With the 37th pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, the Capitals have selected Ryan Chesley, defenseman, from the US National Team Developmental Program. The native of Mahtomedi, MN, will skate for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers in the upcoming season.
Via Elite Prospects:
Ranked #30 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
Ranked #30 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
Ranked #20 by FCHOCKEY
Ranked #25 by TSN/BOB McKENZIE
Ranked #34 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
Ranked #45 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
Ranked #18 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
Ranked #31 by SPORTSNET
Ranked #20 by ISS HOCKEY
Ranked #30 by RECRUIT SCOUTING
Ranked #29 by DOBBERPROSPECTS
Ranked #30 by DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY
Ranked #72 by SMAHT SCOUTING
Ranked #52 by THE PUCK AUTHORITY
What they said about Chesley:
“Chesley adds a bit of everything. A right-shot who played primarily on the left side, he was in more of a shut-down role for the NTDP this season but showcased a high-end offensive game with the U-17 team last season. He’ll likely be able to showcase more of those offensive skills next season at the University of Minnesota.”
-Adam Kimelman, NHL.com
“Chesley does so many things well but won’t likely stand out to the casual viewer on most nights. He’s got average speed but is a good skater who can explode well in all four directions. You can tell he scans the ice well, but he needs to make his passing decisions a little quicker. He’s not a strong shooter, but he can distribute the puck well from the blue line and recover to defend against the rush and crowd opponents’ passing and shooting lanes.”
-SB Nation
“Teams are looking for players who can play a shutdown role on the blueline. Now add that he can be a second power play guy down the road, and he can play either side, and that might be enough to distance himself from some of the others in the field. It makes up his high ceiling.”
— EPRinkside
More to come…