The 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft could be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory, with the intrigue beginning as early as the No. 3 pick.
NHL.com writers Adam Kimelman and Mike G. Morreale agree that the Montreal Canadiens will select center
Shane Wright
from Kingston of the Ontario Hockey League with the No. 1 pick, and the New Jersey Devils at No. 2 will choose left wing
Juraj Slafkovsky
from TPS in Liiga, the top league in Finland.
But starting with the Arizona Coyotes at No. 3, their opinions vary widely.
The 16 teams that missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs took part in the lottery drawing for the first two selections; the Canadiens won the No. 1 pick, and the Devils won No. 2. The remaining teams were ordered based on the NHL standings.
The 12 teams that lost in the first two rounds of the playoffs were slotted into picks 17-28. Teams that did not win their division were placed in inverse order of regular-season standings points, followed by the three division winners who lost in inverse order of regular-season points.
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The Edmonton Oilers, who lost in the Western Conference Final, have the No. 29 pick. The Winnipeg Jets have the No. 30 pick, which they acquired from the New York Rangers in the trade for forward Andrew Copp on March 21.
The Tampa Bay Lightning, who lost Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Sunday, will pick No. 31.
The No. 32 selection goes to the Stanley Cup champion, but the Colorado Avalanche traded the pick to the Coyotes for goalie Darcy Kuemper on July 28.
The Coyotes have three first-round picks (also No. 27), as do the Buffalo Sabres (Nos. 9, 16 and 28). The Canadiens, Winnipeg Jets, Columbus Blue Jackets, Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild each have two.