Profile

Shane Wright is an 18-year-old, Ontario, Canada native. The centerman is listed at six-foot-one and 198 pounds. Wright has played his junior hockey career in his home-country, Canada. He spent 2019-20 and 2021-22 with the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL. He also has spent extensive time with Team Canada is a variety of different tournaments.

In the final 2022 Draft Prospect Rankings, Wright is ranked first among North American skaters. At the midterm rankings, he ranked first as well. Only ahead of Logan Cooley both times.

The Statistics

Shane Wright began his junior career with the Don Mills Flyers AAA under-14 team in 2016-17 as a 12-year-old. He played with the under-15 team in 2017-18 before moving up to the under-16 team for the 2018-19 season. He played in both the under-16 AAA league and GTHL under-16 league that season.

In 72 games a part of the under-16 AAA league he tallied 150 points (66 goals and 84 assists). For comparisons sake, that point total led the league by four over Rangers’ prospect Brennan Othmann (2021, 16th overall). That season output was also the eighth best point-per-game rate of all time (minimum 40 games played). It was better than the likes of Jack Hughes (NJ, 2016-17), Cole Perfetti (WPG, 2017-18), Jeff Skinner (BUF, 2007-08), Mark Scheifele (WPG, 2008-09), and several other terrific players.

As mentioned above, Wright also participated in the GTHL under-16 league where he tallied 72 points (31 goals and 41 assists) in only 33 games played. For comparisons sake, that was the highest point total in that league that season by eight points. That point-per-game pace of 2.18 ranks 13th all time (minimum 30 games played). This 2.18 pace was 0.01 off John Tavares’ in 2004-05 and 0.15 less than Connor McDavid’s in 2011-12.

Wright made his OHL debut in 2019-20 and tallied a terrific 66 points (39 goals) in only 58 games as a 15-year-old. He was granted a special exception making him eligible to play. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the OHL for the 2020-21 season. So, Wright did not play with Kingston again until this past season.

After a slow start, which alarmed some, he turned it on and finished with 94 points in only 63 games played. He totaled 14 points in 11 playoff games during the season as well. It did take Wright a bit to get going, but once he did, he excelled greatly and turned in a great season.

As mentioned, Wright also played for Team Canada on several occasions. The most notable was in 2020-21, when the OHL was shut down, Wright played in the under-18 World Junior Championship. In this tournament, he dazzled, scoring 14 points in only five games. That point-per-game pace led the tournament. It was 0.51 higher than Matvei Michkov and 0.80 higher than Connor Bedard. Each generational talents eligible for next year’s draft.

Wright’s Scouting Report

Strengths

Shane Wright is the most complete player in the draft. He plays a terrific 200-foot game, he is your textbook two-way centerman. For this reason, Wright can play in all circumstances, and do so well: even strength, power play, and penalty kill.

Offensively, he is somewhere between a goal-scorer and playmaker. He can do both well. He has a sneaky strong shot which was fully on display during the 2019-20 OHL season where he totaled 39 goals. This figure was the equal with Marco Rossi (2020, ninth overall), only Wright did it as a special exemption player who was only 15-years-old. The goal total was 10th highest in the OHL among 465 players that season.

His terrific hockey-IQ not only helps him set up teammates with terrific passes, but also helps him on the defensive end of the ice where he also excels. His defensive awareness, coupled with superb processing abilities helps his off-puck play tremendously resulting in terrific defensive play. Wright also uses his six-foot-one frame well, one that will continue to grow.

As a skater, he is strong as well. He moves well for a six-foot-one, 200 pounder. He has the speed, agility, and edges all needed in a high-quality player. This, coupled with the abilities above, sets Wright up to be extremely impactful at the next level.

Weaknesses 

There really is not much to say in this section. Really, the only bone to pick with Wright is how his OHL production last year started off slow. Originally regarded as a Connor McDavid/Auston Matthews level player, that hype kind of went to the wayside with his production this season and the COVID-19 pandemic throwing a curveball to his development.

Now, 94 points in 63 games is nothing to get upset about. It was still a very strong season. However, McDavid put up 120 in only 47 games his draft eligible season. Whic has resulted in Wright catching some scrutiny, unfairly or not.

Fit With the New Jersey Devils

Well, with Shane Wright being the projected first overall pick in the draft, it is likely New Jersey does not have a shot at him. However, if the Montreal Canadiens go rouge and buy into the Juraj Slafkovský hype, and the Devils have a shot, Wright must be the pick.

At the next level, Shane Wright will make an immediate two-way impact. He projects out as a top-line, elite two-way center. Wright has drawn Patrice Bergeron and John Tavares type comparable. He will be a stud for years to come.

For this reason, if New Jersey has a shot at him, it should not matter he is a center. If the Devils are able to compile a center group of Jack Hughes, Nico Hischer, and Shane Wright for years to come, the organization will be set up extremely well. Especially since New Jersey can easily slide Dawson Mercer to a wing role. Wright is the type of player you don’t think about twice in drafting and figure out any type of positional conflicts at a later date.

Regardless, either Montreal or New Jersey are going to be thrilled with the Canadien center. It will certainly be interesting on draft night to see which direction Montreal goes in.

Other Profiles

• Logan Cooley (6/9/2022)
• Juraj Slafkovský (6/20/2022)