Draft evaluation is a humbling business. We make our living projecting what 17- and 18-year-old hockey players are going to look like in the NHL. Sometimes you hit the nail on the head. Other times, you look back four years later and wonder what exactly you were watching.Now that we are comfortably in the summer of 2026, the 2022 NHL Draft class has started to solidify. We have four years of data, developmental arcs and NHL samples to work with.With that in mind, it’s time to eat some crow. Here’s a look at the 10 biggest misses from my final 2022 ranking.1. Lane Hutson, LHDMy original rank: 24
My 2026 re-draft rank: 3What I got wrong: I knew Hutson was extremely smart, but I underrated just how off the charts his offense would be at higher levels. He has also defended better in the NHL than I expected him to, given his lack of premier athletic traits, even if it’s still not the selling point of his game.What is the future outlook for Shane WrightMax Bultman and Corey Pronman2. David Jiříček, RHDMy original rank: 4
My 2026 re-draft rank: 32What I got wrong: I thought Jiříček would be a high-offense, physical two-way defenseman in the NHL with skating issues. Instead, he’s been an average offensive pro, who is so-so in his own end despite having good size due to his skating and the nasty elements in his game seemingly vanishing over the last couple of years.3. Jimmy Snuggerud, RWMy original rank: 29
