Many Canadiens fans were taken aback when Montreal selected Juraj Slafkovsky as the first overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.
But given the forward’s progression and record-breaking tendencies over the past season, plenty of folks are now eating their words, acknowledging that the Canadiens may have ultimately made the right choice.
Of all the players selected in his draft year, Slafkovsky, who has hit his stride in the second half of the 2023-24 season, leads the pack in both games played and points scored.
So far, 16 (7.1%) players from the 2022 draft class have seen NHL action. Together, they average 13 career points. Slafkovsky’s 58 points over 117 games have certainly bumped those numbers up.
With that in mind, let’s see how the other top prospects from that draft compare.
Simon Nemec (New Jersey Devils)
Draft position: Second overall
NHL totals: 57 GP, 3 G, 16 A, 19 PTS
Selected second overall by the New Jersey Devils, Slovakian blueliner Simon Nemec was the first defenceman taken in the draft. And he’s lived up to that status since.
Scoring 12 goals and 36 points over 65 games in his inaugural AHL season with the Utica Comets, Nemec earned himself a call-up earlier this year.
Since spending the majority of 2023-24 in the NHL, Nemec, 20, is fourth in NHL scoring among his draft class, collecting 19 points with the Devils so far.
He is expected to be a foundational piece for the franchise in the years to come.
Logan Cooley (Arizona Coyotes)
Draft position: Third overall
NHL totals: 79 GP, 19 G, 24 A, 43 PTS
While to a lesser degree than Wright, many fans hoped Montreal would select American centre Logan Cooley first overall.
Even Arizona’s social media admin joked about the topic in November, taking a shot at the Canadiens’ choice.
When you don't draft Logan Cooley No. 1 pic.twitter.com/jnx4x4tDZi
— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) November 3, 2023
And to be fair, the 19-year-old has made a case for himself, logging a whopping 22 goals and 60 points in just 39 games with the University of Minnesota in the season following the draft.
He’s continued to produce at the next level too, scoring 19 goals and 43 points over his first 79 games with the Coyotes this year, which is only five less than Slakfovsky’s 48 points on the season.
Shane Wright (Seattle Kraken)
Draft position: Fourth overall
NHL totals: 15 GP, 5 G, 2 A, 7 PTS
For months leading up to draft day, forward Shane Wright had been the bona fide No. 1 pick in the minds of analysts and fans alike. And once the Canadiens won the draft lottery, it was basically a foregone conclusion where he would be going.
But for some reason, the Kingston Frontenacs centre slipped to No. 4 on the board, ultimately going to the Seattle Kraken instead.
Since then, he’s played 15 NHL games over the past two seasons, netting a respectable five goals and seven points at the top level.
Playing 56 games with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the 20-year-old scored 20 goals and 43 points in the AHL this year.
While he can’t be classified as a “steal” for Seattle yet, playing a full season in the NHL will provide a better sample.
Cutter Gauthier (Anaheim Ducks)
Draft position: Fifth overall
Cutter Gauthier has yet to play an NHL game, but he made shockwaves around the league this season for a different reason.
Less than two years after drafting him fifth overall, the Philadelphia Flyers traded the American prospect to the Anaheim Ducks in January after he refused to play for the organization.
With that said, the 20-year-old forward has consistently performed at the NCAA level, scoring an impressive 37 goals and 64 points over just 39 games with Boston College this past season.
David Jiricek (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Draft position: Sixth overall
NHL totals: 44 GP, 1 G, 9 A, 10 PTS
Spending the bulk of the last two years with the Cleveland Monsters, defenceman David Jiricek played his first four NHL games with the Blue Jackets in 2022-23.
He was recalled once again this season, netting one goal and 10 points over a 40-game span.
Known for his smooth skating and offensive prowess, the Czech blueliner has yet to explode on the stat sheet. But at 20, time is still on his side.
Kevin Korchinski (Chicago Blackhawks)
Draft position: Seventh overall
NHL totals: 72 GP, 5 G, 14 A, 19 PTS
Drafted seventh overall by Chicago, defenceman Kevin Korchinski is third in NHL games played among his draft class.
Making his debut with the Blackhawks this season, the Canadian blueliner has collected five goals and 14 points over 72 games on a struggling Chicago team.
He’s also been asked to fill some big skates, averaging nearly 20 minutes (19:38) of ice time a night.
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