Looking Back At The 2022 NHL Draft: Slafkovsky, Hutson Fared The Best While Others Disappoint

The 2022 NHL draft is such an interesting group to look back on. This draft class was arguably more impacted by COVID-19 from a development perspective than any other, losing the end of their D-2 seasons while their D-1 seasons were heavily impacted by irregularities and even completely cancelled seasons as well. 

Yes, they were able to play their draft years in an environment that was somewhat back to normal, but they had two massive development years that were greatly impacted by the world essentially shutting down. 

So how are they doing almost five years later? Well, 80 players from the class have played at least one game in the NHL and 66 have registered a point. The top of the draft delivered mixed results, and there were some interesting players outside of the first round. 

Let’s take a look at the top ten as well as some notable players who both exceeded and haven’t met expectations.

292 GP - 74 G - 117 A - 191 Pts

Somewhat of a surprise on draft day, the first overall pick has proved everyone wrong and become a pivotal piece on a contender. Slafkovsky was drafted to become one of the league's premier power forwards.

Last season, Slafkovsky broke out with 73 points in 82 games. He’s a power playmaker who is emerging as one of the league's most impactful support players, often doing the dirty work to allow Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield to dominate in space. He’s the leading scorer from the class and has helped the Montreal Canadiens reach an Eastern Conference final already. 

165 GP - 16 G - 36 A - 52 Pts

No longer with the New Jersey Devils, Simon Nemec flashed potential over his first three seasons in New Jersey, but he never seemed to be able to lock down a spot in the lineup.

It was a year or longer in which Nemec was in trade rumors but he was finally moved this past off-season, heading to the Calgary Flames, where he signed a long-term deal, and he’s found a role with the club.

Nemec is a solid two-way defender, but he has yet to reach the level that some had hoped for in his draft year. Defenders are always selected high on draft day, but the 2022 class has turned out to be somewhat weak on the blueline. 

223 GP - 72 G - 91 A - 163 Pts

Slightly ahead of Slafkovsky in points per game but just behind him in raw output, Logan Cooley has been a player who has emerged as a difference maker, especially since the Arizona Coyotes moved to Utah in his second season.

Cooley’s skill and play-driving ability have been outstanding additions to the Utah Mammoth’s lineup, and this season, he’s picked up right where he left off. Cooley might ultimately end up being the highest scorer in the draft class, bringing a more skilled and speed-based game than Slafkovsky’s power playmaking. It will be interesting to see how he develops into his mid-20s. 

181 GP - 39 G - 43 A - 82 Pts

The presumptive first overall pick right up until draft day, Shane Wright wound up falling to fourth overall, and his staredown of the Canadiens front office staff will forever be memorable.

What hasn’t been memorable up to this point is his play on the ice. Wright has struggled to find a fit with the Seattle Kraken, where has been bounced between the NHL and OHL initially before going between the NHL and AHL after that.

The last two years have been exclusively in the NHL, but he hasn’t found his groove. All hope isn’t lost, but like Nemec, a change of scenery might be best. 

169 GP - 63 G - 57 A - 120 Pts

The drama between Cutter Gauthier and the Philadelphia Flyers was well documented, but the left winger forced his way out of Philly and landed in a great spot with the Anaheim Ducks.

Recently signed to a massive deal, Gauthier is a core piece for the Ducks as they ascend toward contender status. He’s coming off a 41-goal season as a sophomore, and although he’s started a bit slowly, he remains one of the Ducks' premier offensive pieces. He was a late riser in the draft class but he’s showing well worth the fifth overall pick. 

94 GP - 2 G - 12 A - 14 Pts

As mentioned, the defense group in the 2022 NHL draft was a bit on the mediocre side, and David Jiricek has seemingly become the face of that.

Failing to get going with the Columbus Blue Jackets despite excellent results in the AHL, he was traded to the Minnesota Wild, where he once again couldn’t find a role. This led to him being dealt once again to the Flyers.

He’s been with the big club this year, but he spent the tail end of last season in the AHL with Lehigh Valley after the trade. Jiricek is a big, physical defender who has the tools to be a capable two-way player. He just hasn’t found a way to put it all together. 

106 GP - 6 G - 13 A - 19 Pts

After playing his rookie season in the NHL during the 2023-24 season, Korchinski has been primarily an AHLer with some stints in the NHL. His results have been mixed, to say the least, since that rookie year when he showed plenty of promise.

The Chicago Blackhawks have him in the NHL this year, but only because he has to pass through waivers. He’s played one game and the coaches have been preaching being great in practice so it doesn’t look great for his playing time in the near future. 

160 GP - 28 G - 28 A - 56 Pts

After a very solid rookie season two years ago, Kasper regressed in a big way last year, going from 37 points to just 19. This year, he’s played in one game before an injury took him out of the lineup. Kasper is a hard-working forward who has played up and down their lineup.

His offensive game has been up and down in his first couple of seasons, but his surroundings with the Detroit Red Wings haven’t helped. He still has potential to be a very good third-line center. 

87 GP - 18 G - 20 A - 38 Pts

Never really getting a shot with the Buffalo Sabres, as they were bringing in a seemingly endless group of young forwards, Matthew Savoie was traded to the Edmonton Oilers prior to last season, and he had a solid season as a depth scorer for the Oilers despite a middling season for the club.

Savoie is injured to start this year, but he should step into the lineup and hit the ground running with the high-scoring Oilers this year. He’s taken a bit to get here, but he seems like a solid NHLer at this point. 

213 GP - 17 G - 54 A - 71 Pts

Although he hasn’t quite reached the offensive heights some expected out of junior, where he was a demon for the Saginaw Spirit, Mintyukov has rounded out his game and become a solid piece on the backend for the Ducks.

He outlasted Jamie Drysdale (traded to the Flyers for Guathier) and Olen Zelleweger (traded to the Sabres), as the three came into the league together as hot-shot offensive blueliners. Now, Mintyukov is a part of the Ducks' solid back end. 

176 GP - 20 G - 135 A - 155 Pts

If the draft were held today, it would be a tough choice for Montreal at first overall. Would they take the power forward that they originally took, or the hyper-skilled defender that they were fortunate to grab at 62nd overall?

Lane Huston has become one of the most exciting offensive blueliners in the NHL, bringing the kind of slick passing and elite evasiveness to the Habs back end that they haven’t had in a long time. He’s a special talent, and if the draft were held today, he would be in the conversation for first overall, not nearly falling to the third round. 

130 GP - 31 G - 41 A - 72 Pts

With a new long-term deal kicking in this season, the Blackhawks have loved what they’ve seen from their speedy forward. Nazar is a dual-threat attacker who plays at the speed of light, consistently looking to attack and put defenders on their heels. He’s become an important building block for Chicago. 

3 GP - 0 G - 0 A - 0 Pts

In just three NHL games, Gaucher has not lived up to the billing of being a first-round pick. He’s not been a true threat to earn a spot in the NHL, but even when he was drafted, he was viewed as a bottom-six center, potentially. He still needs to up the pace, work on his mobility and find his role. For now, he’ll be an effective AHLer. 

Grouping Mesar and Bystedt together feels unfair but they are the only two first-rounders to never touch NHL ice in the regular season. Mesar has never really found his groove at the pro level in North America. He’s started this year strong but he has plenty of work to do before an NHL spot is in his sights. 

As for Bystedt, he’s played a couple of years of pro hockey in Sweden and then jumped to the AHL over the last two years, putting up 60 points last year. Bystedt is the one first-rounder who hasn’t played, but could still be a very interesting middle-six player. His speed is an asset, and he will likely be a call-up if there’s an injury this season with the San Jose Sharks.

40 GP - 3 G - 6 A - 9 Pts

Lambert was one of the most divisive players in the 2022 class, playing in a weird situation in Finland with mixed results. His talent and tools are obvious, but he hasn’t been able to earn a role at the NHL level just yet.

He’s had AHL success, but he’s been relegated to fourth-line duty at the NHL level. He’s not a grinder, he’s a transition ace. The Winnipeg Jets have misused him routinely whenever he’s been in the NHL, and now there are doubts about whether he can get things going. A fresh start in a new city might be needed. 

30 GP - 1 G - 2 A - 3 Pts

Another player who had massive hype from both social media and traditional media, especially because of his participation for Team Canada over the years at the junior level, Owen Beck hasn’t quite lived up to it.

Some of it is that he was always a player who projected as a third-line center, and part of it is that Montreal has had so many young players pass him on the depth chart. He still has potential, but he seems like a trade chip at this point. 

119 GP - 25 G - 25 A - 50 Pts

Starting his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs before being traded to the Boston Bruins in the Brandon Carlo trade, Minten has been a very solid piece for the Bruins.

He is a reliable, steady two-way center. His production is a bit streaky, but he has found a way to be a solid middle-six player for the Bruins. Toronto made a good pick, but the Bruins are the beneficiaries of it. 

25 GP - 3 G - 6 A - 9 Pts

One of the most jaw-dropping contracts over the last year was when Anaheim signed Tristan Luneau to a big-money, long-term deal after playing just 14 games.

Luneau has had a number of injuries early on, but he’s been a solid NHLer when he has gotten into games. Now approaching two dozen games, Luneau is looking to prove that he deserves the contract and the faith that Anaheim put in him. 

78 GP - 11 G - 23 A - 34 Pts

Similar to Korchinski, the career of Matthew Poitras started and stalled early. He was in the NHL as a 19-year-old, but after that season, he went back and forth between the AHL and NHL.

This year, he seems to be hitting his stride and looks like a more mature version of the player who made the team as a 19-year-old. He’s put up seven points in nine games and looks like he’s earning his spot every night. 

110 GP - 7 G - 9 A - 16 Pts

The Vancouver Canucks found a solid blueliner outside of the top 100 when they drafted Elias Pettersson. He’s not some kind of stalwart, but he’s a legitimate NHLer who has reached 100 games already, one of only 14 players in the class to do so.

Pettersson has been better than many of the veterans that Vancouver has tried on the back end, and he still has room to grow and mature.

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