2022 NHL Draft tracker — Round 1: Slafkovský and beyond

Some years, it’s painfully obvious who will be picked first overall in an NHL Draft. Heading into the first night of the 2022 NHL Draft, there was instead plenty of intrigue. In the end, the Montreal Canadiens selected  Juraj Slafkovský overall to kick off the 2022 NHL Draft.

Of course, “Who goes No. 1?” wasn’t the only reason why there was intrigue heading into Round 1 of the 2022 NHL Draft. Hockey fans also feasted on trade rumors, and actual trades on Thursday.

The splashiest pre-draft trade featured the Senators landing Alex DeBrincat, sending the Blackhawks three picks, including No. 7 in 2022.

While the defending champion Avalanche might not be so focused on Round 1 of the 2022 NHL Draft, they also made a trade, acquiring goalie Alexandar Georgiev from the Rangers. There was also a key signing, as the Penguins locked down Kris Letang.

So, it’s already been a fascinating start to 2022 NHL Draft week(end). Stay tuned at PHT as the fun continues.

On that note, keep track of each pick from Round 1 of the 2022 NHL Draft with PHT’s tracker. This post will be updated as picks roll in on Thursday.

1. Montreal Canadiens: Juraj Slafkovský, LW, TPS (Liiga)

In PHT’s Mock Draft, Brock Otten of McKeen’s Hockey wrote this about Slafkovský, the first Slovakia native to go No. 1 overall:

Slaf is the draft’s most NHL-ready prospect thanks to his size, speed, and skill combination. What he has been able to do playing against high caliber competition at the Olympics and at the World Championships is mighty impressive.

Slafkovský brings size and skill to the Canadiens. He’s basically as big as the pressure he’ll face if Shane Wright and other potential top 2022 NHL Draft picks end up being consistent high-level players.

It’s a