Top 2022 NHL Draft eligibles of the month for December

FCHockey’s scouts can be found in all corners of the globe, watching players at the professional level, right down to junior.

They see a countless number of players in action, but there are always those that shine.

Through the 2021-22 hockey season, our team will collect the names of those prospects that have caught their eyes. From standing out in their leagues to impressing at tournaments, from making history to accomplishing remarkable feats for their age, we’ll take a look at the 2022 NHL Draft-eligibles making waves in the hockey world each month.

Here are FCHockey’s top-five draft-eligible prospects for December 2021, alphabetically listed.

Jordan Dumais, RW, Halifax (QMJHL)

FCHockey Rank: Not ranked

December Stat Line: 8 GP – 6G, 9A, 15 PTS

Jordan Dumais is a player that doesn’t get mentioned too much, but as the draft gets closer and closer you’re going to need to take note. The QMJHL player is leading the Halifax Mooseheads with 47 points (16 goals, 31 assists) in just 30 games. He currently sits tied for second in the league in both points and assists. His December was something special, too. The winger played eight games before the holiday break, putting up a whopping 15 points (six goals, nine assists). This 5-foot-9 player has scout’s favorite written all over him.

“Dumais is an undersized winger with great vision that can act as a passing/shooting dual-threat,” said FCHockey’s QMJHL scout Joey Fortin Boulay. “He can find his teammates easily with precise passes, even the saucer ones. He’s really good at tracking pucks and possesses a sneaky stick that makes him effective on takeaways. He’s poised in possession of the puck and shows decent hands. He’s an agile skater with average speed, but he could have more burst in his first steps for his size.”

Brad Lambert, C, JYP (Liiga)

FCHockey Rank: 8

December Stat Line: 5GP (Liiga) – 1A; 2GP (WJC-20) – 1G, 4A, 5PTS

Brad Lambert has been in discussions a lot this season. Entering the year in the conversation for first overall, the Finnish forward hadn’t reached the levels that many expected of him — until he came to Alberta and dressed for Finland at the World Juniors. All of a sudden, Lambert is the talk of the town. Of course, this one tournament, where he played just two games, even if he did have five points, won’t and shouldn’t adjust his ranking on draft boards. His regular season has still left a little something to be desired. But, if he can take the confidence that he’s built from this performance and take it back to the Liiga with him, he could re-enter that top-tier conversation. All hockey fans should be hoping he does it.

“Lambert is an offensive dynamo who is very dangerous in the offensive zone given his sublime skating and fast hands,” reported FCHockey’s crossover scout Sebastian Death. “His skating stride is quick and powerful, and he generates a lot of torque with every push. His edgework is phenomenal and he makes quick cuts very effortlessly, making him hard to cover 1-on-1 as he can easily shed defenders. Lambert has very fast hands and can move his hands and feet at the same time.”

Rieger Lorenz, C, Okotoks (AJHL)

FCHockey Rank: 38

December Stat Line: 7GP – 8G, 8A, 16PTS

Rieger Lorenz is demanding your attention. He was on this list for November, too, and seems to be getting better as the season rolls on. Lorenz led all draft-eligibles in points in December, despite playing fewer games than most. The University of Denver commit is already up to 59 points (24 goals, 35 assists) in 37 games. The top player from the AJHL, Lorenz is another player that isn’t getting as much attention as he deserves this season. As the draft approaches, expect that to change. He’s already garnering some first-round discussion behind FCHockey’s doors, it may just be a matter of time before he breaks that ceiling.

“Lorenz is an incredibly smart and polished winger who already displays a lot of pro tendencies,” explained FCHockey’s Western Canada head scout Derek Neumeier. “He’s the type of prospect who always knows what his next move should be in the play and he applies himself on a consistent shift-by-shift basis. He’s a very quick and fluid skater who can both create space for himself with the puck, as well as keep a tight gap to take space away from his opponents.”

Liam Ohgren, LW, Djurgarden (SHL)

FCHockey Rank: 29

December Stat Line: 3GP (SHL); 3GP (J20 Nationell) – 6G, 2A, 8PTS

Liam Ohgren was one of FCHockey’s biggest risers on the latest update to the rankings and it doesn’t look like he’s going to stop anytime soon. The Swede led all non-CHL draft eligibles in points through December, proving that he’s simply too good for the J20 Nationell. In his three games in the J20 league, he had six goals and two assists. He’s playing very limited minutes at the SHL level so far, but his play has been good enough to earn some extra minutes as the season winds down.

“Ohgren is a high-energy winger with very good offensive instincts,” said crossover scout Curtis Schwartzkopf. “His effort level is his best asset and something that enables him to be effective at applying pressure and forcing turnovers. With high-end acceleration, Ohgren has very good top-end speed and uses it to backcheck when needed. Processing the play in the offensive zone, he is methodical in how he positions himself, weaving his way around the ice to open up passing lanes and sneak into the high slot.”

Matthew Savoie, C, Winnipeg (WHL)

FCHockey Rank: 2

December Stat Line: 10 GP – 5G, 8A, 13PTS

We may just start calling this series: “Matthew Savoie and four other top prospects of the month.” For the third month in a row, Savoie makes this list as he continues to rack up the points. His 13 points in December added to his league-leading 52 points (18 goals, 34 assists) — and yet he didn’t get the call to Team Canada’s Selection Camp for the World Juniors. Savoie just continues to raise the bar this season. He’s taken a big step forward from how he looked in the USHL last season and shows no signs of slowing down. The tiers within the top-10 of this draft are really starting to take shape and Savoie should be in the upper levels of those tiers — if not the top tier.

“Savoie is a savvy playmaking center who makes his teammates around him better in all three zones due to his work ethic,” said Western Canada scout Kurt Pohs. “His vision in the offensive zone is elite; he seems to be omniscient with the puck on his stick and being able to create scoring chances by finding his teammates at the perfect time. Despite his smaller stature, he works hard to help his team in the neutral and defensive zone by backchecking hard and working to win puck battles.”