Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League is proud to announce six WHL players have been selected in the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft, held Thursday at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
Seattle Thunderbirds defenceman Kevin Korchinski was the top player selected from the WHL, chosen seventh overall by the Chicago Blackhawks. A product of Saskatoon, Sask., Korchinski was a finalist for the. Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy for WHL Rookie of the Year in 2021-22, and he was named to the WHL U.S. Division Second All-Star Team after recording 65 points (4G-61A) in 67 games.
Winnipeg ICE forward Matthew Savoie was the top WHL forward selected in the 2022 NHL Draft, taken ninth overall by the Buffalo Sabres. A product of St. Albert, Alta., Savoie was named to the WHL East Division First All-Star Team in 2021-22 after leading the ICE in scoring with 90 points (35G-55A) in 65 games.
The ICE celebrated multiple selections in the first round for the first time in NHL Draft history after forward Conor Geekie heard his name called by the Arizona Coyotes with the 11th overall pick. Geekie, a product of Strathclair, Man., enjoyed a career season after tallying 70 points (24G-46A) in 63 games. He is the first ICE player ever selected by the Coyotes franchise.
The Manitoba flavour continued to carry, with Moose Jaw Warriors defenceman Denton Mateychuk, a native of Dominion City, Man., going 12th overall to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Named to the WHL East Division First All-Star Team for 2021-22, Mateychuk secured 64 points (13G-51A) in 65 games.
Swift Current Broncos defenceman Owen Pickering, a product of St. Adolphe, Man., was the fifth WHL player taken in the first round on Thursday evening, selected 21st overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins. After notching 33 points (9G-24A) in 62 games, Pickering was named to the WHL Central Division Second All-Star Team.
The Seattle Thunderbirds started the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft for the WHL and they ended it as well, with forward Reid Schaefer selected 32nd overall by the Edmonton Oilers. The hometown product of Spruce Grove, Alta., enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2021-22, posting 58 points (32G-26A) in 66 games.
The 2022 NHL Draft marks the eighth time in the past 10 years the WHL has seen five or more players selected in the first round of the NHL Draft. With six more WHL players chosen in the first round of the NHL Draft, the WHL’s all-time total number of first-round NHL Draft selections sits at 333 since the 1967 NHL Amateur Draft.
The 2022 NHL Draft resumes Friday morning at 9 a.m. MT. For more information on WHL players at the NHL Draft, please visit WHL.ca.
2022 NHL Draft – WHL Players Overall – Player (Pos.) – NHL Team; WHL Team; Hometown
#7 Kevin Korchinski (D) – Chicago Blackhawks; Seattle Thunderbirds; Saskatoon, Sask. #9 Matthew Savoie (F) – Buffalo Sabres; Winnipeg ICE; St. Albert, Alta. #11 Conor Geekie (F) – Arizona Coyotes; Winnipeg ICE; Strathclair, Man. #12 Denton Mateychuk (D) – Columbus Blue Jackets; Moose Jaw Warriors; Dominion City, Man. #21 Owen Pickering (D) – Pittsburgh Penguins; Swift Current Broncos; St. Adolphe, Man. #32 Reid Schaefer (F) – Edmonton Oilers; Seattle Thunderbirds; Spruce Grove, Alta.
About the Western Hockey League Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.