The 2022 NHL Draft is here and several teams are looking to find a player who can provide immediate help in the upcoming season. The draft is a very exciting day for players, front offices, and fan bases, but it also comes with a ton of pressure.
We might see certain teams make some serious moves as there is always some added drama on draft day. In today's NHL it is paramount that you build your team through the draft if you want to hoist the Stanley Cup.
With just hours until Draft time Thursday night, here are our best free NHL Draft prop picks and predictions.
NHL Draft prop picks
Picks made on 7/6/2022 at 12:00 a.m. ET.
Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.
If you're signing up for a new sportsbook for the NHL Draft, here are two of the best bonuses* available:
A) New users at FanDuel can bet $5 and get $200 in free bets — regardless of if your bet wins or loses! Sign Up Now
B) New users can get two risk-free bets up to $2,000 at PointsBet! Sign Up Now
*Eligible USA locations only
Geekie following in brother's footsteps?
Many scouts believe Conor Geekie, brother of current Seattle Kraken forward Morgan Geekie, is expected to be a Top-10 pick in this year's NHL draft. Geekie spent this past season playing for the Winnipeg Ice in the WHL and put up 70 points in 63 games.
What separates Geekie most from the other prospects in this draft is his size. He is 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, which some scouts may already call an "NHL body." This gives Geekie an advantage because he doesn't need all that much time to mature physically. His body isn't his only strength, either, as he is also very skilled and makes intelligent decisions with the puck.
Geekie seems like the perfect fit for a team like the Detroit Red Wings, who currently have the 8th overall pick.
The middle of the ice is arguably the most important position in the game aside from goaltending. Most mock drafts have Geekie being picked between 12-15, but there is incredible value on him being picked before the 12th overall pick and it is rare that you see a player with the combination of his size and skill.
Geekie already has the size and strength of an NHL player and makes for a good fit for multiple organizations with a pick in the Top 10. Getting Geekie at +250 is worth the risk.
PICK: Conor Geekie selected Under 11.5 (+250 at bet365)
Slafkovsky goes at No. 2 regardless of team
There have been rumors that the New Jersey Devils might be looking to trade the second overall pick, but whether it's the Devils or another team, I am very confident that Juraj Slafkovsky will be taken in this position.
Slafkovsky's draft stock has risen over these past few weeks, but it has been clear as day from the beginning that Shane Wright is the outright favorite to go first overall to the Montreal Canadiens. He has a ton of speed and skill — and some analysts have him ranked ahead of Wright — but the Habs have been poised to take Wright no matter what since they won the draft lottery.
So, Slafkovsky is next in line.
A lot of teams love the way that Slafkovsky plays and that is why I am not concerned if the Devils do in fact trade the pick, because he can be a good fit in all 32 of the NHL franchises.
The value on this pick isn't as great as I would like, but if there is one thing I am sure about going into this draft it is that Slafkovsky is good enough to go first overall, but it is hard to be convinced that he is the better choice than Wright — especially in Montreal's eyes.
PICK: Juraj Slafkovsky selected second overall (-200 at bet365)
Kemell shoots for the moon
Joakim Kemell might not be the biggest or strongest player in this draft, but his confidence and ability to shoot the puck are the most attractive aspects of his game. It is hard to find natural goal scorers in most drafts, but Kemell has that pedigree.
His 5-foot-9, 176-pound frame — and quickness around the corners — allows him to be a bit more elusive than most other players, but his overall scoring ability makes up for what he lacks in size.
Size doesn't matter as much in today's game when you can score goals with someone like Montreal's Cole Caufield serving as a solid comparison.
Kemell's stock has been on a roller coaster through most of the year, but he has a ton of promise and can help any team's power-play unit in the near future as he is considered somewhat of a specialist on the man advantage. I don't think it's farfetched to say that he can be a Top-5 overall pick and I love the value of him going before the eighth selection.
PICK: Joakim Kemell selected Under 7.5 (+185 at bet365)
2022 NHL Draft odds
Odds to go first overall
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Shane Wright | -350 |
| Juraj Slafkovsky | +225 |
| Logan Cooley | +1,000 |
| David Jiricek | +7,500 |
| Cutter Gauthier | +7,500 |
| Simon Nemec | +9,000 |
| Joakim Kemell | +10,000 |
| Matthew Savoie | +15,000 |
| Jonathan Lekkerimaki | +20,000 |
| Kevin Korchinski | +20,000 |
| Pavel Mintyukov | +20,000 |
| Danila Yurov | +25,000 |
| Frank Nazar | +25,000 |
| Conor Geekie | +25,000 |
| Denton Mateychuk | +25,000 |
| Brad Lambert | +30,000 |
| Rutger McGroarty | +30,000 |
Odds courtesy of bet365 as of July 5, 2022
Odds to go second overall
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Juraj Slafkovsky | -200 |
| Shane Wright | +250 |
| David Jiricek | +600 |
| Logan Cooley | +1,000 |
| Simon Nemec | +1,800 |
| Cutter Gauthier | +6,600 |
| Matthew Savoie | +10,000 |
| Joakim Kemell | +10,000 |
Odds courtesy of bet365 as of July 5, 2022
Odds to go third overall
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Logan Cooley | -250 |
| Simon Nemec | +325 |
| Juraj Slafkovsky | +600 |
| Shane Wright | +1,200 |
| David Jiricek | +2,000 |
| Cutter Gauthier | +3,300 |
| Matthew Savoie | +7,000 |
| Joakim Kemell | +10,000 |
Odds courtesy of bet365 as of July 5, 2022
Draft position odds
| Player | Over odds | Under odds |
|---|---|---|
| Conor Geekie | Over 11.5 (-330) | Under 11.5 (+250) |
| Cutter Gauthier | Over 6.5 (+230) | Under 6.5 (-300) |
| David Jiricek | Over 5.5 (+145) | Under 5.5 (-175) |
| Joakim Kemell | Over 7.5 (-230) | Under 7.5 (+185) |
| Kevin Korchinski | Over 11.5 (+125) | Under 11.5 (-155) |
| Marco Kasper | Over 12.5 (+195) | Under 12.5 (-240) |
| Matthew Savoie | Over 8.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (-115) |
| Pavel Mintyukov | Over 12.5 (-115) | Under 12.5 (-115) |
| Simon Nemec | Over 4.5 (+175) | Under 4.5 (-220) |
Odds courtesy of bet365 as of July 5, 2022
