

The selection sequence has not yet been determined, so we will use the expected order from Capfriendly to break down and predict each of the 32 first round picks. All statistics are from Elite Prospects.

1st Pick – Montreal Canadiens
Shane Wright (C)
6’1″, 187 lbs

The first pick in this draft is a lock. It happens to be the only selection the hockey world can agree on. Any selection other than Shane Wright at first-overall would be a tremendous shock. That’s because Wright is an extremely well-rounded player with two-way skills, a great shot, and a significant offensive upside.

I remember standing behind the end boards glass at Thornhill Arena and leaning over to a man watching the AAA hockey game intently, to ask, “which one is yours?”

He pointed out the player on the road team, Don Mills Flyers, who was a year younger than everyone on the ice and explained that it’s his grandson. We then watched the remainder of the period together as he spoke glowingly as only a grandparent could about all of his kin’s achievements. With a genuine passion, he even articulated for me the strengths he had noticed in all his grandson’s teammates. I think about that proud grandfather and the chance he will soon get to brag about his impressive grandson once the pick becomes official.

Granted exceptional status into the OHL to join the league as a 15 year old, Wright hasn’t disappointed while playing under Coach Luca Caputi on the Kingston Frontenacs. He is one of the strongest prospects to hit the draft in years, with NHL superstar potential.

2nd Pick – Arizona Coyotes
Matt Savoie (C)
5’9″, 179 lbs

The only sure thing in this draft is that Wright will go first overall. Anything can happen from there. With the second pick, the Arizona Coyotes would be wise to draft Matt Savoie.

He is in the middle of an impressive season for the Winnipeg Ice in the Western Hockey League (WHL). The center is the league leader in points, having already recorded 19 goals and 35 assists in 36 games. Last season, while playing for the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the United States Hockey League (USHL), he recorded 38 points in 34 games on 21 goals and 17 assists.

Bob McKenzie with TSN noted, “Savoie isn’t big, at 5-foot-9 and 179 pounds, but don’t let his size fool you. The scouts say he has above average hockey sense and skill, and the ability to make things happen offensively, he can also play a hard, edgy and agitating game that keeps opponents off balance.” With the NHL leaning towards skill over size, his frame shouldn’t hold him back from fast-tracking into the NHL.

3rd Pick – Ottawa Senators
Joakim Kemell (C, RW)
5’11”, 176 lbs

The Ottawa Senators will be looking to find some scoring depth to their club.

Adding Central Scouting’s top ranked European skater, Joakim Kemell could do just that. The Finish right-winger is a sniper and if he’s still available with the third pick, the Senators should be ecstatic. Although, the truth is that with such an impressive talent pool this year, it will be hard to miss in this position.

In the most recent tournament Kemell played, the U18 2021 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, he scored 5 goals and had an assist in five games. He plays with both speed and finesse, with an impressive set of hands.

4th Pick – Seattle Kraken
Logan Cooley (C)
5’10”, 174 lbs

Logan Cooley’s skill is undeniable. He projects to play high in an NHL lineup. At 5’10”, 174 lbs, NHL Central Scouting ranks him as their second best North American skater.

There was talk in the fall about some holes in his game, most notably, playing without the puck. When I was scouting the OHL, I recall writing the same in my notepad about John Tavares back in his days with the Oshawa Generals. That’s to say, Cooley could clean up this part of his game, and it appears that he has already begun to do so. Cooley is playing with USA Hockey National Team Development Program (USNTDP) in the USHL where Coach Adam Nightingale, who was an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings for three years, has been helping him become NHL ready.

Cooley has committed to play for Notre Dame in the NCAA next season. There is always some risk to drafting players headed to the NCAA. They could potentially take the same route as former Toronto Maple Leafs winger, Jimmy Vesey and current Toronto Maple Leafs center/winger Alex Kerfoot.

Both players chose not to sign with the team that drafted them. Instead, they played in the NCAA for Harvard University and allowed their draft rights to expire. That gave the forwards the freedom to sign with any team in the NHL. That said, if the Seattle Kraken drafts Cooley high in the draft, they expect that they’ll be able to retain his rights and have him eventually playing for the franchise.

5th Pick – New Jersey Devils
Brad Lambert (C)
6’0″, 179 lbs

Brad Lambert is the second Finish player to be drafted in the top-five. In fact, both he and Kemell play for the JyP HT Jyvaskyla organization.

Some believe that Lambert, a center, may actually be a higher pick than Kemell. For example, Sam Cosentino sees Lambert as the second-overall pick in the draft. With his quickness and hockey sense, playing at a premium position, it isn’t hard to see why Cosentino and many others are so complimentary of Lambert.

6th Pick – Buffalo Sabres
Juraj Slafkovsky (LW)
6’4″, 218 lbs

There are many who believe that Juraj Slafkovsky can easily be a top-five pick in the upcoming draft. You can’t miss Slafkovsky at 6’4″, 218 lbs.

He may not have the same impressive hands or scoring touch as the previous five picks, but this Slovak makes up for it with his raw power. Along with his grit, Slafkovsky is a well rounded player. It’s why NHL Central Scouting has him ranked second of all European skaters.

7th Pick – Philadelphia Flyers
Ivan Miroshnichenko (LW)
6’1″, 185 lbs

Ivan Miroshnichenko, a left-winger with Omskie Krylia, the second highest level of hockey in Russia, is a well-rounded player with an impressive shot.

Scott Wheeler from The Athletic explained why Miroshnichenko should be able to work his way into being a top-ten selection. “A fair share of scouts believe Miroshnichenko to be the second- or third-best prospect in this draft class. Some of that, I think, is driven a little too much by his sterling international resume at the Youth Olympic Games…”

8th Pick – New York Islanders
Danila Yurov (RW)
6’1″, 179 lbs

This is about as far as I believe Danila Yurov will fall in the draft. Last season, while playing for Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk in the MHL, the 6’1″, 179 lbs Russian, impressed with 13 goals and 12 assists in just 23 games. It was enough to earn him a promotion to the organization’s KHL club, Metallurg.

Yurov had the same opportunity thrust upon him this season. After playing six MHL games, and tallying three goals and nine assists, Yurov once again was given the nod to join Metallurg. He lasted 21 games before being returned to Stalnye Lisy. Yurov picked up where he left off. He has added two goals and five assists to his total points in the nine games he’s played since his return.

9th Pick – Columbus Blue Jackets
David Jiricek (D)
6’3″, 190 lbs

David Jiricek is the first defenseman to come off the board in this mock draft. He is the fourth ranked European skater by Central Scouting, playing for Plzen HC in the Czech Republic. Not only has he proven that he is responsible in his own end, but he also has a big an offensive upside. As a right shot defender, he will be a valuable asset to his NHL club.

Samuel Tirpak of Dobber Prospects described, “Jiricek is an offensive defenseman who excels as a powerplay quarterback with one of the hardest and deadliest shots in the draft. His offensive skills are great, having a very good understanding of the offensive zone and where to be in order to get an offensive opportunity started or to finish off an opportunity himself if he sees fit.”

10th Pick – Columbus Blue Jackets
Simon Nemec (D)
6’1″, 192 lbs

Like Jiricek, Simon Nemec is a right shot defenseman playing in Europe. I expect Nemec to round out the top ten thanks to his keen offensive prowess.

Playing with HK Nitra in the Slovakian Extraliga, Nemec is already facing men as his competition and he’s excelled. He’s been a player who can help create scoring opportunities for his club and has become somewhat of an assists machine. In his last ten games alone, he has nine assists for Nitra with a goal and 22 apples overall in 32 games.

11th Pick – Winnipeg Jets
Conor Geekie (C)
6’4″, 205 lbs

With the eleventh pick, the Winnipeg Jets will gain an impact forward. Conor Geekie is having himself a solid year for the Winnipeg Ice.

Playing behind Savoie, Geekie has recorded 40 points in 38 games on 12 goals and 28 assists. Brock Otten from McKeen Hockey explained, “Geekie is that prototypical, big, power center that all NHL teams are coveting these days. He can control the pace of play and he can dominate down low because of his ability to protect the puck.”

12th Pick – Detroit Red Wings
Jonathan Lekkerimäki (C)
5’11”, 172 lbs

Jonathan Lekkerimäki proved that he is a dynamic scorer while playing for Djurgardens Jr. in Sweden. In fact, he is the team’s leading scorer. In 26 games, Lekkerimäki collected 20 goals and 15 assists for a total of 35 points.

He earned himself a promotion to his organization’s pro team in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). With Djurgardens IF, he has been a nice fit. Not surprisingly, Lekkerimäki isn’t producing at the same clip in the SHL, but he does have 15 games of experience. He has a total of four goals and two assists but what’s impressive is that his last five games has seen him compete on a different level. In those contests he notched two goals and an assist.

13th Pick – Vancouver Canucks
Frank Nazar III (C/RW)
5’10”, 174 lbs

This is the second player in a row who has a knack for putting pucks past goalies. Currently, with the USNTDP, Frank Nazar is a versatile forward who can play both up the middle and on the right side of the ice.

The Mount Clemens, Michigan native put together a 36 point campaign in 2021 thanks to 20 goals and 16 assists in just 31 games. This season, he’s back at it. In his first 14 games, he has 10 goals and 11 assists for a sum of 21 points.

Nazar is the sort of professional scorer that many teams will be looking for in this draft. He has committed to play for University of Michigan in the Big Ten next season.

14th Pick – San Jose Sharks
Elias Salomonsson (D)
6’1″, 172 lbs

The San Jose Sharks would be wise to add a defenseman with this pick, especially if right handed shooting Elias Salomonsson is still available.

This is a player who has been great for Skellefteå AIK J20 and rewarded with getting to play a handful of games for the organization in the Swedish Elite League. According the Europe based Blue Dispatch, Salomonsson is a “good two-way defenseman, a credible puck-mover, and strong both on and off of the puck. He is a smooth puck mover with impeccable passing execution and possesses swift hands that he can use to manage the puck in tight spaces.”

The guide further explains that Salomonsson’s game isn’t complete. He still “needs work on his defensive positioning and reads.”

15th Pick – Dallas Stars
Cutter Gauthier (LW)
6’2″, 189 lbs

The team at NHL Central Scouting believe strongly in Cutter Gauthier.

They have the 6’2″, 189 lbs left-winger, ranked at sixth overall for all North American skaters. Currently playing for Team USA in the USHL, he had 21 points in 32 game on 12 goals and  9 assists.

This season, he picked up right where he left off. Gauthier has 12 goals in 13 games. With the National U18 Team he has played 34 games where he’s accumulated 32 points on 20 goals and 12 assists.

21st Pick – Buffalo Sabres
Marco Kasper (C)
6’1″, 183 lbs

Marco Kasper is an excellent player to draft at this position. There is no doubt that the Minnesota Wild could use a center with professional experience.

Kasper plays for Rögle BK in the SHL after getting promoted from their junior club. With the pro team, Kasper has skated in 27 games and collected four goals and two assists. He has also represented his native country, Austria, in multiple international tournaments.

22nd Pick – St. Louis Blues
Isaac Howard (LW)
5’10”, 183 lbs

Isaac Howard is a 5’10”, 183 lbs left-winger for the USNTDP. He has been outstanding for the program, putting up points in bunches.

So far this year, in 33 games Howard has scored 15 goals and added 24 assists for a total of 39 points. The Penguins will be ecstatic to draft Howard who can be a wizard at times with his stick handling. He creates scoring changes for his team and can finish around the net with a tremendous wrist shot and quick release.

23rd Pick – Washington Capitals
Pavel Mintyukov (D)
6’1″, 192 lbs

Pavel Mintyukov has come a long way since playing for MHK Dynamo Moskva in the MHL. He drew the attention of the Saginaw Spirit who drafted him 52nd overall in the 2020 CHL Import Draft.

He has greatly improved his game in Saginaw under Head Coach Chris Lazary in addition to all the international experience he has accumulated. Mintyukov plays the angles well and is still developing his defense.

The Sabres will like the offense he is able to generate from the back end. He will surely be a powerplay driver in the NHL. So far this season with the Spirit, Mintyukov has dropped 8 goals and 21 assists on opponents in 37 games.

24th Pick – Minnesota Wild
Ryan Chesley (D)
6’0″, 194 lbs

Whenever a player graduates from Shattuck St. Mary’s, scouts know they were developed the right way.

This prep school can boast about some future Hall-of-Fame alumni including Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Toews, and Zach Parise. Ryan Chesley came out of that program ready to excel with the USNTDP.

The defenseman is continuing to progress, looking like has the potential to be a core member of the Minnesota Wild’s future. Chesley is an above average defender who adds offense to his tool kit. He also has a blast from the point, which will put goaltenders on high alert.

25th Pick – Nashville Predators
Tristan Luneau (D)
6’2″, 174 lbs

Tistan Luneau is a right shooting blue liner plays big minutes for Gatineau Olympiques in the QMJHL.

He’s been on the radar since minor hockey, playing Midget as an underager and was the first-overall pick of the 2020 QMHL Entry Draft. In his first season with Gatineau, he showed his worth by winning the QMJHL Rookie of the Year and Raymond-Légacé defensive rookie of the year award.

Luneau is fully recovered from his surgery over the summer and has been playing without restriction. “I wouldn’t call his game dynamic, but he’s a smooth-skating player who can competently run a power play,” wrote Wheeler in The Athletic about Luneau. “He’s a plus-level passer but not a shooter. He reads the play at a high level with and without the puck at both ends, plays with a great deal of poise, and excels in transition.”

26th Pick – Toronto Maple Leafs
Denton Mateychuk (D)
5’11”, 187 lbs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are a team of über talented skaters. Many of whom have the ability to create plays and put the puck in the net. Forward depth might not be at the top of General Manager Kyle Dubas’s shopping list. Let’s be clear.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, like every team, will always look to add players who can contribute to making their offense more lethal. However, with this first round pick, focusing on adding an impactful rearguard should help the franchise long term. With this pick, the Toronto Maple Leafs have that opportunity.

That is why, Toronto will draft Denton Mateychuk. He is a 5’11”, 187 lbs, left-shooting defenseman with the Moose Jaw Warriors in the WHL. He has shown in his time playing Major Junior that he isn’t just a reliable defender but can also be force with his offense. Adding a mobile, two-way defenseman would be an ideal fit for the organization.

In October,  Pronman noted in The Athletic, “[Matychuk’s] main strength is his skating. He is so good at closing gaps and skating pucks up the ice due to his great mobility. The questions that will come on him is as a 5-foot-11 defenseman without elite offense is whether his skating is good enough to become a solid NHL player?”

Mateychuk wasn’t able to showcase his skill set for Team Canada at the World Juniors as he had intended. He managed to play in all three of the squad’s games, but his performance was underwhelming in all of them. With his club team, however, Mateychuk has proven that he can be a weapon on offense. This season with the Warriors, he has recorded seven goals and 24 assists for a total of 31 points in 34 games.

The Toronto Maple Leafs could very well be looking at Mateychuk becoming a fixture on both their blue line and powerplay. With a little more time to add more maturity to his game, Toronto could have found a giant addition to their lineup with this 26th pick.

27th Pick – Pittsburgh Penguins
Nathan Gaucher (C)
6’3″, 207 lbs

Nathan Gaucher is one of the older prospects in the pool as a 2003 born player. He is already well into his third season in the QMJHL, playing for the Québec Remparts under the guidance of his coach, Patrick Roy.

Gaucher is a big body two-way center who has garnered significant attention thanks to being his team’s top scorer last season, collecting better than a point per game. He had 31 points in 30 games. This year, in the same number of contests, Gaucher has 15 goals and 11 assists. As a right-shooting center, he could have tremendous value once he makes an NHL roster.

Andy Lehoux of FCHockey described the forward’s game. “Gaucher is a versatile, dynamic power forward who specially emerged as a constant menace on the counterattack.

His strong, powerful strides and crossovers allowed him to push the pace, both as an outlet and with the puck, consequently getting in on multiple odd man rushes. Gaucher possesses dual threat capabilities, showcasing a powerful wrist shot as well as fantastic vision, creativity and passing.”

28th Pick – New York Rangers
Kevin Korchinski (D)
6’2″, 185 lbs

Kevin Korchinski made his way to the Seattle Thunderbirds when they drafted him 10th overall in the WHL Bantam Draft.

This left hand shooting rearguard’s puck moving and hockey IQ have been on display for scouts. Matthew Soma of SMAHT Scouting wrote that Korchinski “blends size and strong edges with great puck skills, making him one of the more intriguing defensemen to come out of the WHL this season. Give him space and he’ll explore his options and seek to create offense with it. It’s a modern style of play, putting speed and puck moving over a ‘traditional’ stay at home style.”

29th Pick – Arizona Coyotes
Noah Östlund (C)
5’11”, 163 lbs

The Coyotes continue to collect talent in this draft. This time in the form of Noah Östlund. This left-shooting Swedish center for Djurgårdens has already been promoted to the SHL. He has 10 professional games under his belt.

Though he has yet to record a point, we know he has the skills. With the organization’s J20 team, he put 30 points on the board in 23 games with 6 goals and 24 assists. EPRinkside wrote that Östlund “plays with intensity and is always on the move. He is equal parts creativity with a high-end work rate.”

30th Pick – Tampa Bay Lightning
Alexander Perevalov (LW)
6’0″, 192 lbs

The Tampa Bay Lightning have the opportunity to add a winger they can put on the ice in any situation by drafting Perevalov. Pronman wrote, “[Perevalov] is a very skilled winger who can create with his hands and playmaking.

He is also a shot threat who can finish from mid-range. Off the puck, he shows good effort to win battles and play decent defense.” Perevalov, who plays on his off wing, has played five games in the KHL. In the MHL, with Loko Yaroslavl, he has 20 goals and 21 assists, for a total of 41 points in 34 games.

31st Pick – Arizona Coyotes
Jimmy Snuggerud (RW)
6’2″, 185 lbs

If there’s any winner in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, it’s the USNTDP. Jimmy Snuggerud is the seventh player from their program to be selected in the first round of the draft. Snuggerud is a third generation player. His grandfather, James Westby, played in the NCAA, and his dad, Dave Snuggerud, played four seasons in the NHL.

Snuggerud has committed to the University of Minnesota where he can continue to showcase his impressive shot. In the USHL, through 13 games, he has scored 2 goals and 10 assists. With the U.S. National U18 Team, Snuggerud has collected 40 points. In 36 games, he recorded 16 goals and 24 assists.

32nd Pick – Buffalo Sabres
Luca Del Bel Belluz (C)
6’1″, 185 lbs

I love this pick for the Sabres at the end of the round. Luca Del Bel Belluz is a player who impressed me when watching him play his minor hockey for the Toronto Red Wings, but in all honesty, back then, there’s no way I would have predicted he become an NHL first round selection.

Things have changed and Del Bel Belluz has blossomed in the OHL, playing with the Mississauga Steelheads. The 6’1″ center has 47 point in 35 games. He’s scored 20 goals and 27 assists this season with no signs of slowing down.

This is a loaded draft class without any certainty on a selection order. No matter what happens, the future of the sport looks bright.