Welcome again to The Journey, the place we monitor the expansion of prospects as they develop, break by way of, and push towards NHL affect. The 2022 NHL Draft class has already produced some full-time contributors, however a big portion of its first-round expertise continues to be discovering its footing. For fantasy managers, this group is particularly intriguing. Most stay unproven on the NHL degree, however the underlying expertise and alternative recommend potential buy-low home windows. Under are 17 gamers ranked by long-term upside and proximity to fantasy relevance.
1. Conor Geekie – Tampa Bay Lightning
Geekie’s mix of measurement, puck safety, and pure hockey sense provides him one of many extra translatable toolkits amongst Tampa Bay’s ahead prospects. He can dictate play when he’s on, utilizing his attain and consciousness to defend defenders and create offense by way of the center of the ice. His skating has steadily improved, his shot is an actual weapon on the AHL degree, and he has proven stretches the place he appears each bit like an eventual NHL contributor. The uncooked substances are all there, even when the consistency nonetheless must catch up.
The hope is that Conor finally follows a developmental arc much like his older brother, Morgan Geekie, who has change into a fantasy star due to an ideal match alongside an elite winger. Conor has already earned extended appears with the Lightning over the previous two seasons, even when he has not put all of the items collectively but. If he can discover chemistry with somebody of Nikita Kucherov’s caliber the way in which Morgan clicked with David Pastrnak, an offensive breakout continues to be very a lot on the desk. His scoring development has jumped round from yr to yr, however the upside stays intact, and affected person managers may very well be rewarded if the whole lot aligns.
2. Ivan Miroshnichenko – Washington Capitals
Miroshnichenko’s story stays one of the crucial uplifting within the prospect world. After recovering from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, he has tailored impressively to the North American sport, taking part in with rising confidence each on and off the puck. His launch continues to be among the best among the many 2022 draftees, and he has begun utilizing his body with extra function in visitors, battling by way of checks and attending to capturing areas. The objectives are coming, the small print are enhancing, and the belief from the teaching workers continues to rise.
His Fantasy Hockey Life card makes him much more thrilling, displaying wonderful blocks, pictures, and hits (BASH) numbers, plus legit penalty minute potential. He’s constructed to be a dream asset in peripheral leagues. After almost 40 NHL video games cut up throughout the final two seasons, he appears on the verge of turning into a full-time NHLer, and as soon as that function stabilizes, his mixture of scoring contact and across-the-board class protection might make him a fantasy staple for years to return.
3. Rutger McGroarty – Pittsburgh Penguins
McGroarty is the prototype of a contemporary energy ahead, combining relentless power with actual offensive contact. He wins net-front battles, extends performs alongside the boards, and forces defenders into errors along with his tempo and energy. At Michigan, he confirmed regular development as each a scorer and a distributor, and credentials representing staff USA are stellar. His competitiveness and management traits are extensively praised and translate properly to the professional sport.
From a fantasy standpoint, McGroarty’s profile screams multi-category worth. His bodily type, shot quantity, and willingness to have interaction imply he ought to pile up BASH stats as soon as he reaches the NHL, and a Timo Meier–type arc is an inexpensive comparable for that mix of toughness and scoring contact. He appears very near graduating to a full-time NHL function, and when he does, he has the instruments to change into a extremely productive asset in leagues that reward hits, pictures, and grit together with level manufacturing.
4. Jonathan Lekkerimäki – Vancouver Canucks
Lekkerimäki was the premier finisher from the 2022 class. He had an awesome AHL season in 2024-25, incomes him a pair dozen NHL video games. The shot stays his calling card, with a launch that beats goalies clear from distance and forces defenders to respect him always. When he’s in rhythm, he appears each bit like a future NHL power-play weapon.
That mentioned, his all-around sport nonetheless lags behind his scoring contact. His pNHLe has trended down considerably over the previous two seasons, reflecting the areas of his sport that also want tightening. To earn constant ice time and larger alternatives, he might want to enhance away from the puck, sharpen his reads, and present extra engagement defensively. Even so, the shot alone will proceed to earn him NHL alternatives, and if he can spherical out the supporting particulars, he nonetheless has the potential to change into a harmful long-term fantasy scorer.
5. Kevin Korchinski – Chicago Blackhawks
Korchinski nonetheless profiles as a high-upside, trendy puck-moving defenseman, even when his NHL debut was a bit uneven. Chicago pushed him into the league early out of necessity, and whereas he confirmed flashes of his elite transition means and offensive instincts, the tempo and bodily calls for uncovered areas that also want refinement. His confidence clearly cratered, which isn’t uncommon for younger defensemen thrown into high competitors too shortly.
A reset within the AHL is strictly what he wants, and the Blackhawks appear dedicated to giving him the time and stability required to rebuild his sport. His underlying growth indicators stay sturdy, highlighted by a Hockey Prospecting star likelihood of 62%, which aligns with the upside many projected on the draft. If he settles in defensively and regains the assertiveness that made him such a dynamic junior participant, he nonetheless has each probability to develop right into a top-four NHL defenseman who can ship regular secondary offense with occasional spikes in fantasy worth.
6. Brad Lambert – Winnipeg Jets
Lambert has put a lot of the early considerations about his decision-making behind him. His skating is elite, his puck management is electrical, and he’s now driving play with confidence in transition slightly than forcing it. With main minutes within the AHL, he has discovered learn how to steadiness creativity with construction, and the manufacturing has adopted. Few prospects on this class can match his mix of velocity and dynamic puck play when he’s on.
Even so, he has not but been given a real runway on the NHL degree, which makes his latest commerce request significantly attention-grabbing. A contemporary begin may very well be precisely what he wants, particularly if he lands with a staff prepared to offer him offensive deployment and a few leash. In deeper dynasty codecs, Lambert is totally value a flier, as a result of if the chance aligns along with his ability set, he nonetheless has the instruments to change into a legit fantasy contributor.
7. Isaac Howard – Edmonton Oilers
Leaping straight to the NHL proved tough for Howard, even coming off a Hobey Baker–successful season as the highest NCAA participant. Now with the Edmonton Oilers group, he’s getting common minutes within the AHL, which ought to assist him discover his footing and rebuild confidence. The expertise has by no means been in query, however the transition has highlighted how a lot alternative and stability matter. If this AHL stint helps him settle his timing and modify to the skilled tempo, he might nonetheless climb shortly and change into fantasy related as soon as he earns one other NHL look.
8. Matthew Savoie – Edmonton Oilers
Savoie is getting some early appears alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in Edmonton. Like most gamers who cycle by way of these spots, he has not been capable of safe the function long run, however he brings extra pure ability than most of the latest auditioned choices. If he can string collectively a scorching stretch and construct chemistry, that could be all it takes for him to stay. For fantasy managers, he stays a traditional high-upside flier who might swing matchups if he earns sustained time with the Oilers’ stars.
9. David Jiricek – Minnesota Wild
After being traded from the Blue Jackets to the Wild, Jiricek has struggled to ascertain himself on the NHL degree. He has not been capable of constantly drive play or defend with the tempo required, and his minutes have mirrored that. The encouraging signal is that he continues to look way more snug within the AHL, the place his puck motion and transition sport stay efficient. He’s nonetheless a high-pedigree prospect, however the fantasy expectations possible want recalibrating. If we decrease the ceiling to a dependable bottom-pairing defender with sturdy BASH contributions, he might nonetheless carve out significant worth in deeper codecs
10. Liam Öhgren – Minnesota Wild
Öhgren has settled in as a accountable depth choice for the Wild since arriving from Sweden. He has not produced a lot in the way in which of offense on the NHL degree, however he constantly performs inside construction, helps play properly, and infrequently hurts his staff. Within the AHL he has proven a clearer offensive pulse with extra confidence and contact, and if he can carry even a part of that with him as he pushes for an everyday NHL function, there’s room for modest fantasy development. For now, he profiles as a secure, low-event ahead with the potential so as to add a bit extra if his AHL scoring begins to translate.
11. Maveric Lamoureux – Utah Mammoth
Lamoureux has made actual progress in his skating, consciousness, and general defensive reliability, and at this level he profiles as a stay-at-home blueliner whose fantasy worth will come nearly solely from BASH slightly than scoring. His bodily sport already appears pro-ready, he performs inside construction, and he leans right into a heavy, accountable type that coaches belief. The BASH projection is legitimately sturdy, however with little indication that his offense will translate on the professional degree, his fantasy attraction is probably going restricted to deeper banger codecs the place peripherals matter most.
12. Reid Schaefer – Nashville Predators
Schaefer’s growth was slowed by accidents final season, however his AHL manufacturing has steadily trended in the precise course as he has regained rhythm and confidence. He stays primarily projected as an power ahead who performs exhausting, leans on his body, and brings a dependable north, south sport, however there are small indicators that he might be able to rediscover extra of the scoring contact he flashed in junior. His BASH already clocks in on the ninety fifth percentile within the AHL, which makes him particularly interesting in codecs that reward bodily play.
13. Joakim Kemell – Nashville Predators
Kemell has produced constantly within the AHL over the previous few seasons, incomes a number of brief NHL appears, however he has not but carved out a everlasting function. With Nashville struggling to seek out constant offense, a youth motion is turning into more and more possible, and Kemell is without doubt one of the prospects who may gain advantage most. His shot, tempo, and scoring instincts have all translated on the AHL degree, and giving him prolonged NHL reps to work by way of his rising pains could be the clearest path ahead for each participant and staff.
14. Noah Östlund – Buffalo Sabres
Östlund has made essentially the most of his NHL call-up, just lately discovering the again of the online and giving Buffalo a much-needed dose of positivity. His ability and tempo match the course the Sabres need to be heading, and there’s a world the place he turns into a helpful spark of their center six. That mentioned, this feels just like the much less possible state of affairs, and along with his worth getting a short-term bump, this can be an excellent second to promote whilst you nonetheless can.
15. Filip Bystedt – San Jose Sharks
Bystedt wrapped up a powerful first full AHL season in 2024–25 and has come out flying this yr, wanting way more assured with the puck and assertive within the offensive zone. His mixture of measurement, contact, and improved tempo makes him an interesting long-term piece for San Jose. With Macklin Celebrini, Michael Misa, and Will Smith forward of him on the depth chart, Bystedt possible initiatives as a reliable depth choice down the center slightly than a future scoring driver. Even so, his progress is encouraging, and he might change into a helpful complementary middle because the Sharks’ younger core matures.
16. Filip Mesar – Montreal Canadiens
Mešár’s transition to professional hockey has been underwhelming to date, with manufacturing touchdown under a half level per sport and restricted indicators of constant offensive creation. His velocity and energy degree nonetheless present up, however the affect shifts are too rare to venture significant scoring upside. At this stage, he appears extra prone to settle right into a backside six power function than turn into the skill-forward Montreal as soon as hoped for.
17. Owen Pickering – Pittsburgh Penguins
Pickering has transitioned to the skilled sport remarkably properly, rising as a gradual, dependable shutdown defender. His attain, mobility, and poise below stress have made him an asset in robust minutes, and he appears more and more snug dealing with the tempo of the AHL. From a fantasy standpoint, nonetheless, his worth is proscribed. The offensive manufacturing has not adopted him to the skilled ranks, and his peripherals are modest, which makes him far much less interesting outdoors of very deep codecs that reward pure defensive play.
Ultimate Ideas
Three years after the 2022 NHL Draft, this class continues to intrigue. A number of gamers on this record are inching nearer to full-time NHL roles, whereas others are nonetheless refining their particulars and ready for the precise alternative. The important thing for dynasty managers is timing, figuring out who’s merely delayed versus who is really stalling. Gamers like Geekie, Miroshnichenko, and Lambert nonetheless have the pedigree and indicators that recommend eventual payoff, even when the street has been slower than anticipated. In distinction, others may have ideally suited utilization or growth breaks to appreciate their upside. As this draft class enters its make-or-break stage, staying affected person with ability and opportunistic with worth shifts may very well be the distinction between dynasty roster and an awesome one.
Thanks for studying! See you subsequent week. For extra fantasy hockey evaluation, or if there is a prospect, subject, or theme you want me to cowl, comply with and message me on X: https://x.com/VictorNuno12
