Shane Wright was anticipated to be the primary draft decide of the night time. However in a shocking twist, the primary two picks went to Slovakian gamers.
For the primary time in three years, followers have been allowed to attend the NHL Draft in Montreal’s Bell Centre. With the Montreal Canadiens holding the primary general decide, the night time has followers sitting on the fringe of their seat.Â
When draft day began Shane Wright was the consensus #1 decide at -200 on Fanduel. With Juraj Slofkovsky at +170 to go first. However by 6 pm because the draft was simply an hour away these odds modified and Slofkovsky turned the favourite, closing at -160 to be the primary general decide whereas Wright was at +115.
Some data will need to have leaked someplace for Wright to go from -200 to +115 in a matter of hours as a result of when it got here time for the Canadiens to select certain sufficient Slafkovsky was their man as the massive Left Winger from Slovakia was picked first general, turning into the primary Slovakian to each be picked primary.
So, relying on whenever you obtained a guess in on Slofkovsky you might have gotten him wherever from -160 to +170 on Thursday.
Finest second of the #2022NHLDraft, and it’s not even shut 🇸🇰 pic.twitter.com/bgUtGFS6IT
— The Hockey Information (@TheHockeyNews) July 8, 2022
Slovakia Takes the Evening
The Slovakian theme continued as Simon Nemec was picked second general – it’s the primary time ever two Slovakians have been taken within the first spherical and solely 2 picks had been made.
Wright didn’t even go third general, actually, that distinction was Logan Cooley who was +2600 to go first general. He was the primary Middle taken off the board and despite the fact that he’s dedicated to enjoying for the College of Minnesota subsequent 12 months, the ceaselessly re-building Arizona Coyotes thought he was the correct man at this decide.
After sitting round for what will need to have felt like an eternity Wright’s title was known as at decide quantity 4 to the Seattle Kraken. The Kingston Frontenacs Middle needed to wait by way of 3 picks and two trades, however his title was lastly known as, and it will need to have been a sense of aid when it was.
As for the Slovakian theme, The Montreal Canadiens additionally had a decide at quantity 26, and so they added Slofkovsky’s teammate and good friend Filip Mesar from Slovakia. That put a cap on the primary spherical for the Canadiens and was the third Slovakian picked within the first spherical.
To place that in perspective, just one Slovakian had been drafted within the first spherical within the final 10 years and the very best ever drafted Slovakian was Marian Gaborik by the Minnesota Wild with the third general decide in 2000.
Picks and Trades
Following the third general decide Commissioner Gary Bettman stepped to the microphone and introduced the primary trades of the night time, each involving the hometown Montreal Canadiens, to the gang’s delight.
Montreal traded away Defenseman Alexander Romanov and decide #98 (spherical 4, 1st decide – Isaiah George – D – OHL) to the New York Islanders for the #13 decide (Frank Nazar – C – USA NTDP) general. However as quick because the Habs acquired the decide they shipped it off the Chicago Blackhawks together with decide #66 (spherical 3, 1st decide – Gavin Hayes – LW – OHL) for Middle Kirby Dach.