2022 NHL DRAFT RANKINGS: 46-58

Here are my rankings of the players from 46 to 58 in the 2022 NHL Draft as of April.

Related: 2022 NHL Draft Rankings: 33-45

46. Ludwig Persson, C/LW, Frolunda HC J20 (J20 Nationell)

Ludwig Persson was once viewed as a potential top 10 pick, but his peers have now caught up with him and he hasn’t had much improvement. Nonetheless, Persson is still a prospect to keep an eye on heading into the draft. One of Persson’s most stand out skills is his skating;
his first steps are quick and he uses crossovers to accelerate past opponents and quickly reach a high top speed. He is agile and is hard to stop, both with and without the puck, with his quick feet and elusive playing style. Persson has the potential to be a top 6 forward at the next level
and should be a second-round pick.

47. David Goyette, C, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)

Goyette is enjoying a nice rookie season in the OHL, averaging around 20 minutes of ice timer per game and sitting top-five in team scoring.
David Goyette is an exceptional skater with a technically sound stride and the ability to weave through traffic. Not only is he fast, but he is quick and shifty. Goyette pushes the pace in transition, forcing defenders onto their heels but knows when to slow the game down
and let lanes develop. He shows poise with the puck on his stick and he is a decisive distributor who identifies his options quickly, routinely finding teammates in space
with accurate feeds. He has a knack for drawing defenders towards him before dishing the puck. He could take a while to reach the NHL but he has potential as a playmaking,
top-six forward.

48 Mattias Havelid, D, Linkoping, (SHL)

Mattias Havelid is an offensive-minded defender with great mobility; his skating is smooth with good edgework and fast feet. He moves the puck well on breakouts as he is able to utilize that mobility on puck retrievals and uses his good passing ability to generate zone exits.
Havelid is an aggressive player and when he has possession, he likes to rely on his puck skills and skating. Havelid is excellent at joining the rush and making plays with the puck in transition. He needs to add strength and improve on the defensive side of the puck,
but he has the potential to be a solid puck-moving defenseman at the NHL level. He looks like a second-round pick at this point in time.

49. Mats Lindgren, D, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)

Mats Lindgren is not the most aesthetically pleasing skater, but he covers a lot of ice with his powerful stride and has the elusiveness to shake opposing defenders
with the puck on his stick. He controls the offensive blue line with quick head fakes and his great edgework allows him to separate to open up shooting or passing lanes.
Defensively, he is aggressive in taking away time and space off the rush and in defensive zone coverage but can sometimes get caught taking poor angles. Lindgren appears to have the right idea at both ends of the ice more often than not but he needs to execute with more consistency, especially with the puck on his stick. His upside as a top-four NHL defenceman might not be as apparent as some of the other defenders projected as potential first-round picks in the 2022 draft, but he should be a solid second-round pick.

50. Matthew Seminoff, RW, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)

Matthew Seminoff is having a huge year for the Kamloops Blazers, sitting behind only Matthews Savoie in pers per game among draft-eligible WHL players. Seminoff possesses a unique combination of dogged determination and soft hands around the net. He gets to the front of the net and establishes an inside position to battle for rebounds and jam loose pucks into the net, has the good hand-eye coordination to deflect incoming shots, and positions himself for dangerous shooting opportunities in the slot. His game requires some polish but there is potential for him to be a top 6 forward at the next level. Seminoff should be a second-round pick.

51. Matyas Spovaliv, C, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)

Matyas Sopovaliv is a big and strong center, with a 6-foot-4, who plays a strong two-way game and is a great all-around player. He knows how to use his frame to win board battles in his own end and on the forecheck and can be a presence in front of the net. Sopovaliv has a strong shot and a quick release has a great vision in all three zones and is a good playmaker. His soft hands help teammates transition into the offensive zone via short touch-passes that they can pick up in full stride. Along with his offensive abilities, he’s very responsible in the defensive zone and plays a good two-way game. He is ultra-reliable in the faceoff circle and is relied upon heavily in key faceoff situations, even as a rookie. Although he could take time to develop, he has the potential to be a very good middle-six center.

52. Christian Kyrou, D, Eric Otters (OHL)

Chrisitan is the younger brother of Jordan Kyrou, the rising young star with the St.Louis Blues.
He is one of the oldest players in the draft and wasn’t a big name before his breakout season this year with the Erie Otters. With the Erie Otters this season, Kyrou has 18 goals and 59 points in 64 games and has been rising on draft boards. Teams will be cautious drafting him because of him being a late bloomer, but with his production in his draft year, I can see him going in the second round. Kyrou has the potential to be a top-4, puck-moving defenseman at the NHL level.

53. Bryce McConnell-Barker, C, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)

Bryce McConnell-Barker is a well-rounded center, who boasts a lethal shot, superb vision, great speed, and an impressive motor. There are no true holes present within McConnell-Barker’s game, as the youngster is an incredibly well-rounded player who brings his best to the ice with each passing shift. As an incredibly hard worker defined by his relentless engine, McConnell-Barker tracks and pursues the puck incredibly well and often forces his opponents into turnovers as a direct result. While his offensive numbers have not been eye-popping yet, the other areas of his game have been great, so as a result, he is worthy of being a 2nd round pick. McConnell-Barker has potential to be a top 9 center at the next level.

54. Rieger Lorenz, C, Okotoks Oilers (AJHL)

Rieger Lorenz is the highest-ranked CJHL player in the 2022 draft and is one of three players from the AJHL in the North Americ player ranking. Lorentz was almost always the leading scoring on his team and by a wide margin. Lorentz is a very responsible two-way player, with a big frame and excellent, straight-line speed. He is more a playmaker than a sniper, but he does have a good release on his shot and he is not shy about throwing his weight around. Lorentz should be a second-round pick in the upcoming draft and has the potential to be a top 6 forward.

55. Sam Rinzel, D, Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)

Sam Rinzel is a name you will want to pay attention to leading up to the 2022 Draft. He is a 6-foot-4 defenseman who is a right handed-shot, that every team covets. The offensive defender has crushed oppositions with his production this season, scoring near or over a point-per-game in every league Rinzel has taken part in this year, all while having a June birthday. Rinzel is an even more intriguing prospect when you dig into his game footage to analyze his game cause he seems always to be doing something that stands out. Rinzel could very well find himself much higher on the draft ranking depending on how the rest o the season goes. Rinzel has the potential to be a top 4, offensive defenseman
at the NHL level.

56. Lane Hutson, D, U.S. National U18 Team (USDP)

Lane Hutson is an undersized defenseman, but he is an exceptional skater, with the skill to develop into an effective puck-moving defenseman. Hutson is light on his feet and can chew up a lot of ice in a short time, eluding checks with shoulder fakes and quick weight transfers to skate the puck out of trouble or create passing lanes on the breakout. In the offensive zone, his elite footwork allows him to control the blue line and freeze defenders in order to create space to attack with his passing ability. Listed at just 5-7 and 148 pounds, his size and strength are real concerns, especially for a defenseman; he can easily be overpowered along the boards or in net-front battles. His vision translates well to the Defensive side of the puck, where he is able to identify passing lanes and take them away proactively. There is a wide range of outcomes for Hutson on draft day but he has the talent to be in consideration as a first-round pick in 2022, but due to the concerns about his size, he is more likely to be a second or even third-round pick.

57. Hunter Haight, C, Barrie Colts (OHL)

Hunter Haight is a two-way center, who can play in all situations. He has a decent shot and good vision in the offensive zone and understands how to utilize his teammates in order to create lanes or space off the rush. When presented with time and space in the offensive zone, particularly on the powerplay, Haight shows good vision and can complete crisp passes through tight windows in coverage. He may not be the most imaginative or creative offensive player, and he isn’t likely to win any scoring titles, but Haight’s versatility and well-rounded game give him potential as a top-nine forward at the NHL level. This would make him a solid second-round pick.

58. Paul Ludwinski, C, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)

Paul Ludwinski started the year on the wing with Shane Wright and Martin Chromiak but he didn’t fit well on that line, so Kingston moved him back to center and he has looked way more comfortable. One of the first things you’ll notice is that he plays the game at an extremely high pace. His motor is very noticeable; he gets in on the forecheck quickly and isn’t afraid to after anyone to try and create turnovers Ludwinski is an accomplished three-zone player and he positions himself perfectly to break up plays or passes through the neutral zone or defensive zone. Ludwinski has the potential to be a middle-six center in the NHL and should be a second-round pick.