2022 USHL Draft Results

Round 1

The 2022 USHL Draft has future NHL talent on display with potentially three of the top 5 picks in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft being prospects in the 2022 USHL Draft. Find out who traded up for Matthew Frost.

Chris Ransom follow @DraftUtopia Last Updated: May 12, 2022.

1. Waterloo Blackhawks: Matthew Frost, C, (2024) A+ Grade
   
   
   The 5-10 150 lb Matthew Frost is a smart player for South Kent. He plays a good two way game. He has the skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, and slap shot accuracy. He's got the offensive awareness, defensive awareness, hockey IQ and vision you want a first overall pick to have. Matthew Frost had 62 points in 58 games. Waterloo traded up with the Des Moines Buccaneers to get this player.
   
   
   
2. Sioux Falls Stampede: Reid Varkonyi, C, (2024) A- Grade
   
   
   The 5-10 180 lb Reid Varkonyi has the best hands of any prospect in the 2022 USHL Draft. He's a smart player that won't turn the puck over. He's bigger and does a lot of things similar to Matthew Frost I've seen Reid Varkonyi get a B grade on USHL Draft sites for going second overall, and I've also seen him get as high as an A+ grade on USHL Draft sites where fans of USHL hockey scout these prospects for fun. Taking things into consideration, Reid Varkoyi gets an A- grade.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Green Bay Gamblers: Aidan Park, RW, (2024) A+ Grade
   
   
   The 5-11 174 lb Aidan Park is versatile enough to play left wing, center, and right wing. He's a power forward that profiles similar to former Dallas Stars right winger Loui Eriksson. He lacks the footwork you want from a first round skater and his feet were suspect when he was on defense without the puck with one USHL scout saying Park got exposed when he didn't have the puck. He won't separate too much offensively due to his feet.
   
   
   
   Aidan Park has the upside to be a first line right winger, but he feels like a boom or bust prospect at the same time due to lingering questions with how he uses his feet. Park makes up for inconsistent feet with a nasty toe drag. While refining his skating along with his defense is a work in progress, he's got the explosiveness to get separation from a defender and finish a play when on the attack with the puck.
   
   
   
   He was also the line 1 right winger on a Shattuck Saint Mary's offense which currenlty features three of the top 4 prospects in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Aidan Park was the weak link of that offense which is an argument you can make if you disagree with my A+ grade since Cole Eiserman was the line 1 left winger on Shattuck Saint Mary's, Macklin Celebrini was the line 1 center, and Aidan Park was the line 1 right winger. If someone in the 2024 NHL Draft falls out of the top 5, it may end up being Park.
   
   
   
4. Waterloo Blackhawks: Keith McInnis, D, (2024) A+ Grade
   
   
   Waterloo gets the top defenseman in the 2022 USHL Draft. He's a tall fluid skater. He's good at everything, but not great at anything. He's got the mobility and athleticism. He's not going to overwhelm you with his strength by checking you, but he will take up space and knows how to use his stick whether it's to stop shots, pass the puck, or shoot effectively. He can shoot wrist shots and slap shots accurately, but he also could stand to gain more muscle so he can develop more power on both his slap shot and wrist shot.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Fargo Force: Mac Swanson, C, (2024) A+ Grade
   
   
   The 5-6 145 lb Mac Swanson is the son of former NHL player Brian Swanson, the San Jose Sharks fifth round draft pick back in 1994. Swanson never suited up with San Jose and had a relatively short NHL career with the Edmonton Oilers and Atlanta Thrashers before playing in Germany's DEL league after a failed stint with the Thrashers before finishing his career in the ECHL.
   
   
   
   Mac Swanson is a high energy guy. He's smart and has the vision, decision making, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ you want in a center. Mac Swanson has a chance to be better than his father if you can develop his game since the intelligence is there. He impressed against players older than him too, making this a good franchise player for the Fargo Force.
   
   
   
6. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders: Lukas Fischer, D, (2024) A+ Grade
   
   
   The 6-1 151 lb Lukas Fischer is the son of former Detroit Red Wings 1998 first round pick Jiri Fischer. Lukas isn't as big as his father who was 6-5 225 lbs, but he's grown an inch and added 12 lbs of muscle to improve to 6-2 163 lbs ten days after being drafted by the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the 2022 USHL Draft. He's got the vision, decision making, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ you want. He's an elite passer who can make crisp passes or outlet passes to get other players on offense. Lukas Fischer can be a quarterback on the power play or an enforcer as far as penalty killing goes. He's got the wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, and slap shot accuracy that you want a USHL defenseman to display. Very polite, humble kid that's considered a high character guy. One USHL scout said that if you want a player that's not going to fuck things up then Lukas Fischer, Jiri's son is your man.
   
   
   
   Lukas Fischer has the highest ceiling of any defenseman in the 2022 USHL Draft. His feet aren't as consistent as Keith McKinnis which is the biggest reason McKinnis went ahead of Fischer in the 2022 USHL Draft, but I'd argue that Lukas Fischer has a higher ceiling than McKinnis if he can fix his footwork.
   
   
   
   
   
7. Madison Capitols: Will Felicio, D, (2024) A Grade
   
   
   The 5-9 164 lb Will Felicio is a puck mover. Great feet, perhaps even the best feet of any defenseman in the 2022 USHL Draft. He's a precise passer who can hit wingers or centers with accuracy when dishing the puck as he can fire crisp passes or outlet passes. He's got the short accuracy, medium accuracy, and deep accuracy on his passes. Has the skating and explosion to beat opposing defenders that try to check him. Can generate points for your team while taking contact from an opposing defender. He had 13 goals, 26 assists, and 39 points in 36 games. He's also a beast on the power play. He's the best offensive defenseman in the 2022 USHL Draft. I've heard USHL scouts give him anywhere from a B+ to an A+ grade. He could be a really good player down the road once he matures by improving defensively, getting bigger, and filling out his frame. Will Felicio's father was a former NHL goalie. The potential for Will Felicio to develop into an effective two-way defenseman is there, which is the biggest reason I gave this pick an A grade.
   
   
   
8. Des Moines Buccaneers: Geno Carcone, LW, (2025) A+ Grade
   
   
   The 5-9 171 lb Geno Carcone got a B+ and A- grade from most USHL scouts, but I'm playing devils advocate here and giving Geno Carcone an A+ grade here. He's better than these scouts are making him out to be.
   
   
   
   Geno Carcone is versatile enough to play left wing, center, or right wing with his versatility. He can win face offs. He's got superb stick handling ability. He's a guy who can win you a penalty shootout since he's got the hands, deking, and stick handling of a future NHL player, plus he makes it look so effortless at times.
   
   
   
   Geno Carcone has the playmaking, passing, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, and slap shot accuracy that I like to see in a prospect. He's got a quick release and shoots with his head up without looking at the puck. My gut is telling me Geno Carcone is gonna be the steal from this 2022 USHL Draft, and my gut is rarely wrong.
   
   
   
   Geno Carcone is the best USHL prospect I've seen since Kyle Connor from the Youngstown Phantams. Kyle Connor was ninth on my final 2015 NHL Draft big board behind Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Dylan Strome, Mitch Marner, Pavel Zacha, Matthew Barzal, Ryan Pulock, and Zach Werenski. I had Kyle Connor graded one spot ahead of Mikko Rantanen that year when most had Boston College defenseman Noah Hanifin in their top 5 that year, but Hanifin was eleventh on my board that year behind Rantanen.
   
   
   
   Carmen Carcone posted a video of Geno on Youtube and The Scouting News claims that Carmen Carcone was a former NHL scout. I can't confirm or deny these reports about Geno's dad, but I will finalize this writeup by confirming that Geno Carcone has a lot of traits that Kyle Connor had heading into the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. The scary thing is Geno is gonna have three years to perfect those traits which he already is naturally good at.
   
   
   
   
   
9. Youngstown Phantoms: Tory Pitner, D, (2024) A Grade
   
   
   The 5-11 164 lb Tory Pitner has good feet. He can execute turnovers and gaps up quickly. He may be the best defensive defender, but he needs to develop offensively if he wants to be on par with Keith McInnis and Lukas Fischer.
   
   
   
10. Muskegon Lumberjacks: Sacha Boisvert, C, (2024) A Grade
    
    
    Muskegon gets a center whose the best shot blocker and penalty killer in the 2022 USHL Draft. He's got NHL level wrist shot power and slap shot power. He just needs to improve his slap shot accuracy and wrist shot accuracy. He's NCAA ready right now, but could be NHL ready if he can become more accurate as a passer and a shooter. He's a great skater, but not an elite skater. When he makes body contact he always execute a hit. His footwork has improved quite a bit since he first started playing. He's a project, but his upside is elite.
    
    
    
    
    
11. Lincoln Stars: Adam Kleber, D, (2024) A+ Grade
    
    
    Adam Kleber had an offer to join the Portland Winterhawks. Has really good technique, but he's got to improve his footwork and develop a mean streak.
    
    
    
12. Dubuque Fighting Saints: Gavin Cornforth, C, (2025) A+ Grade
    
    
    Gavin Cornforth is the son of a High School hockey coach. He can fly. His dad has been a high school hockey coach dating back to 2015. ESPN did a story about his dad when he got hired as a coach. He's got the elite top end speed you can't teach. He's also a superb stick handler. He glides and can beat defenders in one on ones. He's got the athletic traits you want for a top 5 pick, but he needs to develop the rest of his game as a passer and a shooter, but he's got the athleticism to play in the NHL.
    
    
    
    
    
13. Sioux City Musketeers: Drake Murray, D, (2024) A Grade
    
    
    Drake Murray was the best defenseman on Shattuck St. Mary's. He's a two-way defenseman who can pass pucks well while generate turnovers. He can pass the puck effectively with traffic in his face. Drake Murray anchored the blue line on this loaded Shattuck St. Mary's Team. He's a fundamentally sound defensive defender who passes well, but needs to develop his shot.
    
    
    
14. Chicago Steel: Macklin Celebrini, C, (2024) A+ Grade
    
    
    The Chicago Steel lured Macklin Celebrini the early front runner to go first overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft away from the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL. The USHL power house Chicago Steel did the same thing two years ago when they got center Adam Fantilli, the consensus first pick in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection to choose the USHL over OHL.
    
    
    
    Right now, only center Connor Bedard and right winger Matvei Michkov a Russian right winger being heralded as the best Russian winger since Alexander Ovechkin are the top 2 prospects for the 2023 NHL Entry Draft ahead of Adam Fantilli with Adam Fantilli making the transition from center to left winger in 2022-2023 so he can showcase his versatility to play both center and wing to NHL teams leading up to the 2023 NHL Entry Draft in Fantilli's draft year. Let's get back to Macklin Celebrini though.
    
    
    
    The 5-11 181 lb Macklin Celebrini has two years of experience as a line 1 center on Shattuck St. Mary's. Macklin Celebrini had 51 goals, 90 assists, and 141 points in 2020-2021 as a 14-year-old, which is the biggest reason the Seattle Thunderbirds took him first overall in the 2021 WHL US Import Draft. In his second season with Shattuck St. Mary's he still dominated with 50 goals, 67 assists, and 117 points against older players. Macklin Celebrini will turn 18 and be draft eligible in June of 2024, right before the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
    
    
    
    Macklin Celebrini is the front runner to go first overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft after dominating as a line 1 center on Shattuck St. Mary's during his last two seasons. Not only was he the standout player to watch for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft in Hockey Writers Magazine for the 2021 NHL Draft a year ago, he's also the only player with a five star grade for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft according to a former NHL scout.
    
    
    
    Macklin Celebrini has the skating, feet, foot speed, speed, explosive burst, passing, playmaking, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, decision making, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ you want. He's the first guy on the ice and the last guy to leave the ice. He has this mentality on the power play and penalty killing unit as well. He already has the seventh most All Time points for any hockey prospect under the age of 17 surpassing both Blackhawks superstars Alex Debrincat and Jonathan Toews in this category. Now Celebrini will be the face of the Chicago Steel.
    
    
    
    The Chicago Steel were the USHL's best team for three consecutive regular seasons with 2020 preventing them from getting the Clark Cup due to Covid-19, Chicago won the Clark Cup in 2021, and they were the top seed in 2022 before losing in the quarterfinals to the Madison Capitols. Chicago is gonna be the team to beat in the USHL for at least one more season thanks to the addition of Macklin Celebrini.
    
    
    
    He's up there with Jack Hughes and Auston Matthews before he played for the ZSC Lions as one of the best USHL prospects. He's at the same point Shane Wright was at after he got drafted first overall by the Kingston Frontenacs in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection. That's really rare to see as scouts are already labeling him this complete player even though this is becoming more common in hockey over the year. He's playing through contact and he's already playing kids three years older than him.
    
    
    
    
    
15. Tri-City Storm: Matthew Virgilio, D, (2024) A+ Grade
    
    
    Tri-City gets the most agile defender in the 2022 USHL Draft as he can move laterally as well as vertically. Matthew Virgilio has the best agility in the 2022 USHL Draft. He would have been a top 10 pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection which had six defensemen go in the top 23 had he entered the 2022 OHL Draft instead of the 2022 USHL Draft. Because Virgilio chose the USHL over the OHL, he can choose to go the NCAA route rather than making the immediate jump to the NHL. Matthew Virgilio currently has a hockey scholarship to Michigan after the Michigan Wolverines had four of the top five picks in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
    
    
    
16. USNTDP: Cole Eiserman, LW, (2024) A+ Grade
    
    
    The 6-0 181 lb Cole Eiserman is versatile enough to play left wing, center, or right winger with his versatility. Cole Eiserman had 97 goals, 50 assists, and 154 points in 50 games as a line 1 left winger next to Macklin Celebrini. Cole Eiserman followed tht up with 56 goals, 30 assists, and 86 points against players older than him.
    
    
    
    Cole Eiserman has the skating, feet, foot speed, speed, explosive burst, passing, playmaking, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, decision making, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ you want.
    
    
    
    I'll wrap this article up with a preliminary top 3 for the next four NHL Entry Drafts. Shane Wright (center), Juraj Slafkovsky (winger), and Logan Cooley (center) is the top 3 for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. Connor Bedard (center), Matvei Michkov (right winger), and Adam Fantilli (center/winger) is the top 3 for the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Macklin Celebrini (center), Aron Kiviharju (defenseman), and Cole Eiserman (left winger) are the top 3 for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Finally, Michael Misa (center), Malcolm Spence (left winger), and Jordan Gavin (center) are the top 3 for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft at this point in 2022.
    
    
    
    I don't want to go too far in depth after that with NHL Entry Drafts. I will say that I'll have coverage of the 2022 WHL Draft Results next Thursday and the 2022 QMJHL Draft Results wich will be on July 4, 2022. My 2022 OHL Draft Results are also up, but I'm not linking previous CHL and USHL drafts that I've graded dating back to 2019 unless I get requests to do so.