Welcome back to The Journey, where we track the growth of prospects as they develop, break through, and push toward NHL impact. The 2022 NHL Draft class has already produced some full-time contributors, but a large portion of its first-round talent is still finding its footing. For fantasy managers, this group is especially intriguing. Most remain unproven at the NHL level, but the underlying talent and opportunity suggest potential buy-low windows. Below are 17 players ranked by long-term upside and proximity to fantasy relevance.

1. Conor Geekie – Tampa Bay Lightning

Geekie's blend of size, puck protection, and natural hockey sense gives him one of the more translatable toolkits among Tampa Bay's forward prospects. He can dictate play when he is on, using his reach and awareness to shield defenders and create offense through the middle of the ice. His skating has steadily improved, his shot is a real weapon at the AHL level, and he has shown stretches where he looks every bit like an eventual NHL contributor. The raw ingredients are all there, even if the consistency still needs to catch up.

The hope is that Conor eventually follows a developmental arc similar to his older brother, Morgan Geekie, who has become a fantasy star thanks to a perfect fit alongside an elite winger. Conor has already earned prolonged looks with the Lightning over the past two seasons, even if he has not put all the pieces together yet. If he can find chemistry with someone of Nikita Kucherov's caliber the way Morgan clicked with David Pastrnak, an offensive breakout is still very much on the table. His scoring progression has jumped around from year to year, but the upside remains intact, and patient managers could be rewarded if everything aligns.

2. Ivan Miroshnichenko – Washington Capitals

Miroshnichenko's story remains one of the most uplifting in the prospect world. After recovering from Hodgkin's Lymphoma, he has adapted impressively to the North American game, playing with growing confidence both on and off the puck. His release is still one of the best among the 2022 draftees, and he has begun using his frame with more purpose in traffic, battling through checks and getting to shooting areas. The goals are coming, the details are improving, and the trust from the coaching staff continues to rise.

His Fantasy Hockey Life card makes him even more exciting, showing excellent blocks, shots, and hits (BASH) numbers, plus legitimate penalty minute potential. He is built to be a dream asset in peripheral leagues. After nearly 40 NHL games split across the last two seasons, he looks on the verge of becoming a full-time NHLer, and once that role stabilizes, his combination of scoring touch and across-the-board category coverage could make him a fantasy staple for years to come.

3. Rutger McGroarty – Pittsburgh Penguins

McGroarty is the prototype of a modern power forward, combining relentless energy with real offensive touch. He wins net-front battles, extends plays along the boards, and forces defenders into mistakes with his pace and effort. At Michigan, he showed steady growth as both a scorer and a distributor, and credentials representing team USA are stellar. His competitiveness and leadership traits are widely praised and translate well to the pro game.

From a fantasy standpoint, McGroarty's profile screams multi-category value. His physical style, shot volume, and willingness to engage mean he should pile up BASH stats once he reaches the NHL, and a Timo Meier–style arc is a reasonable comparable for that blend of toughness and scoring touch. He looks very close to graduating to a full-time NHL role, and when he does, he has the tools to become a highly productive asset in leagues that reward hits, shots, and grit along with point production.

4. Jonathan Lekkerimäki – Vancouver Canucks

Lekkerimäki was the premier finisher from the 2022 class. He had a great AHL season in 2024-25, earning him a couple dozen NHL games. The shot remains his calling card, with a release that beats goalies clean from distance and forces defenders to respect him at all times. When he is in rhythm, he looks every bit like a future NHL power-play weapon.

That said, his all-around game still lags behind his scoring touch. His pNHLe has trended down significantly over the past two seasons, reflecting the areas of his game that still need tightening. To earn consistent ice time and bigger opportunities, he will need to improve away from the puck, sharpen his reads, and show more engagement defensively. Even so, the shot alone will continue to earn him NHL opportunities, and if he can round out the supporting details, he still has the potential to become a dangerous long-term fantasy scorer.

5. Kevin Korchinski – Chicago Blackhawks

Korchinski still profiles as a high-upside, modern puck-moving defenseman, even if his NHL debut was a bit uneven. Chicago pushed him into the league early out of necessity, and while he showed flashes of his elite transition ability and offensive instincts, the pace and physical demands exposed areas that still need refinement. His confidence clearly cratered, which is not unusual for young defensemen thrown into top competition too quickly.

A reset in the AHL is exactly what he needs, and the Blackhawks seem committed to giving him the time and stability required to rebuild his game. His underlying development indicators remain strong, highlighted by a Hockey Prospecting star probability of 62%, which aligns with the upside many projected at the draft. If he settles in defensively and regains the assertiveness that made him such a dynamic junior player, he still has every chance to grow into a top-four NHL defenseman who can deliver steady secondary offense with occasional spikes in fantasy value.

6. Brad Lambert – Winnipeg Jets

Lambert has put most of the early concerns about his decision-making behind him. His skating is elite, his puck control is electric, and he is now driving play with confidence in transition rather than forcing it. With major minutes in the AHL, he has learned how to balance creativity with structure, and the production has followed. Few prospects in this class can match his blend of speed and dynamic puck play when he is on.

Even so, he has not yet been given a true runway at the NHL level, which makes his recent trade request particularly interesting. A fresh start could be exactly what he needs, especially if he lands with a team willing to give him offensive deployment and some leash. In deeper dynasty formats, Lambert is absolutely worth a flier, because if the opportunity aligns with his skill set, he still has the tools to become a legitimate fantasy contributor.

7. Isaac Howard – Edmonton Oilers

Jumping straight to the NHL proved difficult for Howard, even coming off a Hobey Baker–winning season as the top NCAA player. Now with the Edmonton Oilers organization, he is getting regular minutes in the AHL, which should help him find his footing and rebuild confidence. The talent has never been in question, but the transition has highlighted how much opportunity and stability matter. If this AHL stint helps him settle his timing and adjust to the professional pace, he could still climb quickly and become fantasy relevant once he earns another NHL look.

8. Matthew Savoie – Edmonton Oilers

Savoie is getting some early looks alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in Edmonton. Like most players who cycle through those spots, he has not been able to secure the role long term, but he brings more pure skill than many of the recent auditioned options. If he can string together a hot stretch and build chemistry, that might be all it takes for him to stick. For fantasy managers, he remains a classic high-upside flier who could swing matchups if he earns sustained time with the Oilers' stars.

9. David Jiricek – Minnesota Wild

After being traded from the Blue Jackets to the Wild, Jiricek has struggled to establish himself at the NHL level. He has not been able to consistently drive play or defend with the pace required, and his minutes have reflected that. The encouraging sign is that he continues to look far more comfortable in the AHL, where his puck movement and transition game remain effective. He is still a high-pedigree prospect, but the fantasy expectations likely need recalibrating. If we lower the ceiling to a reliable bottom-pairing defender with strong BASH contributions, he could still carve out meaningful value in deeper formats

10. Liam Öhgren – Minnesota Wild

Öhgren has settled in as a responsible depth option for the Wild since arriving from Sweden. He has not produced much in the way of offense at the NHL level, but he consistently plays within structure, supports play well, and rarely hurts his team. In the AHL he has shown a clearer offensive pulse with more confidence and touch, and if he can bring even part of that with him as he pushes for a regular NHL role, there is room for modest fantasy growth. For now, he profiles as a safe, low-event forward with the potential to add a bit more if his AHL scoring begins to translate.

11. Maveric Lamoureux – Utah Mammoth

Lamoureux has made real progress in his skating, awareness, and overall defensive reliability, and at this point he profiles as a stay-at-home blueliner whose fantasy value will come almost entirely from BASH rather than scoring. His physical game already looks pro-ready, he plays within structure, and he leans into a heavy, responsible style that coaches trust. The BASH projection is legitimately strong, but with little indication that his offense will translate at the pro level, his fantasy appeal is likely limited to deeper banger formats where peripherals matter most.

12. Reid Schaefer – Nashville Predators

Schaefer's development was slowed by injuries last season, but his AHL production has steadily trended in the right direction as he has regained rhythm and confidence. He remains primarily projected as an energy forward who plays hard, leans on his frame, and brings a reliable north, south game, but there are small signs that he may be able to rediscover more of the scoring touch he flashed in junior. His BASH already clocks in at the 95th percentile in the AHL, which makes him especially appealing in formats that reward physical play.

13. Joakim Kemell – Nashville Predators

Kemell has produced consistently in the AHL over the past few seasons, earning a few short NHL looks, but he has not yet carved out a permanent role. With Nashville struggling to find consistent offense, a youth movement is becoming increasingly likely, and Kemell is one of the prospects who could benefit most. His shot, pace, and scoring instincts have all translated at the AHL level, and giving him extended NHL reps to work through his growing pains might be the clearest path forward for both player and team.

14. Noah Östlund – Buffalo Sabres

Östlund has made the most of his NHL call-up, recently finding the back of the net and giving Buffalo a much-needed dose of positivity. His skill and pace fit the direction the Sabres want to be heading, and there is a world where he becomes a useful spark in their middle six. That said, this feels like the less likely scenario, and with his value getting a short-term bump, this may be an ideal moment to sell while you still can.

15. Filip Bystedt – San Jose Sharks

Bystedt wrapped up a strong first full AHL season in 2024–25 and has come out flying this year, looking far more confident with the puck and assertive in the offensive zone. His combination of size, touch, and improved pace makes him an appealing long-term piece for San Jose. With Macklin Celebrini, Michael Misa, and Will Smith ahead of him on the depth chart, Bystedt likely projects as a dependable depth option down the middle rather than a future scoring driver. Even so, his progress is encouraging, and he could become a useful complementary center as the Sharks' young core matures.

16. Filip Mesar – Montreal Canadiens

Mešár's transition to pro hockey has been underwhelming so far, with production landing below a half point per game and limited signs of consistent offensive creation. His speed and effort level still show up, but the impact shifts are too infrequent to project meaningful scoring upside. At this stage, he looks more likely to settle into a bottom six energy role than develop into the skill-forward Montreal once hoped for.

17. Owen Pickering – Pittsburgh Penguins

Pickering has transitioned to the professional game remarkably well, emerging as a steady, reliable shutdown defender. His reach, mobility, and poise under pressure have made him an asset in tough minutes, and he looks increasingly comfortable handling the pace of the AHL. From a fantasy standpoint, however, his value is limited. The offensive production has not followed him to the professional ranks, and his peripherals are modest, which makes him far less appealing outside of very deep formats that reward pure defensive play.

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Final Thoughts

Three years after the 2022 NHL Draft, this class continues to intrigue. Several players on this list are inching closer to full-time NHL roles, while others are still refining their details and waiting for the right opportunity. The key for dynasty managers is timing, identifying who is merely delayed versus who is truly stalling. Players like Geekie, Miroshnichenko, and Lambert still have the pedigree and indicators that suggest eventual payoff, even if the road has been slower than expected. In contrast, others may need ideal usage or development breaks to realize their upside. As this draft class enters its make-or-break stage, staying patient with skill and opportunistic with value shifts could be the difference between a good dynasty roster and a great one.

Thanks for reading! See you next week. For more fantasy hockey analysis, or if there's a prospect, topic, or theme you'd like me to cover, follow and message me on X: https://x.com/VictorNuno12