Throughout the 2021-22 season, I will be revisiting my original twenty players to watch list for next July’s draft. My update posts will come whenever the NHL’s Central Scouting releases their rankings. Typically, NHL Central Scouting releases four lists I believe. The preliminary list, first ranking, mid-season ranking, final ranking.
Last week, NHL Central Scouting released their preliminary players to watch list, and I’m going to compare how my projections are compared to theirs. The preliminary list, which only gives an A, B, or C grade to indicate which round they have the potential to go in. A: (1st round), B: (2nd/3rd round), C: (4th/5th/6th round).
Lets dive in and take a look at my list once again and compare it to where NHL Central Scouting has listed the players I’m keeping an eye on.
| Player | Country | Position | 2021-22 team | 2021-22 stats* | My projection | NHL Central Scouting’s preliminary grade |
| Shane Wright | Canada | Center | Kingston (OHL) | 6GP/2G/4A/6P | First round (Top 3) | A |
| Brad Lambert | Finland | Center/Right Wing | JYP (LIIGA) | 12GP/1G/1A/2P | First round (Top 3) | A |
| Matthew Savoie | Canada | Center | Winnipeg (WHL) | 11GP/6G/10A/16P | First round (Top 10) | A |
| Simon Nemec | Slovakia | Defence | Nitra MHC (Slovakia) | 11GP/7A/7P | First round (Top 5) | A |
| Ivan Miroshnichenko | Russia | Left Wing | Omskie Krylia (VHL) | 18GP/4G/5A/9P | First round (Top 10) | A |
| Juraj Slafkovsky | Slovakia | Left Wing | TPS (LIIGA) | 12GP/3A/3P | First round (Top 10) | A |
| David Jiricek | Czech Republic | Defence | Plzen HC (Czech) | 15GP/3G/5A/8P | First round (Top 15) | A |
| Jack Hughes | United States | Forward | Northeastern University (NCAA) | 6GP/2G/2P | First round (Top 15) | A |
| Joakim Kemell | Finland | Right Wing | JYP (LIIGA) | 15GP/11G/6A/17P | First round | A |
| Marco Kasper | Austria | Left Wing | Rogle BK (SHL) | 11GP/3G/1A/4P | First round | A |
| Rutger McGroarty | United States | Center | USNTDP (USHL) | 3GP/1G/1A/2P | First round (Top 15) | B |
| Julian Lutz | Germany | Forward | Munich EHC (DEL) | N/A (Injured) | 5th round | B |
| Noah Ostlund | Sweden | Center | Djurgardens IF (SHL) | 2GP/0P | First round | B |
| Ludwig Persson | Sweden | Center/Left Wing | Frolund HC (SHL) | 5GP/0P | Second round | C |
| Adam Zlnka | Slovakia | Left/Right Wing | Sioux Falls (USHL) | 6GP/0P | Third round | C |
| Marek Hejduk | United States | Center | USNTDP (USHL) | 3GP/2G/2A/4P | Fourth round | C |
| Joshua Niedermayer | Canada/United States | Defence | Penticton (BCHL) | 6GP/2G/1A/3P | Fourth round | C |
| Patrik Gabriel | Slovakia | Center | SaiPa U20 (U20 SM-sarja) | 13GP/1G/3A/4P | Fourth round | Not listed |
| Arseni Gordeyev | Russia | Forward | Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk (MHL) | 9GP/2A/2P | Fifth round | Not listed |
| Kenta Isogai | Japan | Forward | Youngstown (USHL) | 8GP/1G/2A/3P | Sixth round | Not listed |
Three of my players were not included on the NHL’s Central Scouting preliminary players to watch list, and I will be replacing them going forward. The three new players I will be watching are: Peter Repcik (Lethbridge – WHL): C grade, Hunter Haight (Barrie – OHL): B grade, and Jakub Kopecky (HK Dukla Trencin U20 – Slovakia U20): C grade.
My next update will come when NHL Central Scouting releases their first ranking list for the 2022 Draft. At that time, I will also share my first rankings for the 20 players I have listed.