NHL.com

The 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft could be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory, with the intrigue beginning as early as the No. 3 pick. NHL.com writers Adam Kimelman and Mike G. Morreale agree that the Montreal Canadiens will select center Shane Wright from Kingston of the Ontario Hockey League with the No. 1 pick, and the New Jersey Devils at No. 2 will choose left wing Juraj Slafkovsky from TPS in Liiga, the top league in Finland. But starting with the Arizona Coyotes at No. 3, their opinions vary widely. The 16 teams that missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs took part in the lottery drawing for the first two selections; the Canadiens won the No. 1 pick, and the Devils won No. 2. The remaining teams were ordered based on the NHL standings.