2022 Draft Check-In: Picks make strides in their first post-draft seasons

Even though they weren't on the clock until the third round, the Florida Panthers managed to add "a little bit of everything" with seven mid-to-late round picks during a productive 2022 NHL Draft.

Overall, the class consisted of two defensemen, four forwards and one goaltender.

"We have a little bit of everything as we move forward," Panthers General Manager Bill Zito said during his post-draft media availability. "The guys are pretty fired up. We didn't have the high picks, but we managed to get guys that were all very high on our list."

With the Panthers set to bolster their pipeline even further during the 2023 NHL Draft this week at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, let's first check in on how last year's draftees did in 2022-23.

Marek Alscher (3rd round, 93rd overall)

Position:D

2022-23 Team:Portland Winterhawks (WHL)

Alscher reached new heights during his second season in the WHL.

Manning the blue line for 60 games with the Winterhawks, the 19-year-old defenseman achieved new career-high marks in goals (8), assists (16) and points (24). He also earned the first playoff points of his career. Appearing in nine games during the postseason, he dished out four assists.

Alscher's 24 points placed him third among Winterhawks defensemen.

An imposing presence in the junior ranks with his 6-foot-3, 196-pound frame, Alscher also excels at blocking shots and playing a physical game. Never one to shy away from the rough stuff or the dirty areas of the ice, he ranked first on the Winterhawks in penalty minutes with 67 in 2022-23.

In March, Alscher, a native of Slany, Czechia, inked a three-year, entry-level contract with Florida.

"Marek has impressed our team with his on and off ice maturity, hard work and calculated preparation," Zito said of Alscher, who got a sneak peek at life in the pros on an ATO with Charlotte in the AHL in April. "We like what his skill and size can bring to our defensive pipeline, and we look forward to his continued development within our system."

With two seasons of eligibility left, Alscher is expected to return to the Winterhawks for a third tour of duty in 2023-24.

Additionally, after serving as an alternate at the tournament this past season, he'll likely try to earn a spot with Czechia for the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Ludvig Jansson (4th round, 125th overall)

Position: D

2022-23 Team: Södertälje SK (HockeyAllsvenskan)

Jansson turned a lot of heads during the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Earning a spot on the tournament's All-Star Team, the 19-year-old defenseman racked up 10 points (four goals, six assists) to help Sweden reach the bronze-medal game.

Jansson's biggest game came when he lit the lamp twice -- including burying the game-winner in overtime -- to lead Sweden to a 3-2 win over Czechia in the preliminary round.

A gifted playmaker and puck-mover, Jansson spent the majority of his 2022-23 campaign with Södertälje SK in Sweden's second-tier league, HockeyAllsvenskan. In 44 games, he produced 10 points (one goal, nine assists), matching his point total from last season in three fewer games.

With his professional debut on the horizon in Sweden, Jansson, who stands 6-foot and 176 pounds, is expected to see action with Luleå HF in the SHL this upcoming season.

Sandis Vilmanis (5th round, 157th overall)

Position:LW

2022-23 Team:Sarnia Sting (OHL)

Vilmanis made the jump to North America look easy this past season.

Suiting up for his first season in the OHL, the 19-year-old forward finished fourth on Sarnia in goals (20) and sixth in points (45).

Settling into a groove at the end of the regular season, he recorded three goals and three assists over his last five games heading into the postseason. Staying hot in the playoffs, he tallied seven points (four goals, three assists) in 14 games.

On the international stage, Vilmanis recorded a goal and an assist over the course of two wins against Austria in a best-of-three relegation series at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. With those two wins, Latvia held on to its spot in the main group for the World Juniors in 2024.

A dangerous sniper with good size at 6-foot-1 and 192 pounds, Vilmanis should take another step forward with a chance to shine both in the OHL and internationally with Latvia in 2023-24.

Josh Davies (6th round, 186th overall)

Position: LW/C

2022-23 Team: Swift Current Broncos (WHL), Charlotte Checkers (AHL)

Davies did more of what he does best this past season in Swift Current.

A menace on the forecheck with speed and grit to burn, the 19-year-old forward, who has previously said he models his game after a player like Ryan Lomberg, scored 20 goals and compiled a team-leading 131 penalty minutes over 62 games with the Broncos in 2022-23.

Davies' biggest game of the season came on Oct. 25 when he scored a hat trick -- with two of the goals coming while shorthanded, by the way -- during a thrilling 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings.

After closing the book on his season with the Broncos in March, Davies, a native of Airdrie, Alberta, joined the Charlotte Checkers on an ATO. Getting his first taste of the pros, he then made his AHL debut during a 5-4 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on April 15.

Tyler Muszelik (6th round, 189th overall)

Position: G

2022-23 Team: University of New Hampshire Wildcats (NCAA)

Muszelik saw quite a bit of action during his freshman season in the NCAA.

Serving as the backup for the Wildcats, the 18-year-old goaltender posted a 4-7-2 record with a 3.24 goals-against average and a .883 save percentage over 13 appearances. He was named the Rookie of the Week in Hockey East two times, winning the honor on Oct. 10 and Feb. 20.

In his NCAA debut on Oct. 8, Muszelik, who measures up at 6-foot-3 and 194 pounds, stopped 31 of 32 shots he faced during a 4-1 win against St. Lawrence. In his second-to-last start of the season, he earned his first shutout while making 29 saves in a 0-0 tie against Maine on Feb. 18.

Earlier this month, Muszelik was one of 44 players invited to attend the 2023 USA Hockey World Junior Summer Showcase at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich., from July 27-Aug. 4. A native of Long Valley, New Jersey, Muszelik previously donned the Red, White and Blue when he manned the net for Team USA for two games at the 2022 U-18 World Junior Championship.

Muszelik is expected to return to New Hampshire for his sophomore season in 2023-24.

Liam Arnsby (7th round, 214th overall)

Position: C

2022-23 Team:North Bay Battalion (OHL)

Arnsby posted new career-high marks across the board this past season.

Serving as captain of the Battalion for the second straight season, the 19-year-old forward accumulated 39 points (12 goals, 18 assists) and 78 penalty minutes over 54 games. Helping push North Bay into the third round of the OHL playoffs, he scored seven goals in 20 contests in the postseason.

Arnsby's hottest stretch of the season came between Oct. 30 and Nov. 12 when he strung together a career-long six-game point streak. In that torrid run, he notched two goals and seven assists. In his final game of the streak, he had a goal and two assists in a 7-2 win over Barrie.

Arnsby also won a career-high 457 faceoffs and netted two shorthanded goals in 2022-23.

Jack Devine (7th round, 221st overall)

Position:RW

2022-23 Team:University of Denver Pioneers (NCAA)

Devine took a big leap forward statistically during his sophomore campaign.

After scoring three goals in 36 games as a freshman, the 19-year-old forward found the back of the net 14 times in 2022-23, a total which placed him third among all skaters on the Pioneers.

Taking off during the second half of the season, Devine amassed 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) over his last 12 games. During that stretch, the Glencoe, Illinois native erupted for four goals in a 6-2 win over Miami (Ohio) in Game 1 of the NCHC Quarterfinals on March 10.

The 32nd player in Denver's history to score four or more goals in a game, Devine scored three of his four goals on the power play against the RedHawks. With that, he became just the third player in the program's storied history to net at least three power-play goals in a single contest.

"It's obviously a big accomplishment," Devine told DenverPioneers.com following his scoring spree in Game 1. "I thought it was big that it happened in the playoffs and we got the win here."

Look for Devine to keep on lighting the lamp as a junior with Denver in 2023-24.