The 2022 NHL Draft won’t go down as one of the best for New Englanders, but there are plenty of intriguing storylines as this year’s selection process draws closer.
Perhaps the most noteworthy tidbit of the 2022 NHL Draft class are the varying paths that some of the top prospects have taken to get to this point. Northeastern center Jack Hughes (Westwood, Mass.) always has been a heralded prospect, dating back to his Bantam and Midget days with the Junior Eagles.
Hughes, the top late ’03 in the U.S., played college hockey this past winter as a 17- and 18-year-old.
Center Cam Lund (Bridgewater, Mass.) and defensemen Jackson Dorrington (North Reading, Mass.) and Ryan Healey (Hull, Mass.) left New England to challenge themselves in the USHL. All three have been coveted players for several years now.
Two of the top prep players, defenseman Michael Fisher (Westboro, Mass.) and right wing James Fisher (Wilmington, Mass.), have at times been overlooked. The pair, who aren’t related, each missed out on a national camp at different times.
While prep hockey took a hit with Lund and Dorrington opting for the USHL, the region’s schoolboy circuit still had a strong cast of draft-eligible players. One veteran NHL amateur scout suggested that Minnesota had the best player in high school or prep but didn’t have the depth that New England did in this draft class. He pointed out that Avon Old Farms center Brennan Ali, Mount Saint Charles right wing Cameron O’Neill, and Kimball Union defenseman Duncan Ramsay, three players from outside of the region, skated for schools in New England this season.
Also worth noting is the continued emergence of Northeastern and Harvard on the recruiting trail. The Huskies and Crimson represent all of the top seven players in my rankings, which would have once seemed unfathomable, considering the dominance of Beanpot counterparts Boston College and Boston University. It’s a credit to the recruiting expertise of Jerry Keefe, Ted Donato and their respective staffs.
Hughes is the clear-cut top prospect in New England, and Lund likely will be second off the board in this 2022 NHL Draft, but after that it gets interesting. As should be expected outside of generational talents, all the remaining New England prospects have elite attributes but also have flaws that will hurt their draft stock.
1. Jack Hughes
Northeastern, 11/2/03, C, left shot, 5-11/170
Hughes’ draft stock has fallen in the minds of some independent scouting services. That’s a result of a lackluster freshman season, statistically speaking. He had just seven goals and nine assists in 39 games for Northeastern. It’s unfair to knock Hughes for his lack of production, as he’d have put up significantly better numbers had he been in the USHL, CHL or high school or prep like the majority of the rest of the draft-eligible prospects. Hughes, who spent two years at USA Hockey’s NTDP prior to Northeastern, is a skilled, smart, playmaking center. He proved that he could play a little heavier than many expected, despite going up against opposing players who were sometimes seven years older. The son of player agent turned Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes, he’s likely to go somewhere late in the first round.
2. Cam Lund
Green Bay, 6/7/04, C, right shot, 6-2/185
NCAA commit: Northeastern
Lund had a great first full season in the USHL, placing fourth in the league scoring race among first-year draft-eligible prospects. He scored 25 goals and 25 assists in 62 games for a Green Bay team that fell short of making the playoffs. Lund should be rewarded for going to the USHL and proving his worth in an older junior league. He’s a tall, lanky center with a smooth skating stride, length, skill and hockey sense. He has the ability to play with an edge but needs to do that on a more consistent basis and play between the circles with regularity. At the end of the day, his skill-set is elite and he produced in a league that isn’t easy for players of his age. Lund should be taken somewhere in the second round.
3. Ryan Healey
Sioux Falls, 6/5/04, D, right shot, 6-0/178
NCAA commit: Harvard
Healey is a prime example of a player who would have been better off playing prep hockey when it comes to his draft stock. He made the right decision for his long-term development, but going out to the USHL instead of dominating in New England likely will cost him to fall in the draft. In 59 games for the Stampede, he scored three goals and 18 assists. The future Crimson blueliner is an elite skater whose four-way mobility allows him to be a one-man breakout. He’ll continue to get better defensively, as he’s forced to do so more in college. He’s the son of former pro Eric Healey, who was a standout at RPI in his collegiate days. As for the younger Healey, he should be a third-round pick.
4. Jackson Dorrington
Des Moines, 4/13/04, D, left shot, 6-2/192
NCAA commit: Northeastern
Dorrington took his lumps in his first season in the USHL with Des Moines, a team that didn’t make the playoffs in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. Some of his flaws were exposed in the USHL. Had he stayed in prep at Cushing, he likely would have been a higher pick. As with Healey, his time in the USHL will benefit him down the road. The former Penguin scored three goals and eight assists in 41 games. Dorrington has size, skating and a physical presence. His stick and offensive upside are limited, but he’s a better prospect than his numbers in the USHL showed. Look for the future Husky to go in the third or fourth round.
5. Michael Fisher
St. Mark’s/EC Wizards U-18, 5/2/04, D, right shot, 6-3/195
NCAA commit: Northeastern
Fisher certainly can be qualified as a late bloomer. The four-year standout on the St. Mark’s blue line never made a USA Hockey national camp until Select 17s in 2021 and wasn’t on the radar of many college coaches and scouts until late in his junior year. He became a household name over the past 12 months and was able to secure a commitment from Northeastern after decommitting from Princeton. Combining his size and skating ability as a right-shot defenseman certainly will catch the eye of all NHL teams. He put up huge numbers for Carl Corazzini’s Lions, scoring 13 goals and adding 37 helpers for 50 points. It’s fair to question whether he’d have put up comparable numbers in the USHL or to suggest that Dorrington and Healey would have matched his production had they been in prep. Fisher is still raw and needs to prove he has the hockey sense to get to the NHL level, but he’s going to be a good junior and college player. Expect Fisher to be selected in the third or fourth round.
6. James Fisher
Belmont Hill/EC Wizards U18, 4/28/04, RW, right shot, 6-2/170
NCAA commit: Northeastern
When discussing the merits of drafting Fisher, many NHL scouts will come back to consistency. Skating on Belmont Hill’s top line, the big right wing showed the physical tools necessary to one day become an NHL power forward. His hard shot, skating and physical play are all quality attributes. To take the next step in his game, he’ll have to do that on a more consistent basis and drive the net more rather than just taking the first shot that comes his way. Fisher buried 17 goals and added 11 assists in 27 games. He’s a player who an NHL team should be sure to take, as junior hockey and playing for the Huskies will bring out the best of his game over the coming years.
7. Ben MacDonald
Nobles/EC Wizards U18, 2/22/04, C, left shot, 6-1/175
NCAA commit: Harvard
MacDonald’s positioning in this draft class among New Englanders is something I struggled with immensely. The Weston, Mass., native is a late bloomer when it comes to his physical development and explosiveness. He’s always been a smart, cerebral center, but he became more dynamic over the past 18 months. In 22 games at Nobles, he scored 14 goals and 15 assists. He didn’t have another Division 1-caliber forward to play with but still impressed scouts on a consistent basis. He’s the son of Harvard legend, national champion and Hobey Baker Award winner Lane MacDonald. If I were a NHL scout, I’d be concerned about drafting a player who is heading to the BCHL before going to Harvard. The chances of him getting to free agency is high. He’s a lock to be drafted and he’s certainly worthy of being selected. Where he goes will be interesting to watch come draft day.
8. Charlie Leddy
USA NTDP U-18, 1/11/04, D, right shot, 6-1/176
NCAA commit: Boston College
Leddy, from Fairfield, Conn., is the last of the locks to be selected. Leddy certainly isn’t going to be drafted for his offensive ability. He didn’t score a goal all season with the NTDP U-18 team, posting 17 assists in 55 games. The former Avon Old Farms and Mid Fairfield star will be plucked off the board for his reliability, size, strength and mean streak. A steady defender, his game evolved this year and he was a formidable partner for a few of the NTDP’s more offensively-inclined blueliners. How high Leddy goes in the draft is a question still to be answered, but he should be taken in the fifth round.
9. Michael Callow
St. Sebastian’s/Junior Eagles U-18, 1/15/04, RW, right shot, 6-4/190
NCAA commit: Harvard
Callow is one of the most talked-about New England prospects for this draft. From South Boston, the big right winger had a few shifts and games where he looked like a sure-fire NHL player. He’s shown flashes of pro potential for a number of years now. His consistency and unwillingness to play between the dots with regularity are reasons some scouts will have him lower in the rankings than he should be, given his physical tools. In 25 games for the Arrows, he scored 26 goals and added 15 assists for 41 points. A year in the USHL should do him well, as he’ll be forced to play harder or face more consequences. Being committed to Harvard also will hurt his stock, as the possibility of free agency looms down the road.
10. Andon Cerbone
Chicago, 4/13/04, C, left shot, 5-9/153
NCAA commit: Michigan
Cerbone is the potential wild card of this draft class among the local candidates. His size, small stature and one-dimensional skill-set will hurt him in the eyes of many scouts. However, he put up very good numbers for a young player in the USHL, especially given the fact he didn’t play a top-six role. In 61 games, the Stamford, Conn., native scored 11 goals and 26 assists. If Cerbone had stayed at the prep school level this past season, he’d have undoubtedly put up monster numbers at Brunswick. Kudos to him for taking the next step in his development ahead of joining the Wolverines in 2023-24.
11. Chris Romaine
Milton/SS Kings Prep U-18, 2/21/04, D, right shot, 6-0/185
NCAA commit: Providence
Romaine had his ups and downs this season for a Milton team that struggled for much of the year. There were highlights individually and as a team, including a trip to the Flood Marr Tournament finals. The Braintree, Mass., native scored nine goals and 13 assists in 18 games for the Mustangs. He has good size and strength and his skating ability is elite.
His offensive upside and stick still need to be proven, but it’s possible a NHL team steps up and takes a flier on the future Friar. After a year or two in the USHL, he’ll follow in his father Mark’s footsteps at PC.
12. Brady Berard
USA NTDP U-18, 2/26/04, C, left shot, 6-0/180
NCAA commit: Providence
Berard is a longshot to be drafted, but his pedigree, athleticism and maximum viewings could help his cause. The East Greenwich, R.I., native scored just four goals and six assists in 47 games for the NTDP. Formerly of Bishop Hendricken and Mount Saint Charles, he’ll head to Providence in the fall where his brother, Brett, is going to be a junior.
His father, David, is a former PC player who is now the assistant athletic director after a coaching career that culminated as head coach at Holy Cross.
13. Phil Tresca
Muskegon, 4/10/02, C, right shot, 5-11/190
NCAA commit: Harvard
Tresca, in his third year of eligibility, isn’t on NHL Central Scouting or seen as a potential draft pick by most. However, if I were an NHL team, I’d at least consider drafting the Newton, Mass., native. His size is a concern, but his skating has become more dynamic and he’s a harder and heavier player now than he was during his prep days at Rivers. His jump in production from his rookie year in the USHL to his second is nothing short of phenomenal. In 2020-21, he scored seven goals and two assists in 44 games. This winter he potted 31 goals and 31 helpers in 70 games. Obviously, he played 26 more games, but that’s an increase of 53 points year over year. That noticeable jump resulted in him switching his college commitment from Yale to Harvard.
14. Brendan Gorman
St. Sebastian’s/Junior Eagles U-18, 2/17/03, C, right shot, 6-0/175
NCAA commit: Princeton
Gorman is a second-year-eligible prospect who enjoyed a monster senior season for the Arrows. While wearing the ‘C’ for Sean McCann’s team, he scored 11 goals and 38 assists in 25 games. Most nights he outperformed Callow, despite not getting the hype of the latter. Gorman’s skating, skill and hockey sense are all solid attributes that will serve him well during his college career at Princeton. A big concern for NHL scouts is his seeming lack of interest in pursuing the sport at a higher level, as the Arlington, Mass., native is opting to go straight into college instead of playing junior hockey. He’ll be joining older brother, Liam, with Princeton, the school their father, Sean, played at from 1987 to 1991.
15. Grayson Badger
Dexter Southfield/SS Kings Prep U-18, 5/9/04, RW, right shot, 6-1/185
NCAA commit: Northeastern
Badger has been a favorite of mine for a few years now. The Hyde Park, Mass., native could have been more productive and had a more consistent impact. However, he scored nine goals and 23 assists in 24 games for Danny Donato’s team that made another Elite 8 tournament appearance. Badger’s elite attribute is his compete level. His hockey sense and skating are still areas of his game that need to get better.
While I might not stamp him as a draft pick in 2022, don’t count him out as an undrafted free agent after his time at Northeastern.
