'I never considered another player at No. 1' - Wright locked in atop final Craig's List

While the rest of the hockey world debates the relative merits of top NHL Draft prospects Shane Wright, Juraj Slafkovsky and Logan Cooley, TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button has no doubt who’s No. 1.

“I never considered another player at No. 1,” Button said. “No other player showed me that he was better than Shane Wright."

The Kingston Frontenac centre tops Button’s final Craig’s List ahead of the July 7 draft in Montreal where the host Canadiens hold first pick.

Wright recorded 32 goals and 94 points in 63 games in 2021-22 and had three goals and 14 points in 11 playoff games. Granted exceptional status to enter the Ontario Hockey League as a 15-year-old in 2019, the Frontenacs captain faced questions about his game and intensity at the recent NHL combine.

“I was in Dallas, and we drafted Jarome Iginla 11th overall [in] 1995,” Button said. “And it’s eerily similar. We drafted Jarome and a lot of people said, ‘Oh geez, what do you see in Jarome Iginla?’ There wasn’t a lot of flash and dash to Jarome Iginla, [he] just was a strong player.

“It’s like I’m listening to the same stuff on Shane Wright. ‘Oh, well he doesn’t pull you out of your seat.’ I didn’t know that was a requirement to be a top-notch NHL prospect. I didn’t know you had to be wowed to recognize a talented NHL player. [His] IQ and compete [are] off the charts; [he] understands every single area of the game.”

Button has Slovakian left winger Slafkovsky No. 2 and American centre Logan Cooley No. 4. Sandwiched between Slafkovsky and Cooley is Finnish right winger Joakim Kemell at No. 3.

Slafkovsky jumps from No. 4 on lottery day to No. 2 in the final ranking. The 18-year-old had eye-opening performances at the Olympics and World Championships, including