The many challenges with Shane Wright's projection ahead of the 2022 NHL Draft

Shane Wright's hold on the top spot in the 2022 NHL Draft is slipping.

It's not that he hasn't played well this season. He's producing at the level of a top OHLer and leading all U18 players in the league by a significant margin, but his exceptional status coupled with a 39-goal rookie season have raised the bar so much higher than that.

Good isn't good enough for a player with his pedigree.

A more physically mature and experienced Wright was supposed to take over games this season. He was supposed to produce at a similar clip while expanding upon his base of strengths, like his off-puck play and his playmaking. Those improvements haven't occurred nearly quickly enough.

But Wright's draft year operates within a different context than that of previous candidates for the first overall pick. Whil