NHL Central Scouting hopes to ease that process when it conducts its meetings to determine the final rankings of the top 224 North American skaters and 32 North American goalies eligible for the 2022 draft beginning Monday. Dan Marr, director of NHL Central Scouting, will chair the five-day meeting that will include the input of eight full-time scouts.
It will be the first time in three years the scouts will congregate in-person for their final meetings due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus in 2020 and 2021.
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in January, and following a slow start has lived up to his top billing.
The forward is tied for ninth in the OHL with 84 points (28 goals, 56 assists) in 58 games and has scored 150 points (67 goals, 83 assists) in 116 regular-season games (1.29 points per game). The only hockey Wright played in 2020-21 was for Canada at the 2021 IIHF Under-18 World Championship since the OHL canceled its 2020-21 season due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus; facing older competition, he tied for second in scoring at the tournament with 14 points (nine goals, five assists) in five games.
Will it be difficult in determining the No. 2 player on the North American list?
The debate for No. 2 might come down to center Logan Cooley of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team and center Matt Savoie of Winnipeg in the Western Hockey League. Cooley is No. 2 and Savoie No. 3 on the midterm ranking.
Cooley (5-10, 174) has scored 62 points (22 goals, 40 assists), six power-play goals and two shorthanded goals in 42 games. Savoie (5-9, 179) is sixth in the WHL with 84 points (32 goals, 52 assists) and has scored 12 power-play goals in 61 games.
Is there a dark horse to keep an eye on down the stretch?
Defenseman Noah Warren (6-5, 216), No. 49 on Central Scouting's midterm list of North American skaters, has impressed with a strong, physical presence in his zone while scoring 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in 50 games for Gatineau of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
"It's been an impressive progression from Noah," Central Scouting's Jean-Francois Damphousse said. "He's a big, strong defenseman who can skate well and has impressive speed with his forward stride carrying the puck."
Who is the top high school player available in the 2022 draft?
At this point it might be junior defenseman Sam Rinzel (6-4, 177) of Chaska High School in Minnesota. The right-handed shot, No. 26 among North American skaters, has scored 38 points (nine goals, 29 assists) in 27 games.
The 17-year-old has scored 72 points (21 goals, 51 assists) in 71 high school games in three seasons (1.01 points per game). He's scored six points (one goal, five assists) in 15 games for Waterloo of the United States Hockey League this season and is committed to the University of Minnesota for 2023-24.
How many players from USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Under-18 team could be potential first-round draft picks?
Cooley is one of nine players from the program whose name could called in the first round of the 2022 draft.
The left-shot center and three other NTDP teammates are projected to be selected among the top 15: left wing Cutter Gauthier (No. 6), right wing Jimmy Snuggerud (No. 8) and left wing Isaac Howard (No. 12).
Center Frank Nazar (No. 17), right wing Rutger McGroarty (No. 18), and defensemen Ryan Chesley (No. 22), Lane Hutson (No. 31) and Seamus Casey (No. 32) also are projected first-round options.
A record eight NTDP players, including seven in the top 15, were selected in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft.
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