The 2022 NHL Entry Draft is less than a week away and the offseason is about to kick into high gear.
For the Maple Leafs, the first step of the offseason process comes next Thursday, when they are set to select in the first round for the first time since drafting Rodion Amirov 15th overall in 2020.
While the 2020 draft when pretty much as expected through the first 15 picks, with minimal surprises or fallers, the 2022 draft does not appear to be the same. Outside of a consensus top three prospects (the order of which varies quite a bit), the draft is set to be one of the more unpredictable in recent memory.
As a result, multiple prospects that have landed inside the top 15 on the consolidated board quite very well end up still available come the Toronto Maple Leafs first-round pick at 25th overall.
Excerpts for each prospect are taken from Nick Richard’s final 2022 draft rankings, while statistics are pulled from Pick224 and Elite Prospects.
Frank Nazar
Consolidated #8
Frank Nazar ticks a lot of boxes as a top prospect entering the draft. He was a star for the USNTDP this year, producing as one of the top players with the program. His 35 points in 24 USHL games with the program put him fourth in the league in points per game and second among draft-eligible players, only behind teammate and expected top-three pick, Logan Cooley.
Nazar was also a maj …
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Author: Kyle Cushman / The Leafs Nation