The 2022 NHL draft will take place on July 7th and 8th in Montreal. The Toronto Maple Leafs currently hold the 25th overall pick.
A pick the Toronto Maple Leafs might have to trade away if they want to improve their team.
For the teams that do keep their picks, who will they select? According to some, even the first overall pick is a question mark as to which player will get chosen.
Is it still Shane Wright, or is it Juraj Slafkovsky? There are plenty of questions going into this draft. We will find out the answers on Thursday, July 7th.
Draft day is always an exciting day in the world of hockey. The one time of year when the scouting department gets its moment to shine.
Every team sits around their team’s table and analyzes their prospect reports. As prospects get chosen, scouts will remove the name from their list. If a team has its sights on a specific prospect, the team may choose to move up or down in the draft order.
On May 21st, Elliotte Friedman from Sportsnet reported that the New Jersey Devils were considering all their options and might trade the 2nd overall pick.
Other teams, such as the Toronto Maple Leafs, might also consider moving their 1st round picks if it helps improve their team. There are currently six teams with two or more picks in the first round. One of these teams might be more willing to trade a first-round pick than those with only one.
After comparing the NHL draft rankings from TSN, Sportsnet, and Dobber Prospects, I have completed my first-round mock draft. These are the prospects I believe will be selected with the first 32 picks of the 2022 NHL draft. I have also used Eliteprospects.com for stats.