Shane Wright is an elite two-way center with incredible offensive ability. It’s not often you watch players where you really struggle to find too many weaknesses at this level, but he has been that way for a while now. His intelligence on the ice is second-to-none and on full display in his playmaking, his lane pursuit, and his awareness. Wright adds a pro caliber shot to his toolbox that will allow him to be a multi-dimensional offensive threat at the NHL level, sooner rather than later. He’s so mature in his defensive game and because of that, he is just as effective defensively as he is offensively. He knows the nuances of playing the center position and can properly support his defenders on every play. He never seems to be caught out of position and remains engaged and effective on both the rush and the cycle. The biggest issue with Wright’s game this season was his inconsistent offensive production. Through the Christmas break, he wasn’t producing the way a top-tier draft eligible prospect would in the OHL, but he put most of the questions about his production to rest with his amazing second-half explosion. There was an odd amount of discourse surrounding Wright’s stature as the top player in this class given the way his season went. While it wasn’t completely unwarranted, it is important to remember he missed essentially the entire 2020-21 season due to the pandemic, and had insane expectations coming off his rookie season. The way Wright rebounded in the latter half of the year showed enough to remind people why he can be a future top-line center in the NHL for years to come and why he is considered the odds-on favorite to be the number one selection in the NHL Draft.

– FCHockey’s 2022 NHL Draft Guide