2022 NHL Draft: Wright among Central Scouting's players to watch

Shane Wright, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, earned an A rating on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list released Tuesday.

The list is a compilation of top prospects from all the major development leagues throughout North America and Europe. It will be updated throughout the season as scouts evaluate the players.
"Shane Wright is the best prospect sitting at the top going into the 2021-22 season and there will be some others looking to unseat him for the No. 1 slot to make this year interesting," director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr said. "What makes Shane stand out is the way he approaches the game to compete with his exceptional skating, skills and smarts. Perhaps the best compliment to come his way is the fact that he plays in a manner in which he makes other players around him better.
"His style of play is reminiscent of the best parts of Nico Hischier (New Jersey Devils) and Mathew Barzal (New York Islanders), both of whom play with a drive that can impact the play."
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Wright (6-foot, 185 pounds) could become the first player from Kingston of the Ontario Hockey League chosen No. 1 in the NHL Draft. The highest a player from Kingston has been chosen is No. 3, in 1993 (forward Chris Gratton, Tampa Bay Lightning) and 2010 (defenseman Erik Gudbranson, Florida Panthers). Wright has scored four points (two goals, two assists) and taken 10 shots on goal in three games this season.
The 23 players on the preliminary list with A ratings are considered potential first-round picks. Players with B ratings are considered possible second- or third-round choices, and those with C ratings are potential fourth-, fifth- or sixth-round selections.
Wright, a right-shot center who turns 18 on Jan. 5, starred as a 17-year-old at the 2021 IIHF Under-18 World Championship, scoring 14 points (nine goals, five assists) in five games while serving as captain for first-place Canada. He's expected to be a fixture for his country at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, which will be held Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2022, in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta.
"He plays a strong two-way game with pro structure and habits and has an excellent shot with an unpredictable release that can beat goalies from any angle," NHL Central Scouting's Joey Tenute said. "Shane is the definition of a hockey player and will be a franchise player in the NHL in a few years."
Wright was playing with the Don Mills Flyers Minor Midget AAA team when granted exceptional-player status by Hockey Canada in March 2019 and was selected No. 1 by Kingston in the 2019 OHL draft. He was named rookie of the year in the Canadian Hockey League after scoring 66 points (39 goals, 27 assists) in 58 games in 2019-20.

The only hockey Wright played last season was the U-18 Worlds. The OHL canceled its 2020-21 season due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus.
Among the A-rated skaters considered likely to be selected in the top half of the first round are forwards Ivan Miroshnichenko of Omsk in Russia's second division; Joakim Kemell and Brad Lambert, each of JYP in Liiga, Finland's top professional men's league; Juraj Slafkovsky of TPS in Finland; and Logan Cooley of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Under-18 team.
Cooley is one of five players from the NTDP to receive an A rating. He is joined by left wing Isaac Howard (5-10, 182), left wing Cutter Gauthier (6-2, 189), center Frank Nazar (5-10, 175), and right-shot defenseman Ryan Chesley (6-0, 187).
"The NTDP has a strong core of dynamic talented prospects; they play with speed, display excellent composure to make plays and compete with their skill assets," Marr said.
Cooley, a 17-year-old left-shot center, has scored eight points (four goals, four assists) in six games. He had two assists in five games for the United States at the World U-18s.
"I like everything about Cooley
, he said his strengths include "skating, puck skills, vision, and hockey IQ."
Miroshnichenko (6-1, 185) has scored five points (three goals, two assists) in 14 games with Omsk in the Supreme Hockey League, Russia's second-highest league after the Kontinental Hockey League. He scored 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 20 games with Omsk in Russia's minor league in 2020-21.
"Ivan is a very good skater, coordinated and an excellent stickhandler," NHL Director of European Scouting Goran Stubb said. "He can create scoring chances with quick, surprising moves, shows excellent work ethic and never stops skating."
Slafkovsky (6-3, 218), a Slovakia-born center playing in Finland, has one assist in eight games with TPS.
"He can play center or wing and can skate and move surprisingly well for a big man," Stubb said. "He's got good vision and an understanding of the game and a fine set of tools, including skating, puck control, passing and his shot."
Jack Hughes (5-11, 165) of Northeastern in Hockey East is the only NCAA player to receive an A rating. The center, no relation to Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils), Quinn Hughes (Vancouver Canucks) or Luke Hughes (University of Michigan), has one goal and seven shots in four games.
"Jack is a solid first-round candidate," Marr said. "He plays a high-energy game with his speed and tenacity."
Photos courtesy: Robert John Boucher/Kingston Frontenacs
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