The drama for the Everett Silvertips in the 2022 NHL draft is less about when players may be picked, but rather if they’ll be picked.
Everett has several players who may be selected in this year’s NHL draft, which takes place Thursday and Friday in Montreal, but none of those players are a sure bet to hear their names called.
Four Everett players landed on NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings for the 2022 draft, all of them in positions that put them on the bubble for getting drafted. The highest ranked of those is winger Ben Hemmerling, who was 86th among North American skaters. Hemmerling tallied 10 goals and 37 assists in 57 games last season.
Two other players from last year’s roster were ranked. Goaltender Braden Holt, who’s eligible for the draft for the second time after not being selected in 2021, was 11th among North American goaltenders. He was 24-6-2-2 with a 2.56 goals against average and .909 save percentage last season. Winger Austin Roest was 180th among North American skaters. He had 13 goals and 19 assists in 59 games last season.
The fourth ranked player is also among the team’s newest. Czech forward Dominik Rymon, selected in the first round of last week’s CHL import draft, is ranked 90th among European skaters. He had 27 goals and 19 assists in 37 games with HC Energie Karlovy Vary of the Czechia under-20 league last season.
There’s also an outside chance a team could take a flyer on center Ryan Hofer in the late rounds. Hofer, passed over in each of the past two NHL drafts, had 25 goals and 33 assists in 67 games last season.
“I think there could be a few of our players drafted,” Everett general manager Dennis Williams said. “It’s hard to tell. This year’s draft class was probably affected the most by the COVID-shortened season last year. It’s exciting to see some of our guys getting notoriety and mentions in the draft, but you never know. Hopefully some guys get picked, but if they do then nothing changes the next day, there’s still hard work to put in.”
The draft begins at 4 p.m. Pacific Time on Thursday and 8 a.m. Pacific Time on Saturday.
Tips hire senior scout
Everett has hired veteran WHL scout Brian Leavold as a senior scout for British Columbia.
Leavold spent 20 years as a scout with the Swift Current Broncos from 1998-2018, where from 2005-12 he worked alongside Everett assistant general manager Mike Fraser. Afterward he spent four seasons scouting for the Saskatoon Blades.
Leavold becomes Everett’s third senior scout, joining Gary Ryhorchuk (Saskatchewan) and Doug Sinclair (Manitoba).
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