The Leafs headed into day one of the 2022 NHL Draft scheduled to pick 25th overall but after a trade on the draft floor that saw the club shed Petr Mrázek’s troublesome contract, their first pick is now slated to come early in the second round at 38th overall.
There were some surprises on the opening night of the draft and some intriguing names remain on the board for the Leafs heading into day two.
Jagger Firkus
W | Moose Jaw (WHL) | 5’10” | 154 lbs | Shoots: R
My Rank: 21 | Consolidated Rank: 23
Firkus had a big season for Moose Jaw in the WHL, finishing second in league scoring among draft-eligible players with 36 goals and 44 assists in 66 games.
What Firkus lacks in size, he more than makes up for in skill and effort level. He is elusive with the puck on his stick, layering quick cuts and weight transfers on top of good puck skills. He is a dual-threat offensive weapon who can make plays for his teammates by drawing defenders in before making a slick feed but his greatest attribute is his NHL-level release. It pops off his blade and he can deceive netminders with his ability to place it all over the net. It isn’t just the shot itself though, but the way he is able to create opportunities with his own skill or find them with high-end spatial awareness. The lack of size might scare some teams off but Firkus competes hard and has more th …

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Author: Nick Richard / The Leafs Nation