2022 NHL Draft Rankings: TOP 5 GOALIES

Here are my rankings of the top 5 goalies in the 2022 NHL Draft

Related: 2022 NHL Draft Rankings: #46-58

1. Tyler Brennan, Prince Geroge Cougars (WHL)

Tyler Brennan is the Top ranked Goalie in the 2022 NHL; he is a large, composed netminder with accurate and controlled lateral movements, great reflexes, and post coverage. Brennan, coming off a U18 WJC Gold Medal with Canada last season, is considered one of the top goaltending prospects going into the 2022 NHL Draft.

A 6’4 goaltender who maximizes coverage with his huge frame and is positionally strong. Good stance mechanics, with active hands. Brennan has a strong glove hand, and controls rebounds within his frame. Behind a losing 8-12-0 record, 3.43 GAA, and a .902 SV% hides a goaltender with great edgework which helps him cover his posts, an active mind, and an impressive tendency to divert pucks into areas for his teammates to pick up. For a big goaltender, Brennan moves laterally decently well and covers the bottom of the net effectively. He beats plays on his feet, and that is because he has strong situational awareness through scanning for threats within the zone. He struggles with shots that are closer to his body and can give up juicy rebounds. As is the case for every goaltender in this draft, there are weaknesses in his game that will likely keep him out of the top-two rounds, but because of the lack of top tier goalies in the draft, it would not be shocking if a team took a chance on him at the end of the 2nd round.

NHL Comparison: Cam Talbot

2. Topias Leinonen, JYP U20 (U20 SM-sarja)

Topias Leinonen is a big and athletic goaltender with raw talent and loads of long-term potential. Although he has a 9-10-0 record, Leinonen has a 2.28 GAA and .916 SV% in 21 games with YJP U20, and had shown flashes of brilliance during the season. Standing at 6’5, he possesses strong edge work and moves laterally pretty well for his size.
Leinonen takes away open net quickly, as he maximizes coverage with his frame and efficiently seals the bottom of the net. He communicates with teammates often and demonstrates strong ice awareness through scanning for threats at appropriate opportunities. Leinonen has good positioning in the net, as he works to get to the top of the crease while understanding when to play a little deeper during specific situations presented in front of him. Leinonen needs to work on competing for loose pucks in tight and controlling his rebounds better. He also struggles with keeping active hands and can be beaten easily by high shots. He projects to be a fringe starter in the NHL and may go as early as the 3rd round in the draft.

NHL Comparison: Mikko Koiskinen

3. Thomas Milic, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

Thomas Milic had an impressive tournament with Team Canada at the U18 WJC in 2021 and carried that success with him to the WHL, where he has been dominant for the Seattle Thunderbirds. Melic started appearing in 47 games with Seattle this season and recorded a 27-16-4 record with a 2.44 GAA and .912 SV%. After being passed over in the 2021 draft, Melic is considered one of the top goaltender prospects in the 2022 draft. He is poised in the net, played well in big games, and just finds ways to win hockey games. Melic is an exceptional skater and moves well in the crease, although post play could be better. He communicates well with his teammates and definitely reads the game at an elite level. Milic is positionally sound while doing a great job maximizing net coverage through box control and strong stance mechanics. He is very athletic and will do whatever it takes to stop the puck. He demonstrates the importance of active hands, as he visually attaches to pucks consistently, and tracks effectively in and away from his body. Although he is pretty technically sound, he struggles to play the puck and has a tendency to be overly active with his stick; he also needs to work on rebound control on low shots. With the season that Milic has had, he has made himself worthy of being a 3rd or 4th round pick in this year’ draft.

NHL comparison: Carter Hart

4 Sergei Ivanov, SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)

After winning gold medals in 2020 at the Youth Olympic Games and in 2021 at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Ivanov continues to catch the eye of many scouts heading into the 2022 NHL Draft.
With SKA-1946 St. Petersburg of the MHL, Ivanov has a 14-7-4 record with a 2.17 GAA and .928 SV% in 26 regular-season games. In the playoffs, he was incredible, posting a 10-0-2 record
with a 1.86 GAA and .940 SV% in 13 games.
Ivanov is slightly undersized for a modern goalie, standing at 5’11, but he makes up for it with his lateral quickness and puck tracking capabilities. He competes for every puck while
relying on his edges and athleticism to make timely & routine saves. Ivanov plays his angles well and shows good stance mechanics. His post play is great, efficiently integrating and exiting his posts to be in the proper position. He can change direction with ease while recovering to his spots quickly. It is rare to see Ivanov be beaten with a clean shot, usually, it will take a rebound or a smart play from the opposition to beat him. Ivanov’s major downfall is his struggles with rebound control, especially on low shots and he has difficulties tracking pucks through traffic in front. He can also be overly aggressive with his depth, put himself in poor positioning, and be unable to recover effectively for rebound opportunities. Ivanov is far from a finished product but his potential is as great as any goalie in this draft; it would not be shocking if he were picked in the 4th round.

NHL Comparison: Igor Shesterkin

5. Braden Holt, Everett Silvertips (WHL)

After being passed over in the 2021 draft, Braden Holt is having a tremendous season with the Evertt Silvertips of the WHL; he has a 24-6-4 record with a 2.56 GAA and .909 SV% in 37 games.
Standing at 6’1 in the crease, he relies on his positioning and athleticism to make routine & difficult saves. Holt competes for loose pucks around the net, and won’t give up on any
situation. He has very good ice awareness, frequently scanning for threats at appropriate moments in the zone. Holt shows calmness and composure under adversity, even though he hasn’t faced much of that so far this season. With strong edgework and post play, Holt demonstrates decently smooth movements around the crease while quickly being able to make re-adjustments. He tracks pucks well and shows consistent stability and balance with his stance mechanics. Like many other goalies in this draft, Holt needs to work on his rebound control and not take himself out of position to make a save. He especially struggles with tracking tucks with traffic in front. Holt struggles with quick releases, which could be an issue at the next level. Far from a finished product, Holt has the potential to be a fringe starter a few years down the line. Look for him to go in the 4th or 5th round.

NHL Comparison: Semyon Varlamov