2022 NHL Draft: Caps Select Ryan Chesley

With the 37th pick, obtained from the New Jersey Devils in the trade for Vitek Vanecek

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…