MONTREAL -- Juraj Slafkovsky was selected with the No. 1 pick by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bell Centre on Thursday.
"I think I didn't even hear my name called," Slafkovsky said. "I just heard 'Slovakia,' and then I was like shocked, and I didn't even listen anymore. I was just like shaking. I had goosebumps. Unbelievable moment for me."
It was the first of many surprising moments during a fun-filled opening round before an energetic crowd, the first at an NHL Draft since 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Slafkovsky (6-foot-4, 229 pounds), a left wing with TPS in Liiga, Finland's top professional men's league, became the highest Slovakia-born player chosen in the NHL Draft. The Minnesota Wild selected Marian Gaborik with the No. 3 pick in 2000. The Canadiens won the No. 1 selection in the NHL Draft Lottery on May 10. Rounds 2-7 are here on Friday (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS).
"Of course, I was surprised," Slafkovsky said. "Shane Wright was projected No. 1 for, I don't know, four years, so of course I'm really happy."
Shane Wright was No. 1 in NHL Central Scouting's ranking of North American skaters from start to finish, but the center was selected with the No. 4 pick by the Seattle Kraken. Slafkovsky was No. 1 in Central Scouting's final ranking of International skaters.
The two forwards were sitting together with their families in the stands when Slafkovsky was chosen first.
"I told him heck of job, man, go kill it there ... you deserve it," Wright said. "I got to know him pretty well. We talked a lot during this week, so super proud for him, super proud of what he's accomplished."
The praise was appreciated by Slafkovsky.
"He congratulated me, shook my hand," he said. "It just shows how good a man he is."
Defenseman Simon Nemec was picked No. 2 by the New Jersey Devils, and forward Logan Cooley was selected No. 3 by the Arizona Coyotes. Cutter Gauthier, a forward, was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers at No. 5.
Slafkovsky had 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 31 games with TPS this season. He had seven points (two goals, five assists) in 18 playoff games. He was named the most valuable player at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Still 17 years old, he scored a tournament-best seven goals in seven games to help Slovakia finish third, its first men's Olympic hockey medal. His seven points tied for the tournament lead and he led Slovakia with 24 shots on goal and averaged 15:50 of ice time despite being the youngest player in the tournament.
"I just hope that [the Canadiens fans] will like me also one day," Slafkovsky said. "I will do everything to show I'm good player and that I actually can make some history with Montreal."
After selecting Slafkovsky, Montreal traded defenseman Alexander Romanov and it's fourth-round pick (No. 98) in the 2022 draft to the New York Islanders for the No. 13 pick, which was then moved to the Chicago Blackhawks, along with the 66th pick, for Kirby Dach.
It was the first of five NHL trades made during the first round. There were seven trades made Thursday, including three by the Blackhawks.
Dach, a 21-year-old center, had 59 points (19 goals, 40 assists) in 152 games with the Blackhawks, who selected him with the No. 3 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. Romanov, 22, has 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in 133 NHL games since being selected by the Canadiens in the second round (No. 38) of the 2018 NHL Draft.
Earlier Thursday, Chicago sent forward Alex DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators for the No. 7 (defenseman Kevin Korchinski) and No. 39 picks in the 2022 draft, and a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. The Blackhawkslater acquired goalie Petr Mrazek and the No. 25 pick (defenseman Sam Rinzel) from the Toronto Maple Leafs for the No. 38 selection.
Wright (6-foot, 199 pounds), a right-shot center, was eighth in the OHL with 94 points (32 goals, 62 assists) in 63 games, including 51 (17 goals, 34 assists) in his final 32 games.
"[Being selected No. 4] definitely puts a little chip on my shoulder, gives me a little bit more motivation to succeed and to be the guy I believe I can be," Wright said. "I think [Seattle] is a great fit for me. I can really see myself being in that lineup and they're a new franchise, so I'll have a lot of opportunities to play and hopefully play soon and (I) believe I can play next season and be a high-end difference maker on the team."
Nemec (6-0, 199) is the first Slovakia-born defenseman chosen among the top nine picks in the NHL Draft and was the third of a record three Slovakia-born players picked in the first round. Right wing Filip Mesar (5-9, 174) of Poprad in Slovakia's top professional men's league went No. 26 to the Canadiens.
Nemec, a right-handed shot, had 26 points (one goal, 25 assists) and a plus-13 rating in 39 regular-season games with Nitra in Slovakia's top division, and 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 19 playoff games. He also had one assist in seven games for Slovakia at this year's Olympics.
"I had only one meeting with New Jersey at the NHL Scouting Combine, but when I heard [Slafkovsky's] name, I was a little bit nervous because I know New Jersey needs a defenseman and [not] centers," Nemec said.
Cooley (5-10, 180) of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, is the highest-drafted Pittsburgh-area player in NHL history. The left-handed center with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team was second on the NTDP with 75 points (27 goals, 48 assists) in 51 games.
"So many mixed emotions ... it still feels like a dream," Cooley said. "But to be able to have my family here and help celebrate with them and be drafted by Arizona, I feel like they have such a bright future and I'm super pumped to be a part of it."
Cooley and Gauthier were two of six NTDP players chosen in the first round. They were later joined by center Frank Nazar (No. 13, Blackhawks), right wing Rutger McGroarty (No. 14, Winnipeg Jets), right wing Jimmy Snuggerud (No. 23, St. Louis Blues), left wing Isaac Howard (No. 31, Tampa Bay Lightning).
"I've heard such great things about the Flyers, and talking with them," Gauthier said. "I feel like I had a really good connection with them, so I'm just excited to see in the near future and get out to development camp next week and have a great week."
The Buffalo Sabres and Coyotes each made three picks in the first round. Buffalo chose centers Matthew Savoie (No. 9) of Winnipeg in the Western Hockey League, Noah Ostlund (No. 16) of Djurgarden in Sweden's junior division, and Jiri Kulich (No. 28) of Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic.
The Coyotes selected Cooley (No. 3), center Conor Geekie (No. 11) of Winnipeg (WHL) and defenseman Maveric Lamoureux (No. 29) of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
Ivan Miroshnichenko (6-1, 185), a left wing with Omsk Krylia who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in February after he had 16 points (10 goals, six assists) in 31 games in Russia's second division, went No. 20 to the Washington Capitals. The right-handed shot was cleared to resume his hockey training after receiving his cancer treatment in Germany and was able to meet with NHL teams when they were there in April to watch the 2022 World Under-18 Championship.
He was the second of three Russia-born players chosen in the first round; defenseman Pavel Mintyukov went to the Anaheim Ducks at No. 10, and right wing Danila Yurov was selected at No. 24 by the Minnesota Wild.
"It was a lot of excitement when I heard my name," Miroshnichenko said. "I feel healthy, on the ice. Off the ice, there's still a lot I have to do to get to the level where I was at."
In another trade, the Coyotes acquired forward Zack Kassian, the No. 29 pick (Lamoureux), a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft from the Edmonton Oilers for the No. 32 selection (forward Reid Schaefer).
Arizona also moved up to No. 11 to select Cooley, trading the No. 27, 34 and 34 picks to the San Jose Sharks, who chose center Filip Bystedt.
2022 NHL DRAFT FIRST ROUND
1. Montreal Canadiens: Juraj Slafkovsky, LW
2. New Jersey Devils: Simon Nemec, D
3. Arizona Coyotes: Logan Cooley, C
4. Seattle Kraken: Shane Wright, C
5. Philadelphia Flyers: Cutter Gauthier, LW
6. Columbus Blue Jackets (from CHI): David Jiricek, D
7. Chicago Blackhawks (from OTT): Kevin Korchinski, D
8. Detroit Red Wings: Marco Kasper, C
9. Buffalo Sabres: Matthew Savoie, C
10. Anaheim Ducks: Pavel Mintyukov, D
11. Arizona Coyotes (from SJS): Conor Geekie, C
12. Columbus Blue Jackets: Denton Mateychuk, D
13. Chicago Blackhawks (from MTL, via NYI): Frank Nazar, C
14. Winnipeg Jets: Rutger McGroarty, RW
15. Vancouver Canucks: Jonathan Lekkerimaki, RW
16. Buffalo Sabres (from VGK): Noah Ostlund, C
17. Nashville Predators: Joakim Kemell, RW
18. Dallas Stars: Lian Bichsel, D
19. Minnesota Wild (from LAK): Liam Ohgren, LW
20. Washington Capitals: Ivan Miroshnichenko, LW
21. Pittsburgh Penguins: Owen Pickering, D
22. Anaheim Ducks (from BOS): Nathan Gaucher, C
23. St. Louis Blues: Jimmy Snuggerud, RW
24. Minnesota Wild: Danila Yurov, RW
25. Chicago Blackhawks (from TOR): Sam Rinzel, D
26. Montreal Canadiens (from CGY): Filip Mesar, RW
27. San Jose Sharks (from ARI, via CAR, via MTL): Filip Bystedt, C
28. Buffalo Sabres (from FLA): Jiri Kulich, C
29. Arizona Coyotes (from EDM): Maveric Lamoureux, D
30. Winnipeg Jets (from NYR): Brad Lambert, C
31. Tampa Bay Lightning: Isaac Howard, LW
32. Edmonton Oilers (from ARI, via COL): Reid Schaefer, LW
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