It was disappointing but unsurprising that Liam Steele went unselected in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

A lack of playing time for the Great Britain junior meant NHL teams opted to pass on the defenseman, despite keen interest.

Renowned prospect writer, Scott Wheeler mentioned Liam in an article for The Athletic:
“Steele’s a fascinating player and story and if I were confident he’d be picked I’d selfishly hang onto it and write it after he’s drafted. But whether he gets drafted is very much a toss-up.”

https://theathletic.com/3346517/2022/06/08/nhl-draft-prospects-ten-honorable-mentions/

There is still the opportunity to be selected at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, however, so what is next?

Steele’s future is set in stone and has committed to his next two teams through the pandemic.

The Chilliwack Chiefs of the BCHL will be Steele’s home for the 2022-23 campaign.

They are a relatively new franchise in the BCHL, having started life in 1975 as the Quesnel Millionaires in the Peace Cariboo Junior Hockey League (PCJHL).
In 1996, the Millionaires moved to the British Columbia Hockey League before being sold to the Chiefs Development Group in Chilliwack in 2011.

In its eleven-season history, Chilliwack has proven to be a successful franchise despite never winning a championship.

The Chiefs have missed the play-offs on just a single occasion, and that was the only time the team has recorded a losing record.

Chilliwack has made a single championship appearance which ended in a heartbreaking seven-game series defeat to Penticton Vees and won one regular season title.

Steele is joining a team that regularly makes the play-off, posts winning records and is consistently one of the top teams in their conference (Coastal).

The BCHL might not be the most recognisable junior league regarding coverage and propensity for developing high-end NHL players.

It is, however, well scouted and NHL teams regularly draft from the BCHL.

In 2018, six BCHL players were drafted, including six inside the top 102.

That number increased to eight in 2019, with Alex Newhook selected 16th overall by Colorado.

Admittedly the numbers dropped in the following years, with just two players taken in the 2020 draft and one in 2021.

In the most recent NHL draft, four BCHL players were selected, albeit with the caveat that they were all seventh-round selections.

The Chilliwack Chiefs are responsible for four of the 21 BCHL players selected in the last five NHL Entry drafts.

The BCHL is not the hockey backwater people might have you believe despite the lower reputation outside of the high-end leagues in North America.

One NHL team will keenly eye the Chiefs this upcoming season.

Daimon Gardner was selected 112th overall by Vancouver in the 2022 draft and joins Chilliwack from playing in the USHL and High School.

The forward was highly rated in some circles but fell outside of the top two rounds, much to the delight of the Canucks organisation.

Granted, not many overagers are selected in the NHL draft.
Due to the nature of Liam Steele’s career to date, he’s not a stereotypical overage prospect.

With everything being equal, this represents the first real opportunity for an NHL team to scout a body of work including a regular season, an extended playoff run and international play.

The renowned Cornell University was happy to recruit the GB defenseman before he even played a solitary game in North America.

The 2022 NHL boat may have sailed for Liam Steele but it doesn’t mean his dream is over.

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