'In the mould of Patrice Bergeron,' Wright tops latest Craig's List

Kingston Frontenacs centre Shane Wright continues to have a healthy lead on the rest of the prospect field in the January edition of Craig’s List ahead of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

“Not every first-overall pick is created equal,” said TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button. “There are generational players, superstars, stars, and, in some cases, just really good NHL players. Wright falls into a category of star in the mould of Patrice Bergeron. He’s a complete player who can impact the game in many important and critical situations.

“I don’t see another player in the 2022 draft class who have an impact like Shane. He remains at the top of the list.”

Wright has 11 goals and 30 points through 22 games of the Ontario Hockey League season and was a member of Team Canada at the cancelled 2022 World Juniors.

Logan Cooley of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team maintains his hold on second on the January list. The 5-foot-10, 174-pound centre has 14 goals and 34 points in 24 games this season. Cooley is committed to Notre Dame for next year.

“Cooley is a very skilled centre who can make plays or score,” Button said. “His pace of play, both physically and mentally, puts him in an elite category.”

Finnish right wing Joakim Kemell, who turned heads with a strong start to the SM Liiga season as a 17-year-old with JYP, sits steady at No. 3 in this edition of the rankings.

“Kemell very well may end up having a game that resembles David Pastrnak,” Button said. “He can score in multiple ways, is an exceptionally smart player who finds his way to the dangerous spots, and, like Pastrnak, you shouldn’t underestimate his playmaking abilities.”

The first defenceman on the board is Simon Nemec at No. 4, a 6-foot-1, 192-pound right-shot blueliner who plays for HK Nitra of the Slovak Extraliga.

Button said the race for top blueliner is tight, with David Jiricek up seven spots, from 13 to No. 6, from the last rankings.

“Both are right-shot defencemen but they differ in the type of game they offer,” he said. “The strength of Nemec’s game is in his skating, puck play and ability to process the game at a very high rate of speed. Jiricek is a bigger, more physical defenceman who moves the puck well but may not have the same level of offensive ability as Nemec.

“Both are very good players and the difference may be as simple as which flavour your prefer.”

A pair of Russian wingers – No. 5 Danila Yurov, a right wing for Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk of the MHL, and No. 9 Ivan Miroshnichenko, a left wing who is playing for Omskie Krylia in Russia’s VHL, also remain in Button’s top 10.

“Yurov is a powerful, skilled winger who can play the game speed,” Button said. “He has the ability to use his body to carve out room and space.”

The only other Canadian player in the top 10 of the rankings is Winnipeg Ice forward Matt Savoie, who checks in at No. 8. He continues to lead the Western Hockey League in scoring this season with 18 goals and 52 points in 34 games.