Slafkovsky edges Wright for top spot in McKenzie’s final draft ranking

TSN Hockey Insider

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It’s a photo finish for the No. 1 spot on TSN’s 2022 NHL Draft Final Ranking and, by the slimmest of margins, it’s Juraj Slafkovsky over Shane Wright.

Five of 10 scouts surveyed by TSN ranked the 6-foot-4 Slovak left winger at No. 1, while four scouts slotted the Kingston Frontenac centre in the top spot.

The headline will be that it’s the first time this season — that includes pre-season rankings in September; mid-season rankings in January; draft lottery edition rankings in April; and now the final rankings in June — that someone other than Wright is No. 1.

Slafkovsky was ranked No. 5 at mid-season but used two stellar international performances, at the Olympics and the men’s world championship, to vault to TSN’s No. 1 spot heading into the draft in Montreal on July 7-8.

There are, however, two points worth noting.

One, if you were to survey another group of 10 scouts, you could very well end up with the same 5-4 split, but in favour of Wright. It’s really that tight in the eyes of so many scouts.

Two, this “consensus” ranking has nothing to do with the preference of the team — the Montreal Canadiens — that is picking first overall. Club order of draft selection is not a factor in our survey of scouts and TSN’s ranking of players.

“It’s a peculiar draft year,” said one NHL team head scout. “Neither one of them [Slafkovsky or Wright] are locks to be first-line players in the NHL. I’m not saying one or the other couldn’t become first liners, they’re both good prospects, but unlike a lot of years, this draft doesn’t have any great prospects. There are no slam dunks. There are things I like about both guys, but I have some reservations, too.”

The five scouts who put Slafkovsky at No. 1