Ultimately, however, Wright went fourth to the Seattle Kraken after Juraj Slafkovsky, Simon Nemac, and Logan Cooley were already off the board. Perhaps the most surprising of the three was Cooley, a center taken by the Coyotes just before Wright.
It’s the second year in a row the Kraken have taken a center in the first round after taking Matthew Beniers second overall last year.
Wright, 18, was playing with the Kingston Frontenacs in the Ontario Hockey League last season.
Here’s a look at how Wright fell.
Montreal Canadiens: Juraj Slafkovsky, LW
Perhaps the most surprising pick in the top five was also the first. Slafkovsky was first overall by the Canadiens to add some size to their front line. A 6-feet-3-inches left winger who weights in 218 pounds, Slafkovsky was apparently deemed to be a better fit than Wright, despite the Canadiens having a need at both center and wing.
MORE: Live results, grades, complete list of selections from 2022 NHL Draft
New Jersey Devils: Simon Nemec, D
A defenseman, the reality is the Devils simply don’t have a need for a player of Wright’s skillset, even of his caliber. Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier provide more than enough depth on the front line, and Wright would have simply been redundant. Of all of the teams in the top three, this is the one Wright would have made the least sense to.
Arizona Coyotes: Logan Cooley, C
Even if Slafkovsky makes sense as an antithesis to Wright’s skillset, Logan Cooley to Arizona is somewhat hard to justify. Cooley, who has a strong case for the top American prospect in this draft, was drafted by the Coyotes, leaving Wright to the Kraken at No. 4.
Shane Wright reacts to Seattle Kraken selection
Wright was humble after his drop in talking with ESPN.
“Dream come true,” he told Emily Kaplan on the broadcast. “This is what I’ve worked for my whole life. This is what I’ve been grinding and working towards every second of my life since I was a kid and to finally have this goal achieved, it just feels so amazing.”
On his fall, he had to say:
Nevertheless, the Kraken believe their pick is “Wright on the money.”
I’m someone who wants to win. I’m a guy who wants to win championships. I’m someone who’s going to bring that competitive, hungry mindset every single day. I want to win here. I want to build something special here in Seattle– just super excited to be here.
One thing is for certain: The re-drafts of this one are going to be interesting once the dust settles around this class. It will be interesting to see how the Kraken look once Wright and Beniers get to Seattle.
