Top-ranked prospects by position for 2022 NHL Draft

We know the players expected to get selected in the upper tier of the first round on Thursday night in Montreal - Shane Wright (No. 1-ranked North American skater), Juraj Slafkovsky (No. 1-ranked European skater), Logan Cooley (No. 2-ranked North American skater) and David Jiricek (No. 4-ranked European skater), to name a few. But what about the players who will be available when the Stars are on the clock at 18 and later?

WORTH A CLICK: [Can Stars add to first round success? / Stars 2022 NHL Draft Central]
Below you'll find the top-10 ranked forwards (center, left wing, right wing) and defensemen, and the top-5-ranked goalies per NHL Central Scouting. Among the players who could be around in the latter half of the first round include left wing Isaac Howard (ninth-ranked North American skater), right wing Jonathan Lekkerimaki (ninth-ranked European skater), defenseman Denton Mateychuk (No. 14-ranked North American skater) and center Frank Nazar (No. 21-ranked North American skater).

Center

1. Shane Wright, Kingston (OHL)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 1 (North American skaters)
Wright (6-0, 199) ranked eighth in the Ontario Hockey League with 94 points (32 goals, 62 assists), including 28 power-play points (eight goals, 20 assists) in 63 regular-season games with the Frontenacs.
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2. Logan Cooley, USA U-18 (NTDP)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 2 (North American skaters)
Cooley (5-10, 180) ranked second on the NTDP with 75 points (27 goals, 48 assists) in 51 games and led the team in points-per-game-average (1.47).
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3. Matthew Savoie, Winnipeg (WHL)
NHL Central Scouting: No. 4 (North American skaters)
Savoie (5-9, 170) finished seventh in the Western Hockey League with 90 points (35 goals, 55 assists) in 65 regular-season games with Winnipeg and added 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 10 WHL playoff games.
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4. Marco Kasper, Rogle (SWE)
NHL Central Scouting: No. 5 (European skaters)
Kasper (6-1, 187) had 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in 46 regular-season games with Rogle of the Swedish Hockey League and posted six points (three goals, three assists) in 13 games in the playoffs.
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5. Conor Geekie, Winnipeg (WHL)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 5 (North American skaters)
Geekie (6-4, 190) was fourth on the Ice with 70 points (24 goals, 46 assists) in 63 regular-season games and tacked on 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 15 playoff games.
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6. Luca Del Bel Belluz, Mississauga (OHL)
NHL Central Scouting: No. 8 (North American skaters)
Del Bel Belluz (6-0, 179) finished second on the Steelheads with 76 points (30 goals, 46 assists) and 12 power-play goals in 68 games.
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7. Frank Nazar, USA U-18 (NTDP)
NHL Central Scouting: No. 21 (North American skaters)
Nazar (5-10, 180) was third on the NTDP with 70 points (28 goals, 42 assists) in 56 games. Among his 28 goals were five power-play tallies and two shorthanded markers.
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8. Owen Beck, Mississauga (OHL)
NHL Central Scouting: No. 10 (North American skaters)
As a rookie, Beck (5-11, 187) registered 51 points (21 goals, 30 assists) in 68 games with the Steelheads.
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9. David Goyette, Sudbury (OHL)
NHL Central Scouting: No. 13 (North American skaters)
Goyette (5-10, 175) led OHL rookies in goals (33) and points (73) and ranked second in assists (40) in 66 games with the Wolves.
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10. Brad Lambert, Pelicans (FIN)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 10 (European skaters)
Lambert (6-0, 183) had 10 points (four goals, six assists) while averaging 14:15 time on ice in 49 games in Liiga, the top professional league in Finland.
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Left wing

1. Juraj Slafkovsky, TPS (FIN)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 1 (European skaters)
Slafkovsky (6-4, 229) was named the MVP at the 2022 Olympics after scoring a tournament-best seven goals in seven games to help Slovakia win the bronze medal, its first in men's Olympic hockey. He co-led the entire tournament in points, led Slovakia with 24 shots on goal and averaged 15:50 TOI despite being the youngest player in the tournament.
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2. Cutter Gauthier, USA U-18 (NTDP)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 3 (North American skaters)
Gauthier (6-2, 200) had 65 points (34 goals, 31 assists) in 54 games for the NTDP, including 16 points (10 goals, six assists) in 18 games against NCAA competition. On the international stage, Gauthier recorded nine points (three goals, six assists) in six games for Team USA at the 2022 IIHF World U-18 Championship.
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3. Liam Ohgren, Djurgarden Jr. (SWE)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 8 (European skaters)
Ohgren (6-1, 201) had 58 points (33 goals, 25 assists) in 30 games with Djurgarden in Sweden's junior league and two points (one goal, one assist) in 25 games in the Swedish Hockey League. He added nine points (three goals, six assists) in six games as captain for first-place Sweden at the World U-18s.
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4. Isaac Howard, USA U-18 (NTDP)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 9 (North American skaters)
Howard (5-10, 180) led the NTDP's U-18 team with 82 points (33 goals, 49 assists) in 60 games, including a team-best 11 points (six goals, five assists) at the World U-18s (silver medal).
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5. Rieger Lorenz, Okotoks (AJHL)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 17 (North American skaters)
Lorenz (6-2, 194) ranked fifth in the Alberta Junior Hockey League with 85 points (38 goals, 47 assists) in 60 games, led the league in shorthanded goals (five) and ranked tied for 12th in power-play goals (12).
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6. Ivan Miroshnichenko, Omsk Krylia (RUS-2)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 11 (European skaters)
Miroshnichenko (6-1, 185) recorded 16 points (10 goals, six assists) in 31 games in Russia's second division but was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in February. He's been cleared to resume his hockey training, according to Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr.
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7. Alexander Perevalov, Yaroslavl 2 (RUS-JR)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 14 (European skaters)
Perevalov (6-0, 191) had 50 points (25 goals, 25 assists) in 42 games in Russia's junior league and skated in five games with Lokomotiv in the Kontinental Hockey League.
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8. Gleb Trikozov, Omsk 2 (RUS-JR)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 15 (European skaters)
Trikozov (6-1, 185) had 45 points (23 goals, 22 assists) in 35 regular-season games in Russia's junior league and 18 points (10 goals, eight assists) in 13 playoff games.
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9. Reid Schaefer, Seattle (WHL)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 31 (North American skaters)
Schaefer (6-3, 213) earned 58 points (32 goals, 26 assists) in 66 regular-season games and 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in 24 WHL playoff games for the Thunderbirds.
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10. Dylan James, Sioux City (USHL)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 37 (North American skaters)
James (6-0, 177) was named the United States Hockey League's rookie of the year after leading all first-year players in goals (28), assists (33), points (61), power-play goals (10) and game-winning goals (five) in 62 games.
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Right wing

1. Joakim Kemell, JYP (FIN)
NHL Central Scouting: No. 2 (European skaters)
At the 2022 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, Kemell (5-10, 185) led third-place Finland in goals (six), power-play tallies (three) and game winners (two) and co-led the squad in points (eight).
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2. Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Djurgarden (SWE)
NHL Central Scouting: No. 6 (European skaters)
Lekkerimaki (5-10, 171) led all skaters at the U-18 Worlds in points (15) and assists (10) for gold medal-winning Sweden and had nine points (seven goals, two assists) in 26 games with Djurgarden of the Swedish Hockey League.
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3. Jimmy Snuggerud, USA U-18 (NTDP)
NHL Central Scouting: No. 11 (North American skaters)
Snuggerud (6-1, 188) ranked tied for sixth on the NTDP with 63 points (24 goals, 39 assists) and finished the season ranked second in power-play goals (seven) in 59 games.
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4. Danila Yurov, Magnitogorsk (RUS)
NHL Central Scouting: No. 7 (European skaters)
Yurov (6-1, 178) skated in 21 games with Magnitogorsk in the KHL to begin the season and finished the 2021-22 campaign with 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists) in 23 contests in Russia's junior league.
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5. Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw (WHL)
NHL Central Scouting: No. 12 (North American skaters)
Firkus (5-10, 151) earned 80 points (36 goals, 44 assists) in 66 regular-season games with the Warriors and led Moose Jaw in power-play goals (12) and game winners (seven). He added 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 10 WHL playoff games.
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6. Rutger McGroarty, USA U-18 (NTDP)
NHL Central Scouting: No. 22 (North American skaters)
McGroarty (6-1, 204) ranked fourth on the NTDP U-18 team with 69 points (35 goals, 34 assists) and third in power-play goals (six) in 54 games last season.
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7. Filip Mesar, Poprad (SVK)
NHL Central Scouting: No. 20 (European skaters)
Mesar (5-10, 174) had 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in 37 games with Poprad in Slovakia's top professional men's league and added four points (three goals, one assist) in six playoff games.
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8. Kirill Dolzhenkov, CSKA 2 (RUS-JR)
NHL Central Scouting: No. 22 (European skaters)
Dolzhenkov (6-6, 234) had 28 points (14 goals, 14 assists) in 33 games with Krasnaya Armiya Moscow in Russia's minor hockey league and registered eight points (three goals, five assists) in 19 MHL playoff games.
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9. Jani Nyman, Koovee (FIN-2)
NHL Central Scouting: No. 24 (European skaters)
Nyman (6-4, 217) had 35 points (18 goals, 17 assists) in 34 games on loan with Koovee in Mestis, Finland's second division. He had one assist in 10 games with Ilves in Liiga, the top professional league in Finland.
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10. Nicholas Moldenhauer, Chicago (USHL)
NHL Central Scouting: No. 39 (North American skaters)
Moldenhauer (5-10, 170) played 41 games and was named to the USHL All-Rookie Second Team after leading all first-year players with an average of 1.05 points per game (minimum two games played). He finished the season ranked tied for fifth among rookies in goals (18) and was seventh in points (43).
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Defense

1. Simon Nemec, Nitra (SVK)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 3 (European skaters)
Nemec (6-0, 199) recorded six points (one goal, five assists) at the 2022 IIHF World Championship and tallied an assist in seven games for Slovakia at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
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2. David Jiricek, Plzen (CZE)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 4 (European skaters)
Jiricek (6-3, 189) had 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 29 games in the Czech Extraliga, the top professional league in the Czech Republic. He added two points (one goal, one assist) in five games for third-place Czechia at the 2022 World Championship.
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3. Pavel Mintyukov, Saginaw (OHL)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 6 (North American skaters)
Mintyukov (6-2, 194) finished third among OHL d-men with 62 points (17 goals, 45 assists) and ranked first with three shorthanded goals in 67 games for the Spirit.
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4. Kevin Korchinski, Seattle (WHL)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 7 (North American skaters)
Korchinski (6-2, 185) ranked fourth among WHL blueliners with 65 points (four goals, 61 assists) and finished third with 28 power-play assists in 67 games. He became the first WHL defenseman since Darryl Sydor of Kamloops in 1989-90 (66 assists) to have 60 or more helpers in his first year of NHL draft eligibility.
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5. Denton Mateychuk, Moose Jaw (WHL)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 14 (North American skaters)
Mateychuk (5-10, 194) finished the regular season ranked third on Moose Jaw with 64 points (13 goals, 51 assists) and ranked third on the team with 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in 10 playoff contests.
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6. Lian Bichsel, Leksand (SWE)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 9 (European skaters)
Bichsel (6-6, 225) began the 2021-22 season with Leksand's team in Sweden's junior league but was promoted to the SHL, where he had three points (one goal, two assists) in 29 games.
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7. Owen Pickering, Swift Current (WHL)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 15 (North American skaters)
Pickering (6-4, 180) paced Swift Current defensemen with 33 points (nine goals, 24 assists) and 17 power-play points (four goals, 13 assists) in 62 games. He won the Tom Ham Memorial Award as Swift Current's top defenseman, and was named a Second Division All-Star and WHL Central Division Rookie of the Year.
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8. Maveric Lamoureux, Drummondville (QMHL)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 20 (North American skaters)
The second-tallest player in this year's draft, Lamoureux (6-7, 199) had 24 points (four goals, 20 assists) in 54 regular-season games for the Voltigeurs and added one assist in four QMJHL playoff games.
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9. Sam Rinzel, Chaska (HIGH-MN)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 19 (North American skaters)
Rinzel (6-4, 180) had 38 points (nine goals, 29 assists) in 27 games as a high school junior and 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 21 games with USHL Waterloo.
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10. Lane Hutson, USA U-18 (NTDP)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 25 (North American skaters)
Hutson (5-8, 158) had 63 points (10 goals, 53 assists) in 60 games - the second-most points in a season by an NTDP defenseman (Cam York had 65 in 2018-19). He also had 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 19 games against NCAA competition, and was named the top defenseman at the World U-18s after he had eight assists in six games to help the US to a second-place finish.
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Goaltender

1. Tyler Brennan, Prince George (WHL)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 1 (North American goalies)
Brennan (6-4, 185) was 11-25-2 with a 3.58 goals-against average, .899 save percentage and four shutouts in 39 games, and was 0-3 with a 1.86 GAA and .954 SV% in four WHL playoff games for the Cougars.
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2. Topias Leinonen, JYP Jr. (FIN-JR)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 1 (European goalies)
Leinonen (6-5, 233) posted a 9-10-0 record with a 2.28 GAA, .916 SV% and two shutouts in 21 games for JYP's junior team in Finland. On the international stage, he went 3-2 with a 2.61 GAA and .897 SV% in five games for third-place Finland at the 2022 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.
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3. Hugo Havelid, Linkoping Jr. (SWE-JR)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 2 (European goalies)
Havelid (5-10, 170) was named the top goaltender at the World Under-18s after going 4-1 with a 2.41 GAA and .929 SV% in five games for first-place Sweden. He went 21-7-0 with a 1.82 GAA and .920 SV% and had five shutouts in 28 games with Linkoping in Sweden's junior league.
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4. Ivan Zhigalov, Sherbrooke (QMJHL)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 2 (North American goalies)
Zhigalov (6-3, 167) is the only right-handed catching goalie on Central Scouting's top 10 list of North American goalies. He played three games for Dynamo Moscow's team in Russia's junior league and eight games with the Belarus U-18 team during the 2020-21 season before transitioning to the QMJHL where he posted a 26-12 record and 2.84 GAA in 42 games with the Phoenix in 2021-22.
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5. Dylan Silverstein, USA U-18 (NTDP)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 3 (North American goalies)
Silverstein (6-0, 179) fashioned a 10-7-0 record with a 3.52 GAA, .878 SV% and two shutouts in 20 games with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program U-18 team.
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As a reminder, Round 1 will be televised on Thursday, July 7 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+. The Stars will host a Draft Party presented by AT&T Fiber at The Owners Box in The Omni Dallas (555 S Lamar St, Dallas, TX 75202 ) for the first round with live radio coverage on Sportsradio 96.7-FM and 1310-AM The Ticket.
Rounds 2-7 will be broadcast on NHL Network and ESPN+ beginning at 10 a.m. CT on Friday, July 8.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Kyle Shohara is the Digital Manager for DallasStars.com and writes about the Stars/NHL. Follow him on Twitter @kyleshohara.