2022 NHL Mock Draft: Predicting All Seven Rounds

2022 NHL Mock Draft: Predicting All Seven Rounds

While the season just ended for players, front office personnel and general managers across the NHL are gearing up for their version of the Stanley Cup. Yes, constructing a team using draft compensation on young prospects, ranging from high school to junior leagues, and other minor league hockey teams creates an additional layer of difficulty to a pressure-filled situation. Envisioning how a player fits into a team's current roster and predicting how their skill will translate at the highest level of hockey over time is an exhausting process.

Will teams like Pittsburgh and Boston both get ahead of their aging roster and potential departures in free agency? Or will they be more reserved and address other less glaring needs? The amount of variance in draft compensation is astounding, as Montréal and Seattle have a combined 26 picks to make, while teams like Toronto and Calgary only have six combined picks across both days. Teams with more draft capital can afford to reach or invest in developing players deemed "projects" due to their current skills but determining how a player will contribute and fill a need for a team requires excellent long-term decision-making from front office personnel.

Fortunately, Matt MacKay is here to help break down the range of outcomes across all seven rounds during the upcoming two-day, live draft event set to begin Thursday, July 7th at 7 p.m. ET. The second day will be sped up to accommodate the six remaining rounds but don't neglect or overlook these second-day prospects, as several of them will develop into superstars of the next generation.

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2022 NHL MOCK DRAFT ROUND 1 PREDICTIONS

1. MONTREAL CANADIENS: SHANE WRIGHT, C, Kingston (OHL)

Montreal takes the top North American center in the draft, Shane Wright, with the No. 1 overall pick. Wright may not excite Canadiens fans with flashiness, but his fundamentals are sound, and he's equipped with a long-range shot and elite vision. Wright should slot in nicely behind Nick Suzuki on the second attack line.

2. NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Juraj Slafkovsky, LW, TPS (FIN)

New Jersey elects to take Juraj Slafkovsky with the second overall pick, solidifying their first-line attack alongside star center Nico Hischier. Slafkovsky is a towering 6-4, 230-pound left wing with impressive puck handling and high hockey IQ to establish intelligent possessions. However, However, Slafkovsky needs to develop more aggression and physicality with his frame.

3. ARIZONA COYOTES: LOGAN COOLEY, C, USA U-18 (NTDP)

Cooley has minimal flaws in his game, making him an easy pick to upgrade the depleted roster of the Arizona Coyotes. His lack of size is not an issue, and his speed, handles, and vision will earn Cooley massive minutes in the Desert.

4. SEATTLE KRAKEN: SIMON NEMEC, D, NITRA (SLVK)

The Kraken got off to a slow start during their inaugural season, with glaring weaknesses in their defense. However, Simon Nemec is the antidote needed to improve Seattle's outlook in 2022, as he plays with a fascinating mixture of speed and skating that allows him to be an asset on both ends of the rink. Nemec amassed 17 points across 19 games while playing for Nitra in Slovakia.

5. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS: CUTTER GAUTHIER, LW/C, USA U-18, (NTDP)

The Flyers get one of the best overall players in Cutter Gauthier's offensive zone. He's 6-2, 200-pounds and can shift between wing and center, offering a versatile skill set and an aggressive shot to strengthen Philadelphia's attack next season.

6. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS: DAVID JIRICEK, D, PLZN (CZREP)

The second defenseman off the board will be David Jiricek. The Blue Jackets need to improve their porous defense that surrendered dozens of shots per night to their mediocre goaltenders. Jiricek will bring speed and physicality to the back-end of Columbus' defense that will sear its bad habits.

7. OTTAWA SENATORS: MATTHEW SAVOIE, C, WINNIPEG (WHL)

Only three players exceeded 20 goals for Ottawa in 2021, so the Senators elect to draft WHL center Matthew Savoie. He's smaller but has a quality shot and high-caliber passing to improve the third-line attack in Ottawa.

8. DETROIT RED WINGS: PAVEL MINTYUKOV, D, SAGINAW (OHL)

Pavel Mintyukov is a defender with elite skating and scoring ability, making him a priority target for Detroit. He scored 62 points, including 17 goals, for Saginaw and is a big-bodied defender with high-end mobility.

9. BUFFALO SABRES: FRANK NAZAR, C, USA U-18 (NTDP)

Buffalo takes a shot on the undersized American, Frank Nazar, a shifty, high-motor player who uses his speed to position himself for scoring opportunities. Nazar could usurp Dylan Cozens as the second-line center for the Sabres in 2023 after playing for a year at the University of Michigan.

10. ANAHEIM DUCKS: JOAKIM KEMELL, RW, JYP (FIN)

Trevor Zegras and Troy Terry get another talented offensive weapon with right-wing, Joakim Kemell. The Finnish winger has a strong shot, speed, and puck to insert himself on the Ducks' top-two lines quickly two lines.

11. SAN JOSE SHARKS: LIAN BISCHEL, D, LEKSANDS (SHL)

The Sharks address their leaky defense by selecting defenseman, Lian Bischel. He's a towering 6-5, 216-pound prospect that is a textbook defender due to his mobility, size, and reach. Brett Burns is only getting older and Bischel will have a chance to learn under a star veteran.

12. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS: DANILA YUROV, RW, MAGNITOGORSK (RUS)

Columbus gets their second pick inside the top-12 and pivots to address their offense, drafting Danila Yurov out of Russia. Yurov is a development project, but he's talented enough to have averaged 1.57 points across 23 games in Russia's junior league, adding juice to Columbus' lackluster offense from 2022.

13. NEW YORK ISLANDERS:JIMM MARCO KASPER, C, ROGLE (SWE)

Marco Kasper flies off the board at 13th to the New York Islanders. He has a powerful shot and a blend of speed and puck handling that will be a fantastic addition to a starved offense that the Islanders relied on last season.

14. WINNIPEG JETS: CONOR GEEKIE, C, WINNIPEG (WHL)

Conor Geekie stays in Winnipeg and adds more depth to their offense with many quality areas in his game. Geekie's most notable skills show up with his puck handling and shot-taking, while his skating will need to improve at the next level to beat defenders in transition.

15. VANCOUVER CANUCKS: RYAN CHESLEY, D, USA U-18 (NTDP)

Ryan Chesley has committed to the University of Minnesota for the 2022-23 season, but his talent is too good to pass up. Vancouver narrowly missed the playoffs, and adding Chesley provides an enforcer with the speed that transfers on both ends of the rink.

16. BUFFALO SABRES: BRAD LAMBERT, RW, PELICANS LIIGA (FIN)

Another first-round pick for Buffalo will send Brad Lambert to beef up their attack. The Sabres will relish Lambert's unique combination of puck handling and speed to set up scoring possessions.

17. NASHVILLE PREDATORS: LANE HUSTON, D, USA U-18 (NTDP)

Lane Hutson facilitated offense well during his time in the US NTDP program, scoring 63 points and 53 assists last season. The defenseman is undersized, but his high motor and elite offensive talent will make him an asset in one of the Predators' top three defensive pairings.

18. DALLAS STARS: OWEN PICKERING, D, SWIFT CURRENT (WHL)

Owen Pickering measures 6-4 and will be an excellent investment for Dallas to make for the future of their franchise. Pickering will shore up the leaky defense and also set up more scoring opportunities from the blue line. Pickering scored nine goals and 24 assists last year in the WHL.

19. LOS ANGELES KINGS: JIMMY SNUGGERUD, RW, USA U-18 (NTDP)

Jimmy Snuggerud will add youthful scoring to an older Los Angeles Kings roster beginning in 2023 after his year at the University of Minnesota concludes.

20. WASHINGTON CAPITALS: OWEN BECK, C, MISSISSAUGA (OHL)

Adding a two-way player like center Owen Beck, who scored 51 points in 2021 in the OHL, will help Washington add a quality depth piece to its offense in 2022.

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21. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS: RUTGER MCGROARTY, LW, USA U-18 (NTDP)

Rutger McGroarty is the reigning goal-scorer in the US NTDP, finishing with 35 goals across 54 games. He's going to be the future of Pittsburgh as stars Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang, and Evgeni Malkin are all at least 34 years old.

22. ANAHEIM DUCKS: JIRI KULICH, LW/C, KARLOVY VARY (CZE)

Anaheim is the third time with multiple first-round draft capital at this juncture, resulting in their decision to draft Jiri Kulich. He has the experience and skillset to be a valuable contributor during his first year with the Ducks.

23. ST. LOUIS BLUES: DENTON METEYCHUK, D, MOOSE JAW (WHL)

St. Louis' defense consistently found themselves injured in big games during 2022. The Blues draft Denton Meteychuk out of the WHL as a more undersized defenseman with a playmaking ability to create more scoring chances on their defensive rotations.

24. MINNESOTA WILD: SEAMUS CASEY, D, USA U-18 (NTDP)

The Wild had no reliable scoring defensemen in 2022, so they opt to draft Seamus Casey. Casey's appeal lies in his high-end skating and IQ, an undersized defenseman, allowing him to create plenty of scoring opportunities. He also uses his strength to stave off opposing attacks in the defensive zone.

25. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS: MATTIAS HAVELID, D, LINKOPING JR. (SWE)

Most of Toronto's assists came from the offensive attack lines, while only Morgan Rielly scored double-digit goals (10) for the Maple Leafs during their 2021 season. Mattias Havelid offers a steady dose of offense but is a strong protector in the defensive zone. Havelid scored four goals and eight assists during Sweden's win at the U-18 international tournament.

26. MONTREAL CANADIENS: TRISTAN LUNEAU, D, GATINEAU (QMJHL)

Tristan Luneau gets drafted to the Canadiens after being named defensive rookie of the year(ROTY) during the 2020-21 season, where the talented defenseman scored 12 goals and over 30 assists for Gatineau in the QMJHL. His scoring ability will help Montreal immensely.

27. ARIZONA COYOTES: TY NELSON, D, NORTH BAY (OHL)

Arizona gets three first-round picks and elects to use their second on defenseman Ty Nelson. He's excellent at his primary duty, defending the defensive zone, sealing off counterattacks, and showing his transition skills.

28. BUFFALO SABRES: LUCA DEL BEL BELLUZ, C, MISSISSAUGA (OHL)

Buffalo finishes their third and final opening-round pick by drafting center Luca Del Bel Belluz. He has an innate vision and high hockey IQ, which allows him to get into a position to be a contributor in the offensive zone during high-percentage plays.

29. EDMONTON OILERS: JAGGER FIRKUS, RW, MOOSE JAW (WHL)

Scouts admire Jagger Firkus and his quick, accurate shot. He's undersized at 5-10, 153-pounds, but Firkus will be a welcome addition to Edmonton's depth chart, creating an equal redistribution of talent across their roster.

30. WINNIPEG JETS: ISAAC HOWARD, LW, USA U-18 (NTDP)

Isaac Howard is a talented scorer who will add excellent scoring ability to Winnipeg's offense. During Howard's acclimation process, the Jets will enjoy his deking and decision-making to propel its lower lines.

31. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING: JULIAN LUTZ, LW, MUNCHEN (DEL)

Julian Lutz has strong speed, puck handling, and shooting to make Tampa Bay interested in his services. His effort can sometimes wane, but Lutz has the skill set and profile to develop into a talented professional on one of the best rosters in the league.

32. ARIZONA COYOTES: LIAM OHGREN, LW, DJURGARDEN JR. (SWE)

The Coyotes complete their three first-round picks by selecting Swedish winger Liam Ohgren. He scored a whopping 33 goals and 25 assists in 30 games during play in the Swedish junior leagues.

2022 NHL MOCK DRAFT ROUND 2 PREDICTIONS

33. MONTREAL CANADIENS: JONATHAN LEKKERIMAKI, RW, DJURGARDEN (SWE)

Montreal continues building its offense with right-wing Jonathan Lekkerimaki out of Sweden. Lekkerimaki is a slight build at 5-10, 165-pounds but uses his elite shot-making ability to make himself an asset within the Canadiens' offense in 2022.

34. ARIZONA COYOTES: IVAN MIROSCHNICHENKO, LW, OMSK KRYLIA (RUS)

Arizona continues to hammer offense with its wealth of draft capital, selecting left wing Ivan Miroschnichenko. He's a player with few flaws and possesses a high-caliber shot to play a strong brand of hockey. His recent Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis is the primary reason he slips into the second round to Arizona, as his future in the league is not a certainty.

35. SEATTLE KRAKEN: NATHAN GAUCHER, C, QUEBEC (QMJHL)

The Kraken draft Nathan Gaucher to center one of their top three lines, as he does everything well and commits few mistakes. Gaucher will not take over any game with high-end scoring, but he is a quality player in establishing scoring possessions.

36. ARIZONA COYOTES: CALLE ODELIUS, D, DJURGARDEN JR. (SWE)

Arizona signs another talented defenseman, adding depth to their porous defensive pairings from 2022 with the addition of Calle Odelius. Odelius is not an enforcer, but he has top-end skating and a good hockey IQ that affords him the ability to be an asset on both ends of the ice. He's a complete two-way player that will add a scoring boost to the Coyotes' defense in 2023.

37. NEW JERSEY DEVILS: ELIAS SALOMONSSON, D, SKELLEFTEA JR. (SWE)

New Jersey has to wait a while after drafting their top prospect Juraj Slafkovsky, but they finally get on the board again and take defenseman Elias Salomonsson. The Swedish defenseman offers a strong one-timer shot and finesses passing on offense, using his strength to collapse opposing counterattacks in the defensive zone.

38. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: RIEGER LORENZ, LW, OKOTOKS (AJHL)

Chicago needs to add more scorers to their roster outside Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat, so they draft Rieger Lorenz out of the AJHL. Lorenz has a lot of skill in the offensive zone, but he does not always make the best decisions regarding his IQ. Shooting and puck handling are desirable attributes to entice the Blackhawks.

39. OTTAWA SENATORS: GLEB TRIKOZOV, LW, OMSK 2 (RUS)

Gleb Trikozov is a left-wing prospect out of Russia, but he will likely transition into a much-needed right-wing for Ottawa in 2022. Trikozov has excellent vision, puck handling, and shooting to offer to the Senators.

40. DETROIT RED WINGS: NOAH OSTLUND, C, DJURGARDEN JR. (SWE)

The Red Wings add center Noah Ostlund out of Sweden. This pick shows that Detroit is willing to invest in a player with seemingly no weaknesses who has already competed professionally in several overseas leagues to help improve a young roster.

41. BUFFALO SABRES: FILIP BYSTEDT, C, LINKOPING JR. (SWE)

Buffalo rejoices at landing center Filip Bystedt this late in the draft. The 6-3, 187-pound prospect is a high-upside development project for the Sabres to work on over the next few seasons.

42. ANAHEIM DUCKS: ALEXANDER PEREVALOV, LW, YAROSLAVL 2 (RUS)

Anaheim struggled with scoring in 2021, so they go out and add left-wing Alexander Perevalov out of Russia. He's a big-bodied winger with a robust collection of shots to be a contributor in the offensive zone, assuming the Ducks can develop his skating ability.

43. ARIZONA COYOTES: SAM RINZEL, D, CHASKA (HIGH-MN)

Sam Rinzel is a 6-4, 177-pound defenseman who will be an excellent asset for Arizona in the offensive zone. He will need to become a bit more physical to avoid being a liability when defending the zone.

44. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS: MAVERIC LAMOREUX, D, DRUMMONDVILLE (QMJHL)

Columbus bolsters their defense with Maveric Lamoreux out of the QMJHL. He's a mobile, explosive, physical defenseman who can skate well despite measuring 6-6 200-pounds.

45. ARIZONA COYOTES: FILIP MESAR, RW, POPRAD (SLK)

Arizona cashes in on yet another draft pick and selects Filip Mesar to add speed to their offense. The right-winger out of Slovakia has high-caliber playmaking ability that should quickly earn him minutes on an offensively-starved team like the Coyotes.

46. WASHINGTON CAPITALS: TOMAS HAMARA, D, TAPPARA JR. (FIN)

Washington does not have a lot of draft capital, so they elect to focus on improving their leaky defense from a year ago. Thanks to quality skating, Tomas Hamara can run interference and deliver pucks on the net.

47. MINNESOTA WILD: MATYAS SAPOVALIV, C, SAGINAW (OHL)

Minnesota is loaded at the wing, but their rostered centers are underwhelming. They elect to draft Matyas Sapovaliv out of the OHL, a left-handed center that can efficiently create, distribute, and finish possessions. His skating difficulties are why he drops to the Wild in the middle of the second round.

48. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS: KIRILL DOLZHENKOV, RW, CSKA 2 (RUS)

Vegas finally makes their first pick in the 2022 NHL Draft and elects to take a bruising winger, Kirill Dolzhenkov, to develop into a better skater. He's 6-6, 234-pounds, and has a high motor and good vision to be a solid player in the offensive zone.

49. SEATTLE KRAKEN: OTTO SALIN, D, HIFK JR. (FIN)

Seattle continues to focus on their defense and drafts Otto Salin out of Finland. Salin struggles to create separation but is a quality puck handler in open ice and can extend plays.

50. DALLAS STARS: FRASER MINTEN, C, KAMLOOPS (WHL)

Dallas will quickly pounce on center Fraser Minten. He offers scoring and deking, which the Stars could use more of heading into 2022.

51. LOS ANGELES KINGS: JANI NYMAN, RW, ILVES (FIN)

The Kings gravitate towards Jani Nyman due to his quality shooting and puck handling abilities. Nyman is a 6-2, 212-pound winger who is a natural playmaker.

52. DETROIT RED WINGS: NOAH WARREN, D, GATINEAU (QMJHL)

The Red Wings attempt to strike gold with 6-4, 216-pound defenseman Noah Warren out of the QMJHL. He's more of a piece to shore up the defensive zone than an offensive asset at this time.

53. ANAHEIM DUCKS: QUINN FINLEY, LW, MADISON (USHL)

Finley has the speed and can finish at the net to make him an attractive prospect for the Ducks this late in the draft. While Finley did commit to the University of Wisconsin, he has all of the requisite skills to be an excellent offensive weapon in a couple of years.

54. BOSTON BRUINS: FABIAN WAGNER, C, LINKOPING JR. (SWE)

Boston will make its first draft pick late but make the most of it by drafting center Fabian Wagner. Wagner has speed and a high motor to compensate for his 5-10, 170-pound frame.

55. WINNIPEG JETS: ARTEM DUDA, D, CSKA 2 (RUS)

Artem Duda is not speedy but has good puck handling and is an asset in the offensive zone, which is why Winnipeg will draft him. However, Duda needs to improve his skating and vision to earn 20-plus minutes for the Jets in 2023.

56. MINNESOTA WILD: JACK HUGHES, C, NORTHEASTERN (H-EAST)

Hughes can score goals, display creativity in the offensive zone, and easily control the puck. Minnesota will draft this 5-11, 170-pound left-handed center primarily for his motor and physicality.

57. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: MICHAEL BUCHINGER, D, GUELPH (OHL)

Chicago desperately needs better defensemen, and Michael Buchinger could be enough to resolve their weakness. He's good at mitigating opponents' attacks and is a quality playmaker in transition.

58. SEATTLE KRAKEN: JULIAN LUTZ, LW, MUNCHEN (GER)

After an injury kept Julian Lutz out for most of the season, he returned and displayed his puck handling and skating to create quality shots on the net. Seattle needs playmakers like Lutz, so they draft him to build their scoring depth.

59. CALGARY FLAMES: CRUZ LUCIUS, RW, USA U-18 (NTDP)

Skating and a wrist injury are the only reasons Cruz Lucius falls this far to Calgary as the 59th overall draft pick. Lucius has solid scoring and aggression to make him an asset in the Flames' lineup for years to come.

60. CAROLINA HURRICANES: ADAM ENGSTROM, D, DJURGARDEN JR. (SWE)

Carolina drafts Adam Engstrom due to his size (6-2, 185-pounds) and his ability to rip high-quality shots in the offensive zone. He has good passing skills that will allow the Hurricanes to create more scoring chances in transition on their lower lines.

61. SEATTLE KRAKEN: MIKO MATIKKA, RW, JOKERIT JR. (FIN)

Miko Matikka is a goal-scoring machine and is a good skater in tight spaces. Seattle will draft Matikka as a future asset to improve their scoring, as he's already committed to the University of Denver for the 2022-23 season.

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62. MONTREAL CANADIENS: DANIL ZHILKIN, C, GUELPH (OHL)

Montreal gets another quality center after opening up the draft with Shane Wright, and drafting Danil Zhilkin out of the OHL to improve their scoring depth. Zhilkin is not fast or consistent enough with his physicality, but his offensive skill set cannot be denied.

63. NEW YORK RANGERS: MATTHEW POITRAS, C, GUELPH (OHL)

Matthew Poitras has excellent hockey IQ and skill within the offensive zone, making himself a desirable prospect for the New York Rangers to draft. Poitras is a grinder but does not have the top-end speed to be valued as an "elite" player in this draft class.

64. NEW YORK ISLANDERS: HUNTER HAIGHT, C, BARRIE (OHL)

Puck handling and vision are Hunter Haight's most distinct attributes, creating enough draw for the New York Islanders to draft him near the end of the second round. Once again, Haight's size drops him down draft boards to improve one of the lowest-scoring offenses heading into 2023.

65. OTTAWA SENATORS: VIKTOR NUECHEV, LW, YEKATERINBURG 2 (RUS)

Ottawa finishes the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft with Viktor Nuechev. The Russian winger shoots left-handed and has a strong shot that carries from all over the offensive zone. Not only is he a good scorer, but Nuechev also possesses excellent vision and can execute incredible passes to create good plays for the offense.

2022 NHL MOCK DRAFT ROUND 3 PREDICTIONS

66. MONTREAL CANADIENS: QUINN FINLEY, LW, MADISON (USHL)

Montreal kicks off the third round of the 2022 NHL Draft by selecting Quinn Finley from the USHL. Finley played 39 games for Madison and finished with 12 goals and 17 assists, making him a great depth piece at left-wing behind Cole Caufield.

67. ARIZONA COYOTES: TYLER BRENNAN, G, PRINCE GEORGE (WHL)

The top goaltending prospect in the 2022 draft, Tyler Brennan, is drafted by the Arizona Coyotes with the 67th overall pick. The 6-4 netminder played four seasons for Prince George in the WHL, finishing 2022 with four shutouts but a 3.59 GAA. Brennan will have to tighten up but his upside on a desperate team like Arizona is undeniable.

68. SEATTLE KRAKEN: MATS LINDGREN, D, KAMLOOPS (WHL)

Seattle continues to rack up defensive talent by drafting Mats Lindgren out of the WHL. Lindgren has great puck handling for a defenseman and elite vision, resulting in 39 assists for the Kamloops across 68 games in 2022.

69. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS: BRYCE MCCONNELL-BARKER, C, SAULT STE. MARIE (OHL)

The Flyers get great value drafting center Bryce McConnell-Barker as an elite goal-scorer in the third round. He finished his only season in the OHL with 23 goals and 26 assists and will improve Philadelphia's scoring depth for years to come.

70. NEW JERSEY DEVILS: JORDAN DUMAIS, RW, HALIFAX (QMJHL)

New Jersey wants more scoring options on their roster, so they target Jordan Dumais to provide a boost on their lower lines. Dumais enjoyed a breakout season with Halifax during his second season in the QMJHL, going from ten goals in 2021 to 39 goals in 2022.

71. CAROLINA HURRICANES: RYAN GREENE, C, GREEN BAY (USHL)

The 19-year-old center, Ryan Greene, improved every year during his three seasons with Green Bay in the USHL. The talented center is durable and has an impressive hockey IQ, which resulted in at least 12 goals and 20 assists in 2021 and 2022.

72. OTTAWA SENATORS: CHRISTIAN KYROU, D, ERIE (OHL)

Christian Kyrou's 5-10 frame sends him down draft boards to Ottawa with the 72nd overall pick. Kyrou went from zero points in 21 games for Erie in 2020 to 60 points, including 18 goals, during their 2022 season. The 19-year-old defensemen will be a nice weapon to deploy in a physical but offensively-starved defense skating for the Senators.

73. DETROIT RED WINGS: SANDIS VILMANIS, LW, LULEA JR. (SWE)

Sandis Vilmanis is a promising Latvian winger who popped up during his 2022 season in the Swedish Junior League. He scored 18 goals and 14 assists in 40 games for Lulea Jr., while only acquiring eight penalty minutes. The Red Wings need scoring talent that can mitigate mistakes, which is exactly what Vilmanis offers.

74. BUFFALO SABRES: ADAM INGRAM, C, YOUNGSTOWN (USHL)

Two years competing in two different leagues has Adam Ingram prepared for life in Buffalo. The 19-year-old center broke out during his 2022 campaign with Youngstown, scoring 26 goals and adding another 29 assists across 54 games. Ingram has nice size at 6-2 and his shot and skating could earn him big minutes for the Sabres during his rookie season.

75. MONTREAL CANADIENS: DAVID MORAVEC, D, ML. BOLESLAV JR. (CZEREP)

David Moravec spent four years in various leagues in the Czech Republic and competing in international tournaments but never quite flashed in terms of points. The 6-1 defender is a textbook enforcer that can skate well in the defensive zone to stave off attacks, making Moravec a solid prospect for Montreal to draft.

76. SAN JOSE SHARKS: OSKAR PETTERSSON, RW, ROGLE JR (SWE)

San Jose will be delighted to draft Oskar Pettersson in the middle of the third round. The Swedish right-winger stands a solid 6-2 and scored 25 goals for Rogle Jr. last season in their Junior league. The Sharks need offense on their second and third lines, so they acquire a high-floor scorer with upside.

77. WINNIPEG JETS: ALEX SOTEK, RW, BRATISLAVA (SVK)

Alex Sotek regressed after progressing to the Slovakian professional league last season but the Jets have the ability to invest in a development project. The 6-0 right-winger scored ten goals in Bratislava's junior league and 16 goals back with Poprad Jr. in 2020. The transition will take some time but Sotek has shown his goal-scoring prowess throughout his time in junior leagues overseas.

78. NEW YORK ISLANDERS: OTTO HOKKANEN, C, SAIPA JR. (FIN)

The New York Islanders like what they saw from Otto Hokkanen during his stint in Finland's junior league and draft him for his skillset in the offensive zone. He managed 16 points with Saipa Junior in 2021 and 23 points back in 2020.

79. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS: FILIP NORDBERG, D, SODERTALJE JR. (SWE)

Filip Nordberg enjoyed a nice season in Sweden's junior league, finishing with 21 assists and six goals. Nordberg is a towering 6-4 but plays with good puck skills and vision to make himself an asset on both ends of the rink.

80. VANCOUVER CANUCKS: MATTHEW SEMINOFF, RW, KAMLOOPS (WHL)

Outside of J.T. Miller and Bo Horvat, Vancouver lacked scoring in 2022. Drafting right-wing Matthew Seminoff out of the WHL is where the Canucks elect to go with the 80th overall draft pick. Seminoff went from 11 goals in 22 games during his 2021 season up to 26 goals and 57 total points for the Kamloops in 2022.

81. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: JOSH FILMON, LW, SWIFT CURRENT (WHL)

Plenty of capable goal scorers remain on the draft board, so Chicago fixates itself on Josh Filmon. He's a left-winger from the WHL who buried 23 goals and another 22 assists for the Swift Current in 2022.

82. NASHVILLE PREDATORS: ISAIAH GEORGE, D, LONDON (OHL)

Nashville isn't satisfied with one rookie defenseman, so they draft Isaiah George in the third round out of the OHL. George will be a nice asset on a lower defensive line pairing for the Predators in 2023 after scoring 23 points for London during his lone season in the OHL last year.

83. DALLAS STARS: JAKE LIVANAVAGE, D, CHICAGO (USHL)

Jake Livanavage won't be scoring a ton of goals, but he has elite vision, puck handles, and skating ability to continue building up Dallas' defensive depth chart. Livanavage finished 2022 with 42 assists in 61 games for Chicago's USHL team.

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84. NASHVILLE PREDATORS: GAVIN HAYES, LW, FLINT (OHL)

Rumors of Filip Forsberg wanting a bigger contract could force Nashville's hand, resulting in the franchise drafting Gavin Hayes out of the OHL. The left-wing prospect stands at 6-2 and finished 2022 with 19 goals and 30 assists in 65 games for Flint.

85. WASHINGTON CAPITALS: DANIIL IVANOV, D, SPARTAK 2 (RUS - JR)

Washington has some excellent defensemen, but they need to instill youth into their depth chart, opting to draft Daniil Ivanov out of the Russian Junior league. He's a solid 6-4 defenseman who finished 2022 with nine goals and 21 assists for Spartak 2.

86. LOS ANGELES KINGS: JACE WEIR, D, RED DEER (WHL)

Jace Weir had a 4:1 assist to goal ratio for the Red Deer in 2022, tripling his previous point total from 2021. The 6-2 defenseman could see minutes on the second or third defensive pairing for the Kings in 2023 due to their overall lack of talent at the position.

87. OTTAWA SENATORS: MIKO MATIKKA, RW, JOKERIT JR. (FIN)

Miko Matikka improved from a down campaign in 2021, scoring 19 goals and 14 assists in only 30 games for Jokerit Jr. in 2022. Matikka is a big-bodied right-winger at 6-3 and will be a welcome addition to Ottawa's top-heavy offensive depth chart.

88. ST. LOUIS BLUES: CHARLES LEDDY, D, USA U-18 (NTDP)

St. Louis doesn't need scoring defensemen, which allows them to invest in Charles Leddy. He's an undersized defenseman with a propensity to facilitate the offense, which resulted in 17 assists during his season with the USA U-18 National Team Development Program.

89. MINNESOTA WILD: JEREMY LANGLOIS, D, CAPE BRETON (QMJHL)

Jeremy Langlois slips to Minnesota at the 89th overall pick, causing the front office to rejoice. Langlois honed his skills in the QMJHL last season, scoring 13 goals and 34 assists to shatter his previous nine-point career total. His offensive talent makes up for his defensive weaknesses.

90. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: ALEXANDER SUZDALEV, LW, HV 71 JR. (SWE)

Swedish defenseman, Alexander Suzdalev, scored 15 goals and nearly 40 assists in Sweden's junior league in 2022. Suzdalev stands 6-2 and to a leap in his goal-scoring ability, which is exactly what Chicago needs to improve their top-heavy offense.

91. BOSTON BRUINS: CEDRICK GUINDON, LW, OWEN SOUND (OHL)

Boston does not have much draft capital to leverage in the first three rounds, so it wastes no time taking left-wing prospect Cedrick Guindon out of the OHL. Guindon scored 30 goals and 29 assists during his only season for Owen Sound, which is certainly encouraging as a Boston Bruins fan.

92. MONTREAL CANADIENS: LUKAS PLOS, C, LIBEREC JR. (CZREP)

Montreal scores a late third-round gem with Lukas Plos. He's a 6-4 center out of the Czech Republic's junior league, finishing 2022 with an even distribution of 13 goals and 13 assists.

93. FLORIDA PANTHERS: SERVAC PETROVSKY, C, OWEN SOUND (OHL)

Florida finally gets back on the board and takes Servac Petrovsky to strengthen their lower-line centers. He scored 42 goals in the junior leagues before showcasing his ability at the next level with 28 goals and 26 assists against the professional competition in the OHL.

94. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: GUSTAV KARLSSON, C, OREBRO JR. (SWE)

Chicago stays busy in the third round and invests in a defenseman, Gustav Karlsson. The Swede scored 31 goals and 17 assists for Orebro Junior in 2022, but he struggled to manufacture points outside of juniors. Karlsson will need to add strength to improve his playing stock in 2023.

95. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS: PANO FIMIS, C, NIAGARA (OHL)

Vegas is one of the few teams with limited draft capital in the first three rounds, so they jump on center Pano Fimis. He's a smaller center at just 5-9, but he scored 14 goals and 30 assists in 54 games for Niagara last season.

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96. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS: ANGUS BOOTH, D, SHAWINIGAN (QMJHL)

Columbus returns to address their defensive needs, drafting Angus Booth out of the QMJHL. Booth only scored one goal in two seasons for Shawinigan, but he went from three assists in 2021 to 21 assists across 42 games in 2022.

97. COLORADO AVALANCHE: SIMON FORSMARK, D, OREBRO (SWE)

Simon Forsmark had a tough time transitioning from the junior league to the professional league in Sweden, but he's a solid-built defenseman at 6-2. Forsmark can leverage his size, and if he can improve his skating, Colorado will have some young depth to learn behind star defenseman Cale Makar.

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98. MONTREAL CANADIENS: BEN HEMMERLING, RW, EVERETT (WHL)

Ben Hemmerling made a massive stride in his output from 2021 to 2022, scoring 47 points, including 37 assists, with Everett in the WHL. Montreal continues to hammer offensive depth and adds the small-framed winger to generate scoring opportunities on their lower lines.

99. WINNIPEG JETS: MARC-ANDRE GAUDET, D, ACADIE-BATHURST (QMJHL)

Three seasons in the QMJHL allowed defenseman, Marc-Andre Gaudet, to develop his goal-scoring prowess. The 6-3, 180-pound defenseman scored 13 goals and 25 assists in 68 games, which will be immensely helpful in improving Winnipeg's scoring depth in 2023.

100. SEATTLE KRAKEN: HUGO FRYLEN, RW, VASTERAS JR. (SWE)

Hugo Frylen is a big-bodied wing out of Sweden's junior league, scoring 12 goals and 12 assists across 37 games in 2022. However, Frylen needs to improve his skating and physicality while mitigating penalties if he wants to flourish on the league's newest franchise.

101. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS: LIAM ARNSBY, C, NORTH BAY (OHL)

The Flyers continue to load up on centers to attempt to fill the void left by Claude Giroux's mid-season trade to the Florida Panthers. Liam Arnsby spent two years with North Bay in the OHL and finished with at least 20 points each season, although he'll need to learn how to limit his penalty minutes.

102. NEW JERSEY DEVILS: JAKE KARABELA, C, GUELPH (OHL)

The Devils have a strong core of talent at center but adding more depth at a position rarely turns out bad for teams. Jake Karabela is 5-10, 172-pounds and is a talented left-handed center that racked up 12 goals and 33 assists for Guelph during his only season in the OHL.

103. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING: ARTEM DUDA, D, CSKA 2 (RUS)

The Lightning get a huge value pick with defenseman Artem Duda out of the Russian junior leagues. Duda went from one goal and eight assists with CSKA 2 in 2021 to 14 goals and 27 assists in 2022.

104. OTTAWA SENATORS: MANS FORSFJALL, D, SKELLEFTEA (SWE)

Mans Forsfjall is unique in this draft class due to the three years he spent playing for Skelleftea in Sweden's junior league. He's a wiry defenseman who played well for Skelleftea's professional team in 45 games, scoring a couple of goals and three assists, so Ottawa pounces on his upside.

105. DETROIT RED WINGS: TYSON JUGNAUTH, D, WEST KELOWNA (BCHL)

Tyson Jugnauth improved in each of his three seasons with West Kelowna in the BCHL, finishing with 41 assists and scoring nine goals in 2022. Detroit adds another young talent alongside Moritz Seider and Filip Hronek to bolster its defense.

106. BUFFALO SABRES: ARSENI KOROMYSLOV, D, SKA ST. PETERSBURG 2 (RUS)

The Sabres add size to their defensive pairings by drafting Arseni Koromyslov out of Russia's junior league. The 6-3, 180-pound defenseman has good vision and hockey IQ to position himself for success in the offensive zone.

107. ANAHEIM DUCKS: BRENNAN ALI, C, AVON OLD FARMS (HIGH -CT)

Brennan Ali ends the mini-run on defensemen here in the middle of the fourth round. Anaheim acquires a center with a thick frame who can use his physicality to grind out goals and assists, finishing with 34 points on Avon Old Farms in 2022.

108. SAN JOSE SHARKS: CAMERON WHITEHEAD, G, LINCOLN (USHL)

San Jose takes advantage of the quality netminders available and drafts goaltender, Cameron Whitehead, out of the USHL. The 19-year-old goalie had a tougher time transitioning from the U18 HEO league to the USHL, so Whitehead will need to develop his craft for a couple of years before usurping James Reimer or Adin Hill.

109. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS: COLE SPICER, C, USA U-18 (NTDP)

Cole Spicer is a fast, undersized center with high-caliber goal-scoring to improve Columbus' lackluster offense in 2023. Spicer scored ten goals for Team USA and another 20 goals for the USA U-18 team simultaneously during the 2021-22 season.

110. NEW JERSEY DEVILS: MAREK ALSCHER, D, PORTLAND (WHL)

Marek Alscher made the leap from Finland's U18 league to the WHL with little distress, scoring seven goals and nine assists in 61 games. The 6-3, 177-pound Czech defenseman will be a nice addition to shore up a Devils defense that struggled to manufacture possessions in 2022.

111. NEW YORK RANGERS: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, D, SAULT STE. MARIE (OHL)

The New York Rangers look to add depth to their defense behind Adam Fox and Jacob Trouba, so they opt to draft Kirill Kudryavtsev out of the OHL. The Russian defenseman was great for Sault Ste. Marie, racking up 34 assists and five goals in 68 games.

112. VANCOUVER CANUCKS: JACK DEVINE, RW, DENVER (NCHC)

Jack Devine made a name for himself during his tenure on the USA U-17 team in the NTDP, scoring 13 goals and 31 assists in 49 games back in 2020. Devine finished with 16 assists for Denver in the NCHC league, adding enough appeal for Vancouver to seek him out in the fourth round.

113. DETROIT RED WINGS: GEORGE FEGARAS, D, NORTH YORK (OJHL)

The Red Wings are hungry for defensive depth, so they return to the well and draft George Fegaras out of the OJHL. The right-handed defenseman measures 6-1, 188-pounds and looked impressive during his lone season with North York, finishing with roughly a 3:1 assist to goal ratio.

114. NASHVILLE PREDATORS: SPENCER SOVA, D, ERIE (OHL)

Spencer Sova was a nice asset for Erie in the OHL during 2022, finishing with nine goals and 19 assists in 64 games. Nashville needs more depth outside of Roman Josi, so they opt to draft the left-handed defenseman to challenge Mattias Ekholm and Alexandre Carrier within the lower defensive pairings.

115. DALLAS STARS: JAMES FISHER, RW, BELMONT HILL (HIGH-MA)

The Stars secure a great winger, drafting James Fisher out of the High-MA league. He quadrupled his goal total (17) from two years ago in 2022 but will need to mitigate the number of penalty minutes to solidify a role in Dallas.

116. LOS ANGELES KINGS: BRANDON LISOWSKY, LW, SASKATOON (WHL)

The Kings have one of the oldest rosters in the NHL and they relied on goaltending and defense to stay competitive last season. Los Angeles invests in Brandon Lisowsky out of the WHL to recharge its lower attack lines, as the left winger scored 33 goals and another 25 assists for Saskatoon in 2022.

117. SEATTLE KRAKEN: BRAYDEN SCHUURMAN, C, VICTORIA (WHL)

Brayden Schurrman exploded in 2022 during his time with Victoria in the WHL, scoring 29 goals and 25 assists in 68 games. He's small at 5-9 but he's nearly 200 pounds, using his strength to counter bigger players. He'll help improve a Seattle offense in desperate need of scorers.

118. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS: GABRIEL KOCH, D, VALERENGA (NOR)

Kris Letang is an unrestricted free agent and the depth behind him is concerning. That's why Pittsburgh drafts Gabriel Koch out of Norway. He's a smaller defenseman in terms of size (5-11, 163-pounds) but he transitioned well from the junior league to Norway's professional league in 2022, scoring more assists than he did at the lower level.

119. BOSTON BRUINS: CAMERON O'NEILL, RW, MOUNT ST. CHARLES (HIGH-RI)

Boston is a team with limited draft capital and they may be losing franchise star, Patrice Bergeron, as an unrestricted free agent. While they already drafted one center, Cameron O'Neill scored 57 goals and 76 assists for Mount St. Charles in 62 games. This absurd stat line is enough to make the Bruins bite.

120. ST. LOUIS BLUES: MATTHEW MAGGIO, RW, WINDSOR (OHL)

Matthew Maggio slides to 120th overall and goes as a discount to St. Louis. The Blues already have a competitive roster but the addition of Matthew Maggio out of the OHL is a significant boost. He scored 38 goals and finished with 48 assists in 66 games for Windsor in 2022.

121. MINNESOTA WILD: THEO WIDEN SCHADE, D, BRYNAS JR. (SWE)

Minnesota loads up on scoring defensemen, drafting Theo Widen Schade out of Sweden's junior league. The 6-2, 187-pound prospect scored double-digit goals (11) and assists (14) in just 30 games during his stint on Brynas' U18 team in 2022.

122. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS: YAROSLAV TROFIMOV, D, YEKATERINBURG 2 (RUS)

Columbus has a ton of draft capital and can afford to invest in a development project on defense. Yaroslav Trofimov is a gangly 6-1, 165-pound defenseman who managed 12 assists and 22 penalty minutes in 57 games during his season with Yekaterinburg 2 in Russia's junior league.

123. SEATTLE KRAKEN: MICHAEL MILNE, LW, WINNIPEG (WHL)

Michael Milne goes to Seattle and will instantly impact the offense with his shot, puck handling, and skating. The 5-10, left-handed winger scored 38 goals and 43 assists for Winnipeg's WHL team in 2022.

124. CAROLINA HURRICANES: RAMI MAATTA, D, ASSAT (FIN)

Carolina isn't acquiring a goal-scorer but it doesn't need one. The Hurricanes opt to draft defenseman Rami Maatta out of Finland. Maatta finished his second season with Assat scoring 13 assists after managing only two in 14 games during his first year in Finland's professional league.

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125. FLORIDA PANTHERS: COLE KNUBLE, RW, FARGO (USHL)

Florida has a lot of directions it can choose to go but they ultimately settle on a proven goal-scoring commodity and draft Cole Knuble. The talented right winger scored 20 goals and 29 assists for Fargo during his only season in the USHL in 2022.

126. NEW JERSEY DEVILS: JOSH DAVIES, LW, SWIFT CURRENT (WHL)

The Devils have a lot of draft capital during their two days in Montréal, so they opt to address their offense at the end of the fourth round by taking Josh Davies. He's a winger out of the WHL who finished the season with 16 goals and 20 assists for the Swift Current, adding some quality depth to an underrated pool of talent in New Jersey.

127. MONTREAL CANADIENS: SEBASTIAN NAHALKA, D, POPRAD JR. (SVK)

Montreal already has their top overall prospect Shane Wright plus a few other high-end skaters on offense, so they pivot to defense and take Sebastian Nahalka. He's a 200-pound defenseman who can be an enforcer but needs to improve his vision and confidence in the offensive zone to compete for a spot in the Canadiens' defensive rotation.

128. MONTREAL CANADIENS: LUCAS EDMONDS, RW, KINGSTON (OHL)

The Canadiens get consecutive picks near the end of the fourth round, so they go to Lucas Edmonds out of the OHL. Edmonds scored 34 goals and a whopping 79 assists for Kingston in 2022, so Montreal seizes on his offensive skill set.

129. DETROIT RED WINGS: TYLER MUSZELIK, G, USA U-18 (NTDP)

After a horrendous goaltending season from Alexander Nedeljkovic, Detroit wastes no time drafting Tyler Muszelik. The 18-year-old netminder finished 35 games in the USA U-18 NTDP league with a 2.91 GAA and a .900 save percentage, showing intriguing upside for teams like Detroit to explore.

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130. MONTREAL CANADIENS: TYSON DYCK, C, CRANBROOK (BCHL)

The party isn't stopping for Montreal, who leads the 2022 NHL Draft with 14 picks. The Canadiens continue investing in their center position and draft Tyson Dyck out of the BCHL. Dyck scored 34 goals and 41 assists in 54 games for Cranbrook in 2022.

131. ARIZONA COYOTES: EGOR KUIMOV, RW, YEKATERINBURG 2 (RUS)

The Coyotes draft Egor Kuimov to enforce their defensive zone in 2023. Kuimov stands 6-3, 176-pounds and is a tactician with his shot, scoring 11 goals for Yekaterinburg 2 in 2022.

132. SEATTLE KRAKEN: MATTHEW PERKINS, LW, HUMBOLDT (SJHL)

Seattle has 12 picks of their own in Montréal and they celebrate when Matthew Perkins lands in their lap at the beginning of the fifth round. Perkins scored 23 goals and racked up 36 assists for Humboldt in 2022 and will be a quality depth piece on the Kraken.

133. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS: LEO GRUBA, D, HILL-MURRAY (HIGH-MN)

Leo Gruba is a solid scoring defenseman and winds up in the Flyers' rebuild.

134. BUFFALO SABRES: RYAN HOPKINS, D, PENTICTON (BCHL)

The Sabres need help in all areas of their roster, so they draft the best available player on the board. Ryan Hopkins finished with 24 assists in 2022 and added another seven goals for Penticton in the BCHL.

135. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS: BEN KING, C, RED DEER (WHL)

Ben King is an elite goal-scorer and winds up staying in Vegas. The 20-year-old center scored 52 goals and 53 assists for the WHL Red Deer in 2022 and could gain a signficant role with the Golden Knights across the next couple of seasons.

136. OTTAWA SENATORS: MICHAEL CALLOW, RW, ST. SEBASTIANS SCHOOL (HIGH-MA)

Ottawa adds young scoring depth by taking Michael Callow. The Bostonian scored 26 goals in 26 games last season and is an intimidating 6-4, 181-pound winger that has the skill to develop into a star for the Senators.

137. DETROIT RED WINGS: JACOB NEWCOMBE, C, CHICOUTIMI (QMJHL)

Montréal lets the board fall to them and still manages to get great value with center Jacob Newcombe out of the QMJHL. He's a sturdy size (6-0, 198-pounds) and finished with 36 points, including 14 goals, for Chicoutimi in 2022.

138. SAN JOSE SHARKS: DAVID SPACEK, D, SHERBROOKE (QMJHL)

San Jose needs to improve a leaky defense that needs to plan for a future without veteran star defensemen Brett Burns and Erik Karlsson. So the Sharks opt to draft David Spacek after a 50-point season witj Sherbooke in the QMJHL.

139. ANAHEIM DUCKS: LUCA KRAKOVSKY, D, BRATISLAVA (SVK)

The Ducks invest in Luca Krakovsky, who is an undersized defenseman with the size and skills to develop into a complete player in the defensive zone. He transitioned well from Slovakia's junior to professional teams in 2022 but the points were few and far between.

140. SAN JOSE SHARKS: LUDWIG PERSSON, LW, FROLUNDA JR. (SWE)

Ludwig Persson dominated the Swedish junior league with 25 goals and 26 assists for Frolunda but he did not finish with a single point in ten games at their professional level. The 6-0, 178-pound winger has the upside to be a nice third-line winger for the Sharks down the line.

141. NEW JERSEY DEVILS: MARCEL, MARCEL, LW, PLZEN (CZREP)

The Devils tap into the high-IQ of Marcel Marcel out of the Czech Republic. He's a left-handed winger who is a force on the ice, skating at 6-3, 216-pounds and finishing with 27 assists for Plzen Jr. in 2022.

142. NEW YORK ISLANDERS: HUDSON THORNTON, D, PRINCE GEORGE (WHL)

The New York Islanders scored 14 goals and 31 assists for Prince George in 2022 during his second year in the WHL. Thornton will add reliable scoring on the Islanders' back-end during transition offense.

143. OTTAWA SENATORS: FREDERIC BRUNET, D, RIMOUSKI (QMJHL)

Ottawa continues with an impressive draft class, taking defenseman Frederic Brunet out of the QMJHL. He scored 12 goals and was nearly 3:1 with his assist to goal ratio in 2022.

144. VANCOUVER CANUCKS: CHRIS ROMAINE, D, MILTON ACADEMY (HIGH-MA)

The Canucks aren't done shoring up their defense, drafting Chris Romaine out of the USMAAE. Romaine has the frame (6-0, 190-pounds) and speed to be an asset for Vancouver but he'll need to become more aggressive in the offensive zone.

145. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS: MARCUS VIDICEK, C, HALIFAX (QMJHL)

Two seasons with Halifax allowed Marcus Vidicek to showcase his ability in the offensive zone, scoring 18 goals and 47 assists in 2022. Vidicek will be a nice depth piece in a loaded Golden Knights offense.

146. NASHVILLE PREDATORS: TRISTAN SARSLAND, D, BENILDE-ST. MARGARET (HIGH-MN)

Tristan Sarsland scored 12 goals in consecutive seasons as a defenseman for Benilde-St. Margaret in Minnesota's premier high school league. The Predators invest their future in continuing to build a defense capable of scoring on all lines.

147. DALLAS STARS: JAKE FURLONG, C, HALIFAX (QMJHL)

Jake Furlong jumped from nine assists in 2021 to finishing with 38 assists for Halifax in 2022. Dallas needs stronger scoring defensemen, so they take Furlong without hesitation late in the fifth round.

148. LOS ANGELES KINGS: JACK HARVEY, C, CHICAGO (USHL)

The Kings land a huge prospect by drafting center Jack Harvey out of the USHL. Harvey scored 26 goals and finished with 49 points in 60 games for Chicago in 2022 with only eight penalty minutes.

149. WASHINGTON CAPITALS: SAM HARRIS, LW,, SIOX FALLS (USHL)

Sam Harris improved his stock in the USHL with 16 goals and 19 assists for Sioux Falls in 2022. The 5-11, 186-pound winger has the speed, talent, and self-scoring ability to be an immediate contributor within Washington's top-heavy offense.

150. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS: HELMER STYF, C, MODO (SWE)

The Penguins focus on improving their center position behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, drafting Helmer Styf out of Sweden's junior league. Styf scored 13 goals and 14 assists in 40 games for Modo's junior team but he struggled making the transition to the professional level, meaning he needs to develop to earn playing time for Pittsburgh.

151. OTTAWA SENATORS: ESKILD BAKKE OLSEN, C, STORHAMAR (NOR)

Eskild Bakke Olsen showed that he can consistently be a contributor on offense across two years for Storhamar in Norway's professional league. The Senators rejoice at landing this talented center as the latest piece in an offense-heavy draft.

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152. ST. LOUIS BLUES: PARKER BELL, LW, TRI-CITY (WHL)

The Blues land Parker Bell out of the WHL. He's a 6-4, 192-pound winger who saw his talent unlocked during the third season with Tri-City in 2022, scoring 18 goals and finishing with 49 points.

153. MINNESOTA WILD: GARRET BROWN, D, SIOX CITY (USHL)

Minnesota goes back to defensemen and draft Garret Brown out of the USHL. Brown only scored 12 assists in 62 games for Sioux City and 24 penalty minutes indicates that the Wild will need to be patient with him in 2023.

154. ANAHEIM DUCKS: ZACK LAVOIE, RW, MISSISSAUGA (OHL)

Zack Lavoie scored 23 goals during his lone season in the OHL, making him an easy choice for the Ducks with the 154th overall draft pick.

155. CALGARY FLAMES: SAMUEL MAYER, D, PETERBBOROUGH (OHL)

Calgary only has three draft picks, tied for the least, so they take the best defenseman on the board. Samuel Mayer scored 26 assists but needs to mitigate the 78 penalty minutes he finished with for Peterborough when skating for a Flames' roster spot in 2023.

156. CAROLINA HURRICANES: VEIT OSWALD, RW, LANDSHUT JR. (GER)

Carolina lands Veit Oswald to patch up their lower line offense in 2023. Oswald scored 28 goals and added another 23 assists for Landshut in Germany's junior league last season.

157. FLORIDA PANTHERS: KONSTA KAPANEN, D, KALPA (FIN)

Konsta Kapanen dominated Finland's junior league and managed to score a couple of points at their professional level in six games for Kalpa in 2022. Florida likes the consistency enough to draft Kapanen as a scoring defensemen on their lower lines in 2023.

158. EDMONTON OILERS: PAVOL STETKA, C, PARDUBICE JR. (CZREP)

Yes, Edmonton has two star centers on their current roster. However, adding more depth at the position will only benefit the Oilers in the long-term, so they draft Pavol Stetka.

159. NEW YORK RANGERS: KARL PERSMAN, D, VASTERAS JR. (SWE)

The Rangers have already invested in defense and have a loaded roster, so they take a chance on getting a good ROI out of Karl Persman. He played three years in Sweden's junior league and has immense size (6-7, 205 pounds) to entice New York at the end of the fifth round.

160. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING: KOCHA DELIC, C, SUDBURY (OHL)

Tampa Bay lands a quality center out of the OHL by drafting Kocha Delic. He finished his only season with Sudbury scoring 17 goals and 29 assists in 65 games, using his speed and puck handling to navigate both ends of the rink.

161. COLORADO AVALANCHE: TOPIAS LEINONEN, G, JYP JR. (FIN)

Standing at 6-4, 233-pounds, goaltender Topias Leinonen will be a great back-up to Pavel Francouz in Colorado if UFA Darcy Kuemper winds up being traded to another team after securing his Stanley Cup victory with the Avs in 2022. Leinonen finished his season with a 2.28 GAA and a .916 save percentage in 21 games.

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162. MONTREAL CANADIENS: YEGOR GUSKOV, G, YAROSLAVL 2 (RUS-JR)

Montreal continues to open up rounds and the fans celebrate with their pivot to address their porous goaltending from 2022. The Canadiens invest in Yegor Guskov, who finished last season with a 2.77 GAA and an impressive .919 save percentage in 22 games for Yaroslavl 2 in Russia's junior league.

163. ARIZONA COYOTES: DYLAN GODBOUT, LW, HILL-MURRAY (HIGH-MN)

Dylan Godbout measures 5-10, 183-pounds but he scorched defenders with elusive skating, puck handling, and an impressive shot in 2022. Godbout will be an asset on Arizona's offense and could earn big minutes if he can replicate a fraction of his 30-goal performance for Hill-Murray this past season.

164. SEATTLE KRAKEN: RAYAN BETTAHAR, D, SWIFT CURRENT (WHL)

Seattle loaded up on offense and defense early, so they invest in defenseman Ryan Bettahar. He's raw and needs developed more than the other prospects but his upside is intact.

165. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS: CADE LITTLER, C, WENATCHEE (BCHL)

Philadelphia lands a high-floor center by drafting Cade Littler out of the BCHL. Littler finished his lone season with Wenatchee scoring 45 points, including 20 goals, relying on his size (6-3, 197-pounds) to overpower opponents.

166. NEW JERSEY DEVILS: REESE LAUBACH, C, NORTHSRAR CHRISTIAN U18 (HIGH-MIN)

Reese Laubach is the latest high-schooler to be drafted, showing immense skill to attract New Jersey thanks to finishing with an even 51 goals and 51 assists for Northstar Christian's U18 team in 2022.

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167. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: LUKE WOODWORTH, C, DRUMMONDVILLE (QMJHL)

The Blackhawks finally get back on the clock and draft Luke Woodworth to bolster their center position. Woodworth scored 16 goals and chipped in another 34 assists for Drummondville in 2022.

168. OTTAWA SENATORS: DMITRI BUCHELNIKOV, LW, NIZHNY TAGIL (RUS)

Dmitri Buchelnikov went ballistic in 2022, scoring 41 goals and 34 assists for Ska St. Petersburg 2 in Russia's junior league. The Senators land a small, fast-paced skater with natural scoring ability.

169. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING: JAKUB HUJER, C, ROUYN-NORANDA (QMJHL)

Jakub Hujer flashed promising upside but his size (6-3, 190-pounds) is what makes Tampa Bay excited enough to draft him to compete for minutes on their third or fourth-line.

170. BUFFALO SABRES: AIDAN CASTLE, RW, NIAGARA (OHL)

The Sabres land a nice winger with scoring talent by drafting Aidan Castle out of the OHL. Castle is 6-0, 177-pounds and scored 15 goals and 28 assists for Niagara in 2022.

171. CAROLINA HURRICANES: BRADY STONEHOUSE, RW, OTTAWA (OHL)

Carolina adds a pure scorer with elite vision by drafting Brady Stonehouse. He's a quality skater and puck handler but he needs to cut down on his mistakes to be a contributor for the Hurricanes in 2023.

172. SAN JOSE SHARKS: MAX GRAHAM, C, KELOWNA (WHL)

Max Graham scored ten goals and 23 assists for Kelowna in the WHL last season. San Jose wastes no time adding Graham into the fold ahead of the 2023 NHL season.

173. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: BRICE COOK, C, NIAGARA (OHL)

Brice Cook showcased his talent in the offensive zone during his lone season in the OHL last year, finishing with 18 goals in 64 games. Chicago needs scoring and invests in the 6-2, 190-pound left-handed winger.

174. NEW YORK ISLANDERS: BOGDAN HODASS, D, MEDICINE HAT (WHL)

The Islanders have elite goaltending but need better defensemen to form a counter-attack in 2023. Thus, they elect to draft Bogdan Hodass out of the WHL. He's a two-way player who finished with 17 assists for Medicine Hat in 2022.

175. WINNIPEG JETS: AIDEN DUBINSKY, D, TRI-CITY (USHL)

Aiden Dubinsky played for two different teams in the WHL during his two-season tenure but he showcased enough ability setting up scoring possessions to be an asset in Winnipeg during the 2023 season.

176. VANCOUVER CANUCKS: GAVIN O'CONNELL, C, WATERLOO (USHL)

Gavin O'Connell scored 24 points in his only season with Waterloo and is a solid prospect for Vancouver to develop into a complete two-way player.

177. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS: ALEXANDER LABRAATEN, LW, FARJESTAD U18 (SWE)

Alexander Labraaten took a leap in his development in 2022, scorting 16 goals and 16 assists for Farjestad's U18 team in Sweden's junior league. Vegas hones on the 6-1, 172-pound winger to add to their lower offensive line pairings.

178. ANAHEIM DUCKS: LUCA AUER, RW, RB HOCKEY JUNIORS (AUS-2)

The Ducks have a lot of draft capital and invest their stock in Luca Auer. The Austrian right winger scored 20 goals and 28 assists during his time in their junior league last season and will improve the Ducks' lack of depth at wing.

179. DALLAS STARS: KENT ANDERSON, D, GREEN BAY (USHL)

The Stars continue hammering defense, drafting Kent Anderson out of the USHL. Anderson finished his only season in Green Bay with 26 assists and a couple of goals.

180. LOS ANGELES KINGS: MATTHEW MORDEN, D, ST. ANDREWS COLLEGE (HIGH-ON)

The Kings add a two-way defenseman to their aging roster by drafting Matthew Morden. He finished last season with a 3:1 assist to goal ratio in 41 games.

181. WASHINGTON CAPITALS: STEPHEN HALLIDAY, C, DUBUQUE (USHL)

Washington gets the best prospect thus far in the sixth round and drafts Stephen Halliday out of the USHL. Halliday scorched opponents with 95 points, including 35 goals, in 2022 for Dubuque and will be a huge improvement on the Capitals' lower line attack.

182. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS: NIKS FENENKO, D, BAIE-COMEAU (QMJHL)

Niks Fenenko may lack the size of some other defensemen in this draft class but he scored 34 assists in 62 games during his only season with Baie-Comeau in the QMJHL. Pittsburgh recognizes the upgrade and drafts Fenenko to bolster their transition offense.

183. BOSTON BRUINS: JAN SPUNAR, G, OLOMOUC JR. (CZEREP)

Jan Spunar could solve Boston's inconsistency issues defending the crease in 2023. The Czech goaltender held opponents to a 2.57 GAA and a .911 save percentage in 31 starts for Oloumac Jr. in 2022.

184. ST. LOUIS BLUES: NICHOLAS WOLFENBERG, D, OKOTOKS (AJHL)

The Blues take a long-term approach with this pick, drafting Nicholas Wolfenberg out of the AJHL. He did score 10 assists and three goals for the Okotoks in 2022 but 93 penalty minutes is a problem that Wolfenberg needs to immediately resolve.

185. MINNESOTA WILD: TY PAISLEY, LW, STEINBACH (MJHL)

Minnesota shifts off of defense and goes to left wing, Ty Paisley. Kirill Kaprizov is a star left wing for the Wild but Paisley will benefit from learning behind him in 2023, while impressing with 17 goals of his own for Steinbach in the MJHL last year.

186. FLORIDA PANTHERS: JAMES STEFAN, RW, PORTLAND (WHL)

James Stefan scored 79 points for Portland in the WHL and despite heading to a loaded Florida Panthers roster in 2023, the winger should be able to earn minutes due to his goal-scoring abilities.

187. BUFFALO SABRES: KYLE JACKSON, C, NORTH BAY (OHL)

Kyle Jackson scored 30 goals for North Bay in the OHL in 2022 and will have a great opportunity to compete for minutes on the Sabres' bottom lines in 2023.

188. CAROLINA HURRICANES: MAREK HEDJUK, RW, USA U-18 (NTDP)

Carolina has the talent to afford a long-term investment project. Therefore, they draft Marek Hedjuk for his upside out of the US U18 NTDP league, where he scored ten goals and nine assists in 2022.

189. FLORIDA PANTHERS: BRICE COOKE, LW, NIAGARA (OHL)

Florida lets the board fall into its lap here and invests in Brice Cooke to bolster their lower-line wingers.

190. EDMONTON OILERS: PAVEL BOCHAROV, D, MEDICINE HAT (WHL)

The Oilers are seeking to strengthen their lower-line defense at this point in the draft, so they take Pavel Bocharov. He did not produce at a high-rate but the 6-0, 184-pound right-handed defenseman has the tools to be an asset for Edmonton in the future.

191. NEW YORK RANGERS: JIMI SUOMI, D, TPS (FIN)

Jimi Suomi is not a stellar defensive prospect but he did transition decently from Finland's junior league to its professional level in 2022. The Rangers gravitate towards his speed and IQ.

192. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING: NESTOR NOIVA, RW, JOKERIT U18 (FIN)

Nestor Noiva going to Tampa Bay this late seems unfair but his weight (166 pounds) keeps the small-framed wingern on draft boards late into the sixth-round. He scored 32 goals and 28 assists for Finland's junior U18 team in 2022 and could develop into a top-six winger for the Lightning.

193. COLORADO AVALANCHE: LUCAS BUZZIOL, C, MILTON (OJHL)

The Avalanche cannot believe their luck when drafting Lucas Buzziol out of the OJHL. Nazem Kadri could be on the move after a career season with Colorado and replacing him with the final pick in the sixth round excites the front office and Avs fans alike. Buzziol scored 20 goals and added 29 assists for Milton in 2022.

2022 NHL MOCK DRAFT ROUND 7 PREDICTIONS

194. MONTREAL CANADIENS: SEAMUS POWELL, D, USA U-18 (NTDP)

Seamus Powell is an investment project for Montreal, which uses their 13th draft pick on the slender defenseman. He did score eight assists in 25 games for Team USA in 2022 and added another 13 assists and a goal for the USA U18 team.

195. SAN JOSE SHARKS: SAMU BAU, C, HIFK JR. (FIN)

The Sharks continue building up their offense by drafting center Samu Bau out of Finland's junior league. Bau finished 2022 with ten goals and eight assists across 36 games.

196. SEATTLE KRAKEN: RALF ROLLINGER, LW, MANHEIM JR. (GER)

Another draft-heavy team, Seattle opts to invest in Ralf Rollinger's upside after a 17-goal, 17-assist season with Mannheim in Germany's junior league.

197. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS: PATRIK JUHOLA, C, ASSAT (FIN)

The Flyers acquire talented center Patrik Juhola out of Finland's junior league. He scored 20 goals and added another 19 assists for Assat Jr. in 2022 and should boost the lower lines in Philadelphia during 2023.

198. NEW JERSEY DEVILS: YEGOR SIDOROV, RW, SASKATOON (WHL)

The Devils use their final draft pick on Yegor Sidorov. The Belarusian winger is talented in the offensive zone, scoring 23 goals for Saskatoon in 2022.

199. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: NOLAN COLLINS, D, SUDBURY (OHL)

The Blackhawks gravitate towards Nolan Collins' size as an enforcer in the defensive zone. The defenseman stands at 6-3, 194-pounds but needs to improve his skating and shot to earn 20-plus minutes for Chicago in 2023.

200. BOSTON BRUINS: FRANCESCO IASENZA, D, MONCTON (QMJHL)

Boston uses their last draft pick on defense, acquiring Francesco Iasenza out of the QMJHL. Iasenza scored 16 assists but racked up 89 penalty minutes with Moncton in 2022.

201. DETROIT RED WINGS: DYLLAN GILL, D, ROUYN-NORANDA (QMJHL)

Dyllan Gill doesn't pop off the stat sheet but he's a sturdy 6-2, 180-pound defenseman who can be leveraged in Detroit's leaky defending corps.

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202. BUFFALO SABRES: TUCKER ROBERTSON, C, PETERBOROUGH (OHL)

41 goals and 40 assists make Tucker Robertson the steal of the draft at this point. Buffalo lost Jack Eichel in a trade last season and will seek to replace him for pennies on the dollar. Roberson's height (5-10) and weight (190), results in him landing on a team desperate for offense.

203. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS: NIKLAS HUBNER, D, INGOLSTADT JR. (GER)

Columbus hammers defense after going heavy on offense early, drafting Niklas Hubner out of Germany's junior league. Hubner finished 2022 with 19 assists and eight goals.

204. SAN JOSE SHARKS: RASMUS VUORINEN, D, HIFK JR. (FIN)

Durability and size make defenseman Rasmus Vuorinen slide down draft boards but he has the intangible factors to be a good depth piece on a team that can afford a project. Since the Sharks have a lot of defensive prospects, they add one more to challenge the higher-round players to remove complacency.

205. CAROLINA HURRICANES: MADDOX FLEMING, C, SIOUX FALLS (USHL)

The 'Canes secure a high-floor center by drafting Maddox Fleming out of the USHL. Fleming scored ten goals and 24 assists for Sioux Fallas in 47 games and could see solid minutes for Carolina's lower attack lines in 2023.

206. OTTAWA SENATORS: TYLER DUKE, D, USA U-18 (NTDP)

Ottawa shifts back to defense and drafts Tyler Duke to be a potential future piece of the franchise. Duke scored double-digit assists with both Team USA and the USA U-18 NTDP in 2022.

207. WINNIPEG JETS: DUNCAN RAMSAY, D, KIMBALL UNION (HIGH-NH)

Duncan Ramsay is a quality enforcer with elite vision and puck handling for a big guy. The 6-4, 201-pound defenseman finished 2022 with 27 points for Kimball Union in New Hampshire's high-school league and will be a solid prospect for the Jets in the next stage of their rebuild.

208. VANCOUVER CANUCKS: SAM ALFANO, RW, PETERBOROUGH (OHL)

Vancouver adds a massive winger with physicality to leverage, drafting Sam Alfano out of the OHL. Alfano scored 25 points across 65 games and will be a nice late-round gem for the Canucks to attempt developing.

209. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS: CONNOR KURTH, RW, DUBUQUE (USHL)

Connor Kurth becomes the latest high-value prospect to go off the board on Day 2. Vegas gets their guy, a winger who scored 35 goals and another 46 assists in 62 games for Dubuque in the USHL.

210. NASHVILLE PREDATORS: IAN BLOMQUIST, G, VASTERAS (SWE-2)

The Predators have Juuse Saros but his volatility in 2022 was concerning, so they address the position by drafting Ian Blomquist out of Sweden. The 19-year-old netminder finished 2022 with a 2.61 GAA and .918 save percentage in 29 games, which excites Nashville's front office.

211. BUFFALO SABRES: BRAEDEN BOWMAN, RW, GUELPH (OHL)

Three consecutive seasons with 20-plus goals has Buffalo excited to draft talented right winger, Braeden Bowman, out of the OHL.

212. DETROIT RED WINGS: JULIEN BELAND, LW, RIMOUSKI (QMJHL)

Detroit drafts Julien Beland due to his measurables (6-3, 184-pounds), but he did finish with double-digit goals and assists in 56 games for Rimouski in the QMJHL.

213. WASHINGTON CAPITALS: LAYTON FEIST, D, REGINA (WHL)

Going from four assists to 22 assists, albeit playing in more games, will get scouts to notice the production. This is the case with defenseman Layton Feist, who is undersized but talented with the puck.

214. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS: NOLAN JOYCE, D, ST. SEBASTIAN'S SCHOOL (HIGH-MA)

Nolan Joyce scored 14 goals in Massachusetts premier high school league and has the tools to develop into a complete two-way player in Pittsburgh to replenish their aging roster.

215. BOSTON BRUINS: ZAKHAR POLSHAKOV, C, BRANDON (WHL)

The Bruins take a smaller-framed center with scoring talent, drafting Zakhar Polshakov out of the WHL. Double-digit assists during his lone season with Brandon in 2022 make Polshakov an intriguing center for Boston to commit to moving forward.

216. MONTREAL CANADIENS: JEREMIAH SLAVIN, D, MUSKEGON (USHL)

Montréal's last pick isn't flashy but with 14 total draft picks, they can reach on projects like Jeremiah Slavin. He's a defenseman with the size (6-2, 200-pounds) to intimidate opposing offenses but his lack of productivity on offense makes him a current liability.

217. SAN JOSE SHARKS: KIRILL STEKLOV, D, LONDON (OHL)

More high-upside, low-floor defensemen start flying off the board, including Kirill Steklov. San Jose is now replete with defenders.

218. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS: ADAM ZLNKA, RW, SIOUX FALLS (USHL)

Toronto invests in Adam Zlnka, a winger who showed efficiency, albeit in limited games (10) with Sioux Falls in 2022.

219. CALGARY FLAMES: DARIO ALLENSPACH, C, ZUG (SWZ)

Calgary lands Dario Allenspach with their last pick in the draft. He's an undersized center who transitioned well out of Switzerland's junior league, scoring four goals and five assists in 48 games for Zug in 2022.

220. CAROLINA HURRICANES: ROBIN SAPOUSEK, C, KARLOVY VARY JR. (CZREP)

Carolina had a good draft and caps it off with center Robin Sapousek. He's under 150 pounds but stands 6-0, while finishing with 13 points in 20 games for Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic's junior league.

221. FLORIDA PANTHERS: DOMINIK PAVLATA, LW, PARDUBICE JR. (CZREP)

The Panthers draft another offensive piece, selecting Dominik Pavlata out of the Czech Republic junior league. Pavlata finished with 17 points last season but is good at limiting his mistakes.

222. EDMONTON OILERS: MAXIM AREFYEV, G, YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK 2 (RUS-JR)

Edmonton has a serious goaltending issue, so they opt to draft Maxim Arefyev out of Russia's junior league. Arefyev did allow 3.27 GAA but played 49 games and maintained a .916 save percentage, making him an attractive prospect for the Oilers to wrap up their draft class.

223. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING: FILIP MANISCALCHI, D, FARJESTAD JR. (SWE)

Tampa drafts another big-bodied defenseman to add to their top-heavy defensive lines. Filip Maniscalchi is a 6-2, 200-pound Swede who finished 2022 with nine goals and 13 assists in 43 games for Farjestad Jr.

224. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING: LANDON SIM, RW, LONDON (OHL)

The Lightning pivot off of defense and address their offense, adding Landon Sim out of the OHL. Sim scored 12 goals and nine assists in his only season competing for London in the OHL and has the speed and handles to be an asset in Tampa Bay.

225. COLORADO AVALANCHE: ERIC POHLKAMP, D, CEDAR RAPIDS (USHL)

Colorado has the best defenseman in the league right now but they want to add more depth at the position to address the lower lines. The Avs close out the 2022 NHL Draft by taking Eric Pohlkamp out of the USHL. Pohlkamp scored seven goals and 11 assists in 61 games with Cedar Rapids in 2022 and is a reliable skater in tight spaces, using his 5-10, 205-pound frame to bully opponents off of the puck.