With 193 picks to announce Saturday in the NHL Draft, there’s still a lot of talent to be found.
These are the top 20 skaters and the top 3 goalkeepers that are still available on my draft board.
Check out The Athletic’s full coverage of the 2022 NHL Draft
The top 20 skaters left
1. Lane Hutson, LHD, USA U-18 (NTDP)
February 14, 2004 | 5 ′ 8 ″ | 158 pounds
Level: midfield player of the lineup
Skating: NHL Average Puck Skills: NHL Average Hockey Sense: High Range Compete: NHL Average
Comparable player: Torey Krug
Background: Hutson was one of the top four U.S. NTDP defenders throughout the season and generated a lot of offense. He was invited to the under-18 team as a minor player, where he was also one of the best players on that team, being named one of the top three players at the 2021 Under-18 World Championships for the US . He was named Best Defender of the 2022 U18 World Cup. He is committed to Boston University.
Analysis: Hutson is a constant threat to the puck. He is the smartest player in the draft. It takes so many sewing steps to generate opportunities. Hutson is also a highly skilled record manager who shows great creativity outside of the offensive blue line. He makes a lot of fakes and cunning dekes to avoid the pressure. He’s not the fastest skater, but his edge work is pretty good and allows him to use his skating to attack. The attack is a clear NHL quality. If a defender just 5 feet 9 who isn’t an elite skater can defend in the NHL that’s the question with Hutson. He is a competitive and quality defender against juniors and college opponents, but this will have to be a test that will have to clear the line. I think he plays in the NHL and projects himself as an offensive defender in the top four, but I realize the odds are against a player who looks like him. I put him so high because he’s the smartest player in the draft and I see enough with the rest of his game to be able to climb to higher levels.
2. Mattias Havelid, RHD, LINKOPING JR. (SWEDEN-JR.)
January 1, 2004 | 5 ′ 9 ″ | 165 pounds
Level: midfield player of the lineup
Skating: Above NHL Average Disc Skills: NHL Average Hockey Sense: NHL Average Competition: NHL Average Shooting: High Range
Comparable player: Sami Vatanen
Background: Havelid has been a very good junior defender and has gotten a good chunk of SHL games this season. He was MVP of the J20 playoffs in Sweden. Havelid has been a major part of Sweden’s under-18 team for the past two seasons, including nine points in five games for Hlinka Gretzky and 12 points in six games in the under-18 championship. He is the twin brother of Hugo Havelid.
Analysis: Havelid is a talented offensive player from the end. He has the ability to skate to jump attacks and activate off the blue line to create an offensive with his skill. Havelid can find seams and create with his game consistently. He also has a tough spot and has scored a lot of goals this season. Havelid’s main drawback is his frame. There aren’t many 5-foot-9 defenders playing in the NHL. He defends well and has been great in junior recoveries, but the debate is whether he will do it against men. Because of how good he skates, I think he will do it as a defense of the top four that can help a game of strength.
3. Luca Del Bel Belluz, C, MISSISSAUGA (OHL)
November 10, 2003 | 6 ′ 0 ″ | 179 pounds
Level: midfield player of the lineup
Skating: Below NHL Average Disc Skills: NHL Average Hockey Sense: NHL Average Compete: NHL Average Shooting: Above NHL Average
Comparable player: Ryan Donato
Background: Del Bel Belluz had a productive season playing all situations for a strong Steelheads team, being one of OHL’s top scorers at the start of the season, but that production was reduced to the second half. His production had an upward trend after scoring just six points in his first OHL season in 2020. He was a third-round pick in his OHL Draft.
Analysis: Del Bel Belluz is a very skilled center with a decent size. He has the ingenious skills to manipulate the disc in narrow areas and often proves that he can beat defenders one on one. He can make a power play from the flank because of his very good vision and his shot, though I don’t see that as his role in the NHL. It lacks foot speed for the higher levels, but it works hard enough and provides a two-way value in the middle. He is projected as one of the first nine strikers. With his feet he can fight to stay in the center, but if he does it is on the third line.
4. Ryan Chesley, RHD, USA U-18 (NTDP)
February 27, 2004 | 6 ′ 0 ″ | 201 pounds
Level: midfield player of the lineup
Skating: NHL Average Disc Skills: NHL Average Hockey Sense: Below the NHL Average Competing: Above the NHL Average Shooting: Above the NHL Average
Comparable player: Ryan Lindgren
Background: Chesley was one of the top four U.S. NTDP defenders this season, often playing on the units of both special teams. He represented the U.S. Under-18 team as a minor. He is committed to the University of Minnesota.
Analysis: Chesley has some physical assets coming out of the page from a professional projection. He is an NHL caliber skater who can make a transition very well with his speed. He is of medium height, but is quite strong and physical. With his mobility he is able to close the controls well and often uses his body to get strong blows to separate the discs from the players. He has good individual ability, with his hands to overcome the controls one by one and generate a lot of power from his stopwatch. Chesley is not a gifted disc engine and can sometimes struggle with his disc distribution. It is projected as a full-time second or third pair defense, depending on how much the attack translates to higher levels.
5. Jagger Firkus, RW, MOOSE JAW (WHL)
April 29, 2004 | 5 ′ 10 ″ | 151 pounds
Level: midfield player of the lineup
Skating: NHL average Disc skills: NHL average Hockey sense: NHL average Compete: NHL average Shooting: high-end
Comparable player: Eeli Tolvanen
Background: Firkus has scored at a strong pace in the WHL for the past two seasons, being a big part of the Moose Jaw attack. It has had a significant trend after being the 82nd selection of its WHL Bantam Draft. He was named game player for the CHL Top Prospects Game.
Analysis: Firkus ’skill and creativity stand out constantly. He shows great skill in defeating defenders one by one with his stick handling. You can make hard passes at a high pace through the seams and under pressure. It’s a shooting threat and happens to make him a major asset in a power play and he often scores from the range with a pitch that will surpass NHL goalkeepers. Firkus is fast, but not fast, showing good enough skating and competing to win battles, but he won’t beat the NHL defenders. The goal-scoring ability is important enough to think he can be a six-winger winger.
6. Jani Nyman, RW, ILVES (FINLAND)
July 30, 2004 | 6 ′ 4 ″ | 217 pounds
Level: Designed to play NHL games
Skating: Below NHL Average Disc Skills: NHL Average Hockey Sense: NHL Average Compete: NHL Average Shooting: Above NHL Average
Background: Nyman played in Finland’s second division professional league, where he scored at a high pace for one of the weakest teams. Nyman was a productive player for the Finnish under-18 team and played a tournament with his under-20 team in August.
Analysis: Nyman is a talented winger who is dangerous inside the offensive zone. He possesses good disc skills, can make plays and has a great shot that is a threat from a distance, which is his main weapon. Nyman’s foot speed is fine, so he probably won’t be a driver at higher levels of controlled entrances. You would like it to have a more consistent impact given its size and ability. I think Nyman will be an NHL player, with the talent to play in the middle of a lineup if he hits.
7. Ryan Greene, C, GREEN BAY (USHL)
October 21, 2003 | 6 ′ 1 ″ | 179 pounds
Level: Designed to play NHL games
Skating: NHL Average Disc Skills: NHL Average Hockey Sense: NHL Average Competition: NHL Average Shooting: Above NHL Average
Background: Greene has been an all-around player for Green Bay this season and has been a productive USHL player for the past two years. He is committed to Boston University.
Analysis: Greene offers many NHL attributes. Shows smooth disc skills, often able to put discs between sticks and legs. He skates well and can make very skilled plays with rhythm. Greene shows good imagination as a manager and passing. He can hit seams at a strong pace and has a certain power play ability due to his vision and shooting. Greene competes well enough. He can play in the center competently, can PK and win battles. It is projected as an NHL center of the six lows with the potential to play higher in a lineup.
8. Danil Zhilkin, C, GUELPH (OHL)
December 19, 2003 | 6 ′ 1 ″ | 196 pounds
Level: Designed to play NHL games
Skating: NHL Average Disc Skills: NHL Average Hockey Sense: NHL Average Competition: NHL Average Shooting: Above NHL Average
Background: Zhilkin was an important part of a good Guelph team this season, playing great minutes and on both special teams. Zhilkin is of Russian descent and was born in Russia, but has always represented Canada internationally. He played Canada in the under-18 world in 2021, where he won gold. He also scored four goals and six points in five games in the World U17 Challenge.
Analysis: Zhilkin is a highly skilled center. At its best, when you see a 6-foot-1 pivot that can hang and create occasions at the pace it can, you’re excited about its projection. Zhilkin is a threat of passing and shooting that can run a power game well. His skating is solid, not explosive but good enough. Your game may lack pace, however, which is your main problem. It competes well enough off the disc, but it’s not its strength and can drift towards the perimeter. I see him as a potential forward in the NHL’s bottom six who has the toolkit to play in a half six.
9. Cameron Lund, C, GREEN BAY (USHL)
June 7, 2004 | 6 ′ 2 ″ | 192 pounds
Level: Designed to play NHL games
Skating: NHL Average Disc Skills: NHL Average Hockey Sense: NHL Average Compete: Below NHL Average Shooting: Above NHL …