Looks like a wild first round NHL draft pick from Montreal. Follow along for live updates on every pick, signing and trade as it happens.
Here’s each first-round pick as it happens, by team:
- The Montreal Canadiens selected Slovakian forward Juraj Slafkovsky with the first overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. Slafkovsky had five goals and five assists in 31 games for TPS in the Finnish Liiga last season. The big 18-year-old was also named the men’s Olympic MVP after scoring seven goals in Beijing last February.
- The New Jersey Devils selected Slovakian defenseman Simon Nemec with the second overall pick. Nemets scored 26 points in 39 games with Nitra HMC of the Slovak Tipos Extraliga.
- The Arizona Coyotes selected American forward Logan Cooley with the third pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. Cooley scored 75 points in 51 games with the United States National Development Program last season.
- The Seattle Kraken selected Canadian forward Shane Wright with the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. Wright scored 94 points in 63 games with the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL last season.
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Columbus Blue Jackets (from Chicago Blackhawks)
- Chicago Blackhawks (from Ottawa)
- Detroit Red Wings
- Buffalo Sabres
- Anaheim Ducks
- San Jose Sharks
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- New York Islanders
- Winnipeg Jets
- Vancouver Canucks
- Buffalo Sabers (from Vegas)
- Nashville Predators
- Dallas Stars
- Minnesota Wild (from Los Angeles)
- Washington Capitals
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Anaheim Ducks (from Boston)
- St. Louis Blues
- Minnesota Wild
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Montreal Canadiens (from Calgary)
- Arizona Coyotes (from Carolina via Montreal)
- Buffalo Sabers (from Florida Panthers)
- Edmonton Oilers
- Winnipeg Jets (from New York)
Latest news from the NHL draft
Marc-Andre Fleury lives in Minny
Pending free-agent goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury decided not to test the UFA waters, instead spending two years with the Minnesota Wild, who acquired him at the 2022 trade deadline from the Chicago Blackhawks. The story continues According to Wild beat writer Michael Russo, Fleury’s deal is worth $7 million over the next two seasons, for an AAV of $3.5 million. Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff added that Fleury will have a full shutout with no movement for the duration of the deal.
The Penguins and Malkin are not closing in on the expansion
According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, negotiations between the Pittsburgh Penguins and star forward Evgeni Malkin are “kind of on life support.” The Penguins are reportedly reluctant to offer the term Malkin is likely seeking on a potential deal. Pittsburgh answered one of the biggest questions of the offseason earlier Thursday when they re-signed veteran point guard Kris Letang to a six-year, $36.6 million deal.
NHL announces partnership with BioSteel
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced before Thursday’s draft that the league has made BioSteel an official hydration partner of the NHL and NHLPA. BioSteel, a Toronto-based company founded in 2009, will replace PepsiCo’s Gatorade as the official beverage of the league and its players. Although financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, Bettman said the NHL will work with BioSteel for “many years.”
Senators sign Alex DeBrincat from Blackhawks
The Ottawa Senators acquired winger Alex DeBrincat from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for the seventh and 39th picks in the 2022 draft, along with a third-round pick in 2024. One of the top snipers in the NHL, de Brincat scored 41 goals last year and had 37 assists, marking the second time he has reached the 40-goal mark in his five-year career. The 24-year-old has one year left on his current contract, which has a cap hit of $6.4 million. He will become a restricted free agent at the end of his deal if he is not extended by then. DeBrincat joins a promising young core in Ottawa, which now boasts one of the East’s most dangerous offensive groups led by captain Brady Tkachuk, Josh Norris, Tim Stützle, Drake Batherson and Alex Formenton, who are all under 24 years. New Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson, meanwhile, will get a building block for the future with the seventh overall pick after former GM Stan Bowman dealt Chicago’s first-rounder to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Seth Jones deal last July . Chicago may not be done yet either, as reports surfaced prior to the NHL draft that the team was actively listening to offers for 2019 third overall pick Kirby Dach. — Mac Lindell
The Penguins sign Kris Letang to a 6-year contract
The Pittsburgh Penguins ended speculation surrounding their No. 1 defenseman in the hours leading up to the NHL draft by signing unrestricted free agent Kris Letang to a six-year extension Thursday afternoon. Letang, 35, will make more than $6 million each year on a $36.6 million deal that will take him into his 40s. For his part, Letang maximized his value last season, putting up one of the best of his 16 years with the organization. He finished with 10 goals and a career-high 68 points while carrying some impressive upside in big minutes. He accumulated enough Norris Trophy interest to finish seventh on the ballot. There was some belief that the Penguins, under new ownership, would move away from working with older members of the existing core this offseason. In addition to Letang, Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust had expiring contracts. However, the Penguins have now kept Letang and Rust on six-year contracts while leaving the door open for Malkin. — Justin Cuthbert
Reports: Avalanche acquire Alexandar Georgiev from Rangers
Moving decisively again after seemingly failing to reach a deal with one of their own netminders, the Colorado Avalanche will try a new starter in 2022-23, having acquired Alexandar Georgiev from the New York Rangers in exchange for three draft picks. New York will add third- and fifth-round picks to its collection in the 2022 NHL Draft, while also securing a third-round pick in 2023 for the backup netminder who backed up Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin last season. The move signals that netminder Darcy Kuemper will move on via free agency after the Avalanche were stopped in their first Stanley Cup in 21 years last month. Kuemper was originally acquired last summer in a trade with the Arizona Coyotes after Philipp Grubauer left in free agency. — Justin Cuthbert
Where is the 2022 NHL Draft?
The 2022 NHL Draft will be held at the Bell Center in Montreal. It is the 27th time the event has been hosted by Montreal and the first since 2009. The NHL Draft was hosted in Montreal from its inception in 1963 to 1984 before moving to a different city each year, starting with Toronto in 1985. Montreal also held the draft in 1992, 1988 and 1986.
What time is the 2022 NHL draft?
The 2022 NHL Draft will be held on Thursday, July 7 and Friday, July 8. The first round will begin on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET, while rounds 2-7 will take place on Friday beginning at 11 a.m. ET. ET.
What tv channel is the 2022 NHL draft on?
The first round of the NHL Draft will be televised on Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada and on ESPN and ESPN+ in the United States. Coverage of Day 2 of the NHL Draft will be available on Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada and ESPN+ and NHL Network in the US Click here for the 2022 NHL Draft
Who are the top prospects for the 2022 NHL draft?
- Shane Wright, C, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL): In the past, top prospects were all about their offensive talent. Wright brings elite skating, leadership and scoring skills, but perhaps most notably, he is a two-way threat. The NHL’s best comparison is often Patrice Bergeron, who is a four-time Selke Trophy winner, Mark Messier Award and King Clancy Award winner and Stanley Cup champion. Not a bad comparison for Wright, who is a future No. 1 NHL center.
- Logan Cooley, C, U18 (USNTDP): The top scoring threat from the US National Team Development Program, Cooley enters the draft as a potential top center who plays a smart two-way game. He plays as well off the bench as he does on it, driving play and creating offense for his teammates. In the offensive zone, Cooley uses changes of pace to create space, allowing him to distribute the puck or get into open space for shot attempts.
- Juraj Slafkovský, LW, TPS (Liiga): The Olympic MVP and standout for Slovakia at the men’s world championship, Slafkovský has size and scoring ability. Benefiting from his frame and puck protection skills, Slafkovksy has unique advantages. The expectation of immediate impact is reminiscent of Jesse Puljujarvi. He’s a top-five pick, but how patient a team is willing to be with his development could determine his immediate and short-term impact at the NHL level.
- Simon Nemec, D, HK Nitra (Slovakia): Whether it’s Nemec or the soon-to-be-reported David Jiricek, a European defenseman will be the top blueliner selected in this draft. Nemetz’s game is mature and balanced. Against his peers, and at the professional level, he has shown an offensive edge, but it is his consistency as a teenager playing against adults that has helped his star rise. He had 26 points in 39 games in Slovakia’s top league, ranking him eighth among defensemen. When the playoffs rolled around, Nemec showed his season-long growth, scoring 10 points in 13 games to lead all blueliners.
- David Jiricek, D, HC Plzen (Czech Republic): Some see a bit of Moritz Seider in the young Czech defenseman. Mobile, assertive and capable of producing attack from the back, Jiricek could be the first choice defender. An injury earlier in the year caught some scouts off guard, but after his return he looked…
