Ahead of the 2022 NHL Draft, Shane Wright was at the top in most mocks. Experts were almost sure he would be the Montreal Canadiens’ first selection. But when the Canadiens walked on stage, everyone’s jaw dropped.
Shane Wright had 32 goals and 62 assists for 94 points in 63 games last season with the Hamilton Bulldogs in the OHL. That wasn’t enough, however, as the Canadiens instead picked Juraj Slafkovsky as their first pick.
Wright for sure thought he would be picked second, but the New Jersey Devils went with Slovak blue liner Simon Nemec.
Arizona Coyotes also went for another player, allowing the Seattle Kraken to choose Shane Wright as the fourth pick.
”That hurts. That hurts,” Wright said after Arizona Coyotes picked Logan Cooley.
Shane Wright, however, said he was happy to be chosen by the Kraken, and so far, during his first season in the NHL, he’s played three games. Wright hasn’t played more than six minutes in any of the games, but he got a reason to celebrate last night.
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In the third period, it was announced in the arena that Wright got an assist on a goal scored by Ryan Donato earlier in the second period. Wright’s assist wasn’t recorded initially, and it was a loud cheer when it was announced he got his first point.
“I thought maybe I would have got an assist there, thought I’d touched the puck. Didn’t know in the room until they announced it so obviously a pretty cool moment for sure. Definitely really special for me,” Wright said after the game.
But on social media, fans were confused. As the NHL, and the Seattle Kraken, posted videos of Wright’s first point, nobody understood where the NHL found the assist. Fans are saying that the NHL was too kind to reward Wright with an assist, and some even said that Wright never touched the puck.
”I’m still looking. It’s been an hour,” one said.
”Think they’re pulling a prank on the kid,” said another.
”He touches the puck, but it’s a very, VERY generous secondary assist,” said a third.
”I’m trying so hard but I can’t see the assist. This might be a bit of a stretch lol,” said another.
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