Seven future NCAA players, including six incoming freshmen, were selected in the first round of the 2022 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft on Thursday night in Montreal.
All-Time First-Round Draft Picks (NCAA)
The Big Ten boasted five of those seven selections, with three of them coming from the University of Minnesota and two more from the University of Michigan. Boston College and Minnesota Duluth each had one first-round pick.
Minnesota incoming freshman forward Logan Cooley was the first collegian taken, going third overall to the Arizona Coyotes to become the second-highest drafted Golden Gopher in program history. Boston College incoming freshman forward Cutter Gauthier followed two picks later when he was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers, tying him for the highest-drafted player in BC history.
A pair of incoming Michigan Wolverines were later selected with consecutive picks when Frank Nazar went 13th to the Chicago Blackhawks and Rutger McGroarty went 14th to the Winnipeg Jets.
Minnesota incoming freshman Jimmy Snuggerud (St. Louis Blues) and Minnesota recruit Sam Rinzel (Chicago Blackhawks) were drafted 23rd and 25th, respectively, while Minnesota Duluth incoming freshman Isaac Howard was the final collegian taken in the first round, going 31st to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Also of note:
Rounds two through seven of the 2022 NHL Draft will be held Friday beginning at 11 a.m. ET. Broadcast coverage will be provided by the NHL Network and ESPN+ in the U.S. and Sportsnet in Canada.
NCAA Selections in the First Round | |||||
No. | Name | Pos. | NHL Team | NCAA Team | 2021-22 Team |
3 | Logan Cooley | F | Arizona | Minnesota | U.S. NTDP |
5 | Cutter Gauthier | F | Philadelphia | Boston College | U.S. NTDP |
13 | Frank Nazar | F | Chicago | Michigan | U.S. NTDP |
14 | Rutger McGroarty | F | Winnipeg | Michigan | U.S. NTDP |
23 | Jimmy Snuggerud | F | St. Louis | Minnesota | U.S. NTDP |
25 | Sam Rinzel | D | Chicago | Minnesota | U.S. NTDP |
31 | Isaac Howard | F | Tampa Bay | Minnesota Duluth | U.S. NTDP |