By: Clare McManus
The OHL has a handful of talented players for the 2022 NHL draft in Montreal.
One of the most highly regarded prospects in hockey for the past few years, is looking like the first-overall candidate for the draft. That is Shane Wright.
Shane Wright is a Burlington, Ontario born center, who currently plays for the Kingston Frontenacs. He currently stands at six-foot-one, 187 pounds. He started making headlines when he played for the elite Don Mills Flyers AAA organization, where he played with familiar players such as Brandt Clarke and Brennan Othmann. In the 2018-19 season, his 16U year, Wright posted 66 goals and 84 assists for 150 points in 72 games. He also appeared in 33 GTHL games, where he scored 31 goals and 41 assists for 72 total points.
Because of his dynamic style of play, Wright was granted exceptional status for the 2019 OHL Priority Selection on March 8, 2019. He was later drafted first-overall by the Kingston Frontenacs.
Wright played his first OHL season with the Frontenacs in the 2019-20 year, where he was named an assistant captain to the team, and recorded 39 goals and 27 assists for 66 points, leading his team in points and winning the OHL Rookie of the Year award. In the same season he suited up for five games with team Canada’s Under-17 team, where he scored four goals and three assists.
The 2020-21 season unfortunately did not happen due to Covid-19, but Wright still put up a show at the 2021 World Juniors Showcase, where he scored nine goals and five assists for 14 points in five games played.
So far this year, Wright has played in six games, scoring two goals and four assists. He has also been named captain of the Frontenacs.
Wright is without question a five star rated prospect for Neutral Zone. “He is a leader and he impacts the game in every way possible. Bit of a bull, strong, compact and can frequently knock opposing players off the puck. Heavy player who shows he could finish as well as set up goals. Great speed, drives the net with a purpose consistently. Good hands in tight areas and can clean up goals around the net nicely. Wright uses his body intelligently when making plays in the corner and against the boards and is able to come out with the puck and make plays with limited space available. He is one of the strongest players on his skates we have seen in the past few years. His IQ away from the puck is what also sets him apart.”
The next player to watch for in the OHL is defenseman Ty Nelson.
The Toronto born defenseman currently plays for the North Bay Battalion. He stands at five-foot-10, 196 pounds. Nelson had a lot of success with his youth team, the Toronto Jr. Canadiens. Before getting drafted first-overall by the Battalion in 2020, Nelson was an assistant captain for the Canadiens, where he played 61 AAA games, scoring 18 goals and 47 assists for 65 points. He also appeared in 33 GTHL games, posting 11 goals and 21 assists for 32 points.
Unfortunately due to Covid, the strong-skating defenseman did not play in the 2020-21 season. This year, he is playing in his first junior hockey season, while also playing in his draft year. So far, he has scored two goals and posted six assists for eight points in eight games.
Nelson is currently a 4.5 star rated player for Neutral Zone. “Exciting defenseman to watch as there’s many aspects to like from his game, dominating on both ends of the ice. Defensively he’s heavy and quick on his stick, disposing his opponent of pucks. He’s not overly physical, but he uses his lateral mobility to smother and angle opponents before easily retrieving the puck from them. Offensively, he’s gifted as well making good decisions across the whole sheet – shows poise and confidence with the puck beating guys or taking an extra second before releasing the puck.”
Third on the list is centerman Bryce McConnell-Barker from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
The London, Ontario born forward currently stands at six-foot-one, 187 pounds. He is a left-shot forward who recently played for the London Jr. Knights of the ALLIANCE hockey league.
Before getting drafted fourth-overall in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection by the Greyhounds, McConnell-Barker posted 29 goals and 19 assists for 48 points in 33 games played in 2019-20. He also appeared in six games with the Komoka Kings of the GOJHL, scoring three goals and three assists. This season, Bryce has posted three goals and three assists for six points in nine games in his first OHL season with the Greyhounds.
McConnell-Barker is a 4.75 star rated player for Neutral Zone. “Neutral Zone Ontario scouts believed McConnell-Barker was the top player playing in Ontario (behind Adam Fantilli) for most of the season. He was dominant in league play and raised his level of play in the major tournaments. His pace and elite space was noticeable every shift. He is versatile and can generate pace down the middle or off the wing. Unlike many of the top players in the province McConnell-Barker did not have the luxury of playing on a stacked dominant Minor Midget team. Despite this he was among the league leaders in points and goals in the Minor Hockey Alliance. He was also able to raise his game up a level at the major AAA tournaments this season.”
Fourth on the list is centerman Hunter Haight from the Barrie Colts.
The 2004-born from Strathroy, Ontario, currently stands at five-foot-10, 172 pounds. He is a right-shot forward, who made himself noticed when playing youth hockey for the Elgin Middlesex Chiefs of the ALLIANCE. Before being drafted ninth-overall by Barrie Colts in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, Haight posted a strong line of points with the Chiefs, serving as an assistant captain. In 33 games, Haight scored 32 goals and 26 assists for 58 points. He also played one game with the London Nationals of the GOJHL. In the 2019-20 season, he was an ALLIANCE champion and a winner for most goals in the league.
Like a lot of prospects in the OHL, he did not play in the 2020-21 season, but is off to a decent start with the Colts, posting two goals and two assists in seven games.
Haight is a 4.5 star rated prospect for Neutral Zone. “He is an impressive 200 foot center, Haight continues to be one of our favourite skilled centers outside of the major centers. Haight is outstanding through the neutral zone with a full head of steam and generates space for himself and his linemates. He is also difficult to contain off the cycle with his quick first step and sturdy skating stride.”
Last on the list is yet another centerman in Danny Zhilkin from the Guelph Storm.
Zhilkin is a Russian Canadian native, who was born in Moscow, Russia. He currently stands at six-foot-two, 183 pounds. He was drafted by the Storm 14 overall in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection. Growing up in Canada, he played hockey for the Toronto Marlboros AAA program. In the 2018-19 season, Zhilkin posted 32 goals and 25 assists for 57 points in 69 16U AAA games. He also played in 33 GTHL games, where he scored 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 total points.
He played his first OHL season in the 2019-20 year, scoring seven goals and eight assists for 15 points in 60 games. Zhilkin suited up for five games with team Canada at the under-17 event, where he scored four goals and two assists. This past year he played seven games at the U18 World junior showcase, notching two assists.
So far this year, Zhilkin has a goal and two assists in seven games with the Storm.
Zhilkin is a 4.25 star rated player for Neutral Zone. “Zhilkin’s elite stickhandling and skating ability were showcased consistently throughout the tournament. He weaves in and out of traffic in the neural zone effortlessly while making himself always available to receive the puck in most areas of the rink. At times, his ability to protect the puck put him on a different level than his linemates and opposition. He has such a “smoothness” to his game and showed an ability to make plays at a high pace.”
There are a lot of exciting players to watch in the OHL for the draft this season. Players not mentioned on this list, but should still get noticed are Pano Fimis from the Niagara IceDogs, Max Namestnikov from the Sarnia Sting, and Gavin Hayes from the Flint Firebirds.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images