With the NHL Draft a little bit over two weeks away, teams are gathering their final prospect rankings. Defenseman may be one of the most important positions in the NHL Draft right now. Who can find their next Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche? The 2022 NHL Draft will take place on Thursday, July 7 with the first round and the second thru seventh rounds will take place on Friday, July 8. Who are the Top 15 defenseman prospects in the 2022 NHL Draft?
1. Name: Simon Nemec
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 192 lbs
Last Amateur Club: Nitra
League: Slovika
Age: 18
Stats: 39 games, one goal, 25 assists, plus/minus rating 13. 19 postseason games, five goals, 12 assists, plus/minus rating 2.
Scouting Report: Nemec is projected to be the top defenseman taken in the 2022 NHL Draft. He is a great two-way player and Simon Nemec can pass the puck with ease and is an excellent skater as well.
NHL Comp: Cale Makar
2. Name: David Jiricek
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 176 lbs
Last Amateur Club: Plzen
League: Czrep
Age: 18
Stats: 29 games, five goals, six assists, and a plus/minus rating of even.
Scouting Report: Skating is the name of his game and he can also get shots through traffic.
NHL Comp: Erik Karlsson
3. Name: Kevin Korchinski
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 185 lbs
Last Amateur Club: Seattle
League: WHL
Age: 17
Stats: 67 games, 4 goals, 61 assists, plus/minus rating 36. Playoffs: 25 games, 6 goals, 13 assists, plus/minus rating 6.
Scouting Report: Korchinski has a wicked left-handed shot, but his playmaking is electrifying. He has solid height for a defenseman and Kevin Korchinski is going to make someone happy with his offensive playmaking ability on the power play and on the rush from the back end.
NHL Comp: Victor Hedman
4. Name: Pavel Mintyukov
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 192 lbs
Last Amateur Club: Saginaw
League: OHL
Age: 18
Stats: 67 games, 17 goals, 45 assists, plus/minus rating -14.
Scouting Report: He can over pursue the puck sometimes and be turnover prone. However when Pavel Mintyukov is on his game, it is very dangerous and Mintyukov has very high upside after his breakout season in the OHL.
NHL Comp: Kris Letang (left-handed version).
5. Name: Denton Mateychuk
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 192 lbs
Last Amateur Club: Moose Jaw
League: OHL
Age: 17
Stats: 65 games, 13 goals, 51 assists, plus/minus rating 20. Playoffs, one goal, nine assists, plus/minus rating -2.
Scouting Report: He’s always up in the play and can also get very aggressive. Mateychuk also can be his own worst enemy sometimes with too many turnovers but coaches will like Denton Mateychuk’s risk ability.
NHL Comp: Brent Burns (left-handed version).
6. Name: Lian Bichsel
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 212 lbs
Last Amateur Club: Leskand
League: Sweden
Age: 18
Stats: 11 games, three goals, four assists, plus/minus rating -1.
Scouting Report: He has great puck control according to the advanced analytics and can also block shots and is willing to sacrifice his body. Bischel is projected to go in the later first round because of not getting enough games in last year and Lian Bischel could be a steal.
NHL Comp: Ivan Provorov
7. Name: Elias Salomonsson
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 161 lbs
Last Amateur Club: Skelleftea Jr.
League: Sweden-Jr.
Age: 17
Stats: 35 games, 11 goals, 11 assists, plus/minus rating -3.
NHL Scouting Report: He had an underachieving 2022 season and still has a lot of upside in the 2022 NHL Draft. Elias Salomonsson has the potential to be a goal-scoring defenseman, but Salomonsson will need to have some work on other parts of his game though.
NHL Comp: John Carlson
8. Name: Owen Pickering
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 180 lbs
Last Amateur Club: Swift Current
League: WHL
Age: 18
Stats: 62 games, nine goals, 24 assists, plus/minus rating -29.
NHL Scouting Report: Pickering has climbed up draft boards from the start of the season. He will be a late first or an early second-round pick and also, Owen Pickering has potential offensively but the defense needs work.
NHL Comp: Justin Schultz (left-handed version)
9. Name: Tristan Luneau
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 174 lbs
Last Amateur Club: Gatineau
League: QMJHL
Age: 18
Stats: 63 games, 12 goals, 31 assists, plus/minus rating 9. Playoffs: Seven games, zero goals, six assists, plus/minus rating 1.
NHL Scouting Report: A defenseman who has offensive potential, but he will need to put on some muscle in the next level. Tristan Luneau will need to get more gritty, but Luneau has an offensive knack for his game.
NHL Comp: Hayden Fleury
10. Name: Ryan Chesley
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 201 lbs
Last Amateur Club: USA U-18
League: NTDP
Age: 18
Stats: 59 games, 12 goals, 17 assists, plus/minus rating 44.
NHL Scouting Report: Chesley will be attending the University of Minnesota next season. He is a very well-played and disciplined two-way defender that is willing to sacrifice his body and also Ryan Chesley can break up plays and has a little bit of offense pop to his game.
NHL Comp: Charlie McAvoy
11. Name: Sam Rinzel
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 180 lbs
Last Amateur Club: Chaska
League: HIGH-MN
Age: 17
Stats: 27 games, nine goals, 29 assists, plus/minus rating 22.
NHL Scouting Report: He will be attending the University of Minnesota next season. Rinzel is NHL ready out of high school and Sam Rinzel also has a very big skating frame about him.
NHL Comp: Josh Manson
12. Name: Maveric Lamoureux
Height: 6’7″
Weight: 199 lbs
Last Amateur Club: Drummondville
League: QMJHL
Age: 18
Stats: 54 games, four goals, 20 assists, plus/minus rating -30. Playoffs: four games, zero goals, and one assist, plus/minus rating -4.
NHL Scouting Report: He can check players with ease with his size. Maveric Lamourex needs to polish his offensive game but will be a serviceable defenseman in the NHL and teams will be happy with Lamourex.
NHL Comp: Aaron Ekblad
13. Name: Lane Hutson
Height: 5’8″
Weight: 158 lbs
Last Amateur Club: USA U-18
League: NTDP
Age: 18
Stats: 27 games, 6 goals, 26 assists, plus/minus rating 27.
NHL Scouting Report: Hutson has great mobility on the ice but he lacks size. Lane Huston will need to use his speed to be successful in the NHL.
NHL Comp: N/A
14. Name: Calle Odelius
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 188 lbs
Last Amateur Club: Djurgarden Jr.
League: Sweden-Jr.
Age: 18
Stats: Seven games, zero goals, zero assists, plus/minus rating -1.
NHL Scouting Report: He has solid play-making and passing abilities and has success in other leagues. Calle Odelius needs some time to develop and Odelius has raw potential.
NHL Comp: N/A
15. Name: Mattias Havelid
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 165 lbs
Last Amateur Club: Linkoping Jr.
League: Sweden-Jr.
Age: 18
Stats: 23 games, zero goals, zero assists, plus/minus rating -4.
NHL Scouting Report: He is an offensively skilled player who can move the puck and Mattias Havelid also played in other leagues during the season. Havelid will also have potential on the power play.
NHL Comp: Mike Matheson