The 2022 NHL Draft began on Thursday night and wrapped up Friday afternoon. Although the Florida Panthers did not make a selection until the third round (93rd overall), they ended up drafting seven total players in the seven rounds. While none of these players will likely see the ice in Sunrise anytime soon (if at all), they offer intriuging potential and could be in the Florida lineup at some point in the future. Here is a brief look at each of them.
Note: The Panthers’ 2022 first-round pick was used to acquire Sam Reinhart, while their 2022 second-round pick was used to acquire Sam Bennett.
All stats via Elite Prospects
Marek Alscher, D (93rd Overall Pick)
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Alscher is a big defenseman who skates well for his size. The Czechian appeared in 61 regular season games and 11 playoff games for the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League (WHL) last season, registering 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) and 65 total penalty minutes. In eight games for the Czechia U18 team, he had three points (all assists) and six penalty minutes.
Ludvig Jansson, D (125th)
The Panthers doubled up on defensemen with their first two picks. The 6-foot Jansson is a quick and agile skater who can make a good first pass. The Swede put up four points (two goals, two assists) in nine games in Sweden’s junior league this past year and five points (two goals, three assists) in 47 games for Sodertalje SK of the HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s senior league. He also had one goal in three games for the country’s U20 team. Here is a scouting report THW’s Dayton Reimer did on him last month.
Sandis Vilmanis, LW (157th)
The 6-foot-1 Vilmanis is a strong skater who is good with the puck. The Latvian power forward played the majority of last season for Lulea HF’s J20 team in Sweden, registering 32 points (18 goals, 14 assists) in 32 games. He also had three points (one goal, two assists) in four games for Latvia’s U18 team and three points (two goals, one assist) in five games for the U20 team. Here is a scouting report THW’s Peter Barracchini did on him last month.
Josh Davies, LW (186th)
After starting off with two defensive selections, the Panthers went with two straight left wingers. Davies is a strong skater with good speed, but at 5-foot-9, he’s a little undersized. The Alberta native played for the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL this past season, finishing with 36 points (16 goals, 20 assists) in 64 games. He also had an assist in three games for Canada’s U18 team. Here is a scouting report THW’s Connor Ziparo did on him last month.
Tyler Muszelik, G (189th)
With a 6-foot-2 frame along with good quickness and anticipation, Muszelik shows potential, though he needs to work on rebound control and overall consistency. This past year, the the New Jersey native posted a 3.17 goals-against average (GAA) and .900 save percentage (SV%) in 16 games in the United States Hockey League (USHL), a 2.91 GAA and .900 SV% in 35 games in the United States Development Program (USDP), and a 2.50 GAA and .909 SV% in two games with the U.S. U18 team. He’s committed to the University of New Hampshire. Here is a scouting report THW’s Adam Kierszenblat did on him at the end of last month.
Liam Arnsby, C (214th)
Arnsby doesn’t have top-end talent or elite puck control, but the 5-foot-10 forward is skilled and plays with plenty of toughness and physicality. The Ajax, Ontario native tallied 26 points (nine goals, 17 assists) in 46 games for the North Bay Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this past season and six points (all assists) in 13 playoff games. Here is a scouting report THW’s Eugene Helfrick did on him in May.
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Jack Devine, RW (221st)
Devine has strong vision and playmaking skills, but the 5-foot-11 forward lacks elite speed and doesn’t shoot or score goals a whole lot. The Illinois native had 19 points (three goals, 16 assists) in 36 games this past season as a freshman for the University of Denver, which won the NCAA Division I men’s championship in April. Here is a scouting reportTHW’s Sean Raggio did on him that same month.
Although the Panthers did not have a pick in the first two rounds of this year’s draft, they still ultimately drafted seven players. It’s highly unlikely all seven of those players will end up playing for Florida, but each one of them has the potential to be a contributor in the NHL.
Grant is a freelance writer covering the Florida Panthers/Columbus Blue Jackets and contributing to Morning Skate for THW. He started his own sports blog (Head in the Game) in 2013 and worked in the sports information department while at Trine University, from where he graduated in 2019. You can follow Grant on Twitter @G_Tingley.